The best things to do in Bangkok this weekend (October 15-18)

Singapore’s rooftop microbrewery LeVeL33 brings its bar manager Thomas Sobota to Bar.Yard at Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok for a five-cocktail guest shift. Expect more than your usual margarita. Sarah’s Fire mixes chilli, kaffir lime leaves and Brut Beer, while IPA Del Fuego combines smoky mezcal, raspberry-infused Campari and India pale ale. Cantarito pairs citrus with Blond Lager, golden deposit uses butter-washed tequila and hops-infused agave, and ll night long keeps things simple with tequila, soda and lime. Beer and hops feature across the menu, though not in every glass.

October 15. Free entry; drinks charged separately. Bar.Yard, Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok. 40/F. 8pm-late. Reservations: 02 056 9999.

Need a break from staring at screens and overthinking every little thing? Duemdum Space’s 1 Day Mini Retreat combines movement, sound meditation and mindful eating and drinking in sessions limited to six people. Start by moving your body and turning into your senses, then settle into music and breathing before turning your attention to the flavours, textures and aromas of each bite and sip. The listed sessions last two hours  – enough time to put your phone down without surrendering the whole day. 

October 15-November 1. B800; book via @duemdumspace. Duemdum Space. Tue-Fri, 10am-noon and 6pm-8pm, Sat-Sun, 10am-noon and 4pm-6pm. Confirm your session and what the price includes when booking.

Bangkok Art Walk returns to Pak Khlong Talat, bringing Thai and international artists, street food and live music to the flower market’s colourful lanes. Browse the work, chat with the artists and pick up something for your wall between stops for food and flowers. With marigolds and jasmine garlands already doing their bit for the scenery, this is an easy excuse to linger in the Old Town until the evening sets are under way.

October 16-18. Free entry. Pak Khlong Talat, near MRT Sanam Chai. 3pm-11pm. More information.

London indie-pop band PREP return for PREP Asia Tour: Live in Bangkok 2026 at Melt Livehouse, Cloud 11. Formed in 2015, the group blends the glossy sound of ’80s pop with R&B and jazz, making music that suits a late taxi ride home as well as a room full of fans singing it back. Their latest EP, One Day In The Sun, gives you some newer material to learn before joining the familiar singalongs. The show is part of the Maho Rasop Series presented by Seen Scene Space.

October 17. Zone B B2,500; Zone A B3,500 via Ticketmelon. Melt Livehouse, Cloud 11 Hall. Listed time 7pm-10pm; check the organiser’s final schedule for doors and stage times.

Fancy a date night with a difference? The Thai Astronomical Society’s free Star Party at Bangkok Planetarium in Ekkamai puts Saturn’s rings, its largest moon Titan and lunar craters on the viewing programme. Head to the futsal court in front of the swimming pool building, beside Building 4, where astronomers will explain what you’re seeing. Activities include constellation spotting, photography through telescopes and a children’s corner. You don’t need your own telescope or any stargazing experience, but you do need the clouds to cooperate.

October 17. Free entry and activities. Bangkok Planetarium complex, near BTS Ekkamai. 6pm-9pm. Check the Thai Astronomical Society’s updates before setting off.

What happens when music exists for the love of it, rather than a paycheque? That’s the starting point for Black Music History… Before the Market, a talk at Such A Small World in The Corner House, the century-old orange building where Charoen Krung meets Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem. Julian Cary of 1500 Sound Academy Thailand traces Black music from work songs and church traditions to hip hop and K-pop, asking why we separate sounds with shared common roots. Afterwards, No Ref Left Club opens the discussion to the room, so bring your own thoughts along.

October 17. B499 via Restspace. Such A Small World, 3/F, The Corner House. Listed time 7.30pm-9.30pm; check your booking confirmation for the final schedule.

Bananas are a staple of Thai kitchens, but there’s more to the plant than the fuit in your breakfast bow. Ros Chaad Thai Banana Party celebrates native and unusual varieties at Bangkok Kunsthalle, with banana plants, snacks, sweets and products from local growers and makers. Botanists and collectors share the stories behind that diversity, while chef Ta Setthasiri Watchanapornpisan leads the ‘Jeeb, Jab, Pub, Hor’ workshop, teaching participants to make steamed banana cakes and fold banana leaves into traditional Thai dessert parcels. Entry and the other activities are free; the workshop costs B750 per person.

October 17. Free entry; workshop B750 via Ticketmelon. Bangkok Kunsthalle, Maitri Chit Road, Hua Lamphong. 9.30am-6pm; confirm the event and workshop timetable with the organiser before travelling.

Swap scrolling for a brush at Slowcombo’s acrylic painting workshop. Spend a couple of hours mixing colours, layering paint and seeing what takes shape on your canvas, with no need to arrive as an experienced artist or have a finished idea in mind. Come with a friend or claim a little quiet time for yourself – the point is to experiment at your own pace, rather than race towards a masterpiece.

October 17-18. B290-450. Slowcombo. 10am-8pm; check individual session times, booking requirements and materials included.

Forget the usual gig setup. Clean Sound at GalileOasis  asks you to sit still, notice your breathing and follow sounds as they emerge from silence. The programme brings together four artists from different musical backgrounds, using improvisation, minimal sound and meditation to explore how we listen and respond physically to music. The session is described as taking place without lighting or visual effects, leaving your attention on the sounds in the room, your breath and the small shifts in your body. 

October 17. B1,200 via the booking form. GalileOasis. 4pm-6.30pm; confirm the artist line-up and session arrangements when booking.

Poet and artist Jameel Haiat shares stories from his life alongside readings from his latest book, Leave It in the Rice Field, at A BOOK with NO NAME. The collection draws on his experience with cancer, his love for his wife Hilcia, his views on American politics and life in Chiang Mai, where he now lives. Hear the stories behind the poems, then stay for a chat and a chance to get your copy signed.

October 17. Free entry. A BOOK with NO NAME. 4pm-6pm.

Lumphini Hall is finding a new role as a home for Thai performing arts. Once a ballroom packed with dancers in the 1950s and ’60s, the venue now hosts music and dance programmes, including Youth Khon 2026, featuring more than 80 young performers from the Mathurasin and Siam Rak Silp troupes. They present Akhra Nari Sida, a Ramakien episode centred on Sida after the war in Lanka, when she faces accusations about her faithfulness. Expect elaborate embroidered costumes, carved masks, precise gestures and the clang of traditional gongs and drums.

October 18. Free entry. Lumphini Hall, Lumphini Park. 4.30pm-7pm, with doors opening at 4.30pm. MRT Silom, Exit 1. More information.

Le Studio’s announced screening of Les Bodins comes with a chance to meet actress Bella Boonsang at Le Café des Stagiaires. Settle in for the film, then stay to chat with Boonsang over food and drinks ordered à la carte. The screening is listed as free, so your spending can go towards the refreshments. Check the full film title, screening language and subtitle availability with the venue when reserving.

October 18. Free entry. Le Studio, Le Café des Stagiaires, Sathorn Soi 12. Start 6pm. Enquiries 097 130 7534.

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.

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.