Over the last couple of years, I’ve shopped at the Ramkhamhaeng Night Market many times, and I’ve yet to see a tourist there. Sure, I’ve seen a couple of westerners but, like me, they’re expats who live in Bangkok, which is just about the only way foreigners know about this market. But, if you’ll be visiting Bangkok and want to look for cheap clothing at a place other tourists rarely find, it’s worth traveling to Ramkhamhaeng Night Market. Not only is it cheap it’s incredibly fun too.
Location of Ramkhamhaeng Night Market – Situated on Ramkhamhaeng Road, the Night Market begins at The Mall Ramkhamhaeng and runs the whole length of the road to the next major junction. To walk the whole length of the market, if you look at all the stalls, easily takes more than an hour, and that’s if you don’t stop to buy anything.
What to Buy at Ramkhamhaeng Night Market – Although like most night markets there’s a wide array of items for sale, the majority of things you’ll find on street stalls at the Ramkhamhaeng Night Market is clothing, shoes, purses and accessories. The market is in the vicinity of Ramkamhaeng University, so it targets university students, and young commuters (but, if you’re older than the age of 30, don’t let that put you off – there are thousands of items you’ll love too), who love to buy cute, fashionable clothing at a low price.
Shop for t shirts, shorts, spaghetti tops, fashion skirts, dresses, casual shirts and dress shirts, skirts and dresses suitable for the office and, of course, thousands of purses, wallets, belts, costume jewelry, scarves, and shawls. You’ll also find mobile phone accessories, school supplies, children’s clothing and toys, men’s t shirts, shorts, shirts and hundreds of pairs of jeans.
Prices begin at 99 baht ($3.30) per piece but, if you buy several pieces at the same stall, you should be able to bargain the price down an additional 10-15%.
Don’t miss stepping out of the night market and into the many stand-alone shops that line the street. They’re also open during the night market and most have prices as cheap as the market stalls. The purse and wallet shops in particular are worth visiting. Every one has a huge inventory and, with prices for a fashion bag as low as 150 baht ($5), you shouldn’t pass up these bargains.
Eating at Ramkhamhaeng Night Market – Another reason I love to go to Ramkamhaeng Night Market is for the food. Street vendors all over Thailand make superb street food, but the stalls at Ramkamhaeng seem to have it down to an art.
The best place to eat is at one of the restaurants just inside the small sois that branch off from the market. Pull up a plastic chair and place your order, and your food will be prepared while you wait. Be aware though, few people in this area speak English so, if you’re there without a Thai speaker, you’ll have to do a lot of pointing at food on other tables to get what you want, but that’s all part of the fun.
Prices for food are dirt cheap, with some dishes as low as 25 baht (80 cents). I ate the best shrimp fried rice I’ve ever eaten at one of these food stalls, and the Pad Thai was darn good too.
The market begins around 5pm, with stalls beginning to pack up around 10:30pm. To get to Ramkamhaeng Night Market, take a taxi to The Mall Ramkamhaeng and you’ll see the market from here. Or if you don’t mind a long ride, hop on the number 40 bus at Hua Lamphon train station. The final stop is The Mall Ramkamhaeng, so you can’t miss it, but the entire ride is likely to taken an hour and 15 minutes or more.