The best things to do in Bangkok this May

First staged in Cheongju Craft Biennale, this group exhibition arrives in Bangkok following a debut as the Invited Country Pavilion in Cheongju, South Korea. The project grows from an ongoing exchange between Thailand and the Republic of Korea, setting craft alongside contemporary art across Southeast and East Asia. At its core sits ‘Elastic Time’, a curatorial thread that questions how time behaves across the region. Forget neat timelines. Here, past, present and future overlap, repeat and quietly reshape one another. The Cheongju edition sets the tone as a cross-cultural conversation, where material, process and memory carry equal weight. Artists approach craft not as something fixed, but as a way to consider what unfolds now, and what might come next.

Until August 16. Free. Jim Thompson Art Center. 10am-6pm

Bangkok gets its own jazz gathering again, nearly two decades after the last one faded out. Led by Pajaree Sanguanprasert, the Scatt Jazz Bangkok Jazz Festival sets out to rebuild that sense of ownership, while opening the door to something broader. Quick note: this isn’t the old Bangkok Jazz Festival revived. A different team, a different spirit. Still, that long gap lingers, and this answers it. Workshops bring musicians, bands and curious listeners closer to artists from the World Jazz Network alongside leading Thai players. Rehearsals lead to collaborative sets, before a final concert gathers everything together. Jazz here acts as exchange, conversation and shared ground.

Until May 2. Free. Register via here. Srinakharinwirot University Prasarnmit Demonstration School (Secondary).

Specialty coffee takes centre stage here, riding a global wave that shows no sign of slowing. This exhibition gathers producers, roasters, baristas and industry voices from across the map, all under one roof to support the wider coffee scene. Expect a mix of tastings, conversations and hands-on moments, alongside plenty of chances to pick up high-quality beans and serious kit. For anyone even mildly obsessed with their morning cup, it’s a field day. Behind it all sits the Specialty Coffee Association, the force behind World of Coffee, working with the Barista Association of Thailand and Exporum Inc. to bring the scene together in one place.

May 7-9. B300-1,100 via here. BITEC. 10am-6pm

After 55 years, Kraftwerk finally lands in Bangkok. The Düsseldorf group writes the rulebook for electronic music, shaping everything from techno to EDM, with traces heard across synth-pop, electro, industrial and house. Any genre built on a drum machine carries their imprint. What sets them apart sits in restraint: stripped-back structures, looping patterns, a precision that borders on the mathematical. Catching a name this influential in the city rarely happens, especially one that treats a live show as a full multimedia installation. Expect ‘Autobahn’ and ‘The Model’ paired with stark visuals and tightly controlled sound. 

May 10. B3,300-5,500 via here. Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. 8.30pm

Bangkok gets its first proper look at Hanumankind as he lands for a debut solo show in Thailand. The rapper sits firmly in that rising-star lane, building international attention as an Indian artist making serious noise on the global stage. Early buzz arrives with ‘Big Dawgs’, before Monsoon Season follows and pushes things further. Then ‘Victory Lap Three’, a link-up with Fred again.., sharpens the spotlight. This Bangkok date forms part of his Asia tour, with stops across Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. If you keep an eye on what’s next in hip-hop, this one demands attention.

May 10. B2,000 via here. Ambience Space. 8pm

Thailand AeroPress Championship returns to crown the country’s top brewer, with the winner heading to the World Championship in Mexico. Organised by The Coffee Calling, this one carries a reputation as the original ‘coffee party’, where baristas and caffeine devotees gather from morning through to the final round. Expect a steady mix of competition and good company. A DJ line-up keeps things moving, while drinks come via Dripp. Food lands from Jee Kia with Isan-style Japanese plates, stir-fried sukiyaki by Suki Phonsiri and special dishes created for the day by Electric Sheep. 

