Chatuchak Market

An excellent market for the quantity buyer, I have been there several times and picked up bargains that I have taken back to Australia for resale.
It’s a sticky crowded market and if you can stand the heat and narrow isles for more than an hour you are doing well. All the goods are offered at low prices that could go much lower, provided you bargain hard enough
Browse through clothes, handicrafts, "antiques," orchids, pets and even army surplus. It’s all there. You could spend all day here and still not hope to have explored everything the market offers.
What appeals to me is the opportunity is there to make some great money.
Many of the stalls are owned by small factory owners that want to cash in on the hordes of tourists. For those that are savvy enough, it provides the chance to buy in quantity without trekking out to the factories in the provinces.
Thai silk items are a great buy and the range to choose from is amazing. Just show them your wad of cash and bargain your way into a great deal.
Where else in the world can you buy great merchandise that has a considerable amount of hand made input at these prices?

My Buying Trip To Bangkok

Several years ago I went to Thailand with the primary purpose of establishing trade contacts in the finished leather goods market.

I had researched the trade directories and had compiled a shortlist of potential suppliers to call when I arrived.
My initial attraction to the idea of developing a trading relationship with Thailand stemmed from the fact that other business associates had successfully established flexible and long lasting relationships with Thai exporters.
Buoyed with enthusiasm, I packed my bags.
The first morning of my arrival I rang most of the factories on my list with mixed results.
Many did not speak English beyond the basic greetings, so my list was growing smaller.

This is one of the problems when you research suppliers on the net. On the internet they appear well established and communicative but in many cases it is only perception. In reality they are not the model you had hoped for.
Nothing beats face to face business meetings, so an initial trip to your potential supplier is a good investment. After a few of these business trips I am now able to pick up the phone, order from overseas and the production gets underway. Sometimes I do this by email or sometimes just a phone call suffices. This is the kind of relationship any small business owner would dream of.

Pratunam market

Pratunam Market in Bangkok is one of the two major markets in Bangkok. It is a maze of alleyways, backstreets and basement areas that aggregate into one large retail and wholesale market.
Essentially it is a clothing market that has something for everybody, because although the area is geared to wholesale business, the small shops will gladly sell you a sample of their product at retail price.
The concept is different to other markets. Usually markets consist of makeshift stalls that are taken down at days end but Pratunam consists of permanent shops and also roadside stalls both fiercely vying for the consumer dollar.
You will find the Pratunam area deluged by international buyers who are there to export finished Thai products in to their own country. Unlike China, there are great opportunities to buy wholesale with out having to place very large orders with the suppliers.
Best buys are T-shirts, jeans, ladies fashion and souvenirs of Thai made products.
It is also a great place to sample Thai food made freshly for you by roadside vendors. Eat it there or take some soup home in a plastic bag. Either way it’s “ aroi” as the Thais say. The word means delicious.
Thai food has a reputation for being just that.


Pratunam Market in Bangkok is one of the two major markets in Bangkok. It is a maze of alleyways, backstreets and basement areas that aggregate into one large retail and wholesale market.
Essentially it is a clothing market that has something for everybody, because although the area is geared to wholesale business, the small shops will gladly sell you a sample of their product at retail price.
The concept is different to other markets. Usually markets consist of makeshift stalls that are taken down at days end but Pratunam consists of permanent shops and also roadside stalls both fiercely vying for the consumer dollar.
You will find the Pratunam area deluged by international buyers who are there to export finished Thai products in to their own country. Unlike China, there are great opportunities to buy wholesale with out having to place very large orders with the suppliers.
Best buys are T-shirts, jeans, ladies fashion and souvenirs of Thai made products.
It is also a great place to sample Thai food made freshly for you by roadside vendors. Eat it there or take some soup home in a plastic bag. Either way it’s “ arroi” as the Thais say. The word means delicious.
Thai food has a reputation for being just that.