Thailand Life Tools

Chinatown (Yaowarat)

MKTYAOWARAT

Yaowarat Road’s street food, from early evening. By day, Sampeng market runs through the lanes beside it: Sampeng by day, Yaowarat by night.

OPEN
17:00
CLOSE
—
ENTRY
Free

Every day · Review-based

THIS WEEK

    The market’s usual hours by day, with holidays and alcohol ban days. Not a promise for a given day.

    Checked 29 October 2026

    Yaowarat Road at night under stacked neon signs in Chinese and Thai
    Location
    Yaowarat Road, Samphanthawong. (Wikipedia; Lorenzigo)
    Hours
    Stalls from about 17:00, busiest around 19:00 (review-based). On Monday some stalls rest (a street-cleaning day in past years), but the street is not closed. (Planning research summary; Lorenzigo; Thai PBS; Daily News)
    Getting there
    MRT Wat Mangkon exit 1 (Plaengnam Road and Yaowarat Road, as BEM lists it), about 2 minutes on foot (review-based). Last MRT trains from Wat Mangkon 23:28 toward Tha Phra and 00:12 toward Lak Song (BEM). (Bangkok Expressway and Metro (BEM); Planning research summary; Bangkok Expressway and Metro (BEM))
    Prices
    Free to walk. Review-based (2026): a plate ฿50–120, seafood ฿150–300. (Planning research summary)
    Paying
    Street stalls take almost only cash (review-based). (Planning research summary)
    Station exits
    • MRT Wat Mangkon, Exit 1 · About 2 minutes (review-based) · Last train toward Tha Phra 23:28 · toward Lak Song 00:12
    Open by day of the week
    All markets by day

    Open in Google MapsAll night marketsAlso for food: Banthat Thong RoadBefore dark: Wat Traimit (Golden Buddha)Bangkok Michelin street food

    Street to show your driver

    ถนนเยาวราช

    The Thai name of the road it is on (see sources).

    Is Chinatown closed on Monday?

    No. Some stalls take Monday off, since Bangkok has used Monday as a street-cleaning day for vendors (Thai PBS, Daily News), so expect fewer stalls rather than none.

    Festivals and road closures

    Chinese New Year 2027 falls on Saturday 6 February. In 2025 about 850 m of Yaowarat Road closed to traffic from 15:00 to 24:00 for the festival (Thansettakij); the 2026 festival was called off for mourning. Expect crowds and closures.

    The Vegetarian Festival (9–18 October in 2026) also closes parts of the road.

    Sampeng market by day

    Sampeng is the wholesale lane (Soi Wanit 1) beside Yaowarat. A Thai blog gives it every day, Sunday included: wholesale about 01:00–06:00, then 08:00–17:00 by day (another says 09:00–17:00; review-based).

    Before dawn it sells by the pack (often 3–12 pieces or more); by day single items are sold too. The lanes are narrow and carts pass, so wear your bag in front. It is a short walk from MRT Wat Mangkon.

    If you would rather go with a guide

    A guided walk through the stalls, with tastings.

    Affiliate link: if you book through it, this site may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

    Entry, paying and bargaining

    Entry
    Free: it is a street.
    Paying
    Cash, in small notes (review-based).
    Bargaining
    Food has fixed prices. Ask before you order seafood sold by weight.
    Alcohol ban days
    No beer is sold inside the markets on alcohol ban days (site owner’s observation, 29 October 2026). Alcohol ban days calendar

    Questions

    What time does Chinatown Bangkok street food start?
    Stalls set up from about 17:00 and are busiest around 19:00 (review-based).
    Is Chinatown Bangkok closed on Monday?
    No, but some stalls may rest on Monday; the 2026 rule was not found. All markets by day
    Which MRT exit for Yaowarat?
    MRT Wat Mangkon exit 1, about 2 minutes on foot (review-based).
    When is Sampeng market open?
    Every day: wholesale about 01:00–06:00, then about 08:00–17:00 by day (review-based).
    When is Chinese New Year 2027 in Chinatown?
    Saturday 6 February 2027. Expect road closures and crowds on Yaowarat Road.

    BEFORE YOU GO

    Before you go

    1. Cash in small notes

      Cash, in small notes (review-based).

    2. Check the last train

      Markets that close at midnight or later outlast the MRT; the ride back is then by Grab or Bolt.

    Alcohol ban days calendarMoney exchange and prices

    Michelin nearby

    MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2026 restaurants whose nearest station is Wat Mangkon, within 1 km in a straight line.

    • Phukej · Selected · ฿฿ · 200 m straight line from Wat Mangkon
    • Delia · Selected · ฿฿ · 200 m straight line from Wat Mangkon
    • Chop Chop Cook Shop · Selected · ฿฿ · 250 m straight line from Wat Mangkon
    • POTONG · 1 Star · ฿฿฿฿ · 350 m straight line from Wat Mangkon
    • Jok's Kitchen · Selected · ฿฿฿ · 450 m straight line from Wat Mangkon

    All Bangkok Michelin restaurants on one map