May 10. Free. The Warehouse Bangkok. 10am-9pm

The annual sale at Neilson Hays Library returns for 2026, and regulars know the drill: arrive early, bring a sturdy tote, and prepare to leave with more than planned. Set against the library’s quietly elegant architecture, the event offers shelves of secondhand titles in Thai and English, covering novels, art books, children’s stories, older prints and the occasional rare find, with prices starting from B20. Selections come partly from the library’s own collection, alongside books gathered specifically for the occasion. Every purchase supports the upkeep of the historic building, so it’s shopping with a purpose. Word is, a small surprise also waits for visitors this year, a gentle thank you for turning up and browsing.

May ​16-24. Free. Neilson Hays Library. 9.30am-5pm

Julian Marley arrives in Bangkok with The Uprising, carrying forward a legacy without making a fuss about it. The set lands with quiet confidence, rooted in classic reggae yet shaped for a live crowd that knows what it came for. Support comes from familiar names across the scene, including JOB2DO, Malaiman Downtown and INJA, keeping the energy steady from start to finish. It’s a line-up that shifts smoothly between generations and styles. The final Bangkok stop lands at UOB LIVE, right in the city centre and a short walk from BTS Phrom Phong, built for shows that aim a little higher.

May 22. B2,950 via here. UOB LIVE. 6pm

One of Japan’s most distinctive banjo voices arrives in Bangkok for Bangkok Banjo Fest. Takumi Kodera earns a reputation as one of the finest players of his generation, moving easily between bluegrass, jazz and a style that carries his own signature. Precision meets warmth here, grounded in tradition but never boxed in. Expect shifting tempos, intricate picking and plenty of character across the set. It’s a full evening dedicated to the banjo, giving the spotlight to a sound that rarely gets this much room in the city.

May 23. B900 via here and B1,100 at the door. The Royal Oak. 7pm

Paint starts flying as Art Battle lands in Bangkok, turning the room into a fast-paced studio. Artists race the clock across three rounds, each given 20 minutes to create their strongest work while the crowd circles the easels, watching every decision unfold. The format keeps things simple. At the end of each round, the audience votes to decide who moves forward, shaping the outcome in real time. Every piece then goes up for silent auction, so you can leave with a favourite if bidding goes your way. Now staged in more than 50 cities worldwide, Art Battle brings together competition, community and a front-row view of creativity under pressure.

May 23. B99-450 via here. The Fig Lobby Bangkok. 7pm

Atlanta has a habit of turning out rappers who sharpen every bar until it cuts clean. J.I.D sits firmly in that lane, all quick-fire delivery and tightly controlled energy, backed by a stage presence that holds attention from the first track. He first lands on the radar in 2015 with the DiCaprio EP, introducing a fast-talking storyteller from the city’s east side. Since then come Grammy nods, a near two-billion-stream collaboration with Imagine Dragons, and last year’s The Forever Story. Live, he keeps things stripped back. 

May 26. B2,600 via here. Lido Connect. 8pm

Before anything else, a bit of homegrown pride takes centre stage. Bangkok Pride Festival returns under the theme ‘Patch the World with Pride’, with a parade stretching 4.8 kilometres from Chong Nonsi to Rama I. Expect a 300-metre rainbow flag rolling across Silom Road, longer than any previous year and impossible to miss. At Suphachalasai Stadium, Rabiab Wathasin brings mor lam to the Pride Stage, grounding the celebration in local culture while reflecting LGBTQ+ stories of resilience. Alongside it, Drag Bangkok Festival and Thailand's Drag Star raise the stakes for the city’s drag scene. Dress up if you want to be seen, but keep the history in mind.

May 31. Free. Chong Nonsi Canal Park (Silom Road). 3pm

After winning over Thai fans at Summer Sonic 2024, Laufey confirms her first solo show here with Laufey: A Matter of Time Tour in Bangkok. A solid return, all things considered. She blends jazz, classical and contemporary pop with carefully arranged melodies and lyrics that stay with you long after the final note. The tour follows her win at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards, where A Matter of Time takes Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. Produced by Spencer Stewart and Aaron Dessner, the record refines her sound with a sharper emotional edge. With over 4.25 billion Spotify streams, Billboard chart highs, Forbes 30 Under 30 and TIME Women of the Year, she’s clearly operating well beyond niche status.

May 31. B1,800-4,300 via here. Impact Arena. 7pm