The best things to do in Bangkok this May

Doraemon fans, this one’s for you. The 100% Doraemon and Friends Tour arrives in Thailand for the first time, following stops in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Shanghai. The event celebrates Fujiko F. Fujio’s 90th anniversary with life-sized manga figures. Inside, expect two key zones. The first is a manga-inspired space with life-sized figures of Doraemon and his crew – each standing at 123.9 cm, just like in the comics. The second includes a themed cafe and pop-up store with items exclusive to the tour. A giant inflatable Doraemon – the world’s largest – will also debut by the Chao Phraya River, adding a surreal new landmark to Bangkok’s riverside. May 1-June 22. B199-1,790 via here. Attraction Hall, Icon Siam, 10.30am-9pm

‘It’s less of an exhibition, more of a collision,’ says one curator, adjusting a badge that simply reads ‘No Rules’. Across six loosely defined zones – some whispering design, others shouting installation – the fair unravels like a fever dream of what art might be if no one asked it to behave. There are the usual suspects: glossy names, hushed galleries, the lingering smell of fresh varnish. But wander further and things begin to fray. In the Independent Artist Zone, a painter from Chiang Mai is airbrushing over an IKEA table. Nearby, the Newcomer corner hums with ideas not yet smoothed into statements. Workshops spill over with glue guns and improvised philosophy. May 7-11. Free. River City Bangkok, 11am-8pm 

To mark its second anniversary, Slowcombo is hostsing a month-long unfolding of food, music and small pleasures. In the aptly named Foodroom, a rotating cast of vendors serves up an ever-shifting landscape of flavour, from experimental desserts to street-style reinventions. Each week brings a new ensemble, making repetition impossible and discovery inevitable. The atmosphere hovers somewhere between low-key gathering and quiet celebration. Live music drifts in – DJs on one night, brass and bass the next – never overpowering, always lingering. It’s less about spectacle, more about shared rhythm. May becomes a stretch of gentle rituals: eating with strangers, listening in passing, finding comfort in the ordinary made thoughtful. May 7-27. Free. Foodroom, Slowcombo, 10am-8pm 

The exhibition unfolds not with noise but with stillness, asking viewers to unlearn the instinct to categorise. Across a sequence of photographs, identity is presented not as fact but as feeling – shifting, unresolved, defiantly uncoded. What begins as a quiet meditation soon reveals itself as a layered refusal. The binary – once a seemingly stable structure – is dismantled image by image. Here, the influence of digital language is clear: 0 and 1 reimagined, not as limits but as endless combinations. Bodies blur, gazes linger, definitions fall away. Some portraits are bold, others barely there. All resist the neatness of X or Y. Rather than offering answers, the exhibition suggests another way of looking – one that doesn’t require certainty, doesn’t expect sameness and has no interest in choosing sides. May 1-29. Free. Ming Art Space, open Fri-Sun, 10am-7pm

Towering over Sanam Luang with arms folded and eyes shut, the 18-metre COMPANION figure doesn’t so much demand attention as absorb it. It marks the latest stop in a journey that’s spanned continents – from Tokyo’s neon calm to Melbourne’s open sprawl – and now settles, briefly, in Bangkok’s historic core. Brought together through a collaboration between Kaws, AllRightsReserved and Central Embassy, the installation feels less like an event and more like a grand occupation. The setting matters. Here, beneath shifting clouds and flocks of tourists, the sculpture takes on a different gravity. Its stillness is deliberate, a kind of monument to introspection. Rather than disrupt, it lingers – a surreal presence folding global pop into local rhythm, inviting passers-by to look up, pause and wonder. May 13-25. Free. Sanam Luang, 7pm-10pm

D4vd, the New York-born, Texas-raised artist whose music drifts between melancholy and movement, is making his way to Bangkok. But this won’t be your usual gig. No tickets, no queues – just 300 lucky souls selected through an exclusive event with Universal Music Thailand. For those familiar with D4vd’s soul-searching tracks, the invitation feels like an elusive promise. Not just to hear music, but to witness it in a way that’s intimate, unfiltered and unexpectedly rare. With a limit on attendees, it’s less about being part of a crowd and more about being part of something fleeting. A moment where his sound meets the city’s pulse. Will you be one of the chosen? May 14. Free. Lido Connect, 5pm-8pm

Fresh from a whirlwind US tour, one of the sharpest voices in comedy is bringsing his wit to Bangkok. Following sold out shows in Edinburgh and Perth Fringe, his return feels like a triumph – but this time, the stakes are higher. The kind of comic who thrives in the grey areas, his jokes are laced with insight, irreverence and a biting edge. There’s a rhythm to his delivery, a balance between the absurd and the painfully real. In a city that pulses with anticipation, his arrival feels like a rare treat –, a chance to witness a master at the peak of his craft. No punches pulled, no topics off-limits. This is comedy stripped down, raw and undeniably clever. May 15-22. B600-2,000 via here and B800 at the door. The Comedy Joint, 8.30pm-10pm

