Things to do in Bangkok today

Art festivals often ask you to stand back and observe. UNFEST’26 wants you to join in. Returning through a collaboration between Unformat and Cloud 11, it brings artists, designers, developers and technologists together around real-time technology. Expect immersive dome screenings, interactive simulations, live performances, virtual-production sets and LED installations that respond as visitors move through the space. Technology is treated as a creative tool rather than a gimmick, with the festival examining how it is changing the way art is made and experienced. More events and workshops will be announced ahead of the main festival, so keep this one on your radar. Now-September 13. Check the schedule here. Second floor, room 218, Cloud 11.

Rain can send everyone running for cover, then slow the city down enough for us to notice pavement reflections or water tapping against a window. Chulalongkorn University’s In the Rain starts with that familiar experience, drawing on the university’s art collection to explore memory, uncertainty, hope and quiet reflection. A suspended rain-cloud installation sets the scene. Visitors can add their own rainy-day thoughts and read short essays on the link between weather and emotion. Thoughtful and gently immersive, it feels made for Bangkok’s wet season. Now-October 6. Free entry. Chula Museum. 9am-4.30pm

The photographer Chaiyos Pinpradab returns with his first solo exhibition in 20 years, bringing together 114 handcrafted film photographs from a 150-day road trip through southern Thailand. Travelling from Pran Buri to Narathiwat between September 2024 and January 2025, he captured everyday life, distinctive architecture and quiet landscapes with remarkable patience. The series takes its cue from ‘Golden Chersonese’, an ancient name for the Malay Peninsula. Shot on a Hasselblad XPan panoramic film camera, each image rewards close inspection, while traditional darkroom printing preserves subtle shifts of light, texture and tone. The result celebrates the region without romanticising it. Now-August 9. Free entry. Fifth floor, Bangkok Art and Culture Centre. 10am-8pm

How much of history is fact, and how much comes from the images we inherit? In Gentle Ghosts With Eyes as Fair, Sirawit Chatu revisits the contested legacy of The King and I, using photography, film and installation to question the stories that have shaped perceptions of Thailand and King Rama IV. Mirrors, staged scenes and recurring gazes draw attention to what is shown – and what remains hidden. Rather than supplying neat answers, Chatu examines the overlap between colonial narratives, popular culture and historical records, reminding us that every version of history reflects the teller’s point of view. July 25-September 6. Free entry. FAZAL Unlimited. 2pm-6pm

Japanese craftsmanship has long balanced painstaking technique with a playful streak, and The Superlative Artistry of Japan shows how little that has changed over the past 150 years. After touring internationally since 2017, the exhibition finally arrives in Thailand, bringing together Meiji-era masterpieces and contemporary design in one thoughtful survey. Rather than separating tradition from pop culture, the exhibition shows how the same careful approach continues to shape Japanese creativity across generations. July 25-August 23. Free entry. First floor, TCDC Bangkok. 10.30am-7pm

Filipino artist BLIC returns with HARD SHIFTS, a new exhibition centred on his signature ‘Humand’ figures, using the familiar motif to consider how people adapt when life refuses to follow a tidy plan. Across paintings and mixed-media works, the artist explores resilience, uncertainty and quiet acceptance without dressing struggle up as triumph. Stress balls appear throughout the exhibition as recurring objects, offering moments of pause rather than easy solutions. Expect expressive colours, oversized hands and characters that keep moving despite the setbacks around them, reflecting everyday experiences that rarely come with neat endings. August 1-September 5. Free entry. Joyman Gallery. 11am-6pm

KANGKAO's latest edition, Lost in Transit, runs from 1pm until 4am with a full day of music, workshops and slow-moving moments spread across the venue. The programme starts with a beginner-friendly yoga session led by Skye before shifting to a hands-on screen-printing workshop where you can customise baby tees, oversized T-shirts, tank tops or slip mats with exclusive designs. As evening arrives, DJs take over with selections that carry the night well past midnight. Drop by for an hour or settle in for the whole day. Either way, this one rewards anyone happy to take things at their own pace. August 1. B400-1,200 via here. DUAL, Trinity Complex. 1pm-4am

Three decades after Detective Conan first arrives on television, the long-running mystery series gets its first Southeast Asian anniversary exhibition. The show traces the anime's history from early sketches and storyboards to voice recording, music and final animation, offering a closer look at the work behind one of Japan's biggest franchises. Highlights include life-sized recreations of memorable scenes, a storyboard wall spanning 30 years and a screening room showing an exclusive anniversary film. Pick up an assigned collectible ticket on arrival, then finish with a browse through exclusive merchandise made specially for the exhibition. July 23-November 8. B250-900 via here. FreeAttraction Hall, ICONSIAM. 10am-9pm

A long dim sum menu can be intimidating, so Xian Yuan has done the choosing for you. Its new tasting sets offer either five classic steamed favourites or five signature fried selections, each paired with a cocktail or mocktail. It is a straightforward way to sample the restaurant’s Cantonese cooking without committing to a tableful of dishes, whether you are visiting for the first time or simply cannot decide what to order. Until October 31. B488++ per set. Xian Yuan, Dusit Central Park

Sichuan cooking is about far more than heat. Man Ho’s new Summer Sichuan Selection focuses on freshness, fragrance and balance, pairing green Sichuan peppercorns with pickled chillies, citrus notes and premium ingredients. Standouts include steamed bamboo fish with fresh peppercorns, poached Australian beef in aromatic chilli broth and sliced abalone with Sichuan peppercorn dressing. It is a seasonal menu packed with flavour without relying on fiery spice alone. Until August 31. From B690++. Man Ho Chinese Restaurant, JW Marriott Bangkok