Anastasia Sideraki

Let’s be honest, Bangkok is pretty good at feeding you. But just how far around the world can you actually eat without leaving the city? Quite far, apparently. Japanese ramen, Korean barbecue and Italian pasta aren't exactly difficult to track down. But what if you fancy Filipino inasal? Georgian khinkali? Ethiopian injera? Or suddenly decide tonight is the night you finally try Jamaican jerk chicken? Turns out, Bangkok has those too. We went looking for restaurants representing as many different countries as we could find – and things got slightly out of hand. You can start in Vietnam, head to Lebanon for lunch, stop by Portugal for dinner and somehow finish the night in Canada with a plate of poutine. Maybe don't actually attempt all of that in one day, though. Your stomach deserves some respect. Some are big, polished restaurants. Others are tiny independent spots serving the food their owners grew up eating back home. Either way, forget the passport. You're going to need an appetite for this one. Here's how to eat your way around the world without leaving Bangkok. We’ll start with our favourites, but the list keeps going, and going, and going, and going…

Everyone knows Bangkok can be cheap. Eat local food all day, walk everywhere and stick to free attractions and, yes, B500 will probably get you pretty far. But that's a little too easy. I wanted to see if B500 could actually get you a proper day out. The goal: Spend a day out on the town, enjoy three good meals, get around without walking half the city, pick up something sweet and see the best the city has to offer at the lowest possible price. For me, the day started in Silom. My journey took me to Siam, around the sights, to more food spots than you’d expect and with enough to get me back again for dinner. I took Grab bikes, swapped predictably cheap Thai food for some rather ridiculous fries at lunch and even squeezed in a cookie along the way. There was a lot more besides, but I'll break it down below. Here's how far B500 got me on a day out in Bangkok. Small budget, big appetite.

It’s 12.30am. You’ve been out on the town but now you don’t want another drink. You’re nowhere near ready for bed and somehow getting your nails done suddenly sounds like a great idea. Good news: you’re in Bangkok. Find Japanese snacks in the middle of the night, sing karaoke until 5am, wander through mountains of flowers before dawn and squeeze in a ridiculously late dinner somewhere along the way. Because Bangkok nightlife doesn’t begin and end with bars and clubs. In fact, some parts of the city get considerably more interesting once everyone else has gone to bed. So, whether you’re jet-lagged, naturally nocturnal or simply making questionable decisions after a few too many bevvies, here’s what you can actually do in Bangkok after midnight.

Kai New Zealand in Sathorn leans into Kiwi beef, lamb and seafood, with fish and chips, oysters and steaks all getting involved. If you're there on a Sunday, check out the roast – a suitably massive way to finish an article that has mostly involved encouraging you to eat too much. Kai New Zealand, 142/40 Sathorn Soi 12. Book online or call 02 635 3800. Daily 11am–midnight

Reggae you've heard. Now try the food. Frying Pan Jerk Grill on Sukhumvit 11 serves Jamaican favourites including jerk chicken, brown stew chicken, curry goat, ackee and saltfish, rice and peas and fried dumplings. And maybe taste the jerk before confidently asking for extra heat – your ego doesn't need to order dinner for you. Frying Pan Jerk Grill, Building 29, Sukhumvit Soi 11. Call 095 764 5993. Daily 11am-2am

The Dutch looked at pancakes and apparently decided breakfast shouldn't get to keep them all to itself. Dutch Pancake Café in Asok does proper Dutch pannenkoeken – big, thin pancakes that can go sweet or savoury. Bacon and cheese for dinner, Nutella and banana afterwards? Now you're thinking like a Dutch person. Dutch Pancake Café, 20 Ratchadaphisek Road, Asok. Plain pancakes start from B120; most topped pancakes are around B200-280.Call 081 791 4969. Asok branch opens daily 7am–9pm

