CHATUCHAK WEEKEND MARKET AND THE ADJOINING JJ MALL ARE THE BEST BAZAARS IN THIS WORLD OR THE NEXT! JJ MALL IS A PROPER MALL AND IS OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK BUT CHATUCHAK MARKET WHICH IS 5 SECONDS WALK AWAY IS OPEN IN FULL SWING ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY

KEE@FSWMAG.COM

SPREAD OVER 25 ACRES BOASTING ANYTHING FROM 8,000 TO 15,000 STALLS, SHOPS AND OPENAIR MATS ON ROADS, NO ONE KNOWS FOR SURE HOW MANY STALLS ARE THERE AS MANY ARE TRANSIENT AND MAY HAVE FADED INTO OBLIVION THE NEXT TIME YOU VISIT.

What is permanent is the ambiance and sense of discovery as I never know what will catch my eye and seduce my senses every time I visit and I visit Chatuchak every single trip so I must have explored Chatuchak over a 100 times!

Less for JJ Mall as I discovered it by chance while strolling aimlessly and only went in to escape the sweltering heat since JJ Mall is air-conditioned! 

But JJ Mall, despite being the poor cousin to Chatuchak Market, has its own appeal and is like Sungai Wang Plaza---clean, easy to walk, never crowded like Chatuchak narrow alleys and with free toilets! Chatuchak charges for toilets.

JJ Mall offers only 3 floors so it is easy to navigate and you can truly gasp you have seen every shop whereas this is physically impossible in Chatuchak with thousands of shops.

JJ Mall appeals to those too lazy or fearful fighting with crowds as the hip-space alleys can bring on claustrophobia and jack up the mercury. So JJ Mall is a sanitised, small and sweet version of Chatuchak, selling almost identical stuff like fashions, shoes, accessories, spa products, souvenirs, Buddhas, military garments, jewellery, carvings and food. The third and topmost floor features astonishing antique and new statues, furniture, furnishings and carvings.

Most furniture are baroque European reproductions which are wonderfully crafted and relatively cheap. JJ Mall caters to local Thais who seem to prefer western, Versace style furniture with ornate details rather than their own traditional fixtures. There are also amazing Thai, Chinese, Burmese and Indo Chinese statues of Buddha, Kuanyin and various deities in wood, porcelain, semi precious stones and even resin. 

I am speechless by the dazzling diversity as JJ is a mini-version of big bro Chatuchak minus the crowd, elbow pushing and heat. Then again, most ;ove Chatuchak for the organised chaos and carefree, happy and can-do ambiance! 

JJ MALL AND THAILAND IS USUALLY VIVIDLY COLORFUL BUT SINCE THEIR BELOVED KING BHUMIBOL ADULYADEJ PASSED AWAY ON 13 OCT 2016, ALL BOUTIQUES HAVE PRODUCED BLACK, MOURNING ATTIRE AS EVERY THAI LOVED KING RAMA IX AND WEAR BLACK AND SOMBRE COLOURS NOT BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO BUT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO!

MANY JACKETS COME WITH PRE-PINNED BADGES CONTAINING PORTRAITS OF KING BHUMBIBOL ADULYADEJ OR KING RAMA 9

EVERYTHING IS IN BLACK AND WHITE, THE TRADITIONAL COLORS OF MOURNING

YOUR HAIR MAY BE COLORED THOUGH

DATO SRI PRINCESS DR BECKY LEOGARDO WORE BLACK TOO

DATO KEE HUA CHEE WORE WHITE OUT OF RESPECT TO THE LATE AND GREAT THAI KING

ACRYLIC PORTRAITS OF THE MORAL KING AS KING BHUMIBOL ADULYADEJ WAS A MOST EXEMPLARY KING AND ALL THAIS LOOKED TO HIM FOR MORAL AND SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE AS INDEED HE WAS CONSIDERED PRACTICALLY DIVINE DUE TO HIS KINDNESS AND ENDLESS GOOD DEEDS FOR ALL THAIS

THAIS CALL HIM THE FATHER OF THE NATION AND 'LORD OF LIFE' WHICH HE TRULY DESERVED

THAIS TAKE COMFORT THEIR LATE AND GREAT KING IS NOW WITH BUDDHA 

THAILAND'S NEW KING IS NOW KING MAHA VAJIRALONGKORN OR KING RAMA X

KING RAMA IX LIVES ON IN THE HEARTS OF ALL THAIS

HINDU GODS, GODDESSES AND DEITIES ARE VERY POPULAR AMONG THAI PEOPLE 

OH LOOK, A BABY DINOSAUR!

I NEVER FOUND OUT WHY PEGASUS WAS AT JJ MALL

ONLY RM 320 FOR KUANKUNG!

SAILING SHIP SAILS IN FORTUNE!

FUNERAL ACCOUTREMENTS 

THE THAIS NOW EVEN EAT ON BLACK PLATES!

SUCH IS THEIR SHOW OF DEVOTION TO THEIR LATE AND GREAT KING BHUMIBOL ADULYADEJ

BLACK TABLE WARE

WHITE PLATES AND STEMWARE

SPORTSWEAR IN B/W

MY FAVORITE! TABLE AND SEATS OF SOLID CHUNKS OF ROSE QUARTZ FOR RM 70,000!

BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF JJ MALL

COOL COMFORT

THE NEW KING RAMA X AND LATE KING RAMA IX

HIS MAJESTY KING MAHA VAJIRALONGKORN OF THAILAND ASCENDED THE THRONE ON 2 DECEMBER 2016

LONG LIVE THE KING OF THAILAND!

