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Suan Lum Night Bazaar

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celery
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Editor Pick

On Thai Puppets Theatre and Thainglish

  • August 22, 2025
  • Rated 5 of 5 by SeenThat from Tel Aviv, Israel


The Mythos

It is time to break an old mythos. Most visitors approach Patpong as their "night market visit" while in Bangkok Index. Yet, Patpong is small, crowded and located in an unpleasant area amidst a plethora of go-go bars.

Yet, no far from there – at walking distance – is a much larger, pleasant and attractive market: Suan Lum. The name means "Low Garden" (literally "garden low"); that may look a strange choice for a night market until the visitor recalls he is just next to Lumphini, the largest park in Bangkok.

As Patpong, this market has been artificially upgraded; it is not called a market anymore. The welcome sign reads "Suan Lum Night Bazaar." Even the Thai script on the sign reads "night bazaar," this Thainglish combination has just the right amount of appeal to attract the local population.

I was at Lumphini and Silom but didn’t see it!

Even if visiting Lumphini and Silom by foot, it is easy to miss this large market. Simply it is located on other corner of the large park at the intersection of Rama IV and Wireless roads. Walking there from Silom or through the park is possible and recommended; however, the Lumphini Park Station of the metro is near the market.

The market opens roughly at 6 PM and stays open until midnight. The best approach is to make such a visit planning to dine in the market.

Layout

The market includes several thousand stalls, posing a real competence to the Chatuchak Weekend Market. If the stalls weren’t arranged in specialized areas, one visit wouldn’t be enough to see the whole maze. Strategically placed among the shops are food plazas, restaurants and a puppets theatre.

An advantage when compared with Patpong is that this market is covered, allowing visits also during the rainy season. Another notable difference is the crowd visiting the market. As a result of its location and facilities this market is the most sophisticated among Bangkok’s traditional and street markets. Thus, the visitors are obviously better off, and include Thai, expats and travelers alike.

Products

The products offered here are not different from those in other markets; the difference lies in the quantity and variety of the merchandise. However, beyond the expected souvenirs, DVDs, clothes, gold, jewellery and food, this market also offers antiques, paintings and sculptures.

Food

Dining in the market is part of the experience; few places in Bangkok offer a better choice of establishments. These include Thai and international restaurants and bars as well as a large beer garden. Some of them have indoor tables while others allow sitting outside and enjoying the chaotic ambience; a few of the most sophisticated spots even offer live Thai cover bands. However, the best option for dinning is combining the experience with a visit to the puppets’ theatre.

Entertainment

Within the bazaar is the Joe Louis Puppet Theatre. Naatayasala Hun Lakorn Lek in Thai. Its performances of traditional Thai Puppets Theatre are centered on the Ramakien, Thailand's national epic.

The theatre was born under dramatic circumstances, when an old art was almost lost. In 1984, a man named Sakorn demonstrated the ancient art of making khon masks and puppets in a booth at the annual Suan Amporn Fair in Bangkok. The Thai authorities found then that he was the last person alive mastering this art and he was offered to produce more puppets.

Next year he participated again, this time with a show performed by his children and the theatre was born. In 1996 he was recognized as a National Artist and three years later the first theatre was inaugurated. In 2002 the theatre was moved to its actual location at the Suan Lum Night Bazaar. It is frequented by Thai royalty and has won numerous awards.

The shows begin at 8 PM, but a documentary on Thai Puppetry can be enjoyed thirty minutes before the performance; the shows long 75 minutes. Amulets, headdresses, masks, and puppets are sold as souvenirs. The attached Naatayasala Terrace offers dinners in a beautiful ambient decorated with traditional Thai motifs. Few places in town display a more traditional Thai ambience.

Also in the bazaar is the Bangkok Hall. It hosts concerts and special events. Due to its nature, it is not open every day.

Bargaining

The sad truth is that things at the Suan Lum Night Bazaar are not cheap; bargaining is essential and expected.

After spotting a worthy item, relax and show the shopkeeper your best smile while pointing at it. A price would be announced. Now is the moment for showing shock and asking for twenty percent of the mentioned price by the shopkeeper.

The vendor would show his – or her - shock, and the ritual would be continued until an agreement is reached. A forty to fifty percent of the original price can be reached with a bit of patience and humor. A good negotiating tactic is learning the Thai numbers and bargaining afterwards like a local; the sellers would enjoy so much the tones mispronunciations that a better price is guaranteed. Of course, purchasing several items would be rewarded with an extra discount for quantity.

From journal On a Real Timex and a Genuine Rolex

Editor Pick

Suan Lum Night Bazaar

  • May 4, 2025
  • Rated 4 of 5 by LenR from Townsville, Australia

One of the favorite night-time shopping areas in Bangkok, is closing down to make way for a new commercial development. Vendors at Suan Lum have been given notice to vacate the premises and it seems there is little that can be done to stop it. While I am not too much into shopping I really like this place because it is different to all the other markets in Bangkok.

