A bargain-hunter's paradise

The Amphawa Floating Market, located 50 kilometers outside of Bangkok, is a major draw for foodies. Restaurants, food stalls and moored boats gather to sell Thai snacks such as grilled prawns and salted fish. [Photo by Lin Qi/China Daily]

Remember the section and the soi (lane in Thai) numbers of the stores you want to return to; keep their business cards or take a photo of their address plate.

A lot of shops sell similar souvenirs, so don't buy anything without looking around first. Tananart says the shops near the entrance and facing the streets typically charge higher prices than the ones located farther inside the market.

If you bargain, you can get a vendor to slash the price by 20 to 30 percent, in most cases. If you are lucky to have a local companion and seasoned shopper like Tananart, you may get an even greater discount.

There is more to Chatuchak than just shopping and dining. If you enter from Gate 2 and go to Section 7, there is a "secret garden" of fine art. The lanes have dozens of art stalls containing paintings, sculptures and installations.

The artists act as their own gallery managers, decorators and dealers. They show considerable patience explaining their artwork, bargaining and helping package the purchases.

Last but not least, try the coconut ice cream before you leave Chatuchak. The little stand at the main road outside Section 25 sells the best; two scoops are placed in a coconut shell and covered with your favorite toppings. It costs 30 baht (91 cents) for one serving and an additional 20 baht for a bottle of coconut water.