Kaweewat Siwanartwong

Vinyl ruled the way we listened long before streaming put millions of songs at our fingertips. Yet the warmth and crackle of a needle hitting the groove still draw collectors and casual listeners back to something a playlist cannot quite replicate. Listening bars are flourishing around the world, and Bangkok is no exception. New spots keep appearing down sois and above shophouses, paying as much attention to turntables, valve amplifiers and acoustics as to what lands in your glass. Everything is tuned for switching off and listening properly.  Whether you collect rare pressings, simply love a good song or fancy a change from the usual after-work haunt, few things beat watching a record turns slowly through the night becomes one of those small, perfect hours. That's the whole appeal. We round up 14 vinyl bars around Bangkok that stand out for their atmosphere, their selections and their pours. Pick the one that catches your eye, and go make a night of it. Still undecided? Turn to our guides to Bangkok’s best bars, restaurants, parks and galleries, or consult our bucket list of 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.

Social calendar looking thin? Bangkok fixes that without much fuss. This weekend offers plenty of reasons to leave the house, whether your ideal day involves gallery hopping, live music, a long lunch or a film that deserves a proper cinema screen. Spend an afternoon drifting through Talat Noi with Charoen CITYZEN, where cafés, family-run shops and small galleries encourage you to slow down and notice the neighbourhood. Prefer to sit still? Bangkok Kunsthalle’s Sunday Cinema offers another reason to switch off your phone and watch films from Drive My Car to Perfect Days inside the old Thai Wattana Panich printing house. Music lovers are spoilt. PUN returns for his first show since his ordination with The Space Between Dream and Dawn, while Monster Music Festival brings together more than 100 acts, including Big Ass, Bowky Lion and Jeff Satur. After something more classic? Bangkok Ballroom Dancing brings live big band music back to Lumphini Hall, where polished shoes still glide across the wooden floor. Food plans practically make themselves. Toast Peru’s Independence Day with ceviche and pisco at Bar.Yard, stop by BONCI for its Gracie Abrams-inspired menu or settle in for Seenspace’s Saturday Boozy Brunch, complete with workshops, coffee and an easy-going crowd. Still undecided? Turn to our guides to Bangkok's best bars, restaurants, parks and galleries, or consult our bucket list of the best things to do in Bangkok. Map out the rest of July with our guide to what’s on, and ke

Fried chicken belongs to everyone. From the United States to Korea and Taiwan, almost every country and culture has a version. But ask Bangkok diners where Thailand’s best comes from and one answer rises above the rest – Hat Yai.You know the type: skin that shatters, meat still steaming underneath and fried shallots piled so high they border on showing off, with sticky rice to catch whatever survives. It is Southern Thailand’s great contribution to the fried chicken canon, and the rest of the country has happily claimed it.The strange part is that half of Bangkok advertises Hat Yai fried chicken, yet very little tastes as it should. The marinade lacks depth, the oil goes tired or the shallots come straight from a packet. Anyone raised down south can tell in one bite.We went looking for the real deal. Four proper Hat Yai and Songkhla-style specialists made the cut, joined by one Bangkok fried chicken institution too good to leave out.Order at the counter, wait for the batch that is still spitting and eat with your hands. Obviously.   What is it?Hat Yai fried chicken begins long before the oil gets hot. Garlic, coriander root and white pepper worked are worked into the meat, which is left to marinate for hours before frying to a deep gold: crisp skin outside, juicy flesh within. Unlike fried chicken that depends on the dip, the seasoning runs through the meat – peppery, savoury and faintly herbal. Crisp, sweet fried shallots are scattered over the top by the fistful. Att a road

 What beats a margarita or two after a long day? Not much, honestly. And this month, Bangkok gets a whole run of them. PATRÓN launches Margarita Your Way, a month-long love letter to the world's most famous tequila cocktail, on now until July 31 and turning the city loose on flavour, discovery and a proper bit of self-expression. The heart of it all sits on the M Floor of Siam Paragon, where the Margarita Your Way Pop-Up poses one simple question. Which one are you?  Four personalities set the tone – classic, fruity, spicy and cool – each a different attitude, a different flavour, a different way of drinking. Are you the purist? The fruity show-off? The one who orders a chilli rim and dares the table to keep up? Photograph: PATRÓNMargarita Your Way Come Friday evening, the guest shifts hand space to some of Bangkok's sharpest bartenders, who reimagine the drink their own way. And the fun spills out across town. All July, PATRÓN teams up with a hand-picked cast of bars, restaurants, hotels and lifestyle spots. Sunset rooftops, buzzy nightlife dens, tucked-away cocktail hideaways and plush hotel lounges – each one shaking up its own take on the classic. So, thirsty yet? Here’s where to go.

