Kaweewat Siwanartwong

Bangkok’s cool season is officially here, although by 2pm you’ll still want shade and an iced coffee. Evenings are finally pleasant enough for a walk and the events calendar fills up again. If you know the Bangkok Art Biennale venues at Wat Pho and Wat Arun by heart, head east to MMAD at Seacon Square Srinakarin, where four exhibitions explore everyday life, time and personal emotions. Another Yard rolls out a patch of artificial grass on the 39th floor of T-One Building, a short walk from Thonglor BTS. It has air-con and no mosquitoes. For something more talkative, MEMENTO MORI fills Slowcombo in Samyan with 15 talks, hands-on workshops and an exhibition exploring life and death from November 13-15. One session invites you to record your life story on a cassette tape. Exhibition entry is free, while talks and workshops are ticketed. Hungry or thirsty? Mustard & Memories serves seven courses of Bengali home cooking on Sukhumvit 39. Le Café des Stagiaires celebrates its 11th birthday on Sathorn Soi 12, while Penthouse at Park Hyatt Bangkok hosts an Italian cocktail takeover. MINI brings its go-kart inspired driving experience to One Bangkok, Vijit Chao Phraya lights up the riverside and Joel Bryant takes the stage for a night of stand-up. Want more? Browse our guides to Bangkok’s best bars, restaurants, parks and galleries, or start ticking off the city’s essential things to do. Planning ahead? Browse our monthly events guide and the latest Bangkok things to do. Subscribe to o

November 2026: Bangkok’s art exhibitions span the city this month, from the fifth Bangkok Art Biennale, themed Angels and Mara, to DIAGE’s light, sound and movement installations at Cloud 11 on Sukhumvit Road. The biennale brings together 72 artists and collectives from 29 countries, with more than 200 works across 11 main venues. BAB Plus and BAB Fringe extend the programme to Thonburi, Samut Prakan and Suphan Buri. It runs until February 28 2027, so there’s time to spread your visits out. Biennale admission is free, though individual venues may have their own entry arrangements. Cloud 11’s post-festival DIAGE exhibition is listed for November 2-15, with seven installations responding to light, sound and movement. NONOTAK’s fog-filled light work is among the advertised highlights – stick close to whoever you came with. Check the retained line-up and free-entry arrangements with Cloud 11 before heading over. For something more low-key, Art Jewel on Siam Paragon’s fifth floor, beside BTS Siam, hosts Human After All, figurative paintings by eight artists exploring the messier, less flattering parts of being a person. At Soko Gallery on Sukhumvit Soi 32, Butterfly & Fish pairs Pi-near’s  illustrations with papeterie’s papercuts in a show about growth, change and memory. Need more ideas? Explore our guides to Bangkok’s best bars, restaurants, parks and galleries, browse our interviews or work through our bucket list of the best things to do in Bangkok. From galleries to creative

Over the past few years, Bangkok foodies have welcomed a number of sushi restaurant openings offering a higher-end dining experience, omakase, which can be simply translated as "leave it all to the chef" meaning that your meal will be prepared by the trained sushi master according to the freshest catch of the day.  Don't know what to want to eat, no problem! Omakase has taken Thai food lovers by storm as plenty of omakase restaurants has opened in Bangkok in the last few years. We gather you the best omakase restaurants in town you shouldn't miss. Love Japanese cuisine? Check out more restaurants in Bangkok here! 

November usually brings Bangkok a little relief from the heat, just as its events calendar fills up. Bangkok Art Biennale brings more than 200 works by 72 artists and collectives to 11 venues, from Wat Arun’s riverside grounds to the malls around Siam, until February 28 2027. The first Time Out Bangkok Nightlife Awards turns Hua Lamphong Railway Station into a party on November 18, while My Chemical Romance finally make their Thailand debut at IMPACT Challenger Hall. Over in the Old Town, the Golden Mount temple fair returns to Wat Saket from November 17. Look out for moo ping skewers, khanom krok straight off the pan and balloon-dart stalls with teddies bigger than your nephew. Check the temple’s final fair dates before planning a late-month visit. Bookworms have the Neilson Hays Library sale and Tsutaya Bookstore, whose first Thai bookshop is now scheduled to open on November 14 at The Storeys, One Bangkok, with more than 50,000 books and magazines across two floors. Still undecided? Browse our guides to Bangkok’s best bars, restaurants, parks and galleries, or start ticking off the city’s essential things to do. Planning ahead? Browse our monthly events guide and the latest Bangkok things to do. Subscribe to our free newsletter for the best of Bangkok, straight to your inbox.

