Vintage shopping Bangkok: markets, warehouses and thrift rows
Vintage shopping in Bangkok is a treasure-hunt rather than a boutique experience. The good stuff is in market sections, warehouses and flea markets that move, and the sellers know what they have. Japanese and American vintage denim, military surplus, mid-century furniture, old Thai signage, vinyl and cameras all have their own corners of the city. Here is where to look, by area.
Chatuchak
The Chatuchak weekend market is the biggest vintage source in the city, though the stalls are scattered through the maze. The rows nearest Kamphaeng Phet MRT have second-hand denim, workwear and military surplus, with stallholders who can talk you through selvedge and dates. The antique and collectables sections hold old enamel signs, cameras, watches, Buddha amulets and furniture. Go early on Saturday for the best pick, expect to haggle, and bring a bag big enough for whatever you find. The Chatuchak guide explains the section numbers.
Lat Phrao: Papaya
Papaya Studio, in a side soi off Lat Phrao Road, is a warehouse of vintage furniture, lamps, mannequins, film props and oddities stacked several storeys high. It is more museum than shop, famous as a photo location, and most of what is on show is for sale or hire. It needs a taxi from Lat Phrao MRT and an hour at least.
Siam Square
Siam Square has a younger second-hand scene: pop-up flea markets under the old Lido building, Thai streetwear resellers in the small shops of the sois, and student-run thrift events. The markets are irregular, so search the map for the current one. The Siam guide covers the area.
Chinatown and the old town
Khlong Thom, the market district on the edge of Chinatown, is the place for second-hand tools, electronics, old cameras and spare parts, with a Saturday night pavement market where sellers spread their goods on the ground under torchlight. The former Thieves' Market, Woeng Nakhon Kasem, nearby, was once the city's antiques quarter and now mostly sells musical instruments, but a few old dealers remain. Across the old town, the antiques shops along Charoen Krung near River City sell the serious end: Burmese lacquer, Chinese ceramics and Thai bronzes. See the Chinatown guide and the Charoen Krung guide.
Thonburi: Wang Lang
Wang Lang market opposite the Grand Palace is better known for food, but its clothing lanes carry cheap second-hand jeans, shirts and bags sold by weight and by the pile, aimed at hospital staff and students rather than tourists. Take the cross-river ferry from Tha Chang. The Thonburi riverside guide has the piers.
Further out
The train-market style night markets on the city's edges, with their rows of vintage-car garages and Americana dealers, have opened and closed repeatedly over the past decade. The Srinakarin site behind Seacon Square is the one to check; search the map before you commit to the trip.
Getting there
- Chatuchak: Kamphaeng Phet MRT for the vintage rows; Mo Chit BTS for the main gate.
- Papaya: Lat Phrao MRT, then a taxi.
- Siam Square: Siam BTS.
- Khlong Thom: Wat Mangkon or Sam Yot MRT.
- River City antiques: Si Phraya pier on the express boat.
- Wang Lang: ferry from Tha Chang pier.
Carry cash, check zips and seams before you pay, and remember that most vintage sellers at Chatuchak only trade at weekends.