Asiatique The Riverfront - A Modern Night Market @ Bangkok [Thailand]

I might have been to the Land of Smiles countless times but it has been a few years since i last visited and with that in mind, i thought of making full use of the three short days in Bangkok by visiting some new places; one of which was Asiatique The Riverfront!

Getting there by public transport wasn't a pain in the ass; take the BTS to Saphan Taksin station and follow the crowd by walking towards the river. Look out for the sign to Asiatique Shuttle Boat and be prepared for a long queue for this free shuttle service! 

Located south of Bangkok, you may choose to take a cab although i would prefer to beat the notorious traffic jams and save the money for my return journey back to the hotel instead.

After that unfortunate ferry incident in South Korea, i am wondering if we are facing the same issue with ferries in Bangkok. So many people were standing and it felt more like a packed bus travelling on water!

The boat docked safely at Asiatique in around twelve minutes! Phew! Pity i didn't manage to be seated or else i could have taken a better picture of the purpose built night market from a far-off angle. Hm... Maybe not.

A picture of the shuttle boat for your reference. 

Open from 5pm till midnight daily, Asiatique The Riverfront was one of the few replacements for Suan Lum Night Market which closed down a couple of years ago even though i thought it was way more modern with trendy boutiques, fanciful restaurants etc! 

To a certain extent, i felt it was more like Clark Quay, albeit a much bigger one! 

Banking on the location's historical heritage as a trading post, the buildings were refurbished to reflect the architecture from 1907-1947. A number of warehouses were also converted into retail and dining spaces; you may even find live Muay Thai and a cabaret show! 

I was more keen in the 60-meter high ferris wheel (known as Asiatique Sky) and the shopping as i didn't have sufficient time for anything else (we arrived at around 8pm)! 

Talking about shopping, it wasn't the same as in Platinum Shopping Mall (where there is a wholesale price if you buy more than three pieces) or Chatuchak Weekend Market.

Both aforementioned shopping destinations popular with Singaporeans would close by around 7pm and what are you going to do when the night is still young and you are beyond the clubbing age?! Actually, i don't mind having a few hours of massage at night.

However, shopping fanatics would still be able to pick up some good deals at Asiatique although it would be worth noting that rentals at this elaborate lifestyle hub would not likely be as cheap as other areas. 

My friend managed to get a fake yet supposedly good quality Rolex watch for only S$80 after slashing S$120 off the quoted price! Alex was looking upon him like a discount god after this incident. 

I am totally not into paying for fake branded products; for me, i have gone past the phase of hard bargaining and prefer to relax in the comfortable environment. If only i have time to bum out in a nice cafe. 

Decided to check out Asiatique Sky while the rest were busy choosing another Rolex watch. Shining like a beacon of fun in the dark sky, i contemplated on forking out the 250 baht ticket for a short ride up! 

It started pouring!!! :(

I took refuge in the retail shops right opposite the landmark wheel and chanced upon quite a few unique shops; one sold his wares under the "Mr Moustache" label and another (above) offers products with cat images for sale. 

Befitting its past image as trading post, there were sculptures related to the trading industry like this gigantic cog in the middle of the walkway. 

With the rain continuing to be a hindrance, we opted to call it a day. I would have loved to stay longer for more photo taking but i was really exhausted!! So, let make another trip to Asiatique a possibility! 

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Location

2194 Charoenkrung Rd, 

WatPrayakai, Bangkoleam, 

Bangkok, Thailand

Website 

http://www.thaiasiatique.com/

Map

As above. 

Additional Information

I had my dinner at Kamlangsib Fried Chicken Rice. 

Click here for my review!