If you've never tried Georgian food, start with khinkali – big dumplings filled with meat and broth that are considerably harder to eat gracefully than they first appear. ARGO Georgian Bar & Grill on Sukhumvit Soi 8 is a solid place to start, with Georgian breads, grilled meat and plenty more alongside them. They even have a small, but interesting selection of Georgian wines (did you know Georgia was the birthplace of wine?). Back to the khinkali, just bite a little hole and drink the broth first unless you fancy wearing your dinner. ARGO Georgian Bar & Grill, 4/26 Sukhumvit Soi 8. Call 088 686 4393 or book online. Tue-Fri 6pm-midnight; Sat–Sun noon–midnight; closed Mon. Kitchen closes at 11pm

Switzerland isn't exactly known for light dinners, and Chesa Swiss Cuisine isn't trying to change that. This long-running Sukhumvit restaurant goes all in on traditional Swiss comfort food, with bubbling cheese fondue, raclette, crispy rösti and plenty of hearty Alpine dishes on the menu. If you've never dipped bread into a pot of molten cheese and called it dinner, now's your chance. Just maybe don't make plans to move very quickly afterwards. Chesa Swiss Cuisine, Sukhumvit Soi 20. Call 02 261 6650 or book online. Daily 11am–11pm.

What is it? Flowers at 3am? Why not charm your date with a last minute rose? Pak Khlong Talat is Bangkok’s famous 24-hour flower market and, weirdly enough, the middle of the night is actually one of the best times to visit. Trucks start rolling in packed with roses, orchids, lotus flowers and marigolds, and while most of Bangkok is asleep, everyone here is already very much at work. Why we love it: Think a flower market would be pretty quiet at 3am? Cute. This is when Pak Khlong Talat really gets going. Trucks are squeezing through with huge deliveries, vendors are surrounded by mountains of flowers and everyone seems to have somewhere to be except you. Honestly, by 3am, the market is quite chaotic – but that’s half the fun. Have a wander, try not to get in anyone’s way and obviously buy yourself a bunch before you leave. You stayed awake until 3am – you’ve earned the flowers. Time Out tip: Aim to visit around 3-4am if you want to see the market in full flow. Just be wary that if you’re drunk, standing in the middle of everything trying to get the perfect picture – you may make some unwanted ‘friends’. Pak Khlong Talat, Phra Nakhon. Flower bundles start from around B50. Open 24 hours.

What is it? Who’s not hungry at 2am? 55 Pochana in Thonglor is a legendary, proper late-night Thai-Chinese spot that keeps the woks flaming until around 3.30am. There’s crab fried rice, seafood, curries, stir-fries and basically everything you want after a night out and about – especially when whatever you ate six hours ago isn’t cutting it anymore. Why we love it: There’s something about sitting down for a full-on feast at 2am that just feels very Bangkok. Drag a few inebriated friends over, order way too much for the table and worry about finishing it later. With so much to choose from, this is not the time to be sensible. Nor fussy. Plus, nobody here is going to judge you for ordering dinner when most people are already in bed. Your sleep schedule is already ruined anyway, you might as well make it worth it. Time Out tip: There can be a queue even late at night, but tables tend to turn over pretty quickly. If waiting around when you’re starving at 2am sounds like torture, call ahead and try to reserve a table or just order another beer – they sell those too.  55 Pochana, Sukhumvit Road, Thonglor. Dishes start from around B100, so you can eat well without spending much. Tel. 02 391 2021. 6.30pm-3.30am daily.

What is it? Still wide awake but don’t fancy another bar? Then head to Bamboo E-sport Center in Ekkamai. It stays open until 2am and is packed with PlayStations, racing simulators and plenty of games to keep you busy well past the midnight hour. Bring your competitive friend (you know the one) and it’ll be morning before you know it. Why we love it: Playing games after a night out is surprisingly good fun. Get a few friends together, pick out a party game and make it interesting: loser pays for the next drink. Sounds friendly enough, right? Give it 10 minutes and tensions will surely rise. But seriously, nothing brings a friendship together quite like absolutely refusing to let your mate win. Time Out tip: Coming with a crowd? Book the private gaming room, which fits up to 10 people and comes with two PS5s and a Nintendo Switch.  Bamboo E-sport Center, Ekkamai. Gaming starts at B150, with food and drinks available. 2pm–2am daily.