After last year’s thunderous success, The Lord of the Rings trilogy returns to the stage – and this time, the second chapter is set to blow the roof off. More than 100 musicians from the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra, alongside a 150-voice choir, will bring Howard Shore’s iconic score to life in a way that feels both intimate and monumental. This isn’t just a concert; it’s an invitation to step into Middle-earth itself. As the orchestral waves swell, the audience will be swept from the sun-drenched fields of Rohan to the sinister shadow of Isengard. Each note pulls you deeper into the journey, the weight of the story pressing on your chest as Frodo and Sam edge closer to Mordor. May 17-18. B1,200-4,000 via here. Prince Mahidol Hall, Mahidol University, 3pm onwards

Some anniversaries are marked with speeches and toasts. Others, like this one, arrive with cinema, cake and a quietly diplomatic wink. To celebrate 70 years of Argentinian Thai relations, TK Park and the Argentine Embassy host a screening of So Much Love to Give – a 2020 comedy that unfolds across the cities of Buenos Aires and Mar del Plata with the kind of tangled charm only Latin love stories can carry. Directed by Marcos Carnevale, the film kicks off this year’s Contemporary World Film Series with a dose of mischief and misplaced affection. After the credits roll, guests are invited to linger – there will be snacks, drinks and maybe a few shared laughs over how love rarely plays by the rules, on- screen or -off. May 25. Free. B20 at the door for non-TK Park members. Reserve via filmforum17@gmail.com. TK Park, Central World, 4pm onwards

In the hushed calm of Shang Palace, the Dragon Boat Festival arrives not with pomp, but with poise. A chef in starched whites folds sticky rice with a quiet reverence, his hands moving instinctively – learned, not taught. There’s no flamboyance here, just the quiet ritual of something passed down. Rice dumplings, filled with abalone or crab, pork and salted egg or the understated charm of something sweet, are wrapped with leaves and a kind of pride only tradition affords. They arrive in boxes designed less for show than for significance – a gift, yes, but also a gesture. In conversation, the kitchen team speaks less of flavour and more of memory. These are parcels of care, handed from generation to generation, stitched with history and served warm. Not a trend, but a return. May 28-Jun 8. B668-3,188. Shangri-La Bangkok.

Studio Ghibli’s iconic soundtracks are about to sweep across Bangkok as the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra brings their enchanting music to life in a one-off concert. With stirring pieces from Kiki’s Delivery Service, One Summer Day, My Neighbour Totoro, and Howl’s Moving Castle, the evening promises to transport the audience into the worlds of Hayao Miyazaki’s masterpieces. But the evening is not just a tribute to animation. Expect a diverse mix of timeless theatre and cinematic classics, including selections from The Sound of Music. Conducted by Shinpei Sasaki, with performances from stage star Seiko Niizuma and the deft touch of pianist Tomoharu Ushida, this is one of those rare performances you simply can’t afford to miss. May 29. B1,000-3,000 via here. Thailand Cultural Centre, 7pm onwards

To mark the 20th anniversary of Naruto, 54 Entertainment, in partnership with SL Experiences, presents Naruto The Gallery – an immersive exhibition that invites fans to explore the intertwined fates of Naruto and Sasuke. With seven meticulously curated zones, visitors journey through key moments, from their childhood in Konoha to their fated reunion during the Fourth Great Ninja War. The exhibition is not just a walk down memory lane, though. It showcases original storyboards, character designs and unforgettable anime scenes that reveal the heart of the series. Highlights include a stunning diorama of Hidden Leaf Village, a tribute to iconic quotes and an exclusive collaboration with five emerging Japanese artists. It’s a celebration of the anime’s legacy, full of surprises for fans both old and new. May 31-Jul 31. B250-450 via here. Free for kids below four years old. River City Bangkok, 10am-8pm

The Novembers are back in Bangkok, their return a quiet echo of their last exhilarating set at Fever Tours 2024. This time, their performance promises more: an hour-long journey through the raw intensity of their alternative rock sound, with local band Death of Heather warming up the crowd – a choice made by The Novembers themselves.  The collaboration is more than just music; it's a cultural exchange, facilitated by Live House Fever and dessin the world, with Blueprint Livehouse ensuring the night comes alive. It’s a meeting of two worlds, tied together by sound, history, and a shared sense of purpose. May 31. B500 via here and B600 at the door. Blueprint Livehouse, 7.30pm onwards