Kaweewat Siwanartwong

Cool mornings have crept back in, the kind that trick you into thinking Bangkok might finally give you a gentler season. December's barely started and the calendar's already sprinting ahead, filling the city with more events than anyone can reasonably keep track of. Time Out is here to help you decide what's actually worth stepping outside for, especially now that wandering after dark feels pleasantly doable again. If art is calling, Awakening Bangkok is the obvious starting point. The old town lights up with installations threaded through temples, shophouses and hidden corners, all circling this year's theme, 'LOVEVERCITY'. For something more introspective, The Universe is an Artist brings Stephff's spiritual take on creativity to the fore, blending humour, philosophy and a sense of cosmic gratitude. Nattan Kongmalikankaew's latest exhibition also deserves a gentle nudge on your list, guiding viewers through landscapes that reflect the mind as much as the world outside. Film lovers are spoilt this month too. KinoFest sends contemporary German cinema on a cross-country tour, setting up open-air screenings in seven cities including Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Nakhon Ratchasima. If you prefer something more casual, Magical Movie Night at Central Chaengwattana offers classics under the evening sky with headphones, breeze and zero pressure. December moves fast, but these are the sort of events that make slowing down feel like an actual option. Pick a night (or two), choose a neighbou

There are many ways to unpick a person's listening habits. Some people journal, others overanalyse dreams, but most of us simply wait for that neon billboard masquerading as self-reflection: Spotify Wrapped. It arrives every December like a digital horoscope announcing that your personality is apparently built on Scandinavian synth pop and whatever you played once by accident in March. This year they're even telling you your listening age, my friend at 25 got told she has a 70-year-old’s taste in music. I don't get one from Spotify. I'm the stubborn Apple Music holdout who refuses to migrate, so I must accept my sonic identity will remain unquantified forever. And that is what eventually led me, in a knotty roundabout way, to Da Minot. If you've never pressed play on Indian folk before, especially the intricate lineage from the Khasi and Jaintia hills, prepare your ears for something ungoverned by genre categories. India-born artist Hammarsing Kharhmar's ensemble Da Minot does not simply borrow from heritage. It treats ancestral rhythm as oxygen, using instruments like the duitara, bom and various bamboo flutes to carve out a sound that feels older than language and newer than the internet's attention span.   Before this interview, while waiting for him to reply to my email, I returned to their songs again. I told myself I'd listen to one track, then fell straight into another, then another. They have that effect. A pull that is both meditative and defiant. T

Hard to believe December has slipped in again, but here we are, watching Bangkok swap its usual gleam for something a little more golden. No snow here, obviously, but there's still plenty of sparkle once the fairy lights go up along Sukhumvit and those enormous Christmas trees start appearing in every mall atrium. Jangly carols drift through night markets, bars get that extra twinkle and the whole city shifts into celebration mode. With everything happening at once, the season can feel a bit overwhelming. Luckily, Time Out is here to guide you through everything you need to make your yuletide in Bangkok a truly merry occasion.  If you fancy a proper Christmas dinner without the stress of brining, basting or staring into your oven wondering if you've just ruined everything, Bangkok's got you sorted. The city's mastered the art of letting you celebrate without any of the usual chaos. Grand hotel dining rooms roll out gleaming roasts and generous spreads, cosy pubs do turkeys to perfection, neighbourhood spots serve up comforting plates and even curry houses create festive specials that feel wonderfully familiar. Consider this your starting point for finding the brightest, warmest corners of Christmas spirit across Bangkok, places where the season feels effortless, inviting and just indulgent enough to make December worth savouring.  Get ahead of the game and start planning your month with our list of the top things to do this December. Stay one step ahead and map out your plans

There are corners of photography you tiptoe into, and others you breach with a steady breath and a sharpened sense of responsibility. The naked form sits stubbornly in the latter. For decades the unclothed body, especially the female one, populated magazines like wallpaper. Familiar, unchallenging, endlessly posed. Today, many of those images read as dated relics, tinged with voyeurism and a faint whiff of something that doesn't sit quite right anymore. The female nude once felt like a default, a visual shorthand for seduction. Now it often feels like a reminder of an era when the camera wasn't always kind. The male nude, by contrast, has always been trickier. Less culturally sanctioned, less expected, shadowed by stigma yet charged with a different kind of electricity. Contemporary photography has swung the doors wide open, and the male body has entered the room with a force that feels both overdue and disarmingly intimate. Photograph: Ohm Phanphiroj This is where Ohm Phanphiroj steps in. Or perhaps more accurately, where he has stood all along, in that uncomfortable sweet spot where desire, danger and vulnerability meet. An international, award-winning photographer, filmmaker, educator, former fashion director and self-declared chronic observer, Ohm has carved a body of work that traces sexuality, identity, exploitation and the unvarnished male form across continents. His images are not polite. They're tender in one moment and confrontational in the next, as if caught bet

