See design as working tool at Bangkok Design Week's ninth edition

Order feels increasingly fragile. Systems wobble, tempers shorten and the future arrives looking less polite than promised. Against that backdrop, Bangkok Design Week returns with a sharper sense of purpose and fewer rhetorical flourishes. The long-running question ‘What can design do?’ has shifted gear. In 2026, it lands as a demand for action, grounded, practical and impatient. This year’s theme, DESIGN S/O/S, frames creativity as a working tool rather than a decorative extra. Secure Domestic looks at strengthening local economies through new standards. Outreach Opportunities pushes collaboration beyond borders with confidence rather than bravado. Sustainable Future focuses on survival that lasts longer than a trend cycle. Design here belongs to everyone, not just studios and showrooms. The ninth edition invites thinkers, makers and sceptics alike to act, test ideas and keep moving forward together.

January 29-February 8. Free. Citywide.