Planning Halloween already? It maybe a little early, but the nights are drawing in, the air feels cooler, and before long, the season’s most mischievous celebration will be upon us. Thailand may not have the same obsession with ghosts and ghouls as other countries, but Bangkok knows how to throw a night worth remembering.  Soon enough, downtown Bangkok will shift into a carnival of costumes, flickering lights and characters that seem plucked from another world. Streets, bars, galleries and rooftops will offer everything from quirky pop-ups to immersive experiences, leaving little excuse not to get involved. It’s never too early to start plotting your own night of mischief, assembling your coven, or deciding which haunted corners of the city you’ll explore. Looking for something strange, eerie or delightfully absurd? Time Out Bangkok has your back. While we might not carry proton packs, we know where the best thrills are hiding. From haunted bars and rooftop rituals to costume competitions and spooky markets, our ever-growing guide will keep you informed and entertained. By the time the last lanterns flicker and the city’s ghosts retreat, you’ll know that Bangkok’s Halloween is not just a night on the calendar – it’s a festival of mischief, style and just enough fright to make it unforgettable.

Bangkok is a city of contrasts.  Glass towers stand tall next to temples, old mansions and shophouses that have stood for a century or more cosy up to modern cafes and stores. Look past the traffic (and the malls) and you'll find a lot of history still standing.  Much of Bangkok’s oldest buildings are predictably found in neighbourhoods like Silom, Bang Rak and Rattanakosin Island, where the old and the new sit side by side on the same street. Similarly, a lot of them are easy to miss. Some of the best buildings hide down a narrow lane or behind a market, while others sit right on a busy corner or in a green garden of their own, waiting for you to notice them. What's good is how many are still in use. Plenty have been saved from the wrecking ball and given a second life as cafés, bars, galleries, hotels and libraries, with their original bones left on show. A former printing house is now an art space, a sawmill has become a theatre and a machine shop pours coffee. The work behind each one keeps a bit of the city's past alive rather than clearing it away, something of a trend right now and we can’t deny we’re all for it. Below we've picked our favourites in and around the city. Here are 17 old buildings that have been revived and are worth a visit. When in doubt, turn to our guides to Bangkok’s best bars, restaurants, parks, galleries and interviews, or work through our bucket list of the best things to do in Bangkok. Subscribe to our free newsletter for the best of Bangkok, s

Say Song Wat and you might picture old shophouses, Chinese lettering above the shutters and sacks of dried chillies by the door. They’re all still here. Along its roughly 1.2km stretch beside the Chao Phraya, spice wholesalers now trade alongside Song Wat Coffee Roasters, Thai restaurant e-ga, independent shops and bars with river views. Come hungry, but keep your eyes off your phone between stops. Belgian artist ROA’s upside-down elephants cover a car-park wall, PLAY art house occupies a former shoe warehouse and smaller artworks turn up in alleys and shop windows. Made in Song Wat, a local collective that began with 10 businesses in 2022, has since grown to more than 60 members.  The road’s name refers to King Rama V drawing its route on a map. That history is part of the pleasure of walking here: Song Wat still works as a trading street, even as its old buildings find new occupants. Photograph: rongklannuea What's Song Wat known for? Street art helped draw visitors here before the café queues arrived. Now galleries sit among wholesalers, design pieces appear in unexpected shops and restored shophouses hold restaurants, bakeries and bars. You can spend an afternoon photographing the walls and grazing your way down the road, then stay for dinner and a drink. Photograph: rongklannuea Why do the locals love it? Song Wat rewards a slow look. Family-run businesses still sell chillies, star anise and coffee beans from open-fronted shops, while murals cover peeling walls and

This list is from 2024. Read our 2025 ranking or check out our latest ranking for 2026 here. In 2024, what exactly makes a neighbourhood cool? Craft breweries, natty wine bars and street art are well and good, but the world’s best, most exciting and downright fun neighbourhoods are much more than identikit ‘hipster hubs’. They’re places that reflect the very best of their cities – its culture, community spirit, nightlife, food and drink – all condensed in one vibey, walkable district. To create our annual ranking, we went straight to the experts – our global team of on-the-ground writers and editors – and asked them what the coolest neighbourhood in their city is right now, and why. Then we narrowed down the selection and ranked the list using the insight and expertise of Time Out’s global editors, who vetted each neighbourhood against criteria including food, drink, arts, culture, street life, community and one-of-a-kind local flavour. The result? A list that celebrates the most unique and exciting pockets of our cities – and all their quirks. Yes, you’ll find some of those international hallmarks of ‘cool’. But in every neighbourhood on this list there’s something you won’t find anywhere else. Ever been to a photography museum that moonlights as a jazz club? Or a brewery with a library of Russian literature? How about a festival dedicated to fluff? When communities fiercely support and rally around their local businesses, even the most eccentric ideas can become a reality.