The final stretch of 2025 arrives with that familiar Bangkok mood shift, when the heat finally backs off and the city gets a touch sentimental. It's the season when everyone pretends to slow down yet somehow ends up saying yes to every gathering, screening and gig that pops up on the calendar. Christmas may hover at the edges with its twinkly soundtrack, though the months ahead promise far more than festive cheer. Suan Luang's botanical fest returns with flowers blooming across the park, turning the grounds into a weekend escape of soft scents and slow wandering. TV Girl drops by with their dreamy melancholy that somehow suits Bangkok's late-year evenings better than it should. Doja Cat storms in with her first show in Thailand, a spectacle that feels long overdue. Black Country, New Road bring their shifting, knotty sound to a crowd that likes its emotions served with a side of distortion. If you prefer something gentler, the Dutch Thai jazz night folds brass and breezy improvisation together, while Goodhood and Goodfood host a neighbourhood do that feels like stumbling upon a block party that actually knows what it's doing. The Bangkok Art Book Fair comes back with its usual crush of zines, prints and people comparing tote bags.  This is when the city reveals its many pockets of delight. Bangkok, as always, saves its best for the year's edge.  Stay one step ahead and map out your plans with our round-up of the best things to do in Bangkok.

There's a peculiar silence that follows when you tell someone 'I don't drink'. It lands awkwardly, like you've just admitted to something vaguely embarrassing. But that silence has been shrinking lately. Gen Z are leading a quiet revolution, choosing clear heads over hangovers and questioning why socialising has to revolve around a bottle. After lockdown rewired our habits, old rituals started looking a bit naff. Drinking less isn't just about health anymore – it's cultural. Which raises an obvious question: if you're not drinking, where the hell do you go in a city that's built on the mythology of nights out? That's how I ended up deep inside Sammakorn Village, a residential labyrinth in Bangkok that's home to more than 6,500 households and, rather improbably, one of the most unusual bars in Asia. STØCKHØLME Sober Bar is Thailand's first alcohol-free bar and the first in Asia. It opens from 2pm-10pm, welcoming everyone from the sober-curious to families who rock up with dogs and teenagers in tow. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Taste of The Place (@jiranarong2) I'd expected earnest kombucha, wellness lectures and maybe a queue of yoga mats. Instead I walked into something warm and surprisingly mischievous, where cocktail shakers were working overtime and two people, Korranath 'Oak' Thamamnuaysuk and Weeree 'Wee' Yomjinda, greeted me like friends determined to prove that sobriety has never meant boring. What followed was two hours of tasting,

Music still does that thing where it brings people together and tears them apart simultaneously. Some reckon punk's dead, just a relic from when rebellion meant eyeliner and leather jackets. But rock and roll – that stubborn bastard – won't lie down. It morphs, it sweats, it relocates. And in Thailand, surprisingly, it's still kicking. That’s where The Young Wolf comes in. A band so saturated in colour you'd think the 1970s never ended. Their gigs are proper fever dreams – shimmering jackets, hair that crackles with static, the sort of sound that makes your chest hurt in a good way. Their cover of a certain Led Zeppelin track racked up over four million views, and suddenly Bangkok had something new to shout about. I wanted to know who they actually were underneath the sequins and sweat. So I sent over some questions – the type that start simple and end up unpicking what makes a band tick. The sort that remind you rock and roll isn't just noise. It's how you survive. Photograph: The Young Wolf The howl begins 'We met through the small gig circuit in Bangkok,' they tell me. Five strangers who kept running into each other across sticky floors and dim bars. 'We jammed together in a rehearsal room. It was chaos until one night it wasn't. The gear clicked, the room caught fire, and The Young Wolf was born.'   The five-piece – Jonathan on vocals, Jimmie Petzh and Nonney on guitars, Song Song on bass, Little on drums. A lineup that would become something more than the sum of its pa

Mention Song Wat and most people picture weathered shophouses with Chinese-style storefronts. What they don't realise is that tucked between these century-old buildings, something rather brilliant has been happening. The younger generation has been slipping bits of modernity into every corner, and it's now become one of Bangkok's most interesting districts to explore. Song Wat isn't just about the food, though there's plenty of that. The art scene here is properly thriving. Shopkeepers and artists have been working together, turning the whole district into a sprawling outdoor gallery. The recent buzz has given confidence to people who actually care about preserving history and culture in old commercial areas. Support it to grow with the times and what you get back is architecture that future generations can still see with their own eyes, not just in history books. Photograph: rongklannuea What's Song Wat known for? Song Wat has basically become Bangkok's hipster area without really trying. Art is everywhere throughout the district. Street art on walls, designer bits in unexpected shops, galleries that range from big impressive spaces to tiny rooms down alleyways or tucked behind coffee counters. If you love art, Song Wat is brilliant. You just need to know where to look. Right now there are loads of new places opening. Restaurants, cafes, galleries, bars worth staying in until late. If you fancy a change of scene and want to walk around taking street photos, stopping for sn

