The best things to do in Bangkok this weekend (October 8-11)

Billed as Thailand’s first homegrown international art fair, art bangkok 2026 opens ‘The First Chapter’ at Siam Paragon. The theme considers collecting as the start of a relationship with an artwork, rather than simply a purchase. The announced programme brings together galleries from seven countries and Asian territories, alongside museums, institutions, auction houses and conservation experts. Six zones cover gallery presentations, exhibitions, collecting communities and the practical business of looking after art, from conservation to transport. Talks explore the Asian art market, caring for artworks and Bangkok’s ambitions as a regional art hub. Start browsing – your first acquisition can wait.

October 8-11, public days. B350 day pass or B880 VIP pass via Zipevent. NEX Hall & Art Jewel, fifth floor, Siam Paragon. Noon-7pm, 

French artist and illustrator Julie Stephen Chheng brings Fortune Teller to One Bangkok, with interactive projections and augmented reality that reward a little curiosity. Presented with Alliance Française Bangkok, the exhibition introduces eight nature spirits linked to water, fire, sky, earth, thunder, shadow, light and green leaf. Download the free Fortune Teller AR app to search for hidden characters around the complex, then explore creative workshops covering paper crafts, ceramic painting and DIY keychains. A book corner curated by The Independent Print Club rounds out the programme. Check the workshop schedule before visiting if you have a particular activity in mind. 

October 2-November 15. Free exhibition entry. Second floor, The Storeys, One Bangkok. 10am-8pm.

Hand to Heart Market gives your Song Wat wander a crafty detour.  Alongside handmade goods, craft products and vintage fashion, the announced workshop activities include folding lotus flowers and making a floral hair garland. Try your hand at the traditional techniques, then browse the stalls before heading back out among the neighbourhood’s old shophouses, small cafés and independent shops. Market entry is free; check with the organiser for floral workshop times, fees and booking requirements.

October 5-13. Free market entry. Songwat Lane. 10am-8pm.

Down a small alley in Tha Tien, Mitre Street rises six-storeys with windows framing Wat Pho across the street. The restaurant’s ’70s Pop Art influences show up in bold colours and graphic patterns, while the menu draws on Thai-Chinese street food. Head to the sixth floor Thaiki Rooftop Bar for Thai-inspired tiki cocktails made with tropical flavours and local ingredients. Come evening, the illuminated temple supplies the backdrop. Order a snack, catch the breeze and let the view do its thing.

Mitr Street, 119 Soi Tha Suphan, Tha Tien. Open daily, 11am-10pm.

Thinking further ahead than Sunday?  EDC Thailand returns to Rhythm Park in Phuket on December 18-20. Three-day Early Owl passes are listed at B10,490 for general admission and B16,490 for VIP. Prefer to pick one night? Check the  official ticket portal for December’s single-day availability and prices before booking. Entry is strictly for festivalgoers aged 20 and over, with valid photo ID required.

December 18-20. Rhythm Park, Phuket. Official December ticket portal.

Plug in your earphones and let Roots Walk introduce you to the stories hiding around Fueang Nakhon Road and Sam Phraeng. Roots Routes’ self-guided ‘From Royal Past to Commercial Present’ tour traces the area’s royal and commercial history, with local voices, an interactive route map and perks at participating shops. Launched around Bangkok Car Free Week, the free-access offer continues until October 11, with special discounts advertised on other Old Town routes. Start before 11am for the best experience and allow roughly one to two-and-a-half hours. Check the campaign’s access instructions before using the standard booking page, which displays the usual B349 price. 

Until October 11. Free access under the campaign offer. Fueng Nakhon Road and Sam Phraeng. Route details.

A spooky Saturday is brewing at lesbian bar TUFF, where A Coven of Witches gives the haunted house party a suitably supernatural dress code. The announced line-up has DJ CKMONAA on the decks and Jade Eva offering tarot and astrology readings. Come as an evil crone, sorceress, Y2K witch, medieval mystic, siren, harpy or Medusa – or invent your own creature. The advertised best-dressed prize is four free drinks, so dust off the cape and make an effort. Entry is free, but capacity is limited; check the event post for admission and reading arrangements.

