[top photo: Visitors browsing Chatuchak weekend market in Bangkok, Thailand.]

By Nguyen Thu Hang

Where are you going on holiday? Will you have a picnic, go shopping, go to beach or visit somewhere?

Head to Thailand, you will have a chance to discover many things which will amaze you.

Bangkok was ablaze with activity when we arrived.

We spent our five-day break dashing around the city: visiting temples along the Chao Praya River, the Grand Palace, museums, attending Thai puppet performances at the Naatayasala Theatre and shopping to our hearts content in the city's many malls and markets.

Bangkok is a mecca for consumers and I did not prove to be the exception.

Chatuchak Weekend Market is one of the world's largest markets, covering an area of 2,800sq.m and divided into 28 sections. Located near the Mo Chit sky train station, it is hard to miss.

The market has become one of the city's most popular tourist attractions. Open all day Saturday and Sunday, over 200,000 shoppers visit the market each day, 30 per cent of whom are foreigners.

I've heard different figures for the actual number of stalls within the market, but with around 10,000 to choose from, there is no way a visitor can see it all in just one weekend.

At 8am, the lorries begin to arrive: huge bales of clothing, fabric, handbags, books, antiques and dozens of other products are unloaded and carted to the stalls, which are beginning to spring to life.

By 8:30am, restaurants are open for business: steaming woks and boiling pots of soup, are available for seated traders with tightly set jaws.

The best time to arrive is about 9:30am. This will give you time to grab a quick breakfast and a drink before you venture inside.

We get there on Saturday at 10am and luckily it is not as crowded as I had feared. But it is usually packed by noon and Sunday is even busier than Saturday.

Before entering the market, you should get a map, which is available free of charge at the information counter by the main gate.

Chatuchak is a maze and it is difficult to find anything if you don't know where you're going. Each section carries specific items: clothing, silks, toys, souvenirs, shoes, etc. So it's easier to find things if you know where to go.

We glanced at the map, but we also had a tourist guide and a staff member from the market management department to guide us.

During the trip, our guide kept saying, "Be careful of your bag and your wallet." Thailand is a safe country but, like anywhere, there are sometimes problems with pick pockets and Chatuchak is notorious for them.

The weather in Bangkok is very hot but there's no need to carry water since so many stalls sell it. If you are dying of thirst, which you will be, you can get also sample shakes, fruit juices, coke, Pepsi, iced coffee and pretty much anything else imaginable.

You will find everything you could want: fruit, vegetables, plants, clothes, shoes, artwork, jewellery, watches, silks, Thai crafts, wooden furniture, household items, animals, bags, toys, fake bags, fake DVDs, antiques, fabrics, silk flowers, Buddhist amulets and local souvenirs from every part of Thailand.

Items are also cheaper here than almost anywhere else in Bangkok.

Bargaining is an important thing when buying something at Chatuchak. Don't be insulting, but do try to knock prices down. Some stalls have fixed prices and will not bargain, but most will. A good place to start is to offer about 70 per cent of the original price. The seller will counter offer but you can usually get them down by 15-20 per cent, and if you buy more than one thing, you will get an even better price.

At Chatuchak, if you like something, buy it immediately. Don't wait to see if you will find a better price because you might, you might not. But one thing is for sure: you will never find the first stall again.

Don't bother coming to the market in a large group because you will most likely get separated. But don't worry because there are policemen everywhere who speak enough English to give you directions if you get lost.

"People have gone inside and have never been seen or heard from again," the tourist guide said.

"Here, visitors can enjoy walking and shopping for products from all parts of Thailand. And the prices are reasonably low," he said.

After a few hours of shopping, you will probably need to stop for lunch or a refreshment. There are many good restaurants - both air-conditioned and open-air - to choose from. Thai, European, Chinese and Japanese food are available.

Chatuchak is known by the Thais to have some of the best food in Bangkok.

We like Thai food, and enjoyed a number of traditional dishes including spicy papaya salad.

Impress your friends by learning to make a great Thai dish.

Le Thi Huong, one of my fellow travellers, bought ten packs of Thai spices to make Thai food at home.

"My friends asked me to buy many packs of spices for them because they like Thai food very much," Huong said.

I followed her lead and bought some for my family and friends.

Another relaxing option is to stop and get a Thai massage.

You can get a 30-minute massage for just 150 baht (S$6) or 60-minute massage for 250 baht. After the brief respite, you can get back to shopping.

Chatuchak is a place to fulfil your heart's shopping desires. But remember to drink plenty of water, take regular breaks and enjoy some of the delicious food. And most importantly, shop till you drop before hopping on the sky train to drag your finds back to the hotel. Don't forget to have fun, talk to the locals and take lots of photos.

- Viet Nam News/Asia News Network