We keep this article updated regularly to make sure everything stays accurate and current, pop back anytime for the latest. So 2025 was pretty huge for live music in Bangkok, wasn't it? We had Doja Cat, BLACKPINK, TV Girl, The Smashing Pumpkins and Tyler, The Creator all gracing stages across the city. Not a bad lineup. The good news? 2026 is looking just as packed. Alright, Oasis might not be on the cards just yet, but there's still a serious roster of artists lined up to play Bangkok stadiums and arenas over the coming months. And rumour has it even more big names are yet to announce tours like BTS. Givēon, Central Cee, Taeyong, Kraftwerk... the list goes on. Whether you're into R&B, grime, K-pop or electronic legends, there's something coming your way. Here are the best major gigs heading to the capital this year.  

According to psychology (the hangout edition), that amber-coloured glass with its soft, smooth foam has the power to soothe exhaustion after a hard week, revive you from that post-project slump and give your body a refreshing boost of energy. And in Bangkok, where the working day rarely finishes on time, beer drinking is now a long way from a casual afterthought. These days it comes with good music, sharp interiors and a proper crowd. You step off a hot, busy street, the door swings shut, the air-con hits and someone behind the bar is already pouring your first of the night. So whether you know your DDH IPA from your vanilla porter or simply want a cold pint, decent music and somewhere comfortable to spend the evening, these are 20 of the best beer bars in Bangkok. Also worth bookmarking: our guides to Bangkok’s best bars, restaurants, parks and galleries, plus the best things to do in Bangkok.Map out the rest of this month with our guide to what’s on, and keep an eye on our picks of Bangkok’s best things to do. Subscribe to our free newsletter for the best of Bangkok, straight to your inbox.

News of club closures and sober youngsters might have you thinking that nightlife is dead. We’re here to tell you – with proof! – that you couldn’t be further from the truth.  The way we go out might be different, but people are by no means staying in. Cities are adapting to our changing nightlife habits: as summers get hotter, street parties and rooftop raves are bigger than ever. Rather than heading to one or two big-name venues, locals are flocking to new nightlife districts for an evening of bar-hopping and curbside drinking. And, trust us, the nightclub isn’t going anywhere – in fact, communities and local governments have successfully rallied to save historic nightlife venues (in Berlin’s case, they’ve even managed to grant techno UNESCO-listed status). So, we’re here to celebrate going out in the city. From Bangkok to Berlin, Medellin to Mexico City, Time Out’s Best Cities for Nightlife with Intrepid Travel is the ultimate guide to today’s after-hours capitals. To curate the ranking, we went straight to the people who know their city best – the locals – and asked them to tell us all about the nightlife scene in their hometown right now. We asked them about everything from clubbing to cocktail bars, how affordable it is to go out at night, the overall quality of nightlife in their city, how easy it is to find community, and how safe, exciting, welcoming and diverse their city is. After crunching all that data, a panel of nightlife experts – Time Out’s city editors, cult

You might never have met Ray MacDonald, but if you grew up in Thailand in the 1990s he was part of your week all the same, on the telly after school, up on the big screen with your mates, or talking you through a train ride halfway across the map. Ray, one of the most recognisable faces of a generation of Thai youth, died on August 19. His career runs close to three decades and takes in film, television and the travel programmes that sent a lot of us reaching for an atlas. Plenty of people first know him from the show Teen Talk; others picture him in O-Negative, Dear Galileo or Phobia 2. And for a whole crowd of viewers he plays a travelling companion they never actually meet, someone whose journeys make the wider world seem that bit closer from the sofa. So his story runs richer than the word 'actor' lets on. Over the years he turns up as a shy young man, a hitman, a monk, a graphic designer and a traveller, each part catching a particular moment in his life and the times around it. Here are 14 of his screen roles, from his first day on set to the work that still brings him to mind.   Fun Bar Karaoke Photograph: Fun Bar Karaoke, 2540Ray Macdonal Ray's first screen appearance comes in Pen-ek Ratanaruang's debut feature, and it wins him Best Actor at the Suphannahong National Film Awards straight out of the gate. He plays Noi, a shy convenience-store worker who turns hitman the moment he falls asleep. The character is odd, cheeky and quietly lonely, and you can already hear

Bengali food, a long communal table and live music make for a good Sunday plan. Mustard & Memories Vol 7 brings its supper club series back for one final gathering of the year, serving a seven-course menu inspired by Bengali culture and culinary traditions. Isaac Aesili provides the evening’s music, while guests share a meal and learn a little more about the food and its cultural roots. Come with friends or take a seat beside someone new. Just make sure you arrive hungry. November 15. B2,000 per person. FV39, Sukhumvit 39. 7pm. Reservations via LINE Official Account @fvevents or WhatsApp +66 91 949 6366.

