Pratunam Market

While properly, it cannot compete with Bangkok's shopping malls or department stores, it is a fascinating market area that features many small clothing stalls who sell at highly discounted prices. If you look for affordable things for yourself or others, it is easy for you to get some bargains here, especially when you buy in bulk. Here are some tips for tourists to have an unforgettable experience at Pratunam Market.

Pratunam originally means "water gate". It was not popular until the 1960s as the landscape was dominated by rice fields. At that time, a fresh - produced market area was set up next to the hotel at Ratchaparop Road. After that, more markets positioned here and this area was known as a local marketplace. In Pratunam Market, clothes, shoes and other fashion accessories are selling at wholesale price. You can find yourself in the middle of cloth-maze when entering the small alleys and crowded small streets. Here, prices are extremely cheap and most of the shops offer retail prices for each item.

Pratunam Market

To arrive at Pratunam Ladies market, you can choose to come on the MRT then go to Sukhumvit station. When you come up from the station, you will be at BTS Asok, let’s take the BTS to Chit Lom station. Here tourists can see the cheapest market of Bangkok. Pratunam Market, which is located at the intersection of Petchburi and Ratchaprop roads (near the Amari Watergate Bangkok hotel), is filled with tiny stalls and shops flowing over to the sidewalks and extending all the way to Baiyoke Towers II and Balyoke Towers I on Ratchaprarop Soi 3.

The market offers an immersion in the local way of life beside a shopping experience - vendors usually work their sewing machine, pack and unpack orders, cart trolleys up and down the aisles and shout gossip together for the lack of a better thing to do. It offers a glimpse into what shopping used to be before air-conditioned malls appear. Vendor stalls and shops at Pratunam Market display all kinds of clothes from shorts, suits, winter jackets, T-shirt to bizarre outfits and costumes. Fancy dress and embroidered costumes like sequins, feathers and beads are largely concentrated at the section closer to Petchabun Road. From Pratunam Market, at Baiyoke Tower I, visitors can explore 5 floors of similar clothing and a good handful of shops which sell accessories like belts, faux jewelry, leather totes, women’s shoes and baseball caps. The building has air conditioning system that makes it a nice escape from the midday heat.

Pratunam Market

Most people come to Pratunam Market for getting their supplies. The target customer of this market is lower to lower - middle income buyers. However, like other markets in Bangkok, price also reflects quality. When you buy 3 pieces or more, shops will offer wholesale prices. Especially, bargaining is acceptable here though you rarely need to do that as most items are really cheap already. In fact, there are some rules of thumb you should know: "No exchange, no trying on and no refund as well". When you see any brand-name items, simply think that they are at best, copies. All of the reasons come from their prices.

Pratunam Wholesale Market is open 24/24 but the atmosphere of the market changes depending on the time of day or night. If you arrive before 11am, you will mostly be welcomed by a small scattering of people and lowered metal doors showing that shops are still closed. In case, you come later in the noon, you are guaranteed some excellent people watching and vendors eagerly selling their wares. For shoppers and visitors, the best time to get there is between 11am and 8pm.