The best things to do in Bangkok this weekend (August 27-30)

Michael Jackson’s biggest hits get a soulful reworking as Electric Soul Ordinary, one of Thailand’s standout live collectives, takes over the Live Room at SIWILAI Sound Club. Led by bassist Poon, the group brings funk and groove to the King of Pop’s catalogue, reshaping favourites with deep basslines, tight rhythms and rich live instrumentation. It’s a welcome chance to hear the classics beyond headphones and dancefloor.

Aug 27. B600 advance via here or B800 at the door. SIWILAI Sound Club. From 9pm

Peruvian flavours, Australian wines and Afro House set the tone at Bar.Yard, the rooftop spot on the 40th floor of Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok. Chef Julio César Concha Muñoz serves five courses paired with five Stonefish Wines, moving from crisp whites to fuller reds. Wine Dee Dee hosts, with Stonefish owner Peter Papanikitas talks guests through the pours and the stories behind the label. 

Aug 27. B1,500 via here. Bar.Yard, Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok. From 6.30pm

Better known to Bangkokians as the Museum of Death, Siriraj Medical Museum sits within Thailand’s oldest hospital, founded in 1888 after a cholera epidemic exposed the need for modern medicine. Its collection spans anatomy, pathology, parasites, prehistoric humans and forensic science. See preserved organs, real specimens and the famous ‘Lampang Man’ Homo erectus skeleton, then explore murder cases and tsunami victim identification in the forensic section. It is graphic, but never treated as a sideshow; photography is banned, keeping the focus on medicine, research and the people behind the exhibits. B100 for Thai adults, B50 for Thai children and seniors, B300 for international visitors.

Wed-Mon. Siriraj Medical Museum. 10am-5pm; last admission 4pm

The peptide rave – a format drawing crowds in San Francisco and coverage from The New York Times, The Guardian and The Economist – arrives in Bangkok on Aug 28. Hosted by vialprep and Soup, the invite-only gathering brings together longevity doctors, bodybuilders and others interested in peptide culture for talks, reconstitution demonstrations and a DJ set. Practical science meets socialising, with a Full Moon Party dress code. Gym shorts are refused at the door. No compounds are sold or administered, so expect conversation and demonstrations rather than club-night antics.

Aug 28. Free entry; registration required to reveal the location. Register at lu.ma/x8bm64um. 6.30pm-11pm

Club Sathorn returns to Le Café des Stagiaires for another night of DJs, dancing and colourful surprises. Thai and international selectors Alex Zaldua, Ashima, Gaspray and Susha take over Le Studio, bringing electronic beats and groove-led sets to payday weekend. Entry is free, so drop by for a drink, stay for a dance or simply catch up with friends.

Aug 28. Free entry. Le Café des Stagiaires Bangkok. From 9pm

BDLS returns to Bar Temp with Julie Marghilano behind the decks, mixing vinyl, electronic production and live performance. A classically trained violinist from a musical family, she moves between DJ sets, hardware-led shows and experimental work; recent appearances include Berlin’s Panorama Bar, while her credits include Ricardo Villalobos and Matthew Herbert. Support comes from Bar Temp resident Nk Chan and Vietnam-based DJ Yokosun. B400 before midnight, B600 afterwards; B300 for under-25s. Door sales only. Aug 28. Bar Temp. From 9pm

After more than a decade together, alternative rock-band Kodaline brings its farewell tour to Bangkok for two final shows. The band is closing the chapter with a fifth and final full-length album, due by year’s end, and songs that have followed fans from Dublin street sessions to sold-out arenas worldwide. Its goodbye message makes no attempt to hide the mixed emotions: happiness and sadness sit side by side as Kodaline looks back on the music, travel and fans that changed its members’ lives. Expect gratitude rather than grandstanding – and one last chance to hear the songs live before the band parts ways. 

Aug 28-29. B1,900-9,800 via here. UOB LIVE. 8pm; doors open 5pm

Carito’s – Sukhumvit 22’s Latin restaurant with a Thai twist – hosts a two-night kitchen and cocktail takeover by three progressive Phuket Old Town venues. Local Canteen handles the food, while Dibuk House and shhh. pour the drinks.

Chef Korn brings Local Canteen’s much-loved small-plate take on Southern Thai food, with à la carte dishes including lamb in Malay Muslim-style ko lae curry, Phuket-style prawn fritters and a twist on khao yam, the South’s much-loved rice salad. The regional approach continues at the bar; Wynn from Dibuk House and Boom from shhh. use local ingredients in highballs made with Songkhla’s Anong gin and tropical cocktails sharpened with funky budu fish sauce.