November in Bangkok means art season running at full tilt, with the city's beautiful contradictions on full display – gridlocked traffic outside, hushed white cube spaces within. Art lives everywhere here: sprawling museums with cathedral-high ceilings, scrappy project rooms above third-wave coffee spots, galleries that look structurally questionable yet house work capable of stopping you mid-stride. Need to feel confused, delighted, unsettled or quietly gutted? Bangkok's got you sorted. The range is genuinely unruly. One evening you're facing neon installations unpacking migration politics, next morning you're locked eyes with a centuries-old portrait that feels disturbingly alive. Contemporary pieces question what existing in this particular metropolis actually means, modernist works get reinterpreted for right now, and the odd old master hangs about with surprising swagger. What makes things tricky is sheer choice. New shows open constantly, so deciding where to spend your Saturday afternoon becomes its own minor ordeal. Consider this less a definitive ranking and more your orientation map through a city that simply won't quit making, showing and interrogating through visual culture, monsoon season be damned. Everything below we've visited personally, stood in front of and probably Instagram-stalked first. Every single exhibition here deserves your time. Stay one step ahead and map out your plans with our round-up of the best things to do in Bangkok. Get ahead of the game

As the country mourns the passing of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother, Bangkok's tempo shifts. Venues stay open and music still plays, but with a quieter grace. It's a month of small joys and thoughtful gatherings before the year slips away. Anyway, we're almost there – one month until NYE. November brings slightly cooler air, though 'cool' is pushing it. The 11th month unfolds with a gentler energy, making space for moments that feel both present and reflective. Kick things off with Ghost2568: Wish We Were Here, a surreal blend of art, nostalgia and light that lingers somewhere between memory and dream. Or escape reality altogether with Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in Concert, where the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra breathes life into John Williams' score beneath a 40-foot screen. For something warmer, TYLA's We Wanna Party Asia Tour lands in Bangkok – all amapiano shimmer and attitude. Transport stretches a disco-lit day across 14 hours of pure movement at Chang Chui. Then swap sequins for strings at the Southeastern Old Time Gathering, a weekend of bluegrass, Irish trad and old-time tunes that feel like they've travelled across centuries to reach you. Get out there, enjoy! Stay one step ahead and map out your plans with our round-up of the best things to do in Bangkok.

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.

In Bangkok, the music scene has transformed over the past few years, led by crews of DJs and collectives – both Thai and international, who are tackling imbalances in the industry by carving out their own creative corners. These collectives do more than play music: they build communities, experiment with sound and space, and create opportunities for voices too often overlooked. And the number of groups pushing this forward is far greater than most realise. Collectives are the empowering force. DIY at heart, they share resources, skills and ideas, providing spaces free from discrimination and harassment. Each crew has its own identity: some focus on multidisciplinary arts, others on workshops and mentoring, and some simply craft nights that feel electric and alive. What unites them is a vision of equality, inclusivity and diversity – for their members and for everyone who joins. Detour is the one for those chasing tracks you hear once and immediately need to know more. RomRom bends genres and expectation, from Bhangra to Brazilian hip-hop, creating nights defined by atmosphere rather than label. Non Non Non gives a queer sanctuary, where electronica, EBM and techno collide and the crowd feels at home. Kleaning Service turn up once a month with their offbeat 'cleaning' sessions, a tongue-in-cheek disguise for nights that refuse to behave predictably.  Transport, meanwhile, are a softer, warmer embrace of the dancefloor. moor brings underground international talent rarely seen i

Nattan Kongmalikankaew’s solo show leads viewers through a spiritual terrain where the outside world and the inner mind meet, blurring the line between what is real and what is imagined. The paintings linger on that uneasy feeling of meeting the unfamiliar, the kind of uncertainty most of us would rather ignore. Part of what makes this exhibition so striking is how far his work has travelled. Earlier pieces from 2020 to 2021 focused on the human body caught in states of pressure and private struggle. Now nature takes centre stage, not as scenery but as a character with its own motives. These environments hold memory and identity in their folds, becoming mirrors for forces we can sense but never fully name. December 7-January 11 2026. Free. Joyman Gallery, 11am-6pm