This has long been smartly dressed, fresh-from-the-office Thai's and expatriates along with fisherman pant-clad tourists. Suan Lum could best be described as the VIP outdoor market of Bangkok. Covered walkways with centrally-located snack bars provide perhaps the most luxurious (outdoor) market shopping experience in the city.

There are a wide variety of items on sale - creative gifts, trendy home items, clothing/jewellery boutique shops by local designers, packaged dried fruits, the usual market CD's/clothing and so on. Prices might be a little higher than the weekend market but the experience is much better and more relaxed and the goods are maybe a bit more ‘up-market’ in quality.

A feature that I particular like are the bars and the Thai, Italian, German, and even Mexican restaurants within the market area. They are close enough to people-watch while enjoying a drink, yet are away from the market's hustle-and-bustle. In the same area, dinner shows featuring classical Thai puppetry can be enjoyed at the famous Joe Louis Puppet Theatre.

On the other side of the market's curious Khmer-looking temple walkway, lies a large outdoor beer garden, food court, and concert venue all rolled into one. Here one can indulge in an assortment of international and Thai beers and foods. Beer and food are accompanied by live Thai cover bands performing the latest local and international hits on stage. Dominating this area is the big wheel, ‘La Roue de Paris’ which has been here for a year or so. It is a smaller version of the famous London Eye.

I have not heard any announcement about whether the popular night market will be relocated to a different venue. The future of BEC Tero Hall, which is used for shows and exhibitions, as well as Thailand's only permanent puppet show, the Joe Louis Puppet Theatre, is also in jeopardy. It has been announced that the popular Lumpini Boxing Stadium, which is on the same land, will be relocated to a new modern venue.

Take the MRT subway to Lumpini station; the market is near Lumpini Park, a short walk from the station. But be quick before it all disappears.

From journal The Bangkok Experience

Suan Lum Night Bazaar

Suan Lum Night Bazaar is the place to see and be seen if you are of the trendy Thai people and an excellent place to shop and drink and be entertained if you are a visitor.

The prices here are a little more inflated than the Chatuchak Market but it is less crowded and cooler. The beer garden is more like a beer forest; a huge area with hundreds of tables surrounded by beer and food vendors. The entertainment here seems to try to appeal to the visitors. On the three occasions I have visited here the bands played covers of American bands. Regardless of the music there are usually very attractive, scantily dressed women gyrating and dancing to the music.

The beer menus are incredible, but beware, the wait staff deliberately open the menu to the most expensive beers. Look through the menu and decide what it is you’d like, quality beers or a good bargain beer. Chang beer is least expensive and one of the highest octane, although because there is entertainment, you will pay more than the average market price for any of the beers. This last time there I saw something not available two years ago; huge beer machines with an ice core in the middle, delivered to tables. They were made of plastic and proudly displayed the beer’s name on them. I’m going to guess they hold two to three gallons, but I’m not sure, and I’m not sure of their price.

The Ferris wheel was an incredible bargain, just one hundred Baht per person for the adventure. Although the ride was not long it was spectacular.

Also, available here for 100 Baht, are many movies on DVD format which have not yet been released in the U.S. I don’t believe they’re legal, but they are available.

Getting here was easiest by subway, but if you stay too late, taxis will be about the only way to get back to your room or residence.

From journal Bangkok Revisited

Suan Lum Night Bazaar

  • August 24, 2025
  • Rated 4 of 5 by mightywease from Carshalton, United Kingdom

The newest of Bangkok's night markets Suan Lum not only offers the more usual fare of fake designer goods, Thai silk scarves and incense sets but also small shops selling arts and crafts from local designers and artists. The pottery and paintings are particularly worth a look.

There is also a large food court and beer garden area featuring live music (the Thai equivalent of Busted when we were there!) and - more bizarrely - re-runs of three year old Premiership football matches on a big screen.

In the beer garden either go to the bars or look for the waiters selling Chang or Tiger beer, which are at fairy reasonable prices (50 to 100 Baht, 0.70 to 1.40 sterling per bottle). Otherwise you may be offer Western imported beer at an exorbitant price (Erdinger and Heineken for the equivalent of about 5.00 sterling per litre)

From journal Bangkok - Flying Angels, Fallen Angels

The night bazaar

  • December 11, 2025
  • Rated 4 of 5 by ymc from Manchester, United Kingdom
Basically like a huge market, with stores selling everything you could possibly imagine. Lots of small stalls selling local crafts, jewellery, T-shirts to brand name goods at bargain prices, and lots more. It is however very humid and although some stalls are inside and under cover, it is still very hot. However, many hours can be spent at the night bazaar, and you will probably not even manage to visit all the stalls!

From journal Banyan Tree Bangkok

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