When it comes to art and exhibitions, Bangkok has a lot. From poky little independent spaces to avant-garde galleries and the big crowd-pleasing museums, the city brims with shows that perplex, challenge, inspire, educate and leave you thoroughly awestruck. The trouble is, there's an absolute mountain to get through. Too much, you might say. So we're here to tell you where to spend your precious time. Whether you're a bona fide art connoisseur or simply the type who likes to stand about looking pensive in front of a canvas (we've all done it), these galleries promise to inspire and entertain in equal measure. So if you're wondering what's genuinely worth a trip across town, start right here. Have a browse through the best museum exhibitions and art in Bangkok at the moment, take your pick and make a day of it. We refresh this list regularly, so do pop back regularly for our latest and greatest picks.Stay one step ahead and map out your plans with our round-up of the best things to do in Bangkok. Whether you're a regular gallery-goer or just art-curious, these are Bangkok’s best spots to live the art life. From alleyway masterpieces to paint-splashed corners you might walk past without noticing, here are our top spots to see street art.

You've probably seen the look before you've heard the name. The head tilts back, the eyes go wide, there's a held beat of silence, and then the camera swings up to a neon skyline or a stretch of white sand. The man doing the looking is Travis Leon Price, and at 35, the Donegal-born creator has spent the last five years in Bangkok, amassing more than 500,000 followers across YouTube, TikTok and Instagram who tune in for that signature slow, upward gaze of awe before a skyline or a shoreline reveals itself. Photograph: Travis LeonTime Out Bangkok His tagline, 'Bringing you the magic of Asia', sounds like marketing until you realise he means every word of it. He has slept in a 24-hour Chinese spa for the price of a takeaway, crawled the bars of Yaowarat and built a whole second life on an iPhone and a refusal to film anything corny. As busy as you would imagine, we never actually speak on the phone. The whole conversation is over WhatsApp, his replies are in clusters from elsewhere while Bangkok goes grey around me, then the little 'typing…' that flickers and stalls and starts again. He writes the way he talks on camera: warm, fast, unbothered by punctuation, a 'haha' dropped in before he's finished a thought. So, everyone, pour yourself a rooftop something and settle in. What follows is a love letter to a city that refuses to let him leave. Photograph: Travis LeonTime Out Bangkok A long way from a famine village Donegal to Thailand is not exactly a casual commute, and Travi

Lesbian venues aren't exactly a dime a dozen in Bangkok. The city does a roaring trade in bars and clubs that pull a mainly gay and bi male crowd, yet permanent spaces built for queer women, or trans and non-binary folk, remain frustratingly thin on the ground. You can count the long-running ones on one hand and still have fingers spare. Happily, the tide turns. Social media crowns this the year of the 'Lesbian Renaissance', and Bangkok plays its part with gusto. A growing roster of roving club nights now fills the gap, popping up across Sukhumvit, Silom and beyond the usual haunts, each one carving out a proper safe space where queer women party on their own terms. Discrimination gets left firmly at the door, the line-ups skew fresh and local and the welcome runs warm. Some come monthly, some quarterly, a few keep their locations hush until the last minute, half the fun is the chase. So whether you fancy sweaty basement raves, sapphic disco or a low-key spot to nurse a beer and make connections, the scene finally delivers. Hunting for your new favourite haunt? Here's our pick of the bunch. These venues span everything from dancing clubs to cosy bars and they're all genuinely welcoming to all genders

Some drinks work like a key. Ask any writer hunched over a keyboard at midnight, chasing the messy business of being human, and you may hear something similar: sometimes the second glass loosens what the first one couldn’t. Literature and drinking have long kept close company. Some writers turned bars into second homes. Others wrote about them as places of exile, romance, loneliness, glamour or escape. And a few, before the books made their names, worked behind or around the bar themselves. So here's a round-up, inspired by Koktail Kuisine's list, of Bangkok bars with a literary streak. Some wear the theme boldly. Others keep it tucked into the wallpaper, the music, the mood or the way a cocktail arrives like a sentence someone has worked on for hours. Book lover? Cocktail snob? These are your places.

The rain is arriving  almost every evening now, which means Bangkok's wet season is properly under way. Looking for a good excuse to dodge another downpour? Spend a few hours gallery hopping instead.  July's art calendar is packed with reasons to head out, from major new openings and long-awaited reunions to interactive installations and quietly compelling solo exhibitions. A few fresh creative spaces are also welcoming visitors for the first time, while several standout shows continue their run.  Whether you have an hour between coffee stops or a free Saturday afternoon to fill, these are the exhibitions worth catching across the city this month. Need more ideas? You can also fall back on our guides to Bangkok's best bars, restaurants, parks, and galleries, or work your way through our bucket list of the best things to do in Bangkok. Whether you're a regular gallery-goer or just art-curious, these are Bangkok’s best places to get your culture fix. From alleyway murals to paint-splashed corners you might walk past, here are our favourite spots to see street art in Bangkok. Subscribe to our free Time Out Bangkok newsletter and get the best of the city delivered straight to your inbox.