This is a love letter to Thai script, treated not just as language but as material with its own moods and textures. The artists look at the alphabet the way some people study constellations, tracing patterns that shift from symbols to codes to shapes that no longer need spoken meaning. Centuries of cultural weight sit beneath each curve, yet the work feels refreshingly present, woven into the way design and visual culture move today. The show gathers painting, installation, print, sculpture and mixed media, each piece nudging the script into a new role. Some stay close to tradition, others stretch the form until it becomes something unfamiliar. All of it speaks to how language holds memory while shaping identity in ways we rarely pause to consider.   December 13-March 22 2026. Free. Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok ART Space by MOCA Bangkok, 10.30am-7.30pm

Holiday weekends are always nicer when they come with a bit of wandering, and Little Pea’s Holiday Market is shaping up to be the kind that makes you linger longer than planned. It leans into the softer side of the season, packed with stalls that feel handpicked rather than thrown together, each one offering something small and sweet enough to pass as a thoughtful gift. You stroll, you snack, you pick up things you didn’t realise you needed, then justify it by calling it Christmas prep. The whole place has that cosy neighbourhood energy where parents browse slowly and kids run around debating which treat looks the most exciting. It is an easy way to ease into the festive mood without the pressure of malls or the madness of last-minute shopping.   December 13-14. Free. The Commons Thinglor, 10am-7pm

Picture a massive wardrobe clear-out, only the wardrobes belong to influencers, singers and the sort of idols you scroll past daily. Their flats can’t take another hanger, so everything spills into a yearly event filled with clothes, shoes, bags, hats and the odd collectible that still looks practically new. Half the fun is spotting pieces you recognise from their feeds and realising they were worn once then forgotten. What gives the whole thing extra charm is the ticket proceeds going toward food and medical care for stray cats and dogs in Chonburi. You browse, you bargain, you walk out with something stylish at a friendly price and you help a few animals along the way. It feels like the rare kind of shopping that leaves you lighter rather than guilty.   December 13-14. B50 at the door. Narisa Cafe, 4pm-9pm

Movie nights are getting a small glow-up at the event plaza outside Central Chaengwattana. You settle into your seat, slip on headphones and let the outside world blur while a film lights up the night. The programme leans on classics, the kind that age well enough to be watched beneath an open sky without losing their charm. The breeze does half the work, adding its own sort of soundtrack as the scenes unfold. It feels wonderfully low pressure, almost like watching a favourite film in a friend’s garden but with better equipment. A simple plan for an easy evening, especially when you want something gentle after a long day.   December 12-14. Free. To reserve your seat, please contact the Central Chaengwattana Facebook page via Inbox. Central Chaengwattana, 6pm

Awakening Bangkok is getting a sensory hideaway inspired by the Thai proverb ‘good medicine tastes bitter’, the sort of saying your grandparents would mutter while handing you a remedy that worked better than it tasted. The installation channels that memory through herbs, scent and soft light, building a quiet world shaped by traditional healing. Visitors step into Bai Hor, a reimagined Thai herbal shop where classic ingredients are tucked inside modular forms that feel part sculpture, part remedy cabinet. Sound hums gently through the space, guiding you through layers of fragrance and shadow. It encourages a slower pace, the kind you forget you need until you finally exhale. Think of it as a small retreat in the middle of the festival, a place to reset before wandering back outside. December 12-21. Free. Bangkok’s Old Town, 6pm-9pm

KinoFest returns with the kind of charm that makes film festivals feel less like industry events and more like small neighbourhood adventures. The Goethe-Institut is sending its annual celebration of contemporary German cinema on a road trip across Thailand, turning parks and open spaces into temporary screening rooms under the night sky. This year’s edition drifts through seven cities including Bangkok, Nakhon Pathom, Chiang Mai, Ubon Ratchathani, Phayao, Phitsanulok and Nakhon Ratchasima. Each stop promises a different atmosphere, shaped by local crowds and the novelty of watching a film outdoors with the air shifting around you. It feels like an easy invitation to slow down for an evening and let a story glow on a big screen for a while.   Until December 12. Free. Check the place and schedule here.

Stephff’s new exhibition feels like stepping into the mind of someone who treats creativity as a spiritual errand rather than a profession. He carries this idea that we are the universe observing itself and that making art is a way of touching a higher layer of our own consciousness. The thought came to him while collecting tribal works and wondering how communities dismissed as primitive could create with such instinctive brilliance. He sees the same raw force in outsider artists and in children before the world trains them into dullness. His process leans on a meditative state, the moment he stops thinking and lets a quieter intelligence steer the work. The title becomes a nod to this belief, a thank you to whatever guides his hand, with a wink for the atheists in the room.   Until December 14. Free. Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, 10am-8pm

