Things to do in Bangkok today

Bangkok Art Biennale returns for its fifth edition with Angels & Mara, pairing Bangkok’s City of Angels identity with Mara, the Buddhist figure associated with temptation, desire and obstacles to enlightenment. More than 200 works by 72 artists and collectives representing 29 nationalities explore technology, spirituality and identity, among other contradictions of modern life. The 11 main venues range from Wat Arun and Wat Pho to BACC, One Bangkok and the malls around Siam. BAB Plus and BAB Fringe extend the programme to Thonburi, Samut Prakan and Suphan Buri. Use the organiser’s venue guide to plot a manageable route.  October 29 2026-February 28 2027. Free biennale admission; individual venue admission rules and hours apply. BACC’s ninth-floor display finishes on November 25, while its seventh- and eighth-floor displays continue until February 28.

Central Department Store celebrates its 79th anniversary with Central Anniversary 2026: Where Wonders Bloom, turning Floors G to 5 into six floral-themed worlds, with art, workshops, food and a few familiar faces along the way. Start on Floor G with white blooms before heading to Floor 1’s ballet-inspired floral displays, Floor 2’s whimsical meadow featuring 31 adorable sheep, Floor 3’s tree-root installation, Floor 4’s hanging floral art and Floor 5’s colourful meadow featuring playful dog sculptures for families. Japanese contemporary artist Yuta Okuda also presents an art-and-flower installation  at the floral tunnel connecting Central Chidlom and Central Embassy. Actress duo Namtan Tipnaree and Film Rachanun showcase their creativity through a special Live Stencil Art Performance, followed by a charity art auction supporting the Kamlangjai Project Fund. Billkin takes the stage for a mini concert, while DJs ROOTS and PATRA B keep the music going on October 29. Hungry? Ten restaurants, including Weng, Shichi, Mozza by Cocotte and Greyhound, serve special floral-inspired menus. Stop by Lofter on Floor 6 for the Blossom Bedazzling DIY activity and a photo at the Blooming Wall. There’s also a Flower Stamp Rally across Central Chidlom and Central Embassy. Collect all eight stamps for a chance to receive a B100 Dining Cash Coupon, limited to 100 redemptions, subject to campaign terms and conditions. Check the campaign details before visiting for activity schedules and...

Thai temple-fair energy goes sky-high at Khao Bit , with Thai remixes, dance tracks and house across two stages and two sound systems at Tichuca. SIANGYOO makes his first appearance behind the venue’s DJ booth, joining local selectors amid Thai visuals and colourful lighting. Bring your friends for a bit of muan joy. The knees, apparently, have plans of their own. November 1. Advance ticket B1,000 or B1,200 at the door, including one welcome drink. Tickets via Ticketmelon. Tichuca Rooftop Bar, T-One Building, Sukhumvit Soi 40. Doors 5pm; the latest detailed listing runs to 1.30am.

GalileOasis brings its monthly market back for a spooky-season with The Hidden Alley. Stalls fill the entrance alley and courtyard, exploring belief, faith and the objects people turn to for spiritual comfort. Expect contemporary amulets, modern spiritual accessories, mysterious artworks and collectibles with a dark fantasy twist. Come looking for an unusual piece to take home, or simply browse the courtyard and see which curious objects catch your eye. October 31-November 1. Free entry. GalileOasis. 10am-6pm; check the venue’s latest market announcement before travelling.

Bangkok Art Biennale returns for its fifth edition with Angels and Mara, pairing Bangkok’s City of Angels identity with Mara, the Buddhist figure associated with temptation, desire and inner conflict. The announced programme brings together 72 artists and collectives from 29 countries, with more than 200 works exploring technology, spirituality, identity and the modern life’s contradictions. Eleven main venues spread the art across the capital, while BAB Plus and BAB Fringe partners extend the programme to Thonburi, Samut Prakan and Suphan Buri. Use the organiser’s venue guide to plan a manageable route. October 29 2026-February 28 2027. Free biennale admission; check individual venue entry arrangements and opening hours. Eleven main venues across Bangkok. 

What do butterflies and fish have in common? Butterfly & Fish, a collaboration between illustrator and storyteller Pi-near and papercut artist papeterie,looks for connections between creatures from very different worlds. Through drawing and cut paper, the artists explore growth, change, memory and the stories gathered along a journey. Butterflies transform above ground while fish navigate beneath the water’s surface; the works bring those separate paths together through the small moments and shared experiences that connect them. October 29-November 24. Free entry. Soko Gallery, Sukhumvit Soi 32. Thursday-Tuesday 11am-6pm; closed Wednesday.

After editions on Song Wat and July’s stop at Dusit Central Park, Sip Thai by SongCraft moves into centralwOrld’s indoor Eden zone for six days. More than 30 booths bring together Thai craft beer, cider and local spirits, with food stalls, DJ sets and live music alongside the drinks. Talk & Drink sessions offer a chance to hear from people in the craft beer and community spirits scene. It’s a useful stop for discovering local producers without gambling on Bangkok’s rain. October 27-November 1. Free entry. Eden 1, first floor, centralwOrld. 11am-8pm; check the organiser’s latest daily schedule.

American artist Trey Hurst presents a solo exhibition of paintings exploring memory, relationships and the way time changes what we remember. Sitting somewhere between abstraction and recognisable human forms, his figures emerge through layers of paint, with details that appear and disappear across the canvas. Memory is the starting point for the work, rather than a story told in a straightforward way. Look closely and you’ll find shapes that hint at familiar people or moments, leaving room to consider how our memories shift, and which details stay with us long after an experience ends. Now-November 8. Free entry. PLAY art house. 10am-8pm

More than 50 years after Dutch artist Bas Jan Ader created them, three of his works arrive at Bangkok Kunsthalle for Bright at Midnight, a solo exhibition curated by Leonardo Orion Dal Colle. Created between 1970 and 1975, the works use simple materials and gestures to explore vulnerability, absence and uncertainty. Presented within the Kunsthalle’s unfinished architecture, they take on a new context in Bangkok, another ‘City of Angels’ thousands of miles from Los Angeles. The exhibition considers how these works speak to a different time and place, with gravity, light and darkness shaping the experience.October 14-January 10, 2027. Free entry. Bangkok Kunsthalle. 2pm-8pm

What happens when globalisation’s big promises meet the realities of everyday life? This group exhibition, spread across the Jim Thompson Art Center and William Warren Library, brings together existing works and new commissions by artists exploring the systems that shape life in Thailand and Southeast Asia. From migration and economic crises to environmental change and the often-overlooked work of keeping things running, the show looks at globalisation’s lasting effects. Themes of memory, family inheritance and fragile infrastructure run through the works, offering a closer look at the people and places left to manage its consequences. Featuring artists include Bhumibol Kongtaveelert in collaboration with Anna Golubkova, Pitchada Poolsawad, Piyatida Piyamassakul, Pakapat Limlertphonboon, Sareena Sattapon, Nat Setthana, Marisa Srijunpleang and PLERN VERN.October 10-March 29, 2027. Free entry. Jim Thompson Art Center and William Warren Library. 10am-6pm