The floating market has come to be one of the iconic Thai tourism advertising images, one of those quirky things that is “only to be found in Thailand”, but in reality the majority of Thai people needn’t jump in a boat to find their nearest source of fresh produce. In fact, we would argue that there are more interesting sites to be found at the regular dry-land markets found in every town and village around Thailand than in this largely tourism-driven, modern vision of the past.

Markets are an integral part of Thai culture and you can never really be too far away from one. In fact, if you can’t get to the market, the chances are the market will eventually come to you!  Here we give you a run down of some of the many kinds of amazing markets you can find throughout Thailand:

Fresh Markets:

Thai daily fresh markets are a constant source of fascination for us here at VeryThai as not only are they a place to pick up almost anything you can think of, but they also provide a hub for Thai social life. For those who attend their local market regularly it’s more than a shopping venue, the market is a place to go to meet friends, have a gossip and pick up what you need for the evening’s tea in the process and this is quickly apparent upon first stepping into the retail arena that is the Thai dalat.

For the first time visitor the Thai market place may be a lot to take in as it engulfs you with an assault on all five senses:

See: As you walk around the market there is so much for the eyes to take in. A battalion of products are stacked high on table tops and shelves, hanging from walls and overhead, many of which may be completely new to the foreign visitor. From the vivid colours of fresh Thai fruits to the murkier greys and blues of the seafood stalls, the market provides a visual rainbow of colour that is sure to give your eyes a workout.

The bright reflection of the beaming Thai sun from the motorbikes parked in rows in the market car park. The fresh bright greens of bunches of herbs. The vivid red of baskets of Thai chillies. The bright, shiny saffron of a Buddhist alter candle. The intense purple of incense sticks. The gleaming shine of new cooking wares. The depths of the shadowy corridor of a large indoor market. A glass case full of shining watches. Fluorescent light glistening on the rippling surface of a bucket of water housing live fish, to name but a few sights the market offers.

Smell: The chances are that shortly before arriving into the market itself your sense of smell will already have begun to be stimulated. On the outskirts of the market, fresh food is sold to-go, enticing and easily accessible for drive-through customers from the street. The rich smells of noodle soup broths, the smokiness of char-gilled pork are juxtaposed with the light sweet aromas of freshly cut fruit.

As you make your way into the centre of the market the smells begin to change, not all of them pleasant. Steaming pots of hot curry release tantalising aromas mixing with the deep earthiness of damp leafy vegetables. The stench of gutted fish and freshly butchered meat may cause you to pick up your pace. The zesty scent of freshly squeezed orange juice. The distinct smell of heated plastic from sun-blocking advertising banners sheltering the stools on the outer rim of the market. The tickling sensation of ground spices gets into your nostrils. The smell of factory-fresh new clothes. An aroma you can’t identify. The list is endless…

Hear: The fresh market can be a bit of a noisy place. While the sound of wailing stall holders may be very familiar to the British ear, aside from at closing time, you won’t often hear Thai sellers pitching their best deals at the top of their voices. Instead a bold sign and gentle suggestions face to face as to what are the best buys of the day are more common place. When approaching a stall you may be gently coerced towards a particular product and at times sellers may attempt to poach one another’s customers, promising better products at better prices, but always with a smile and always in good jest.

Sellers spend so much of their time at their stalls so it is not unusual to hear the sound of TV soap operas, game shows or news reports floating through the market place from their personal portable TV’s. Stashed under table tops or mounted on the pillars or walls of the market building they provide entertainment for those making a living in market retail. In addition to this most local markets will have at least one entertainment stall stocked with a bright array of the latest Thai CD’s and VCD movies. These stalls can often be found playing traditional-Thai flavoured pop music from the Isan region, which is ever popular nationwide.

Background chitter chatter is a constant feature of the market environment. Elderly ladies catch up, chatting about the latest local gossip and the evening news they heard last night. Male sellers may sit around having a laugh and a joke together. The sounds of bike engines starting up and shutting down rarely cease as endless customers arrive and leave with their purchases. Groups of school children come to grab a snack on the way home from school, giggling and teasing one another amongst the market walkways. The market is place for all age ranges to have a walk and a talk and pick up some bargains. This makes the market the perfect environment to indulge in some people watching.

Taste: The market may be one of the best places to sample some of the freshest Thai flavours available. You can find freshly chopped fruit, grilled meats, freshly prepared curries and savoury snacks. Much of the foods available can be eaten instantly so it makes a great place to pick up a lunch on the go. The stall holders will be more than happy to give you some advice on what is delicious whether they can speak your language or not. It’s a great place to try something new.

