Date: 2 November 2019

After spending some time at Chatuchak Weekend Market, I took the MRT (Bangkok’s subway) from Chatuchak to Thailand Cultural Centre station. I came here to visit — what was then — a increasingly popular night market.

I say ‘was’ because… look at the date I was there. Just two months later, COVID hit the world. Thailand’s tourism sector came to a halt. And for a city like Bangkok, that sees nearly 40 million(!) visitors annually, needless to say, the lack of tourists had a massive impact on the footfalls flowing into Bangkok’s popular night markets.

Now, the site in Ratchada district where Rot Fai 2 market used to be looks like this now:

That said, according to a video by Coconuts Bangkok, uploaded in August 2021, the Ratchada Night Market will make up a comeback… eventually. Unless a property developer is already eyeing the land for another luxury development in Bangkok 🙄

Rot Fai means ‘train’ in Thai. The night market used to be located by the train tracks in the Chatuchak area but later moved to the Ratchada district.

Anyway, if the Ratchada Rot Fai market does return to the same location, here’s how to get there and what the market offers.

Once you exit Thailand Cultural Centre MRT station, head towards a mall named Esplanade.

If you search for Rot Fai night market online or look it up on Instagram, you will most likely see a photo of an over head view of the colourful tents at the market. To get that iconic shot, you don’t need a drone.

Continue reading “Thailand: Ratchada Night Market (Rot Fai 2) — what it used be” »