Aug 28-29. Carito’s, 547-549 Sukhumvit Soi 22. 6pm-11pm.

YUMM serves Latin sounds, techno, electronic music and global club cuts at this queer club night. Argentine-Korean artist Anita B Queen headlines alongside São Paulo duo Cyberkills, whose sets move through Brazilian funk, tribal, techno and trance. Anita recently collaborated with Skrillex on ‘LA NOCHE’ and has shared stages with Fred again.. and Flume; Cyberkills have worked with Pabllo Vittar and played alongside Charli XCX and Arca. Expect a sweaty, genre-hopping dancefloor as sounds from Argentina and Brazil take over HORN.

Aug 29. B800 via here. HORN. From 9pm

Forget the stiff, textbook version of Thai theatre you might associate with Lakhon Nok. This centuries-old Ayutthaya-era folk form is playful, satirical and fond of poking fun at authority. Chomphoonuch Theatre Troupe brings that spirit to Cinderella, reworking the familiar fairy tale as contemporary Lakhon Nok for the first time. Expect traditional songs, quick comic exchanges and plenty of improvisation as the glass-slipper story gets a distinctly Thai treatment. The production is also the troupe’s first full adaptation of foreign literature, finding familiar themes of disguise, social status and unlikely fortune.

Aug 29. B800 via here. GalileOasis Art Space, GalileOasis. 1pm-2pm and 7pm-8pm

The Silent Film Festival in Thailand marks its 10th edition with four screenings across two weekends, pairing classic silent pictures with live piano. British musician Stephen Horne, one of the form’s leading accompanists, returns after playing the festival’s second edition in 2015. The programme opens at Sala Cinema Theatre on Aug 29 and 30, then moves to Nang Loeng Cinema at Sala Chalerm Thani on Sep 5 and 6. With Horne responding to every scene at the keys, each screening takes on a slightly different musical shape.

Aug 29-30 at Sala Cinema Theatre; Sep 5-6 at Nang Loeng Cinema. See the line-up here.

Sacristy Bangkok takes over DUAL at Trinity Complex, a new underground club tucked inside an 800-square-metre basement with two dancefloors. The main room runs on a Funktion-One Evolution Series system, currently the only club installation of its kind in Thailand. Moscow techno DJ and producer Gemüt, a Monasterio resident, headlines with the hard-edged sound of one of Russia’s longest-running techno collectives. Local selectors REIKS, ELILA.B, THE3RD and INREMISSION complete the bill. Expect strobes, heavy bass and a warehouse-style setting – leave the sunglasses at home.

Aug 29. B600 at the door. DUAL, Trinity Complex. 9pm-4am

SoloTribe brings Bangkok’s independent founders, creatives and entrepreneurs together for Rhythm & Reflection, a 90-minute evening designed to give busy minds a break. At Marshall Livehouse, sound, scent, tea, journaling and guided reflection come together, with music curated by DJ and multidisciplinary artist BABYSCASH. Peach of SELF Sensory Healing Specialist provides the scent element, while Ash Asia Thailand supports the sound experience. Instead of name tags and small talk, expect a quieter way to meet people, reset and step outside the usual work routine.

Aug 30. Free entry; register here. Marshall Livehouse. From 6.30pm

Forget Fight Club’s first rule. Bartender Fight Vol. 2 gives Bangkok’s bar crowd plenty to discuss as bartenders swap shakers for boxing gloves and represent their venues in the ring. The second edition features 11 Muay Thai bouts, each lasting one three-minute round. The first fight begins at 9.30pm and the final bell is scheduled for 11.25pm, with bartenders from across Asia – including Speak Low Shanghai and venues in the Asia Today group – on the card. Winners pose for photos before the after-party begins.

Aug 30. B1,200-B1,500. Book via Line OA: @bar335bkk. Bar335. 9.30pm -11.25pm

Food takes centre stage at Eat Play Root Fest,  a community gathering built on the idea that sharing a meal brings people closer. Expect workshops, hands-on activities, conversation circles and a communal lunch, with plenty of chances to meet others and exchange ideas about city life. The programme explores community, wellbeing, sustainability and our relationship with food while staying practical rather than overly earnest. It is a strong Sunday option for learning something new, eating together and meeting people beyond your usual circle.

Aug 30. Free entry; register here. Na Café, Bangkok 1899