July is when Bangkok settles properly into the rainy season. It is also one of the fullest stretches on the city’s cultural calendar, so whether your idea of a good weekend involves live music, contemporary art, independent cinema or an afternoon rummaging through second-hand books, Bangkok gives you plenty of reasons to head out. Book lovers should start at Bangkok Book District Fest, which spreads across historic neighbourhoods including Phan Fa, Tha Tien and Nang Loeng. Independent bookshops open their doors, readings and gatherings run through the day and there are plenty of titles you are unlikely to find in chain stores. Film fans should also make room for the Taiwan Documentary and Film Festival, back with a line-up of hard-to-find documentaries and narrative features screening in Bangkok and Khon Kaen. By the river, Awakening Song Wat lights up one of Bangkok’s oldest riverside quarters after dark, placing light installations and digital artworks between warehouses, shophouses and narrow lanes you can cover in one evening. Music gets a strong showing too. Colorists Music Festival returns with a line-up spanning indie favourites, newer alternative acts and bigger crowd-pleasers, while JUST KIDS keeps things close-up with rising hip-hop artist Zambug and a community-minded approach to live shows. July looks busy, then. Carry an umbrella, keep some cash for books and merch and expect your weekends to fill up quickly. Keeping track of what's coming next? Our Bangkok  conc

We arrive on Decho Road in the afternoon, the sun still strong outside but the air pressure dropping, hinting that rain is on its way. It is unusual to be here before opening time, so we slip in through the back door and climb the stairs to a wine bar. In this wine bar, a small cinema is hidden behind curtained walls on the floor above and the dusty smell of old parquet fills our senses. That, near enough, is the whole idea. Photograph: Lalitphat BumrungkarnSala Saneha At a moment when independent picture houses around town are quietly going dark, Natchanon 'Vana' Vana, Pakapol 'Meang' Srirongmuang and Dit Thanasresthavilai have chosen to walk the other way. They have taken things they love – movies, wine, food and books – and poured them into a close-to decade old building, with help from more than a dozen friends drawn from the world of entertainment and art.  The result is Sala Saneha, a place built on the faintly old-fashioned conviction that going out to the pictures ought to feel like romance again. Photograph: Lalitphat BumrungkarnSala Saneha I met the three of them upstairs in the bookshop, on soft chairs among the wood – cladding the walls, forming the bookshelf, the floor, the table, the chairs – and as the early afternoon light came through the leaves just outside the windows, we began to talk. Photograph: Lalitphat BumrungkarnSala Saneha A building with several past lives What was clear, is how exact they are about the conditions. The venue could not disturb

June marks the official start of Pride Month, though anyone paying attention knows the celebrations rarely stay contained to four weeks. Across Bangkok, galleries, clubs, restaurants and public spaces roll out programmes honouring LGBTQIA+ communities while making room for protest, conversation and the simple joy of taking up space together. Some gatherings lean political. Others just want you dancing under disco lights until midnight. Both matter. This year's line-up covers everything from large-scale parades and drag showcases to film screenings, speed dating nights and art festivals built around queer storytelling. One evening might find you watching voguing performances above the city skyline, another screaming sapphic pop lyrics in a crowded bar off Silom Road. Rainbow branding arrives right on cue every June, but Pride carries far more weight than a seasonal marketing campaign. Its history is political, personal and deeply tied to communities still fighting for safety, visibility and equality. So whether you’re here for the parties, the performances or the people, these are the Pride events worth adding to your calendar this month. Joining the Bangkok Pride parade? Here's everything you need to know before showing up.

What is it? An old house converted into a warm, homely listening bar. Wood runs throughout the front-room-like interior, with records playing in the evenings and occasional live sets. Why we love it: Small and lived-in, the house has none of the polish – or impersonality – of a larger nightspot. Thai and international easy-listening records allow conversation to flow, with the occasional live act changing pace. There is also a front garden for warm evenings. Comfort matters more than spectacle here, and the bar is better for it. Time Out tip: The homely layout means limited seating, particularly at weekends. Message the bar on Instagram or Line before visiting on Friday or Saturday to reserve a table. Soi Lat Phrao 41, Yaek 10. Open Thursday-Tuesday, 7pm-2am. Call 082 300 0009.