LONG LIVE THE LATE KING RAMA IX WHO WILL NEVER FADE FROM THE MINDS AND HEARTS OF ALL THAIS 

KING BHUMIBOL ADULYADEJ AND QUEEN SIRIKIT WHO REIGNED FOR DECADES AS THE WORLD'S MOST BEAUTIFUL QUEEN BUT IS NOW IN HER EIGHTIES BUT TO THAIS, SHE REMAINS ETERNALLY BEAUTIFUL AND GRACIOUS. 

PORTRAITS OF ALL 9 KINGS OF THAILAND OF CHAKRI DYNASTY FROM KING RAMA 1 TO KING RAMA IX. THE PRESENT NEW KING IS KING RAMA X

ARTIST AT WORK

THE 9 KINGS OF CHAKRI DYNASTY---LONG MAY THE CHAKRI KINGS REIGN

LOVE THIS STATUE OF GANESHA STANDING MIRACULOUSLY ONLY ONE 1 LEG

COPY OF EMERALD BUDDHA

GANESHA THE REMOVER OF OBSTACLES IN VARIOUS GUISES

CUTEST

GRANDEST

BEST OF EAST AND WEST FACING EACH OTHER!

DECORATE YOUR HOME IN EAST AND WEST STYLES

OVER RM 210,000 FOR THIS ABSOLUTE MASTERPIECE OF GANESHA IN HIS GOLDEN, JEWELLED CARRIAGE PULLED BY SHREWS, HIS COMPANIONS

THIS IS QUITE BIG AND REQUIRES A LARGE TABLE TO DISPLAY

GANESHA IN SPLENDOUR

NAGA KING

WORKS OF ART ON DISPLAY

I AM ASTOUNDED SUCH MASTERPIECES ARE FOUND IN JJ MALL WHICH IS NOT PRESTIGIOUS OR UPMARKET! THE THAIS ARE SO TALENTED AND CREATIVE!

I ENTERED THE STORE TO TAKE MORE PHOTOS OF THIS GANESHA MASTERPIECE

I LOVE THE SHREW THAT IS STANDING AS IF DETECTING EITHER FOOD OR FOE!

WHAT A TREASURY!

GANESHA

EMERALD BUDDHA

4 FACE BRAHMA

I BOUGHT A DOZEN BIRDS! RM 12 FOR 3 FOR SMALL ONES

BABY GANESHAS ARE CUTEST

LAKSHMI GODDESS FO WEALTH

EACH STATUE IS ABOUT RM 650

THESE ARE MADE IN THAILAND NOT INDIA SO ARE CHEAPER

SPECTACULAR GANESHA

KING RAMA 9

KING RAMA 10

ANOTHER LOOK AT GANESHA

THIS SMALL SHOP SELLS THE LOVELIEST FIGURINES

LOOK AT THE EYE LASHES!

THAI GODDESS OF WATER

KITTITAS CHANTEERADET AND LADY BOSS

DECH CROCODILE SHOP AT CHATUCHAK WEEKEND MARKET 

LOOK AT THE AMAZING CROCODILE AND SNAKESKIN BAGS, SHOES, BELTS, WALLETS AND ACCESSORIES! A BIT OF ADVERTISING DOES NO HARM!

DECH CROCODILE SHOP SELLS THE BEST CROCODILE PRODUCTS IN CHATUCHAK AND ALL OF BANGKOK

KITTITAS CHANTEERADET AND DATO KEE HUA CHEE

SAME SAME BUT DIFFERENT

KIT AND GANG IN FRONT OF DECH CROCODILE SHOP

JUST WALK AROUND THE MAIN ARTERY TILL YOU SEE THIS CROC!

KIT AND CROC

IN LIEU OF A HUMAN BABY, SHE TAKES A DARLING POM OUT IN A STROLLER

OUT FOR A STROLL WITH MUMMY!

YUM

CRABS

THIS CROCODILE WEARS REAL CROCODILE SHOES! SHAPED AS CROCS!

THIS IS ALSO DECH CROCODILE SHOP AS OWNER DECH IS SO SUCCESSFUL HE HAS 2 SHOPS

THIS IS OWNER DECH OF DECH CROCODILE SHOP, THE KING OF REPTILE PRODUCTS IN CHATUCHAK WEEKEND MARKET! 

ARTISTIC---A HYBRID CROCODILE WITH HORNS

A TRULY HORNY CROCODILE! OK THESE ARE DEER HORNS!

THE WORLD'S MOST UNIQUE BACKPACK!

ANOTHER UNUSUAL DESIGN BY DECH

ANG PANURUT SHOWS THE CROC BAGS

ABSOLUTELY SENSATIONAL

BETTER THAN BIRKIN

MELLOW YELLOW CROC

ANG PANURUT CARRIES IT AS MESSENGER BAG

A CROSSBODY BAG 

AS A BACKPACK! 

THE HORNS POINT DOWN SO THEY DON'T POKE ANYONE!

COOLEST

DECH, ANG AND DATO KEE HUA CHEE

THUMBS UP TO DECH CROCODILE SHOP! WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/KD CROCODILE

CALL DECH AT +608 7007 8555. SAY YOU ARE MY FRIEND AND GET A GOOD DISCOUNT! 

LOVE THE SEDUCTIVE WORDS

COULD HAVE BEEN WRITTEN BY ME, I, MYSELF!