Play Art House

What is it? One of the earliest art houses to land on Song Wat Road, well before the young creative crowd began setting up shop in the area. PLAY Art House lives inside a century-old shophouse in Chinatown, a deep-blue beauty founded by Kiattivat 'Ui' Srichanwanpen, with rotating exhibitions by emerging local and international names and no charge to get in.

Why we love it: The building is half the joy. The owners have kept the old bones proudly on show, from the decorative ironwork to a set of Roman-style columns, so the place feels like a handshake between old Bangkok and the work hanging on its walls. Painting is the mainstay, though the programme happily roams into mixed media, installation and photography, which keeps the line-up fresh as the months tick over. Being an early mover lends it a certain quiet authority too, the sense of somewhere that helped set the tone for the whole street rather than simply following the trend. For a free wander through genuinely interesting art in a gorgeous setting, it's tough to beat.

Time Out tip: It costs nothing to look, so there's no excuse not to pop in. The shows change month to month and lean on up-and-coming local and international talent, so it pays to keep dropping by.

Song Wat Road. Open Tuesday-Sunday, 10am-6pm. Entry is free.