What is it? A manicure at an hour when most salons elsewhere would have been locked up for hours. This is Thonglor’s leading late night stop for all your fingernail needs. Nail House Bangkok keeps going late, but you’ll need to get in just before midnight to catch the last queue.  Why we love it: Forgot to book your nails before dinner? Suddenly hate the colour you chose last week? Or perhaps you’ve broken a nail while popping your second bottle of Champagne. This is one for the emergencies – and because they keep going until midnight, you can refresh your look well before you head home. Not only is it one of the few salons in the area to stay up so late, it’s also perfectly located in the heart of Thonglor, where good looking nails mean the difference between getting in and getting turned away. Or at least, that’s what it can feel like. And compared with just another night spent sitting at a bar, at least you’ll have something to show for this one tomorrow. Time Out tip: Book ahead if you’re going late rather than assuming there’ll be a chair waiting for you at 11.30pm. Nail House Bangkok, Thonglor soi 17. Starting at B1,200 for a full set of nails, cheaper for repairs. Book online or call 097 230 5301 in emergencies. 8.30am-midnight

If you were at Natai last January, you already know what those little red cherries are capable of. And if you weren't? Consider this your chance to make up for it. Circoloco turned Baba Beach Jungle into one of Thailand's biggest dancefloors, bringing its signature underground house and techno to the Andaman coast for two seriously packed Saturdays. Think palm trees, afternoon sunshine, international DJs and a party that kept going long after sunset. Apparently, that still wasn't enough. For 2027, the Ibiza-born party is going one bigger, returning for three Saturdays in January. The line-up is still playing hard to get, but considering the names Circoloco has pulled in the past, we're expecting those cherries to come with some pretty serious company. And there's not long to decide whether you're joining them: tickets go on sale today at 5pm Thailand time. So, when exactly is it happening, who's likely to be behind the decks and how do you get your hands on tickets? Here's everything we know about Circoloco Thailand 2027 so far. When is Circoloco Thailand 2027? Photograph: CircolocoCircoloco Thailand 2027 Circoloco Thailand will take place across three consecutive Saturdays in January 2027: Saturday, January 9, 2027Saturday, January 16, 2027Saturday, January 23, 2027 It's the longest Thailand run for the party so far, expanding from two weekends in 2026 to three in 2027. Set times for the 2027 events haven't been announced yet. For reference, the 2026 editions ran from 3pm

Thailand’s roads could soon be getting a little more colourful. The Department of Land Transport (DLT) is considering introducing blue licence plates for fully electric vehicles, and they want your opinion on the matter before moving ahead. Under the proposal, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) would be given reflective blue plates, making them easier to distinguish from petrol, diesel and hybrid vehicles. Why, you ask? Well, the potential makeover isn’t just about looks.  One of the main reasons behind the proposal is safety. EVs containing high-voltage battery systems require different procedures following serious accidents or fires. By making them immediately identifiable, emergency responders can recognise what they’re dealing with more quickly and take the appropriate precautions.  Already driving an EV? There’s no need to start planning a plate swap just yet. Under the current proposal, EVs registered before the new rules take effect would be able to keep their existing plates, with a special identifying mark added instead. Hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles would not be included in the blue-plate scheme. Taxis, pickups and other vehicles that use coloured lettering would also maintain the colour, while the background swaps to blue – making for some crazy colour combinations, no doubt.   The DLT also says clearer identification could make it easier to introduce EV-specific measures in the future, including designated parking, toll privileges and access to low-emission zon