Eleven years calls for more than a quick toast, so Le Café des Stagiaires is making a weekend of it. The Sathorn favourite celebrates with live music, ceramic painting with Eyes Studio, foam-printing workshops and a bartender contest, alongside a boozy brunch, photo booth and special anniversary menu. Spritzers Hours provide another excuse to drop in, whether you’re there for the activities or simply catching up with friends. Pick your favourite event, claim a table and raise a glass to 11 years. November 14-15. Free entry; individual activities and food and drinks may be charged separately. Le Café des Stagiaires, Sathorn Soi 12. Bar open until late. Weekend kitchen: 11am-4pm (brunch), 4pm-midnight (dinner).

Fancy a night of stand-up with a comedian who’s performed in 41 countries? American comic Joel Bryant brings more than 30 years of stage experience to The Comedy Club Bangkok for his first appearance at the venue. His credits include The Comedy Store, Hollywood Improv and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, as well as screen appearances alongside Henry Winkler and Maria Bamford. Known for his high-energy delivery and unpredictable humour, Bryant will be joined by special guests. Expect a fast-moving evening of stand-up from a comic who’s spent decades working rooms around the world. November 13. B600-B900. The Comedy Club Bangkok, above The Royal Oak, Sukhumvit 33/1. 8pm. Tickets via Megatix

A typical test drive takes place on a quiet road with a salesperson pointing out the cup holders. This one takes place above One Bangkok. MINI Go-Kart on the Roof returns with a specially designed driving course that puts the brand’s much-touted ‘go-kart feeling’ to the test. The idea is to experience the sharp handling and responsive steering that MINI likes to make a fuss about, without having to negotiate Bangkok traffic crawling along below. Reservations are required. November 13-15. Free registration. MINI Roof Track, Amphitheatre, One Bangkok Park. 4pm-10pm. Register online or call MINI Contact Center on 1397.

Talking about death might not be everyone’s idea of a weekend well spent, but MEMENTO MORI hopes to change that. Presented by Carenation at Slowcombo, the three-day event explores life and mortality through 15 mainstage talks, seven art therapy workshops and a free exhibition titled Life Like a Dream. Expect conversations about living well, facing difficult questions and making sense of mortality, alongside hands-on sessions that give visitors something to take away beyond food for thought. One workshop even invites participants to record their life stories on cassette tape. November 13-15. Free exhibition entry; workshops B499; Death Ticket B399. Living Space, 1/F and Creative Space, 3/F, Slowcombo, Sam Yan. 10am-7pm daily. Advance registration recommended.

Fancy a taste of Italian cocktail culture without booking a flight? Penthouse Cocktail Bar brings five Italian bartenders together for Goodfellas, a one-night takeover on November 12. The line-up includes Fabio Brugnolaro of Penthouse Bar + Grill, Davide Sambo of AVANTCHA, Diogo Da Silva of Fat Chili Group, and Francesco Moretti and Pasquale Viscito of Bar Crew. Each brings a different approach to the bar, with cocktails drawing on contemporary Italian drinking culture. Five bartenders, one evening and a chance to see what happens when Italian cocktail traditions meet Bangkok’s bar scene. November 12. Free entry. Penthouse Bar + Grill, 35/F, Park Hyatt Bangkok. 7pm-11pm. Drinks charged separately.

Life doesn’t always come with a script, and MMAD invites you to write your own. Running from November 12 to January 10 2027, four exhibition explore how we navigate everyday life. LIFE THEATRE, by illustrator PYH, looks looks at dreams and purpose through paintings and a walk-in Toy Theatre. Korrakot Lordkam’s 1,080,000 Seconds asks what makes our time valuable, while TAMSTER’s MAD MASK uses 16 distorted mask sculptures to explore difficult emotions, memories and the subconscious. Finally, HAVE A GOOD TRIP turns life’s choices into a game of possibilities. Expect playful ideas and plenty to think about afterwards. November 12-January 10 2027. Free entry. MMAD Gallery, 2/F, MunMun Srinakarin, Seacon Square Srinakarin. 11am-7pm

Put your phone down, pull up a chair and see how you handle a little friendly competition. TK Board Game Club returns to centralwOrld for a Sunday meet-up, with November’s treasure-hunt theme sending players across the sea, sky and underground. The games include Deep Sea Adventure, Niagara, Forbidden Island and The Vale of Eternity, with options for newcomers and seasoned players. Drop by any time, pick a game and find a few willing rivals. No booking needed. November 8. Free participation; visitors without annual TK Park membership pay B20 daily admission. TK Park. TK Park, eighth floor, centralwOrld. 11am-5pm.

