Bangkok

Chatuchak market is in worst crisis in 5 decades due to Covid-19, vendors say

Published

Monday, January 25, 2021 18:07

PHOTO: Bucketlistly

Chatuchak Weekend Market, Bangkok’s biggest market and a popular tourist destination, is hit hard by the new wave of Covid-19. With the lack of foreign tourists due to travel restrictions over the past year, as well as more locals staying at home despite the market’s strict disease control measures, the number of visitors at the market has dropped by 90%.

Vendors at the market say this is the worst situation in 50 years. Most of them report no sales at all. With little to no income, many shops at the market have shut down. Although the BMA is trying to relieve the situation by lowering the rental fees by half, that seems not enough to help the business. Some of the vendors have tried online trading, but sales are still low.

SOURCE: Thai Visa

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11 Comments

Jitendra Bahubali

Monday, January 25, 2021 at 6:59 pm

For Tower of Babble: Stop publishing this kind of stories @ Thaiger. Because the plea falls on deaf ears of the government which are stuffed with ignorance of their local Thai people and their stomachs are filled with cash loads and royal Crown wealth. They can hardly hear any cries of the local Thai people.

Reply
Jason

Monday, January 25, 2021 at 7:11 pm

Vendors who switch to online to supplement their income are making the wisest move. Most businesses have benefitted by having either an online presence or take away facility….or both in this pandemic. Give clients a no contact way of accessing your product.

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- Mel Burn
  
  Monday, January 25, 2021 at 11:54 pm
  
  This market was as much as a tourist attraction as a shopping place. Online presents will not help – whatsoever.
  
  Reply
Tony Andrews

Monday, January 25, 2021 at 10:41 pm

Yes it was good for a day out.
However not much was priced and if a white face tried to buy anything the price went up.
I did buy cowboy shirts there. The Thais did not want them, and I suppose they were given to Thailand free as charity then.
I think they were doing badly before covid . . .

Reply
James E.

Monday, January 25, 2021 at 10:41 pm

Nice to see The Thaiger continuing the panic and hysteria over a virus with a 99.7% survival rate, with most ‘news’ now about Covid.

Meanwhile, the results of these crazy government restrictions and now mass testing of people who may be positive but are not sick will be devastating for the entire country. A country that is already in dire economic conditions due to the inept Thai government shutting down borders for a year already.

What makes me laugh is ‘news’ organizations like The Thaiger are actually digging their own graves by continuing to publicize this b.s. panic over Covid. Get back to me in a year’s time when there are no advertisers left and Thailand is still shut down, with millions now living on the streets, because of ‘news’ organizations like this one stirring the panic. Although doubt you’ll still be in business to be able to do so.

The short-sightedness and foolish is astounding.

Reply
- The Thaiger
  
  Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 11:20 am
  
  Thanks James. Business continues to grow and we will continue to provide accurate articles that our readers want to read. We’re just publishing the news, and there’s plenty of it at the moment. Maybe you don’t understand our business model – it’s neither short sighted nor foolish.
  
  Reply
JJ

Monday, January 25, 2021 at 10:46 pm

Chatuchak needed to die anyway. It has always been an overpriced tourist trap.

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Robert Elliot

Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 2:06 am

Chatuchak was a good weekend market many years ago but it became very popular with foreign tourists, prices went way up and it became a tourist trap.

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EdwardV

Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 3:48 am

Considering tourism probably won’t reopen until the 4th quarter, and will be soft for the better part of a year at least. Lots of places are just not going to make it. It’s going to look very different when we finally return to the land of smiles.

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James Pate

Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 6:27 am

The entire concept of all-day, big weekend markets for shopping and entertainment is out of step with today’s younger consumers. Jatujak (or Chatchuchak) was hurting before Covid. People want more convenience and comfort. Hence, online shopping and air-conditioned malls. Night markets can survive, but only if they have food, drinks and entertainment.

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Ray

Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 5:45 pm

About eleven years ago I went there quiet often in the weekend to drink a coffee early in the morning. Then I walked around a few hours when it was not still not too busy. I always enjoyed it. In the last decade I have been back a few times. Things had changed. It was already very busy in the morning, mainly because of the Chinese tour groups. They constantly blocked the small lanes ignoring the people who wanted to pass. On my way out, it was just crazy. People were pushing and it was impossible to stop somewhere. I suppose it gets more bad once we are back to normal and the new train station has opened.

Reply