October 10. Free entry. TUFF Bar. From 9pm. 

What happens to a memory when the details start to disappear? Trey Hurst considers that question in At the Threshold, a solo exhibition of paintings made between 2023 and 2026. Working directly on canvas, he builds layered surfaces through repeated brushwork, allowing human figures to emerge somewhere between abstraction and recognition. The paintings explore memory, relationships and the passing of time, with earlier marks remaining beneath newer ones. Stay with them a while: the figures resist a neat resolution.

October 10-November 8. Free entry. Play Art House, Song Wat Road. Tuesday-Thursday, 10am-5pm; Friday-Sunday, 10am-6pm. Closed Monday.

Wine country gets a dessert makeover at sàat, where chef Saki Hoshino teams up with GranMonte Vineyard and Winery on Terroir to Tart. The vineyard-inspired menu uses Khao Yai wine, grape juice and grape leaves, bringing Japanese techniques together with Thai and Western flavours. The three creations range from raw fish with Spring Chenin Blanc jelly to coconut cheesecake with grape jelly and grape juice. Then there’s GranMonte grape leaf sorbet, served with miso caramel, mochi and toasted rice. It’s a reason to consider the vineyard beyond what’s in your glass.

Until January 31 2027. sàat, Maha Phruettharam Road, near Hua Lamphong.  11am-8pm. Closed Tuesday. Reservations: 095-373-1178.

Molam to the World brings Isan sounds into conversation with music from further afield at Bangkok Island. Presented by Terra Canta and the venue, the programme combines live molam and Isan performances with contemporary beats, drawing on the sounds of Thai khaen and phin, Indian sitar and African djembe. DJs Selecta Rainny, tape jam and saru soul take the DJ stage, with Rainny’s announced selection spanning molam, dub, global bass, cumbia and Indian beats. There’s Isan food to keep you going between dances.

October 10. Free entry. Tickets here. Bangkok Island. 6pm-midnight

Never touched a pole? Dream Rotation V4 welcomes you anyway. The beginner-friendly night starts with ice-breakers and an introductory workshop before opening the poles for freestyle practice. All experience levels, identities and body types are welcome, so there’s room to explore at your own pace without learning a set routine. If pole dancing has always seemed intimidating or simply outside your usual Saturday plans, this is an invitation to give it a go. Check the organiser’s post for the workshop start time and what to wear.

October 10. Pay what you can, with a suggested minimum contribution of B250. LongLai. 9pm-1am.

SoolHaus brings a little Seoul soul to Sukhumvit 12 with 10/10 – Seoul Got Soul, pairing ’90s R&B with Korean-inspired coctials. Patra and In.Se.On take turns behind the decks, while the bar’s drinks include the Seoul Standard, SoolHaus banchan, night transmission and signature soju bomb. The event also promises a first taste of ember dial, a spirit-forward cocktail previewed ahead of an expanded menu planned for later this month. Pick a drink and settle in for a late one.

October 10. Free entry. SoolHaus, Canopy Bangkok Sukhumvit. 9pm-1am.

Remember reciting a poem at school assembly, knees knocking as everyone watched? Now add a microphone, judges and a room full of strangers. Thailand’s National Youth Poetry Slam brings young poets from across the country to Lumpini Recreation Center Hall as part of Bangkok Climate Action Week. Junior entrants are aged eight to 12 and seniors 13 to 17, performing solo, in pairs or in groups of up to four. Every poem must be original and can be delivered in Thai, English or both. The theme, ‘We Destine: The World We Want to Live In’, asks what kind of future they want to create.

October 11. Free entry. Lumpini Recreation Center Hall. 11am-2pm. Details and registration.

Sunday takes a slower turn at Le Café des Stagiaires, where Yars & Yaps pairs crochet with ambient music and afternoon drink. Susha introduces the basics while Alex Café supplies the DJ set. Grab a drink, settle at a table and work on your stitches at your own pace – no need to arrive as a crochet expert. Check any fee and whether hooks and yarn are provided when you sign up.

October 11. Le Café des Stagiaires, 142/21 Sathorn Soi 12. 2pm-6pm. Sign up here. Enquiries: 097-130-7534.

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