Molam, psychedelic sounds and indie guitars share the stage at Common Signal, a one-night showcase of five acts from Thailand’s independent music scene. Paradise Bangkok Molam International Band, bring their take on traditional Isaan music alongside neo-molam act Makara, H3F, Dot.Dot.Dot and NTFOLK. If your playlists jump between Thai folk and guitar-led sounds, there’s good reason to stay for the full bill.  November 7. B950; B700 early-bird tickets sold out. Volume Livehouse, B Floor, The Street Ratchada. 5pm-11pm. Tickets here.

If one dancefloor isn’t enough, DUAL has two under the same roof. Sacristy brings AXCIID and CASSANDRAH to Bangkok for their Thai debut, joined by returning favourite NØSYNC, THE3RD and REIKS, whose slower, hypnotic opening selection eases you towards the heavier sounds. One ticket covers Sacristy’s dark room, strobes and Funktion-One Evolution Series sound system, plus DUAL’s own dancefloor. Respect the house rules: no hate, discrimination or flash photography. November 7. Individual online tickets B400-B600, subject to release; B700 at the door. Three-person group ticket B1,600. The B200 community allocation is sold out and B300 early-bird sales have ended. DUAL, Trinity Complex, Soi Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra 3. 9pm-4am. Age 20+. Tickets and details.

Fancy giving your phone a couple of hours off? Bangkok Offline Reading Club invites you to bring a paperback or e-reader for quiet reading and conversation. Organised by BKKLITFEST, this post-Halloween edition welcomes costumes inspired by favourite authors and literary characters, though dressing up is optional. Bring books to swap if you like. After reading time, the group splits into smaller circles to chat about literature, art and culture. Keep your phone switched off or on silent – the next chapter can have your undivided attention. November 7. Free admission; advance registration required. Public House Sukhumvit 31. 4pm-6pm. Register here.

Dessert first, plans later. 126 Sweet Club at Samyan fills Slowcombo with sweet treats and small souvenirs for three days. Stay after your sugar fix for DJ Mamao on November 6, 5pm-7pm, a screening of Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason on November 7, 4pm-6pm or K’Puean live on November 8, 4pm-6pm. Drop by between errands or settle in for an afternoon with a friend. The main programme is listed by Time Out Thailand; check Slowcombo’s final schedule for those individual set and screening times. November 6-8. Free entry. Living Space, first floor, Slowcombo, Samyan. 10am-8pm.

If you grew up with Woody and Buzz, or can still sing every word of ‘Let It Go’, centralwOrld has your festive plans sorted. From November 12 to January 3 2027, the Ratchaprasong mall gives more than 4,000 square metres over to Disney Pixar A Celebration of Wonders centralwOrld 2027. Expect 50 characters from 10 films across four zones, plus stage shows, screenings and the mall’s first new Christmas tree design in 20 years. It follows last year’s Disney The Magical Stars and June’s free Toy Story pop-up. Walk across the Chit Lom skywalk and start at Square A, where Pixar marks its fortieth birthday with an eight-metre Sulley and a six-metre Mike from Monsters, Inc. Woody, Jessie, Buzz Lightyear and the three-eyed aliens stand nearby ahead of Toy Story 5, alongside scenes from Up and Luxo Jr., the hopping desk lamp from the studio’s logo. Square B belongs to the princesses. The Seven Dwarfs’ cottage and Snow White’s poisoned apple come first, followed by Cinderella’s castle, Ariel’s underwater grotto, Belle’s ballroom and Rapunzel’s tower with its glowing hair. Where to go and when Sweetopia Dream City. A Zootopia-themed corner with shops and selfie spots. Frozen Wonderland, Central Court. Elsa’s ice palace, with indoor snowfall at noon, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm and 8pm. Front plaza. Ten-minute flurries daily at 5.30pm, 6.30pm, 7.30pm and 8.30pm. Stage shows. Frozen and princess numbers, Fridays to Sundays from November 20 to December 27. Movie Night. The live-action Beauty and the Beas

Free football on a Friday night? Yes, please. On November 20, Thailand’s women’s national team, two-time Women’s World Cup qualifiers, take on GB Women Police in an international friendly at PAT Stadium. Kick-off is 5.30pm, and you can simply turn up without a ticket or registration. The British Embassy Bangkok organises the fixture to celebrate the friendship between Thailand and the UK. It also forms part of a longer visit, with the visiting officers holding professional exchanges with the Royal Thai Police and taking part in youth development activities that aim to create more opportunities for women and girls, on and off the pitch. Photograph: ukinthailandThailand women’s football match Port FC’s home ground has no running track around the pitch, which puts the stands right by the touchline. Seating is first come, first served, so arrive early for a spot near the halfway line. Vendors sell food and drinks, and the whole family is welcome. Parking isn’t available, so hop on the MRT to Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre or Khlong Toei. Both stations are roughly a 10-minute walk away, and trains are packed during the evening rush hour, too. Our guide to getting around Bangkok has the fares. For the rest of your weekend, see our pick of things to do in Bangkok. Thailand v GB Women Police is at PAT Stadium, Khlong Toei, on Friday November 20 at 5.30pm. Entry is free and no ticket is required.

