IN addition to upmarket malls to rival Singapore and Hongkong, Bangkok has teeming markets to put any Cairo souk or Indian bazaar to shame. Bangkok's shiny new elevated train, combined with first-world quality at developing-country prices, make an incredible variety of goods more affordable and accessible than ever.

There's no excuse to miss Bangkok's Chatuchak Weekend Market (tel: [66-2] 272-4441, ext 103), once an hour taxi ride but now a smooth 25-minute ride on the BTS, or Skytrain. A favourite of locals, expats and tourists alike, Chatuchak is less a market and more a small city: 70 hectares, 10,000 stalls and 200,000 visitors each weekend day.

It boasts food and drink, banks and even a police station. But the numbers can't capture the wild variety of goods available. From snacks to snakes, guppies to puppies, plastic flowers to CD towers, it's all here.

Given the size of its vaguely L-shaped expanse divided into 26 seemingly randomly placed sections (section 1 is adjacent to sections 24 and 26), Chatuchak can be hard to navigate. Getting lost can be an adventure, but serious shoppers ought to plan ahead. Seek out the Chatuchak: Walking, Shopping map (25 Thai baht; US$1 = Bt44.17), with its distinctive green cover, from bookshops throughout the market. Nancy Chandler's informative map also devotes an entire panel to Chatuchak. Keeping an eye on the clock tower (the best place to meet people) also helps navigation.

Exploring the entire market is fun, but visitors usually find the most joy in sections 25 and 26 in the southwest corner. Handicrafts and souvenirs predominate. Lightweight and easy to tote, fabrics from these sections are perennial favourites. Beautiful Thai silk (pha mai) costs Bt250-350 per metre, although a partly synthetic silk-like fabric, pha mai tiem, is cheaper (Bt80-100 per metre). Silk coin purses (as low as Bt30-40), wall hangings (Bt40-50), Thai cotton fabrics (Bt200) and others items celebrate this lost-and-revived Thai art of weaving. For a "modern classic" in fabrics, consider buying the loose, lightweight cotton trousers (Bt130-150) and dresses popular with the backpack set and comfy to wear around the house. High-quality T-shirts cost Bt100 (half that for lighter fabrics), but you can also find shirts sporting such unexpected slogans as "I was a star at Micah's Bar Mitzvah". For a heftier fabric experience, mon (triangular Thai pillows) make great sitting room accoutrements. Figure on paying Bt500-600 each. While fabrics are concentrated in sections 25 and 26, various clothing stalls occupy sections 12 through 21.

Woodcarvings are another favourite in sections 25 and 26. Chopsticks with patterns fashioned by combining various colours and types of woods have become an instant classic (Bt100). Wooden musical instruments, elephant carvings and traditional Thai toys are plentiful as well. Those with larger budgets and weight allowances can indulge in intricately carved wooden wall panels. Masks (Bt2,500-4,000) from classic Thai dramas, the khon, make dramatic wall decorations, as do paintings with traditional Thai themes such as heavenly apsaras (angels) or fierce war elephants charging into battle. Intricately painted bencharong (ceramic bowls) will survive the trip if packed well. Many feature inspiring pictures of Thai kings past and present. A fist-sized bowl runs Bt200-300. Those with a spiritual bent can purchase Buddha amulets (section 1), said to protect the wearer from harm. Just remember that you can only export Buddha images for "personal religious use".

But Chatuchak is not limited to things traditional or things Thai. A liquid-filled Coke or Fanta bottle with the neck melted and twisted is a popular modern handicraft (Bt130-150). As a variation on the triangular Thai pillow theme, visit the unique Sarapa shop (section 7) for goofy prints - like the pillow that says (in Thai): "I love Mom a lot a lot a lot". You can also find handicrafts from neighbouring countries, and Asia Art (section 25) sells goodies from Africa as well. Track down old phonecards and postage stamps, or browse amongst the squirrels, fish and lizards that make sections 8, 9, 11, 13 and 15 into miniature zoos.

