Tita Petchnamnung

For a long time, brides looked elsewhere for the beautiful white dress. Paris, Milan, New York. The assumption was that the best had to come from somewhere far away – as if beauty and craftsmanship couldn't possibly exist here. But they do. They always have. Thai designers understand the weight of tradition without being confined by it. And perhaps most importantly, there is something meaningful about entrusting your wedding dress to hands that understand your context, your story and your visual language, whether you have lived here your whole life or chosen Bangkok as home. Bangkok is not playing when it comes to bridal. Push open an unassuming workroom door and you will find heritage embroidery, stitched patiently by hand. A few streets over, the scene flips. Sleek studios. Clean lines. Romance on one end, razor sharp minimalism on the other and everything in between. The best part is you are not scrolling through samples or waiting on updates from another continent. You are sitting across from the designer. You are touching fabrics, pinning ideas, changing your mind. It is collaborative. It is personal. It is made around you. Here are 10 Thai bridal brands to know – especially if that big day's on the horizon.

Weekend hike merino, Korean perfumes that used to get stuck in customs, those frames everyone's been wearing on your feed – all finally in Bangkok. Done with the overseas seller and shipping limbo! Bangkok's had a steady run of new shops open these past six months. Big global flagships are popping up left right and centre. Hot on their heels, Thai brands are claiming premium mall space. The whole shopping scene is notably less same-y than before.  In celebration of this shopaholic diversity, here are the spots with technical gear that'll actually get used, beauty you can swatch before buying, tailoring that accounts for how people here are actually built. Head here when you're ready to browse or just feel like spending.

วาเลนไทน์ใกล้เข้ามาทุกที หลังจากที่เราจัดลิสต์ของขวัญสำหรับสาวๆ ไป คราวนี้ถึงตาของหนุ่มๆ บ้าง ไม่ว่าจะเป็นแฟนหนุ่มที่พิถีพิถันเรื่องการแต่งตัว หรือคุณจะแอบซื้อให้ตัวเองก็ไม่ว่ากัน ไม่ว่าจะวันเกิด ครบรอบ หรือแค่อยากให้เฉยๆ นี่คือ 8 ไอเทมที่รับรองว่าซื้อไปแล้วไม่ต้องนอนนิ่งอยู่ในลิ้นชักแน่นอน!

Finding a proper bagel in Bangkok used to be a real mission according to my dad and uncle, self proclaimed ‘bagel scholars’. Now they reckon ‘we're spoilt for choice’, which is great news! New York’s thick chewy bad boys and Montreal’s sweeter rings are everywhere now plus some wildcard geniuses doing Thai fusion.  The bagel situation escalated quickly. You’ve got the OGs who gambled on bagels when nobody even knew if Bangkok cared, the pandemic bakers who got a bit too into their lockdown hobby and never looked back and the Singaporean vets with battle-tested recipes. Here are all the bagel joints you knead to know.

Tattoos are often described as art on skin, with each piece uniquely connected to the person who wears it. Some tattoos hold deep, soul-stirring meaning, while others are playful mementos of a spontaneous moment. Either way, they turn skin into a bold canvas for human creativity. If today feels like the day to walk into a tattoo shop and express yourself on your own body – even if you're simply flirting with the idea – here are our recommendations for standout Bangkok tattoo parlours that give peace of mind with their clean and efficient expertise and their caring attitude to this ancient form of personal artistic expression.

Valentine's siren! Girlfriend edit is done, now boyfriends are up! For the style-conscious boyfriend or a sneaky self-gift. Birthday, anniversary, just-because, souvenir – eight winners, minimal drawer-languishing risk as always!

Bangkok might be stuck in perpetual gridlock, but that doesn't mean you have to be.  Go-karting might just be your answer – four wheels, proper adrenaline, movement that isn't stop-start-honk-repeat. Chase lap times like you mean it, or just… potter nicely. Here's where to go.

Out we walk from the bookstore chains. In we go to the independent spots, with dog-eared pages and well-worn spines. Bangkok Design Week's on right now and a big part of it is the Bangkok Book District Fest – folks are calling it the city's first proper 'Book Town'. Running through to February 8 2026, it turns Banglamphu and Rattanakosin into a neighbourhood where books are the common thread. Here's the lot – the Book Town stops and the everywhere else scattered throughout the capital. The Book District (Banglamphu & Rattanakosin) Photograph: bkk.bookdistrict

Maybe it's date night and you're a little tipsy now, leaning in close, laughing at nothing. Maybe you're solo at the bar, half-hidden and loving it. Either way, Bangkok screams neon at you 24/7 – sometimes you just need the lights off. These spots let darkness do the heavy lifting. Sure, you'll squint at the menu, grabbing your phone torch to see. But that's the vibe. You feel mysteriously hot and order another round on autopilot.