The carousel. The roller coaster. The haunted house you swore you weren't scared of (you were, we all were!). If you grew up here, chances are Siam Amazing Park – ‘Suan Siam’ to any Bangkokian – holds a few of your happiest childhood weekends. So the news hit hard when late-September floods left the Khan Na Yao park underwater for five days, damaging its grounds and plenty of attractions. The timing was rough. The business was still recovering from COVID-19, and the downtime cost an estimated B40-50 million in lost revenue. Photograph: Siam Amazing ParkBangkok Here's the good bit. Suan Siam reopens on November 19, months earlier than planned and, as it happens, on its birthday. The gates opened on that day in 1980, so the comeback kicks off its 47th year. Right now, crews are pressure-washing mud from around the pools and giving the seven-storey rainbow Speed Slide a fresh coat of paint. Photograph: Siam Amazing ParkBangkok As for welcome-back deals, early word points to a single pass covering 12 months of visits. Our ten-year-old selves would have moved in. Details and conditions are yet to be confirmed, so stay tuned. Take the kids or go solo for old times' sake, then see how it compares with the rest of the best water parks in and around Bangkok. Siam Amazing Park reopens on November 19. For updates, follow Siam Amazing Park on Facebook.

Visit any 7-Eleven on a Buddhist holy day and you know the drill. The beer fridge is locked, the cashier shakes their head and a puzzled tourist settles for iced tea. That scene won’t change, but a new rule gives five types of venue a pass. Published in the Royal Gazette on November 6, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Committee’s notice applies from November 7. It replaces a Prime Minister’s Office order from May last year and spells out the exemptions. So where can you still grab a drink? Passenger terminals at international airports, hotels, licensed entertainment venues, similar bars in designated tourist zones and sites hosting large national or global events. Everyone else, from the corner shop to your local som tam spot with a cooler full of Leo, can’t sell on Makha Bucha, Visakha Bucha, Asalha Bucha or the start and end of Buddhist Lent. Exempt businesses must screen customers, keep order and make sure children and young people aren’t served. The paperwork, dated October 9, carries the signature of Public Health Minister Pattana Promphat, who chairs the committee. It’s the latest in a busy year for Thailand’s drinking laws. This May, the old 2pm-5pm ban went for good, so you can buy booze from 11am to midnight. The government first floated the idea back in early 2025. Makha Bucha, early next year, is the first real test. Got plans that evening? Book a table at a hotel rooftop bar or stock up the night before.

Last year, Sticky Monster Lab’s little troublemakers filled Central Embassy over the holidays. This year’s lot are furrier, and one has a serious cookie habit. For the first time in Thailand, Elmo and his Sesame Street friends star in Season of Giving 2027: Holiday Mode On!, running from November 17 to January 10, 2027. Start at the Front Yard on the ground floor, where a Christmas tree stands more than 15 metres tall with Elmo and the gang lined up at its base. Photograph: Sesame StreetSesame Street in Bangkok Commuters get a head start. The Festive Beginning sits at the first-floor link to Phloen Chit BTS, so the walk home may take a few extra minutes. One floor up, the walkway to Central Chidlom becomes The Celebration Gateway, a Sesame Street Subway Station styled like an underground platform. Probably the only station in Bangkok where nobody minds missing a train. Between snaps, book a Cookie Monster Class or a Christmas ornament workshop, or bring your shopping bags to the Gift Wrapping Station and wrap presents in Sesame Street prints. Families with small kids should head to Open House on the sixth floor, where The Cookie Tower and Big Bird’s Nest fill the Open Play zone, ball pit included.  Season of Giving 2027: Holiday Mode On! runs at Central Embassy from November 17 to January 10, 2027. For updates, follow Central Embassy on Instagram and Facebook.

