The city ‘s official night bazaar., this market is smaller and easier to navigate than Chatuchak and is complimented by the lively food court and beer garden.  Geared heavily towards tourists, the stalls here offer the usual mix of crafts, textiles and local knickknacks, However there are some creative gems amongst the trinkets and it’s well  worth looking around, if only to build up your thirst for the connecting food/beer graden.

Here local bands blast out favourites while food vendors do brisk business. To wash it all down, there’s a wide selection of the local and German beer, available by the glass or gallon. The night bazaar is currently towered over by the ferris wheel on loan from France. Enjoy it all while you can; this Bangkok gem may soon go the way of the wrecking ball to make room for – yes,you guessed it.  – yet another modern shopping mall.

The Suan Lum night market is open every day (i.e. evening), and is plonked slap next to Lumpini Park on Rama IV Road. Great as this gives the mid-week heat avoiding tourist what does history in the light bits of the day a great get your holiday shopping stuff alternative. Yes it does look touristy, in that the majority of stalls offer crafts and gifts, and all are advertised by Thai Airways. But so what ? if you are looking for crafts and gifts, advertised by Thai Airways. Indeed, a great many Thais enjoy evening shopping, eating at the many cafes and the boozing at the many outdoor beer gardens.

And it is a pretty large area all right. (A "meet you back in half an hour" sort of area.) And there's that Joe Louis Puppet Theatre to gawp at if you wish. Show times 7.30 / 8.00pm. I have no idea where the photographed Khmer entry gate in the shape of an ancient Angkor library came from, but do I mind? Nup. It is beautifully Thai in its playfulness. And when you get there, look out for the marvelous way "official" is spelt over each of the entry gateways? And if you stub your toe on the Khmer temple it doesn't hurt. As it is made of fibreglass stuff. The lasses can go shopping while the lads go Thai Boxing next door at Lumpini Stadium. Meet back for refreshments afterwards.