What is it? A jazz bar combining live music with a classic interior of vintage furniture, a long counter and dim golden-brown light. A black piano and drum kit occupy the ground floor, while the upstairs listening bar plays records from Recoroom Vinyl & Vintage Audio. Why we love it: The two floors offer distinct but complementary moods. Live jazz fills the low-lit ground floor; upstairs, the pace eases at a listening bar stocked with rare vintage pressings spanning jazz, soul, funk, pop and classic rock. Catch a set below, then retreat upstairs with a drink – it works equally well for quiet company or an hour alone. Time Out tip: Live jazz bands play in the rear performance space from Wednesday to Sunday, backed by a grand piano and drum kit. Visit on one of those nights to experience the room at its liveliest. Soi Sukhumvit 31. Open daily, 7pm-1am. Call 082 569 8583.

What is it? A sound-first listening bar equipped by AudioGears, with Funktion-One speakers selected and installed to reveal every detail. Jazz, blues and a warm room complete the set-up. Why we love it: AudioGears designed the system around musical clarity rather than sheer volume, and the care shows: every pressing comes through cleanly, giving jazz and blues the real weight. The atmosphere is warm and unhurried, while cocktails receive the same attention as the audio. Time Out tip: This is a listening bar above all, making it a strong choice for a date, a small catch-up or a solo evening with the music.  Soi Sukhonthasawat 32. Open Tuesday-Sunday, 5pm-2am. Call 097 928 9910.

What is it? A bar from friends who have collected records for more than 20 years and want to show that vinyl remains part of contemporary listening, not a relic. Old and new sit side by side. Why we love it: The room combines classic details with a current look, while records are selected to complement what is in your glass. Signature and classic cocktails join natural wines, with many drinks drawing on Thai herbs and ingredients. The pairing makes Modern-Day Culture welcoming to curious newcomers as well as committed collectors.  Time Out tip: Try the craft cocktails built around traditional Thai herbs, botanical tea blends and old medicinal recipes. They give the list a distinct local character and pair neatly with the night’s selections. Soi Sukhumvit 63. Open Tuesday-Sunday, 6pm-1am. Call 063 165 6895.

What is it? A bar born of the musical obsession of Tum Tokin Teekhanont, a familiar figure in the music-video and independent-festival scenes. Rare records, books and the owner’s own memorabilia fill the room. Why we love it: The owner’s collection surrounds a small bar, giving the place the easy feel of a night at a friend’s house. Browse the vinyl, books and memorabilia between drinks, and watch for occasional secret gigs by indie artists. This combination of shop, bar and stage has attracted a small community of music lovers who treat it as a regular haunt rather than a one-off stop. Time Out tip: Look out for Nong Khom, the resident cat, roaming the floor and greeting guests. Say hello if Nong Khom wanders over to your table. Soi Phran Nok 6. Open Wednesday-Sunday, 5pm-midnight. Call 095 797 1917.

What is it? Known to regulars as Yai’s Bar, Yayyyyy Record Bar occupies a 77-year-old building on Lan Luang Road in Phra Nakhon. Find a quiet corner for a drink or talk music at the counter. Why we love it: Resident DJs bring their own collections, while visiting selectors and record collectors regularly share their latest finds. That revolving cast has built a close-knit community where familiar faces return and conversation comes easily. The drinks keep pace, including highballs inspired by Japanese kissaten and a signature craft gin recipe that changes with the seasons.  Time Out tip: Collectors should bring along a favourite or two. The staff and DJs enjoy sharing music with the room and may put your choice on the turntable. 146 Chakkraphatdi Phong Rd. Open Tuesday-Sunday, 6pm-midnight. Call 065 454 2343.

What is it? A newly opened Silom vinyl bar, hidden behind a large blue door, giving Japan’s jazz kissa tradition a contemporary spin. Inside, dark wooden counters face shelves stacked with records. Why we love it: Even the name reveals the bar’s attention to detail. OBi refers to the slim paper band wrapped around Japanese pressings prized by collectors. That same precision runs through the warm wood, full shelves and understated atmosphere. The person handling the music is called not a DJ but a Bar Viber Viber – a host responsible for the drinks, sound and overall feel of the evening.  Time Out tip: The Bar Viber adjusts the track selection, lighting and sound as the night develops, moving through smooth jazz, soul, city pop, funk and the occasional rare cut. 150 Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra Rd. Open daily, 6pm-1am. Contact @obi.recordbar on Instagram.

What is it? A small listening bar created from an empty room in an old dormitory, designed for winding down at the end of the day. Its dark walls, wooden furniture and low light lean heavily into the ’70s. Why we love it: A different vinyl DJ takes over each night while a compact menu of drinks and plates emerges from the back. The pace is easy, with guests nursing a glass as the selector works through the sleeves. A buy-and-sell corner adds crate-digging between rounds; regulars come for the racks as much as the music, and you may leave with a rare pressing you never planned to buy. Time Out tip: Craft beer is the strength, with around ten rotating taps spanning Thai brews, international hazy IPAs, fruit beers and witbiers. Pours generally start at B130-B150, rising according to your choice. Soi Kanchanaphisek 6, Bang Bon. Open Wednesday-Monday, 5pm-midnight. Call 083 819 2299.

