The best things to do in Bangkok this October

Koktail Magazine brings its food event series back to Bangkok with the Koktail Workshop Kraft Food & Drink Market, taking over The Forum at Gaysorn Amarin on October 31-November 1. Expect tasting plates from chefs and restaurants, alongside local makers and Bangkok’s growing craft food and drink crowd. The two-day market also features live music, hands-on workshops and chef-led sessions, so there’s plenty to keep you occupied between bites. Bring friends and come hungry!

October 31-November 1. Free entry. Gaysorn Amarin Forum. Sat: 10am-8pm, Sun: 10am-7pm

Give yourself time to rummage at NIC Factory Vintage Flea Market. Mid-century tables, classic chairs, home décor and harder-to-find collectables sit alongside one-off pieces from different eras and cultures. The setting is part of the draw: NIC Factory Charoenkrung 74 occupies a former tobacco warehouse by the Chao Phraya River, with weathered industrial details that suit a day of vintage hunting. Arrive early if you want first pick.

Bangkok Climate Action Week returns for its second year with more than 320 events under the theme ‘Economy We Shape, Climate We Share’. Lumphini Park is the main hub, hosting climate talks, local perspectives, art and live music each evening from 4.30pm-8pm. Across the city, look for workshops, exhibitions and discussions on green jobs, finance and fairer economic systems. The Asia’s Next Economies Forum brings policymakers, businesses and civil society together to consider Southeast Asia’s economic future.

October 3-11. Free entry. Various Bangkok venues. See the full programme here

The Shed City Farmer Market brings local food, home bakers, organic produce, art and independent goods to Sukhumvit 26 for two days. On October 3, artist Makarat ‘Tap’ Taveechon of ToSmile gives a talk and paints live. On October 4, makers from Ubon Ratchathani and Mae Hong Son lead a community talk and tasting of sato, a Thai rice wine. There are vase-painting and aroma roller oil workshops too, plus live music and DJ sets throughout the weekend.

October 3-4. Free entry. The Shed Bangkok, Sukhumvit 26. 1pm-9pm

Avenged Sevenfold returns to Bangkok after 11 years, with M. Shadows, Synyster Gates, Zacky Vengeance, Johnny Christ and Brooks Wackerman on stage at Thunder Dome. The band has topped the Billboard 200 twice in succession, with Nightmare (2010) and Hail to the King (2013). Expect the kind of big, riff-heavy show that made them a fixture of arena and festival bills.

October 6-7. Thunder Dome. 8pm. Tickets here.

Demand for The Weeknd’s After Hours Til Dawn Tour has added a third Bangkok date at Rajamangala National Stadium. The show draws on the dark, cinematic worlds of After Hours, Dawn FM and Hurry Up Tomorrow, with stadium-scale production to match. The first two nights have sold out, so October 13 is the date to check for tickets.

October 11-13. B2,835-B21,935. Rajamangala National Stadium. 5pm. Tickets here

Southeastern Gathering 2026 returns for its third year, expanding to six days of bluegrass,  Irish and old-time music with players from Thailand, the US, Japan and Ireland. The line-up includes banjo player Tray Wellington, 2024 Steve Martin Banjo Prize recipient, Tokyo’s Bluegrass Police and Irish musicians Luke Coffey and Cameron Mather. Choose from a penthouse concert for 20 people, a welcome jam, a six-hour main gathering and a brunch with live music and stories.

October 20-25. B999-3,299. Public House Bangkok. Programme starts at 7pm. Tickets here

Book Expo Thailand returns to Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre for 10 days across Halls 5-7. Its zones cover fiction, BL and yaoi, comics, children’s books, second-hand titles and foreign-language books. The theme, ‘Unread Messages’, nods to the titles still waiting on your reading list. For a sense of the crowds, the 30th National Book Fair drew more than 1.5 million visitors over 11 days and generated over B474 million in sales, with Gen Z accounting for more than seven in 10 visitors. Bring a tote bag and allow time to browse.

October 23-November 1. Free entry. Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, Halls 5-7. 10am-9pm

The Bangkok Bar Show brings bartenders, bar owners, drinks professionals, international guests and cocktail fans to Anantara Siam for two days. Drop in for tastings, cocktail sessions and industry talks, then chat with the people behind the bar about what they’re pouring. It’s a good chance to try a drink you might otherwise pass over, whether you work in hospitality or just enjoy a well-made cocktail.

October 24-25. B360-1,150. Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel. Noon-7pm. Tickets here

Sing along with Jason Mraz at BITEC Live

Jason Mraz returns to Bangkok for a fifth time on his first Asian tour in seven years, bringing a full band to BITEC Live. The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter is drawing on more than two decades of folk-pop and acoustic songs, including ‘I’m Yours’, ‘Lucky’ and ‘I Won’t Give Up’, with newer material in the mix too.

October 29. B2,000-B7,000. BITEC Live. 8pm. Tickets here

The Derby Day Charity Luncheon moves from Melbourne Cup Day to a Saturday, with a plated lunch, live performances, dancing, raffles and gifts. Bring a good hat: awards include Best Dressed Lady, Gentleman and Table, plus a Lucky Horse Prize with rewards ranging from luxury getaways and fine dining to art and jewellery. Last year’s luncheon raised B1,000,000 for The Freedom Story, helping 29 vulnerable children stay in school. The organisers hope to raise more this year.

October 31. B4,500. Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit. 11am-3pm. Tickets here

DIAGE Festival returns for a second edition at Cloud 11, the new creative hub in Phra Khanong. Large screens and programmed lighting set the scene for Thai and international DJs, electronic acts and live bands. Look out for ‘Continental Affair (DIAGE Deconstruction)’, a new take on the cult electronic track by Cyndi Seui (Cesar B. de Guzman). Daytime live coding, talks and workshops give you a reason to arrive before the later sets.

October 31-November 1. B1,990-B3,890. Cloud 11, Phra Khanong. 3pm-11pm. Tickets via here

For anyone who has shared a home with a pet, Beyond the Rainbow offers a thoughtful look at the bond formed through everyday routines, from the first hello to the difficult goodbye. Spread across more than 1,000 square metres, the exhibition has three experiential zones: a Memory Wall, playful recreations of familiar pet rituals and a quieter section developed with psychologists to explore grief and self-care. Pets are welcome in strollers or carriers, so your four-legged companion can come too. Tickets are available at the door, with no advance time slot required.

September 18-November 22. B150-200 via here. River City Bangkok. 10am-8pm

In less than a year, Dib Bangkok has earned international attention, including a place on TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places 2026 list. Its new exhibition ‘Giving Life’ brings together more than 160 works by 33 Thai and international artists, with Alexander Calder among the headline names. Known for his suspended mobiles, Calder turns sculpture into moving forms that respond to air and passing visitors. His work shares the gallery with artists from Thailand and across Asia, alongside pieces tracing key developments in the Thai art scene during the 1970s. It’s a chance to see how different generations approach movement, space and making.

September 26-May 3. B150-700 via here. Dib Bangkok. 10am-7pm