Picture this as a rare little detour from the week, the kind you only hear about through a friend who knows where the good stuff hides. A World Barista Championship semi-finalist hosts a tasting session that feels part masterclass, part gentle obsession. Three courses guide you through their craft. First comes an espresso made with Panama Geisha from Janson Estate, a coffee so clean it almost behaves like perfume. Then a milk beverage that softens the sharper edges without stealing the character. It ends with a signature creation built from Thai Geisha, layered with the sort of precision competitors lose sleep over. It’s not flashy or performative, just a chance to sit close to someone who treats coffee like a language and lets you listen.   December 11-12. B2,200. Reserve via 061-496-6978 or IG: rosetta.conceptstore.bkk. Slowcombo, 11.30am-12.30pm, 12.30-1.30pm and 2.30-3.30pm

Missed the last super full moon? Here's your chance to make amends with a stargazing session at Bangkok Planetarium on December 19-20. The planetarium throws open its doors in the evening as part of the Night at the Museum Festival, an annual event that sees 53 museums across Thailand stay open late for nighttime learning. Since Bangkok Planetarium doesn't usually do evening sessions, this is one of those rare opportunities to visit after dark. You'll get to explore the sky in two ways: inside the planetarium dome itself and through proper telescopes set up outside by the Astronomical Society of Thailand. Members will be on hand to guide you through real-time sky observation from early evening right through to late night, pointing out constellations and planets you might otherwise miss. There are over 20 free activities to get stuck into throughout the evening, so even if you're not an astronomy buff, there's plenty to keep you occupied. If you fancy catching one of the planetarium shows inside, you'll need to book tickets in advance. Special showtimes run on Friday December 19 at 6pm, 7pm and 8pm, with extra sessions on Saturday December 20 at 4pm, 5pm, 6pm, 7pm and 8pm. Tickets are remarkably cheap at B30 for children and B50 for adults, and can be purchased through the planetarium's website.  Head to the Bangkok Planetarium to stargaze on December 19-20, 6pm-8pm.

Christmas Eve at the hotel feels like a cosy gathering rather than a grand production, with a buffet built around seasonal favourites, fresh seafood and a pasta station that keeps everyone happily occupied. Desserts lean rich and festive, the sort that require no justification in December. Families can wander over to Christmas Movie Night afterwards for Home Alone or Four Christmases, a gentle way to end the evening with laughter and a bit of shared nostalgia. The next day shifts gears with a brunch that wears its Christmas theme proudly. A DJ keeps the room lively for three full hours while guests move between seafood on ice, sushi, roast turkey, lamb, smoked ribs and wagyu brisket. Christmas pudding, eggnog and panettone add a sweet, indulgent finish.   December 24-25. Stars at B2,990. Reserve via 02-344-4000. W Bangkok, midday-9pm

JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok leans into the season with a warm, steady confidence, the kind that makes gatherings feel effortless. The hotel’s celebrations stretch from thoughtful hampers to generous buffets and desserts that flirt shamelessly with nostalgia. At JW Cafe, the Christmas mood builds through a spread that travels across continents. Western favourites sit beside Japanese plates, Thai and Chinese signatures and fragrant Indian dishes, creating a rhythm that suits families who can never agree on one cuisine. Highlights include mulled wine, eggnog, lobster bisque, roasted turkey with chestnut stuffing, Wagyu wellington with truffle jus, herb-crusted Lumina lamb and honey-baked ham. Desserts arrive in full festive theatre, from Bûche de Noël and red wine-poached pears to plum pudding, panettone bread pudding and classic English fruit cake. December 24-25. Starts at B3,200. Reserve via 02-656-7700. JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok, midday-10pm

Bangkok's finally caught a breeze again, and just in time too. Cool season means you can actually enjoy being outside after dark, and there's something rather lovely about exploring Rattanakosin's quieter streets once the daytime crowds thin out. Old town at night hits different anyway, but throw in some ambient light art and you've got yourself an evening out. Between December 12-21, Phra Nakhon's about to glow with Awakening Bangkok's return. Light installations are sprawling across the old town's historic bones, turning temples, shophouses and even mosques into canvases for digital art. The best bit? It's completely free. This year's theme is LOVEVERCITY (yes, all one word), exploring different takes on love through light art tucked into the district's atmospheric corners. The streets will fill with love in all its forms. The main action centres on five key areas: the original Pak Khlong Talat and Sam Yot zones, plus two fresh additions: Saphan Phut and Wang Burapha. Everything kicks off at 6pm and wraps by 9pm, which gives you a solid window to wander without rushing. Here's the good news for anyone worried about logistics: the whole route's walkable in one evening. No need for taxis or elaborate planning. You can genuinely tick off all 14 installations on foot without breaking a sweat (well, metaphorically speaking, this is Bangkok). Here’s the map:   Photograph: Awakening Festivals If you fancy seeing what's on before you go, images are available online. Otherwise, ju