The cool season is finally here, and Bangkok’s bookworms know what that means. Reading in the Park returns to Benjakitti Park for its fifth edition on Saturday November 21, taking over the Main Amphitheatre from 3.30pm-6pm. Photograph: BKK Lit FestBangkok New to it? Bring a novel or e-reader, spread a mat on the lawn and read alongside hundreds of strangers, with phones switched off the whole time. Small groups chat about literature, art and culture in Thai and English, and swapping recommendations with whoever sits on the next blanket is encouraged. Plenty of people come alone and leave with a new reading buddy, which explains why more than 1,000 signed up for last November’s session. The team behind the Bangkok Literature & Arts Festival runs the gathering in partnership with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. This season, Avani Hotels & Resorts supports it through Avani Book Club. Photograph: BKK Lit FestBangkok Turn up around 3pm to scribble your current title on the ‘What are you reading?’ Post-it wall and claim a decent patch of grass. The nearest stations are Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre MRT and Asok BTS. Sunset comes just before 6pm, so pack a clip-on light for the final chapter (phone torches don’t count) plus some mosquito spray. More bookish plans? Check our round-up of these cafes lined with shelves. Reading in the Park EP5 takes place at the Main Amphitheatre, Benjakitti Park on Sat Nov 21, 3.30pm-6pm. Entry is free with registration.

If you’re an AAA24 member with a shelf of A24 screenplay books and a stack of tote bags, you know the drill. You spot a new drop online, add it to your basket and wince as the overseas shipping fee creeps close to the price of the item itself. Those days may be numbered, because Fearfolks plans to open an A24 Bangkok Pop-up, the first of its kind in southeast Asia. The space is set to carry officially licensed merchandise and special collections from the New York indie studio that gave us Lady Bird, Talk to Me and Everything Everywhere All at Once. That means trying a T-shirt on for size before you pay, then taking it home on the Skytrain the same afternoon. Photograph: Major Group | 365 Days of Fear: Fearfolks 2027 Line-Up Press ConBangkok The news comes from the 365 Days of Fear: Fearfolks 2027 Line-Up Press Con at Paragon Cineplex, where the company also runs through its slate of Thai and international releases due between January and June 2027. Most of us know Fearfolks for its horror and thriller titles, but it now wants a hand in other kinds of entertainment too, and A24 is the biggest name on that list so far. Imported stock is only half the story. Fearfolks also intends to work with Thai creatives, which could bring limited pieces by local artists you won’t find on the A24 website. For now, the opening date, address and what goes on the racks remain under wraps. As for the neighbourhood, we have a few guesses. Siam makes sense, with Chulalongkorn University students

Missed the full-dress rehearsals in October? Don’t worry, the main event is only days off. On Friday November 6, 52 gilded barges and 2,200 navy oarsmen leave Wasukri Pier at around 2.30pm for the 4.2km trip down the Chao Phraya to Wat Arun, and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) now confirms where to sit. The flotilla forms part of the royal Kathin robe-offering ceremony, honouring Queen Suthida’s 48th birthday on June 3, her fourth 12-year cycle. Across six designated sites, the BMA provides 7,400 seats. Here’s the lineup, from north to south. Photograph: TATBangkok Beneath Rama VIII BridgeMore than half the seating, 4,000 chairs in all, sits at the top of the route, so you get the first look at the fleet. An LED screen on the Thon Buri side shows the action up close. Santichaiprakan ParkThe grassy park by the white, octagonal Phra Sumen Fort takes 1,500 people and has two big screens. Grab noodles or an iced coffee on nearby Phra Athit Road beforehand. Beneath Somdet Phra Pinklao BridgeJust 200 places, the smallest allocation of the six, so turn up early. 72nd Birthday Anniversary Park, Siriraj HospitalOver in Thon Buri, the lawn in front of the hospital holds 1,000 spectators. Kill time at the Siriraj Medical Museum, a few minutes on foot. Wat Rakhang KhositaramNear the Wat Arun finish, the temple has space for 300. Its grounds are hung with rows of bells that visitors ring for good fortune. Bank of Thailand Learning Centre The BMA also lists a learning cent

That wobbly stack of unread paperbacks on your bedside table? Clear a shelf. The 55th National Book Fair and 25th Bangkok International Book Fair return to Queen Sirikit National Convention Center from March 24 to April 4, 2027, taking over Halls 5-7 on the LG floor for 12 days. If this year is any guide, expect company. The latest edition drew over 1.3 million visitors (around 100,000 a day at weekends), with Gen Z making up the biggest share of the crowd. Weekday mornings are your safest bet for quieter aisles. Photograph: P.S. PublishingBangkok Last time round, 360-plus booths sold everything from Thai literature and translated novels to comics, children’s titles and imported reads, so pack a sturdy tote. Plenty of regulars roll up with wheeled suitcases, and not because they have a flight to catch. Set a spending limit now, too. With doors open until 9pm, ‘just one more’ gets very easy to justify. Take the MRT Blue Line to the station of the same name and use Exit 3, where an underground walkway leads straight to the entrance, so you skip the April heat. The National Book Fair runs March 24-April 4, 2027 at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center.  It opens daily 10am-9pm. Dates may change, so follow Thai Book Fair on Facebook for updates.

