Sampheng Korat

This is a bulk-buying market, not a day out. The Sampheng name comes from the lane in Bangkok's Chinatown, and the idea travels intact, with rows of vendors, low prices, and the assumption that you already know what you're after. Clothing, accessories, household bits, everyday supplies. If you want silk scarves and elephant pants to take home, you're in the wrong building.

It actually suits small business owners stocking up, families buying in quantity, and anyone based in Korat for a while who needs cheap practical things without paying mall prices. Travelers passing through can still have fun with it, but treat it as a look at how people here really shop rather than a shopping trip with a result. Go in the morning. By early afternoon the aisles fill up and browsing turns into shuffling, which is no fun when you're only half interested in a crate of plastic hangers.