Green Bridge has been doing the hard graft of connecting Benjakitti Park and Lumphini Park for more than 20 years now, giving walkers and cyclists a convenient 1.6-kilometre shortcut between two of Bangkok's best green spaces. After months of being closed for renovations, the bridge partially reopened on December 1, and it's looking rather different from your memories. Gone is the single shade of green that gave it its name, the new 1.6km surface comes in red, purple and yellow, with non-slip materials designed specifically for long-distance runners who fancy a scenic route between the two parks. All pic - Photograph: BMA The bridge has been shut since February 2025 for a makeover, and while work is still  around 45 percent complete, the bits that have reopened are already making life easier for everyone. There are ramps now for wheelchairs, prams and bikes, solving the issue of those awkward high stairs that used to make the old bridge a bit of a faff. It's all part of a Universal Design approach, so the bridge actually works for everyone who wants to use it. The stretch now features a dedicated cycling surface (courtesy of Sport Surfaces), granite stone walkways and lighting along the entire route. If you've been itching to cycle between the parks again after months of detours, you're in luck, the path's been open for trial use since November 30. All pic - Photograph: BMA   The remaining renovations are set to wrap up by May 2026, and the bridge isn't the only thing get

Missed the last super full moon? Here's your chance to make amends with a stargazing session at Bangkok Planetarium on December 19-20. The planetarium throws open its doors in the evening as part of the Night at the Museum Festival, an annual event that sees 53 museums across Thailand stay open late for nighttime learning. Since Bangkok Planetarium doesn't usually do evening sessions, this is one of those rare opportunities to visit after dark. You'll get to explore the sky in two ways: inside the planetarium dome itself and through proper telescopes set up outside by the Astronomical Society of Thailand. Members will be on hand to guide you through real-time sky observation from early evening right through to late night, pointing out constellations and planets you might otherwise miss. There are over 20 free activities to get stuck into throughout the evening, so even if you're not an astronomy buff, there's plenty to keep you occupied. If you fancy catching one of the planetarium shows inside, you'll need to book tickets in advance. Special showtimes run on Friday December 19 at 6pm, 7pm and 8pm, with extra sessions on Saturday December 20 at 4pm, 5pm, 6pm, 7pm and 8pm. Tickets are remarkably cheap at B30 for children and B50 for adults, and can be purchased through the planetarium's website.  Head to the Bangkok Planetarium to stargaze on December 19-20, 6pm-8pm.

In just a few weeks we'll be counting down to 2025 before most of us have even caught our breath. Bangkok's hit its year-end mode, and nature's still got one more gift for us before the year ends. If you missed this year's two major super full moon events, the Harvest Supermoon on October 6, glowing away in the middle of harvest season, and the Beaver Supermoon on Loy Krathong night, November 5, which was the closest full moon of the year, don't worry. Tonight's your last chance to catch up. On the night of December 4, we'll see the final super full moon of 2025. The moon will swing closer to Earth at about 357,219km, much nearer than the usual distance of roughly 380,000km. This makes it appear about 30 percent brighter and around 10 percent larger, easily visible to the naked eye without any fancy kit. If the sky's clear, the moon will rise above the eastern horizon as soon as the sun sets and will hang about in the night sky until dawn.  If you've got nothing on tonight, try heading out with someone you love, mates, family or your father before Father's Day arrives tomorrow. Pick somewhere with a fairly open sky where light pollution isn't too brutal, like Benjakitti Park or Lumpini Park in the centre, or along the Chao Phraya River where there's a decent breeze.  You could even catch it alongside the Vijit Chao Phraya, with its lights, colours, sounds and romantic nighttime atmosphere by the water. Just standing by the river watching the moon rise above the tall buildings

In just a few weeks we'll be counting down to 2025 before most of us have even caught our breath. Bangkok's hit its year-end mode, and nature's still got one more gift for us before the year ends. If you missed this year's two major super full moon events, the Harvest Supermoon on October 6, glowing away in the middle of harvest season, and the Beaver Supermoon on Loy Krathong night, November 5, which was the closest full moon of the year, don't worry. Tonight's your last chance to catch up. On the night of December 4, we'll see the final super full moon of 2025. The moon will swing closer to Earth at about 357,219km, much nearer than the usual distance of roughly 380,000km. This makes it appear about 30 percent brighter and around 10 percent larger, easily visible to the naked eye without any fancy kit. If the sky's clear, the moon will rise above the eastern horizon as soon as the sun sets and will hang about in the night sky until dawn.  If you've got nothing on tonight, try heading out with someone you love, mates, family or your father before Father's Day arrives tomorrow. Pick somewhere with a fairly open sky where light pollution isn't too brutal, like Benjakitti Park or Lumpini Park in the centre, or along the Chao Phraya River where there's a decent breeze.  You could even catch it alongside the Vijit Chao Phraya, with its lights, colours, sounds and romantic nighttime atmosphere by the water. Just standing by the river watching the moon rise above the tall buildings

