Bangkok’s Chatuchak weekend market is reopening
Chatuchak, Jatujak, JJ, whatever you choose to call it, Bangkok’s legendary weekend market is reopening tomorrow. The massive indoor/outdoor market, popular with both Thai and foreign tourists, will reopen this weekend after weeks of being shuttered, but visitors will be required to observe physical distancing and wear face masks…. you know the drill.
Walaya Wattanarat, deputy permanent secretary of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration says that this weekend the market will be open from 5am to 6pm, for shops selling everything from garments, souvenirs, shoes and decourative items, to food, snacks, secondhand items, ceramics and more.
She says City Hall is providing standard preventive measures, including temperature screening at all entrances, sanitiser gel for all visitors and physical distance markings, adding that the public toilets will be cleansed every two hours.
Chatuchak is famous for its crowded, tight corridors and extensive shopping selections, including wet markets which are now under considerable scrutiny following the likely outbreak of the pandemic in a Wuhan wet market. Apart from being a live ‘petrie dish’ of potential viral transmission, the wet market section of Chatuchak has a notorious reputation as hub for illegal businesses selling protected wild animals smuggled from across the world. The wet market has not been specifically addressed in the BMA’s announcements.
As for food stalls, Walaya says the BMA is emphasising takeaway services, but stalls with seating will be required to separate diners by at least 1.5 metres.
Stalls selling garments, shoes, bags and other similar items must limit the number of customers to 5 at a time, or 10 for larger stalls.
In addition to Chatuchak’s main weekend market…
• The Mix Night Market will open daily from 12pm-7pm (beginning today)
• The Plant Market will open on Monday and Tuesday, 9am-6pm
• The Fish Market on Wed from 9am-7pm
SOURCE: Thai PBS World