If your knowledge of Thai beer starts and ends with a big bottle of Leo in a bucket of ice, the next fortnight at ICONSIAM is a good chance to widen it. Campaign group Beer People, the team behind September's Sato So Good festival, has teamed up with the riverside mall on Flavors Glow By The River, a tasting zone that's part of ICONSIAM Bangkok Illumination 2026. Photograph: Prachachon BeerBangkok The line-up splits evenly between 15 craft breweries and 15 community distilleries, plus more than 50 other producers from around the country. Makers run their own booths, so you can ask where the rice was grown or how long a batch ferments before bottling. Beer has the first week (November 1-8), with ciders and other fermented drinks alongside. Look out for Khon Khon Craft from Nakhon Si Thammarat, Wiset Beer from Chiang Mai and Hop Beer House from Nakhon Ratchasima, plus a table of award-winning brews from Rachaphruek Brewery and a few brand-new releases. The second week (November 9-15) switches to community-made liquor. Expect sato (Thai rice wine) from Thepphanom and Mr Sato; bottles from Isan distillery The Spirit of Chaiyaphum; and gin, rum, vodka, plum liqueur and cocktails mixed with Thai-grown ingredients. Photograph: Prachachon BeerBangko The whole thing sits on the second-floor terrace in front of the Apple Store, so you sip with ferries and long-tail boats chugging along the Chao Phraya below. Musicians from Mahidol University's College of Music play two sets an even

If you’re already planning New Year’s Eve, you know how it usually goes. Grab prices surge after 10pm, the crowds around Ratchaprasong slow to a shuffle and the good rooftop tables go early. Sindhorn Midtown Hotel Bangkok, Vignette Collection by IHG offers an easier plan. It sits on Soi Langsuan, a short walk from Chit Lom BTS. On December 31, all four of its bars and restaurants go red and gold, and each one sees out 2026 in its own way. Most packages include free-flow sparkling wine, wine, beer, spirits and soft drinks. Prices are net, so the number you see is the number you pay. Photograph:Sindhorn Midtown Hotel BangkokBangkok ANJU Korean Rooftop Restaurant & Bar The loudest night of the four happens on the roof. ANJU’s kitchen sends out a hansang, the Korean custom of covering a table with shared plates. Expect yellowtail and sea trumpet wraps topped with avruga caviar, and smoked beef short rib on potato pancake. Bartenders put on a soju bomb show, and staff set up ddakji, the paper tile-slapping game from the first episode of Squid Game. You can also play cham cham cham, where you try not to turn your head the way your opponent points. DJs play from 9pm-2am. Entry alone is B3,099 per person. Tables for up to five with the platter cost B31,490-35,490, and the priciest adds two bottles of Champagne. Photograph: Sindhorn Midtown Hotel BangkokBangkok Veha Veha suits a slower evening. The buffet starts at 6pm with a carving station for beef tenderloin wellington, Austral

Eight seats. One pale wooden counter. A pot of rice cooked fresh for each sitting. Sushi Kuuya makes little noise, and that’s rather the point. Find it on the second floor of Vivre Langsuan, on the leafy soi linking Ploenchit Road with Lumpini Park, behind a light timber door set against clean white walls. Photograph: Sushi KuuyaBangkok Photograph: Sushi KuuyaBangkok The man in charge is chef Goji Kobayashi. He was born in Los Angeles to a family from Fukuoka, and his CV covers around 18 years in kitchens across Japan, the US and Thailand, including a stint at Michelin-starred Wako in San Francisco. Kyushu remains his main reference. Most of the seafood and produce arrives from Fukuoka via suppliers he knows personally, and the menu shifts with Japan’s seasons. Photograph: Sushi KuuyaBangkok The restaurant’s motto is ‘Simplicity, Precision, Respect’, and you can watch each word at work. Simplicity is the room, bright and uncluttered, with bare wood and nothing to distract you. Precision begins with that rice, prepared in a traditional hagama pot on a custom-built stove, then seasoned with a blend of vinegars, aged red among them. Respect shows in the sourcing. Goji wants to know where each ingredient originates and who caught, grew or made it. Don’t expect a straight run of nigiri, either. Having worked alongside kaiseki-trained chefs, he opens with otsumami (seasonal appetizers) and a few cooked plates, so the meal moves between warm and cool, soft and crisp. Photogra