Germany's annual film festival is back, and this year it's getting a deep look at how we define family in the modern world. Fresh off the heels of the German Christmas Market, Goethe-Institut Thailand is gearing up for KinoFest, its annual celebration of contemporary German cinema across Southeast Asia. The festival brings carefully selected films to both Bangkok and provincial cities, and this year's lineup looks particularly compelling. From December 9-21 at Goethe-Institut Thailand under the theme ‘Family: Extended’, the 2025 programme ditches traditional stereotypes to explore how our understanding of family is shifting. You'll find films that tackle motherhood through lenses of both power and anxiety, shine a light on the often-invisible world of care work and dig into the tensions that simmer beneath family dynamics. The festival wants you to see family not as some fixed ideal but as a space where complexity, conflict and change actually happen. The genre spread is impressive too. You'll find intimate dramas sitting alongside animation, comedies, thrillers, action and documentaries – something for whatever mood you're in. Two films worth flagging: Greetings from Mars (Grüße vom Mars) follows a boy who transforms a stay with his grandparents into an imagined Mars mission, turning the countryside into an intergenerational adventure. Then there's Two to One (Zwei zu Eins), a satirical comedy about three friends who spot an opportunity in chaos, trying to turn soon-to-be-wo

Bangkok's been choking on something nastier than traffic fumes lately, and if you've stepped outside recently, you'll know exactly what we're talking about.  Forget those dreamy golden-hour Instagram posts, the city's currently wrapped in a thick blanket of PM2.5 dust that's turned a simple morning jog into a genuinely risky proposition. Over the past couple of days, dust levels have hit 47-59 micrograms per cubic metre, prompting AirBKK to slap an orange zone warning across the entire capital without any sugar-coating. The still air mixed with Bangkok's legendary traffic is brewing up a smog cocktail that nobody ordered. But the city isn't leaving residents to fend for themselves. A full-team effort is underway, tackling everything from construction sites to work policies, all aimed at helping Bangkok breathe a bit easier. Photograph: BMA Construction sites get the heavy treatment Construction sites are dust enemy number one, and Wang Thonglang district is getting special attention. The moment AirBKK flashed orange, the Deputy Governor turned up unannounced at the COBE Lat Phrao-Sutthisan project site, no messing about. What followed was a proper crackdown: mandatory wheel washing before vehicles leave, constant water spraying, six-metre-high dust barriers and a requirement for all vehicles to be registered in the Green List system. This isn't a plaster on a single problem but part of a bigger plan to cut dust dispersal citywide. Meanwhile, factories and establishments acr

After November's Vijit Chao Phraya 2025 went down a storm with its light and sound shows along the river, the organisers switched things up by using drones instead of fireworks out of respect for the mourning period. It created a gentler vibe, sure, but everyone's been waiting for the pyrotechnics to make their comeback. Well, the wait's over. The fireworks return this December to light up the sky above the Chao Phraya, celebrating the final stretch of 2025 and bringing the good old vibes back to Bangkok's main waterway. The shows will still honour HM Queen Sirikit the Queen Mother, keeping the same theme and concept that's run throughout the event. Here's what you need to know: fireworks will explode over Phra Phutthayotfa Bridge (Memorial Bridge) on December 5, 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21 at 8:45pm. Each show comes with light and colour displays designed around the concept 'The Light of Siam, the Mother of the Nation'.   Photograph: Vijit Chao Phraya 2025   The drone shows aren't disappearing entirely. They're just being scaled back to three dates: December 5, 12 and 19 at 8.45pm. But here's where it gets interesting: the organisers have loaded up the weekends and long holidays with extra fireworks displays so you can properly soak up the spectacle. Mark December 5 in your calendar right now. It's the only night that'll feature both 1,000 drones and 2,500 fireworks shots in one go, no holding back. The organisers are calling it the grandest show of the year, and they're not

The afternoon alcohol ban is finally being scrapped. Well, for six months at least. From today, December 3, you'll be able to legally buy booze between 2pm and 5pm for the first time in decades. It's part of a 180-day trial that's lifting Thailand's longstanding afternoon alcohol sales restriction, which has been in place since the early 2000s. The new rules mean alcohol can now be sold during three windows: 11am-2pm, 2pm-5pm and 5pm-midnight. That middle slot is the game-changer, approved on a trial basis to see how it goes. Shops must be registered to sell alcohol (obviously), and if you're drinking at a venue, you can stay until 1am. Once the trial wraps up, Bangkok's Alcohol Control Committee and provincial committees across Thailand will assess what actually happened during those previously banned afternoon hours. Did it help small businesses compete with big chains and tourist areas, as supporters argued? Or did it unleash chaos, as critics worried? There are some exceptions to all this, by the way. International airport terminals can sell alcohol whenever they fancy to arriving and departing passengers. Licensed entertainment venues operating within legal hours get a pass too, as do hotels registered under the Hotel Act. It's worth noting this is specifically about sales restrictions. The rules around where alcohol can be consumed and advertising regulations remain unchanged for now. Whether this trial becomes permanent depends entirely on how the next six months play

