Sunday
Today I once again took a weekend "stroll" to one of the largest markets in Thailand and SE Asia; the Chatuchak Weekend Market. Fortunately it is only a few minutes from my home here in Bangkok and by using the BTS, I need to go only a single station before I exit.
My normal routine is to leave around 8AM and exit the next to last station (Saphan Khwai) on this BTS line. I think most go directly to the market and exit at Mo Chit but I prefer to take in the many individuals who have brought their small assortment of items from home and are now selling them between Saphan Khwai and Mo Chit. Even if you are in no hurry and manage a glance at each person's "carpet" of wares, it won't take more than 15 minutes to end up at one of the many entrances to Chatuchak and its' 6000 stalls.
My goals are simple when I do this as I collect two things here in Asia at the moment that I know can sometimes be found from individuals. One is Chinese snuff bottles and the other is used phone cards. As weird as that might sound, both are collectables in both Europe and North America and are quite interesting, enjoyable and can on occasion be worth considerably more than you paid. This morning I am once again lucky and find one person selling six bottles. I select three and start talking about price. We manage to get his asking price down from 220 each to 500 baht for the three I want. He wanted 550 but when I started to walk away, it went to 500. Nice bottles.
There are many vendors lining the street between the Saphan Khwai and Mo Chit BTS (Skytrain) stations. The vast majority are involved in selling and trading Buddhist amulets.
It is the people that I go to Chatuchak for, both the Thais and the foreigners. The Thais are always watching and when you catch them watching, it is always interesting to see what they do next. Most will smile, some will quickly look away and only when you are not watching, look right back at you again. There is always a bit of flirting going on, even from some that you might not want to be flirting with you. Want to know who? Go to one of Thailand's largest market and experience it all!
July 2001
Went today a bit later than usual, around 2PM and it was brutally hot. The kind of hot that one can only experience in Bangkok as it must have been over a 100 degrees inside the closed, non-ventilated, metal roofed buildings. Just as it seemed I couldn't take it longer, nature stepped in, and a storm roared up and dumped its' rain and cooled things off dramatically. What a relief it was!
Between the buildings a canvass covers the walking are and it is pouring down between the sheets!
I actually got to explore a section I had never been in before. I guess I'll call it the "new section". It was far less crowded but I did manage to find a new lamp here and got some amazingly beautiful silk ties for 10 Baht each. Yes, 10 Baht each!! The same tie in the USA would be at least $20-$30 USD.
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