What is it? A vintage bar inspired by the ’70s and ’80s, made for nursing a drink over old records rather than battling a crowd. The mood stays warm and unhurried. Why we love it: Jazz, soul and old favourites spin on a proper turntable as low amber light falls across wooden tables and mismatched chairs. Record sleeves line the shelves behind the counter, while the volume leaves room for conversation. Cocktails are carefully made, the classics are handled well and comfort food can turn a drink into dinner. Time Out tip: The DJ's vinyl rotation shapes the evening, so the sound changes as the night unfolds. When they are not deep into a set, staff are usually happy to talk records or take a request – provided it is behind the bar. Soi Sukhonthasawat 32. Open Tuesday-Sunday, 5pm-midnight. Call 096 939 9544.

What is it? A third-floor vinyl bar at Merchant’s Gate Songwat, bringing together records, drinks and a strong sense of place. From the street, you may spot the DJ playing on the balcony above. Why we love it: The balcony overlooks Song Wat Road and the old town, coming into its own as the evening light softens. Take out a cocktail, tune in to the vinyl and watch the street below. The music and drinks are equally considered, making this an easy choice for an after-work  wind-down or a slow weekend afternoon.  Time Out tip: Song Wat is one of Bangkok’s best neighbourhoods for art and food, so arrive early. Explore its cafés, galleries and street stalls before heading up to Sober Record Bar at sunset. 3/F, Merchant Gate Hotel. Open Thursday-Tuesday, 4pm-11pm. Call 089 133 1131.

What is it? A second-floor vinyl bar at Josh Hotel in Ari, offering an escape from the noise in a warm, slightly mysterious room. Dark tones, a large projector and shelves of records set the scene. Why we love it: A large projector casts images across one wall as vinyl fills the surrounding racks. Rotating DJs set the musical direction most nights, while the calendar regularly makes room for live jazz. Cocktails, food and other drinks make it easy to linger, whether you are listening closely, catching up with friends or letting a quiet evening drift. Time Out tip: Parking on Soi Ari 4 follows an odd-and-even date system, so drivers should check which side of the street is permitted after 8pm.  2nd Floor, Josh Hotel, Soi Ari 4 (North Side). Open Tuesday-Sunday, 6pm-1am. Call 062 942 0338.

What is it? A vinyl bar for listeners who believe records should be heard whole, without skipping. Every album plays from beginning to end in a quiet soi off Sukhumvit 36. Why we love it: Playing every record from the first track to last lets an album’s full arc emerge, rather than reducing it to a shuffle of singles. The unfussy room feels closer to a friend’s place than a nightspot, with a serious sound system bringing out the detail. Weekly album schedules are posted in advance, so you can choose a particular pressing and hear it alongside others who came for the same thing. It is a simple idea, thoughtfully executed. Time Out tip: Parking on Soi Napha Sap 1 is nearly impossible, so leave the car at home. Take the BTS to Thong Lo and walk down Soi Sukhumvit 36. Soi Sukhumvit 36 . Open Wednesday-Monday, 6pm-1am. Call 093 690 9200.

Japan has always understood that craft and play aren't opposites. The Superlative Artistry of Japan’ makes the case beautifully, presenting Japanese arts and crafts from the Meiji era to the present day, and after touring the world since 2017 it finally arrives in Thailand.  It's a collaboration between the Creative Economy Agency (CEA) and The Japan Foundation, Bangkok, bringing together the meticulous DNA of Japanese craftsmanship from each era and telling their history side by side in a fun, cross-century comparison. Century talks to century. The old masters and the toymakers share a room. Photograph: The Japan Foundationthe superlative artistry of japan Start in the 19th century with ‘Kogei’, the traditional handiwork that once astonished Westerners. Get right up to the enormous ‘Satsuma vase’, densely patterned and finished in gold leaf, the sort of thing that rewards a proper stare. Then there's the ‘embroidered hanging decoration’ of the gates of Nikko Shrine, worked from tens of thousands of silk threads, one at a painstaking time. And the ‘shell-shaped incense container’, a fine example of ‘Maki-e’ lacquerware, where gold powder is brushed over red and black until it glows. The wall text does a decent job explaining the techniques, but the objects speak for themselves. Now for the twist. That same obsessive precision carries through to the contemporary section as ‘pop culture’. The ‘realistic food models’ you clock in every Japanese restaurant window. The ‘cabbage-