Wolf Alice are heading back to Bangkok for the first time since they headlined Mangosteen Music Festival way back in September 2018. They will hit Bangkok, Jakarta and Singapore as part of their world tour, bringing the sound that's made them one of the UK's most vital rock bands. This tour will feature tracks from their latest album The Clearing alongside fan favourites from their Mercury Prize-winning back catalogue. It's been a minute since Wolf Alice last played Thailand, and a lot's changed since then. They've released two more albums, won a Mercury Prize for Visions of a Life and cemented their status as one of Britain's best live acts. Their shows are known for being absolutely electric – frontwoman Ellie Roswell has this rare ability to flip between delicate, introspective moments and full-throttle rock fury in the space of a single song. Want to sing 'Moaning Lisa Smile' at the top of your lungs with a room full of people? Obviously. Here’s everything you need to know about Wolf Alice 2026 Asia Tour.   When are Wolf Alice performing in Bangkok? Bangkok will host Wolf Alice’s celebrated live act for a one-off concert on Sunday January 11 2026.   Where is Wolf Alice performing in Bangkok? The British alt-rock icons are set to take the stage at Ambience Space.   When are the tickets on sale? Tickets go on sale right now through Megatix at this link.   How much are the tickets? General Admission tickets are priced at B2,400, while Bulk Buy tickets are available with a mi

The weather's still decent right now, which for Bangkok is practically a miracle. Perfect timing for a free concert in the park, then. Music in the Park happs this Sunday December 7 at 5pm in Benjakitti Park. It's part of the celebrations of 50 years of diplomatic relations between Ireland and Thailand, put on by the Irish Embassy and Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. Not your typical anniversary party, but we'll take it.The Bangkok Metropolitan Orchestra are doing orchestral versions of Irish classics, we're talking U2, Hozier, Westlife, The Corrs, The Script. Proper bangers, just with more violins than you'd expect. You don't need to be into classical music. These are songs you already know, 'With or Without You', 'Take Me to Church', 'The Man Who Can't Be Moved' – just arranged for a full orchestra. Bring a picnic blanket, some snacks and whatever you fancy drinking. Find a spot on the grass and let the orchestra do their thing. No tickets, no booking, just turn up.   How to get there: BTS: Take the Sukhumvit Line to Asok Station, then it's a 10-15 minute walk to the Lakeside area at Benjakitti Park (Entry Gate 1). MRT: Hop on the Blue Line to Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre Station. From there, Entry Gate 1 is only 5-7 minutes on foot. Spend your Sunday evening at Music in the Park, 5pm in Benjakitti Park. Free entry.

If you woke up today feeling a bit hazy in Bangkok, you're not dreaming. And it's something we're facing every year. All 50 districts in Bangkok are now reporting unsafe air quality, with the city's average PM2.5 concentration sitting at 49.1µg/m³. Nong Khaem district is experiencing the worst conditions at 53.4µg/m³, though central areas like Sathorn (65.8 µg/m³) and Bang Rak (61.7 µg/m³) are actually logging even higher readings. Narong Ruangsri, permanent secretary of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, warned that a high-pressure system moving through China will likely keep PM2.5 at unsafe levels until Tuesday. He's advised residents to wear face masks when venturing outdoors and suggested vulnerable groups stay inside altogether. The current situation marks a sharp deterioration from mid-November, when most districts maintained safe air quality and the citywide average was a relatively pleasant 24.1 µg/m³. Back then, only three districts, Lat Krabang, Bueng Kum and Prawet were nudging into orange-level territory.   Top 12 districts with highest PM2.5 levels: Sathon - 65.8 μg/m³Bang Rak - 61.7 μg/m³Lat Krabang - 60.1 μg/m³Min Buri - 59.5 μg/m³Nong Khaem - 56.8 μg/m³Taling Chan - 56.3 μg/m³Khlong Sam Wa - 56.2 μg/m³Ratchathewi - 56.1 μg/m³Pathum Wan - 55.2 μg/m³Thawi Watthana - 55.0 μg/m³Yan Nawa - 54.8 μg/m³Bang Kho Laem - 54.4 μg/m If you're heading out, wear a PM2.5-rated protective mask and keep strenuous outdoor activities to a minimum. Watch out for symptoms lik