Whether a wooden elephant or Thai silk catches your eye, actually getting it in your pocket involves a bit of negotiation. Bargaining can be an enjoyable part of Chatuchak. Unlike in nearby Vietnam or even such heavily touristy markets as Patpong, charging foreigners four times the local price is not standard practice. An opening bid of perhaps double the lowest price is more common. Secondly, few things put the gentle Thais off more than loud and aggressive behaviour. A quiet discussion involving humour and smiles wins both a good price and good will. Feel free to turn down an offer you don't feel is fair, but do so with a smile and a "Mai pen rai" (never mind). Finally, the sheer number of stalls means fierce competition, so do look around. Of course, the usual strategies apply - don't show too much interest in the item you want, sprinkle in some Thai words and have a price target in mind before negotiating.

Another strategy for successful Chatuchak-ing is to be mentally prepared for the crowds crammed into the narrow lanes: there is no aircon. Skip the shorts-and-T-shirt tourist look; lightweight slacks and tucked-in T-shirt are recommended. Also consider taking a break in the huge park adjoining the market on its northern side and/or a leisurely lunch in the myriad restaurant stalls.

Getting to Chatuchak is easy. By Bangkok's Skytrain, just exit at Mo Chit (the last stop on the Sukhumvit line) and follow the crowds. The area is well served by bus lines, including aircon numbers 2, 3, 9, 10, 12, and 13, while a taxi ride from central Bangkok will cost Bt60-100. Taking a taxi home can make sense if you've bought a lot of stuff, but you might pay a premium above the standard taxi meter fare at the market close (5-6 pm).

Chatuchak may be the king of all Bangkok markets, but it is far from the only game in town. Another favourite is Mah Boon Krong (or MBK - the management's newly modernised moniker; tel: 217-9111). This six-storey building is part Chatuchak with individual stall holders and stores purveying a huge range of goods, and part modern mall with chains such as Watson's, Boots, S&P and the Tokyu department store. Services abound here as well: print up business cards, have your hair and nails done, get pictures developed or even have your legs waxed. There is some semblance of order, too. Mobile phones and accessories dominate the fourth floor while furniture can be found on the fifth. But apart from the large sixth-floor food centre (great cheap Thai food), and movie theatres and cybercafes on the seventh, the remaining floors are a mishmash. Catering mainly to young Thais "with more sense than money" in the words of Bangkok resident Max Henn, MBK is a great place to pick up practical and fashionable goods - bags, backpacks, belts, shoes - all at reasonable prices.

Across the street from MBK (use the attached, enclosed walkway) is the Siam Square complex. Besides being home to the Hard Rock Cafe and Imagine mega-record store, this area also offers airconditioned restaurants, trendy clothing boutiques and bookstores. Like Harajuku in Tokyo or the East Village in New York, Siam Square is the place to spot new trends. As Thammasat University sophomore Esarawadee Chieu explains: "Students come here from all over to update themselves on what people are wearing and buying." Siam Square claims to be the starting point for both the Wild West-style pubs and the milk bars now found thoughout Bangkok.

Take the BTS to the National Stadium stop for MBK or the Siam stop for Siam Square. Both areas are served by the 1, 2, 8, and 73 aircon buses.

While many visitors are delighted by the modern flair of the country, they are most enchanted by traditional Thailand. If you had planned to buy handicrafts at Chatuchak but were distracted by the stalls devoted to used Thai and American magazines, don't despair. A short ride from Siam Square is Narai Phand (Narayana) - a three-storey shopping centre with a wide range of Thai handicrafts (tel: 252-4670 to 79). Prices here are about 25 percent more than your best bargain down at Chatuchak (or even in the smaller shops on the mall's perimeter and basement), but the quality is top-notch, and fixed prices eliminate haggling. Also, spending Bt5,000 or more (not hard to do) entitles you to a seven percent VAT refund at the airport. Paying with a JCB card nets an additional 10 percent discount. Narai Phand is a short walk from the Chitlom BTS station and is served directly by the 4, 11, 13 and 15 aircon bus lines.

The markets outlined above barely scratch the surface. Other famous markets include Pratunam for clothing, Pak Khlong for flowers, Saphan Khao for fruit, Nakhon Khasem for used goods, and Penang market for electronic and imported goods. And this without even mentioning the huge and plentiful shopping malls and department stores all over town. With excellent prices and such a variety of goods, the real challenge is in buying only what you can pack in your suitcase.

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