Founded by Chef Luca Mascolo and Brigitta Haukamp, The Smokaccia Laboratory offers one of Phuket’s most immersive fine dining experiences. Exceptional cuisine, thoughtful hospitality and playful storytelling create a memorable culinary journey that begins in an elegant Champagne lounge with refined welcome bites before unfolding in the intimate dining room. Photograph: The Smokaccia LaboratoryPhuket Every dish celebrates exceptional local ingredients and tells its own story through visually striking presentation. Chef Luca transforms familiar flavours using modern culinary techniques to create not just dishes, but works of art on a plate. While every presentation is imaginative and visually captivating, the flavours remain balanced, familiar and deeply satisfying.Guests can choose between nine- and eighteen-course tasting menus, including vegetarian and vegan experiences. The team also accommodates almost every allergy and dietary requirement without compromising the experience, making fine dining accessible to more guests. Photograph: The Smokaccia LaboratoryPhuket Each tasting menu is complemented by carefully curated wine pairings and acclaimed homemade alcohol-free pairings by sommelier Massimo Zoz, recognised ‘alcohol free pairing of the year’ by Thailand’s favourite restaurants guide.  The restaurant takes its name from Chef Luca’s award-winning invention, the Smokaccia – not a focaccia – but an entirely new and complex style of naturally 50 hours fermented sourdoug

Lately, our life revolves around one thing – buying concert tickets. Saying we book them every weekend is honestly not an exaggeration. Another dream comes true this autumn though, and this one's been a long time coming. We're finally watching Interstellar with a live orchestra performance by the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra. Interstellar Live returns Christopher Nolan's Academy Award-winning epic to the big screen, scored live by Hans Zimmer's masterpiece, the soundtrack Zimmer himself calls the best work of his career. Martin Gellner conducts, organist Charles Andrews takes the keys, and the full 170-minute theatrical cut plays out while every note happens in the room with you. The organ alone runs through your chest. Nolan makes something rare here. Released in 2014, the film is action-packed and poetic, an epic the press ranks among the finest of the early 21st century. Audiences haven't stopped agreeing. It lands on countless best-of lists, takes a Top 10 spot for its year and picks up five Academy Award nominations, including Best Visual Effects, Best Production Design and Best Original Score. We already know how this goes. The seats fill, the lights drop, someone near you sniffles through the docking scene and nobody judges them for it. No headphones, no pause button, just Zimmer's score filling the hall and Matthew McConaughey ageing decades in seconds. It happens on October 28 at 7pm at UOB LIVE, EMSPHERE. Tickets go on sale from midday on July 28. Grab yours here

Anyone after somewhere to wander once the working day winds down, or keen to swap the shopping mall for a city-view car park, can mark this one on the map. 'Tay Level 10' returns, gathering shops, crafts, vintage finds and street food on the 10th floor of S-Oasis in Chatuchak, running August 6-8, midday-8pm. Photograph: trys_terHybrid Flea Market The appeal here isn't only the browsing. It doubles as a community corner in the Chatuchak-Mo Chit-Vibhavadi-Phahonyothin stretch, the sort of place you drop by to sit for a while, meet a friend or grab a proper feed after clocking off. Once again it sets up in an open-air car park ten storeys up, though this round a roof handles the rain. So you take your time regardless of what the forecast says, with the traffic humming somewhere far below. Across the three days more than 80 stalls line the floor, from fashion and secondhand pieces to film cameras, homeware, potted plants and small accessories, alongside a food and drink zone. Whether you collect vintage, need something for the flat or just want a decent bite, you head home with more than you turned up with. Photograph: trys_terHybrid Flea Market The location earns its keep too. It sits a short walk from both Mo Chit BTS and Chatuchak Park BTS, and a free shuttle runs from the stations right to the door, which matters when the afternoon heat sets in. Thinking of trading rather than shopping? The team still takes vendor applications, so long as you send photos and product detai

Two years of Step into Swing at Hua Lamphong Railway Station drew hundreds of dancers under the old station's arches, and Jelly Roll Jazz Club has decided it's time for a bigger room. This August the club transforms Lumphini Hall into a classic swing ballroom, with live jazz from international artists and a proper swing-era atmosphere. 'Swing Partout: Lumpini Grand Ball' takes place on August 23, starting from 4pm. It's free, it's open to everyone and it opens with a beginner class run by actual instructors, so nobody has to stand by the wall pretending to check their phone. Wear something with a bit of swish, flat shoes you can actually move in, and turn up early. Photograph: Jelly Roll Jazz ClubLumphini Hall The music does a lot of the heavy lifting. Yusu Jazz Band flies the Thai flag before a genuinely international line-up takes over: Clap Stomp Swingin' from Japan, Eyal Vilner from the States, The Brothers Arntzen out of Canada and Steven Coombe representing the UK. The Swing Era Cadet closes the night. That's a serious amount of talent for a room that costs nothing to enter. The centrepiece is the Lumpini Grand Ball, a competition modelled on the Harvest Moon Ball, the contest that crowned America's finest swing dancers between 1935 and 1970. This year marks the ninetieth anniversary of that original, and the professionals turn up to honour it with lifts, spins and footwork worth watching even if you never leave your seat. Photograph: Jelly Roll Jazz ClubLumphini Ha