Feel: Not only will a trip to the Thai market stimulate your eyes, ears and taste buds but also your perceptions of mechanoreception (that’s touch) and thermoception (that’s temperature). As you walk past stalls providing hot food you will feel the rush of heat from gas burners and charcoal barbeques. The cut fruit cart may provide a momentary chill emanating from the ice in which the fruit sits inside a glass, fish tank-like case.

The market is all about a hands-on experience. You have to get to grips with the produce to select the best. The spiky outer shell of a jack fruit, the smooth texture of Thai silk, the waxiness of citrus fruit rinds…

As well as many tactile products to get to grips with don’t be surprised if you are jostled out of the way by a purposeful elderly Thai who knows their way around the market far better than you do! Think if it as part of the multisensory Thai market experience!

Street Markets:

Many regular streets in Thailand transform to become street markets in the evenings. Rather than selling fresh produce and raw ingredients like the daily markets these rows of stalls tend to provide pre-prepared and freshly cooked meals and snacks.

Opening for business at dusk street vendors provide food to the majority of Thai people at the end of a busy day. Expect lots of grilled and fried snacks, numerous noodle stands, rice soup stands, curry stalls as well as vendors selling cold soft drinks and fruit juice. This is fast food at its best; don’t be afraid to try something new, street food is an authentic Thai taste experience that you can’t afford to miss.

The presence and availability of food at every time of the day is one thing that characterises Thailand’s streets. It will soon become clear why “gin khao reu yang?” or “Have you eaten?” has become the common greeting of choice of most Thais.

Night Bazaars:

Many larger towns around Thailand have areas dedicated to Night Bazaar markets. These markets tend to be more tourist orientated and rather than focussing on food sell a variety of knickknacks which may appeal to foreign visitors as souvenirs. Intricate arts and crafts, home wares, clothing, sight seeing tours, padlocks, watches, iPod speakers, flip flops, all of the essentials a traveller may need can be found in these areas.

Notable Night Bazaars include Bangkok’s Suan Lum Night Bazaar, Chiang Mai Night Bazaar and Chiang Rai Night Bazaar but many towns frequented by tourists offer an equivalent.

Every Sunday night Chiang Mai also plays host to a weekly “Walking Street Market” or “tanon khon dern”. Popular with Thais and tourists alike it is a great place to find unique handmade souvenirs, and sample the limitless creativity of Thai people. From Tuk Tuks made out of drinks cans, artistic photography and herbal toiletries to flip flops carved with unique designs, clay sculptures and knitted phone socks, there is literally a gift for everyone. Combine this with street massage beds, snack stalls and refreshing cool drinks and you have found yourself the perfect Sunday night out in Chiang Mai!

Mobile Vendors:

When you can’t get to the market the market may come to you! Mobile sellers pulling small carts or driving motorbikes laden with produce are a fairly common site around Thai residential areas. A bit like an ice cream van in the UK, the sellers will walk along ringing a small bell and announcing their arrival on the street, hoping to get the attention of those indoors. Common products include brooms, baskets, straw mats and snacks. In areas where people can’t easily get to a market, in national parks for example, a seller will often cater for the people who work or stay there by bringing prepared food to sell from a motorbike or truck daily so you needn’t worry about ever going hungry in Thailand.

In shopping areas and around schools sellers can often be seen pushing a large steel drum-like barrel. This contains Thai ice cream; often coconut flavoured, it is sold in pots or wrapped in white bread and served with peanuts as a topping. A perfect snack for hot Thai days!

Mobile omelette carts also appear on many streets by night providing a quick and easy dinner. In addition to this vendors selling cured squid and grilled meat balls arrive outside of bars to catch the late night trade and satisfy the cravings of pub goers.

Chatuchak Market, Bangkok:

One of the most well known Thai markets, and the largest in the nation, is the sprawling retail haven of Chatuchak in Bangkok. Also know as “JJ Market”, Chatuchak is a weekend market where you can find almost anything you could possibly think of. Clothes, Thai arts and crafts, hardware, furniture, lighting, food, cleaning products, bags, shoes, even live pets and fighting cockerels!

A tourist favourite, the market is fully kitted out to cater for your needs. There are ATMs and foreign exchange at the market complex, restaurants provide refreshments inside and toilets are provided. The site is so big, 35 acres in fact, that there is even golf-cart style transport on offer! Chatuchak is the ultimate example of the modern Thai market place.

To witness Chatuchak in full swing we recommend setting a whole day aside for a weekend visit. Some vendors open up shop during the weekdays but if it is fashion you are after Saturday and Sunday are the days for you. On your next trip to Bangkok grab a large bottle of water and get stuck in!