Marimekko's flowers are back, and this time they take over a corner of Mega Bangna. Marimekko: Art of Flowers is the Finnish design house's new pop-up, a bright, print-splashed room that invites everyone to spend a while with the label and its sunny outlook on living well. Photograph: Marimekko ThailandBangkok Inside, the exhibition splits across three zones. Art of Dressing puts those bold signature prints front and centre, a nod to dressing loudly and enjoying every second of it. Art of Living gathers the home pieces – the mugs, the textiles, the small things that make an ordinary day run smoother. And Art of Blooming turns up the flowers, nature and colour, spelling out the idea the brand keeps returning to: 'Bring Joy to Your Everyday Life'. Happiness, it reckons, lives in the little moments. Photograph: Marimekko ThailandBangkok The centrepiece is Kukasta kukkaan, a print Finnish designer Erja Hirvi creates in 2024. It shows bees crossing a summer garden in full bloom, flower to flower, and it now runs through the Pre-Fall 2026 collection across both ready-to-wear and homeware. Marimekko: Art of Flowers runs from today until July 22 at Mega FoodWalk, Mega Bangna, and the newest collections wait at Marimekko stores nationwide.

Pride season in Bangkok has a familiar shape by now. A brand slaps a rainbow on its window, a parade rolls through and everyone packs the bunting away until next year. Beyond the Rainbow continues. For two days this month, TUFF BAR turns over its whole floor to a programme of film screenings, workshops, talk shows and performance art, running 11am to 11pm on July 25 and 26. It comes together through Little Light Lab, a small experimental outfit, and a handful of partners who pool people, ideas and money to make the thing happen. The stated aim is a genuinely safe room where the queer community can, in the organisers' word, 'shine'. The name does some heavy lifting. The rainbow is the shorthand everyone recognises, but the weekend reaches wider than six colours. It isn't only a screening series. The line-up runs workshops, performances and activities built to help people collect and keep their own stories, and that matters because preserving the lives of ordinary people has never been a private hobby. It is part of a longer history of struggle. Photograph: ihleighBangkok Saturday, July 25 The first day opens with periods. 'Let's Talk Periods, but Make It Queer-Friendly' hands everyone, bleeders and non-bleeders alike, a tray of beads and a length of string, and asks them to thread a bracelet that tracks a menstrual cycle in a way that matches their own identity. Later, Zurapun takes the mic for a stand-up hour, 'Love Is (Not) All Around'. She is a creator known for pop-cultu

Mark your calendar for Pantomime in Bangkok, the wordless festival that pulls off something rare – a full night of theatre where nobody says a word and you still catch every beat. That silence is the whole selling point. If foreign languages usually leave you glancing down at subtitles and missing the good bits, this is the one show where none of that applies.  This year's line-up gathers seven troupes from three countries, Thailand, Japan and South Korea – across two days, August 8 and 9, each act arriving with its own style and sense of humour. Photograph: Pantomime in BangkokWordless festival returns Leading it is Kojimaya Mansuke, the Japanese veteran who's performed here since the very first edition. This time he pairs with next-generation artist Ayumi, whose oddball approach sits opposite a legend 34 years her senior, and the mismatch is exactly why it works. Japan also sends Yamamoto Koyo, a professional mime working since 1989, and Sivouplait, the white-clad couple from Ueno Park known for stitching comedy and romance together. Thai audiences get a homecoming too. Ta Nuttapol, formerly of Babymime, now performs solo as Ta Lent Show, and after more than 20 years he's quieter, sharper and more assured. Photograph: Pantomime in BangkokWordless festival returns Rounding things out are the Guri Guri Girls, an accordion duo who appear between scenes to keep the room warm through the 15-minute interval. Satoco brings mime and puppetry she trained in over in Canada. And f

Some memories digital can never replace. The click of a film cameras shutter. The wait while an image surfaces on photographic paper. Colours that come out imperfect and are somehow better for it. Fragments of moments that once existed, rather than 400 near-identical versions sitting in your camera roll. Song Wat understands this. From August 4-12, the 100-Year-Old Gate Alley hosts Song Wat Film Day: Craft & Indie Market, and the old riverside warehouse zone hands itself over to people who still shoot 35mm without apologising for it. The setting does half the work: shophouse façades with paint coming away in sheets, dried goods stacked in sacks outside wholesale shops that have traded here for generations, boat horns from the Chao Phraya and a stray cat asleep on a stack of pallets. The neighbourhood becomes the subject – its alleyways, its shopkeepers and the details you walk past daily without noticing. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Outdoor Bkk time Line @Outdoor999ร้านค้า นักช็อป (@outdoor_bkk_time) What's actually there? Film cameras and the accessories that keep them running, handmade work from local makers, vinyl still doing its thing decades after everyone declared it finished. There are craft drinks and wine too, so you can sit somewhere shaded while conversation and music settle around you. It’s the sort of market where you arrive wanting a roll of Portra and leave three hours later with a record, a ceramic cup and mild sunburn. Pho

Apichatpong Weerasethakul is one of the Thai directors who takes his name to the world. To mark his birthday, seek out Morakot (Emerald), his video installation shot inside an abandoned hotel in Bangkok. The building goes up in the boom years, when the money arrives faster than anyone can spend it and Thailand looks unstoppable. Then 1997 comes, the baht falls apart and the rooms empty. The place stays standing anyway, wallpaper lifting at the seams, mosquito nets still hanging, a lift shaft that goes nowhere. Photograph: DIB BangkokMorakot (Emerald) Apichatpong brings in three actors he works with again and again and asks them to talk. They speak about their dreams, about the towns they grow up in, about love and about losing it. You hear traffic outside. You hear the building settling. Dust drifts across the frame, lit so it hovers like something suspended in water, and the hotel starts filling up again, not with guests but with everything people leave behind. What you're really watching is how a place holds a memory once the people go. Photograph: Dib BangkokMorakot (Emerald) He's the first Thai filmmaker to win the Palme d'Or, taking it in 2010 for Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, a film where a dying man in Isan sits at an outdoor table and his dead wife turns up for dinner. Before that come Blissfully Yours (2002) and Tropical Malady (2004), which wins the Jury Prize at Cannes, then Syndromes and a Century (2006), set largely in the hospitals where his p

Write a letter now, read it in 2029. That’s the idea. The OKMD National Knowledge Center is still a building site on Ratchadamnoen Klang Road, but the plan is to turn one of Bangkok'’s grandest historic avenues into a creative learning district people actually use. Rather than wait behind the scaffolding, OKMD wants your handwriting first. Photograph: OKMDLetter for Later ‘Letter for Later’ asks you to write two letters. The first, ‘To My Future Self’, stays sealed and private. Nobody reads or archives it, and in three years it comes back to you – by post, or by email if you submit online. Whatever you are wrestling with now, your 2029 self gets to open it and judge you gently. The second, ‘To the People of the Future’, becomes part of a public exhibition when the Center opens in 2029 (B.E. 2572), joining its knowledge collection as a record of what ordinary people were thinking in 2026. Taking part is free. Write your letters, tuck them into envelopes, decorate them as scruffily or beautifully as you like, seal them and drop them at one of five Letter Stations: TK Park on the eight floor of centralwOrld; Taiban in Hua Lamphong; Rimkhobfabooks Bookstore in Bang Phlat; Midsummer Cafe & Roastery on Song Wat; or A BOOK with NO NAME in Samsen. Each one is worth a wander anyway. Bring a pen – you probably will not have one. Can't make it across town? Submit online at theletter.okmd.or.th by September 20, 2026 Three years is nothing and everything. Your handwriting stays the same

Strut straight off the screen and onto the dance floor. On Saturday July 18, Sala Saneha follows its screening of Saturday Night Fever by clearing the seats and turning the room into a disco. The film transports audiences to New York in 1977, when the Bee Gees soundtrack seemed capable of convincing an entire city that dancing could change your life. Now the story lands in Bangkok, as a venue better known for candlelit romance gives itself over to mirrorballs and four-on-the-floor beats. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sala Saneha | ศาลาเสน่หา (@sala.saneha) Rewind to 1977: New York is broke, jittery and counting every subway token. Tony Manero sells paint in Brooklyn all week, then rules the 2001 Odyssey dance floor on Saturday nights. The film grasps a simple truth – three minutes beneath the lights can outweigh the other six days. Anyone who lives for the weekend will recognise him immediately. Pa Ted (Yuthana Boonorm) and Ek Chuchirdkiatskul take turns behind the decks, keeping the strings, falsettos and four-on-the-floor drums through the night. Wine will be served. Photograph: Sala SanehaBangkok Naturally, the dress code is disco: sequins, glitter, flared trousers, wide-collared shirts – or anything that makes you catch your own eye in the mirror on the way out. Watching a film keeps you outside it: a spectator with a ticket stub and a drink going warm. Dancing afterwards pulls you in. A film about freedom through music and movement dese