‘I only see red, black, white and a scale of grey.' Fabio Brugnolaro – the Italian-born head mixologist at Penthouse Bar and Grill – tosses this out so breezily you'd think he hadn't just dropped the sort of detail that rewrites human creativity itself. All those jewel-toned cocktails with their fussy little garnishes, yet 'I've never seen the blue sky,' he says. 'When people go on about how blue it is – I haven't got a clue what they mean.' His story starts like this. Photograph: penthousebangkok The revelation arrived on the first day of primary school in Turin, Italy. The assignment: draw your house. Fabio drew his mum, his dog, the garden. The sky came out brown. The floor, blue. The dog, purple. The roof, inexplicably yellow. 'The teacher rang my mum the next day,' he recalls. 'She said, I think your son is colour-blind.' His mum started labelling markers with colour names – teaching him to navigate a world he couldn't quite see the way others did. But when he announced he wanted to be an artist, she drew the line. 'She said no, no, no, you're going to technical school.' Art, she reasoned, was hard enough: 'Art whilst colour-blind?' Fabio did it anyway. He worked nights as a waiter to fund his illustration degree. Tried tattooing for a spell – 'maybe 20 people'. His professor at university noticed his work looked off – too bright, a little discordant. When he explained, she handed him three books on colour theory. Mathematical equations for mixing pigments. Primary col

New year, new you. Sure. But what about that anger you’re still hauling around? The stuff that didn’t get the fresh start memo. It’s just sitting there, or worse, popping off at random over something small that you know isn’t even the actual issue. You could journal it out. Meditate. Talk to someone. But if you need to actually move the feeling through your body, that’s what this list is for. Important note: nobody’s condoning actual violence here. But there are places built specifically for this – controlled, legal, supervised. Bangkok and the surrounding areas have spots where you can smash things designed to be smashed, hit bags that exist to be hit, move hard and fast enough that the anger just flies out.  Here’s where to take it when the talking part stops working. Better than letting it leak out sideways into your actual life where people don’t deserve it!

GAWDLAND is loud, proud and RuPaul-approved.  The Northern-born, Bangkok-based queen stormed Drag Race Thailand season 3, became a Silom staple and is now the only Thai queen on RuPaul's Drag Race VS The World season 3 – the international all-stars showdown in front of Mama Ru herself. Here's her gag on Thai pride, Gen Z fire and what going versus the world really means. So, GAWDLAND – where does the name come from? Photograph: Laliphat Bumrungkarn   It's from my real name! Tharathep, which in Thai means 'god of the land' – like the big boss of the earth. And then I thought, you know what? Let's make it queer. So instead of 'God' (G-O-D), I made it 'GAWD' (G-A-W-D). Just GAWD-ed it up. What makes GAWDLAND... GAWDLAND? What's your signature? "Loudness. Volume. I'm like a firecracker – you know those little ones we see when Chinese New Year comes around? Small, compact, but the impact is massive." Every time I step into a space, people have to turn and look. Some love it, some find it annoying, some find it jarring – but you will notice me baby! That's guaranteed. People define drag in so many ways – art, activism, entertainment so what is it to you? Photograph: Laliphat Bumrungkarn "All of it. And more. It's art, it's entertainment, it's activism – it's life itself." My entire life is driven by drag. I wake up thinking about it, I go to sleep thinking about it. It's always: how do I become a better drag queen? It's in my head constantly. It's my life force, honestly. It's

This is a house built on Thai aesthetics. Vanus calls itself 'The Best of Thai Wedding Dress' and after decades in the business, they've earned the right to say it. The traditional Thai embroidery is genuine – not shortcuts, not approximations. We're talking hand-stitched detail that takes months, precious stones like rubies woven into fabric, Thai silk and all. They also offer modern Western-style gowns with French-influenced techniques, but make no mistake: their heart is in preserving and elevating Thai bridal traditions. This is heirloom-level work. Not fast fashion, not even slow fashion – this is the dress your daughter might wear, then her daughter after that. For brides who want to honour tradition, who understand that true luxury is in the time, the hands and the heritage. Expect to invest anywhere from B150,000 upwards, with no real ceiling for bespoke, heavily embroidered creations. Vanus Couture, 1550-1552 Lat Phrao Road, Wang Thonglang, Bangkok

For brides who want to look beautiful, elegant, simple – but with meticulous detail hidden behind the gown's magnificence – there's White Asava, the luxury bridal line under Asava Group by Khun Moo Polpat Asavaprapa. Founded in 2017, Asava sees the wedding day as the day when dreams connect with reality, translating the simple beauty of beginning a blessed life together. Asava has created a bridal line that's clever and graceful – designed to complement, enhance and celebrate the authentic self of the confident bride. Every line serves its purpose directly, letting the body, posture and personality of the wearer be what's remembered.  Pricing starts from around B100,000 and can go upwards depending on complexity and customisation. Asava Group, Sukhumvit 45, Bangkok

For the wedding dress as a space of memory, we give you Mesh Museum. Born from the vision of Mai-Plat Pladit, who views the wedding dress as a single piece of sculpture in life – one that doesn't need to be perfect by anyone's definition, but must be true to the wearer's life. This makes the dress design capable of distinctly telling the story of the style and life she loves. Mesh Museum's design is a conversation between designer and bride, seeking out what she wants to keep and what she's ready to let pass through.  Custom bridal pieces begin around B80,000, with no upper limit depending on the scope of the project. Mesh Museum, Pridi Banomyong 14 (Yaek 10), Watthana, Bangkok

Formula 1 vibes, minutes from Central Chidlom. A 410-metre circuit designed by French Karting World Champion David Terrien and part of the Sodi World Series – aka the world's largest go-kart ranking system. The fleet here is Sodikart RT10 karts with 270cc engines that'll hit 75 km/h. F1-style steering wheels, integrated screens (a Thai first) showing your lap times in real-time and patented Sodi tech that means you can absolutely hammer corners without losing grip. Low centre of gravity equals confidence for days. For those bringing someone who's less speed-demon, more nervous passenger, the 2Drive two-seater karts let you ride together – French-made, beginner-friendly, still thrilling. Safety-wise, it's international standard all the way: shock-absorbing barriers, digital flag systems, the works. And once you’re done, your results get emailed straight to you, ideal for a little light bragging over faster lap times. Come evening and the immersive LED lighting turns the circuit into this glowing, neon-lit arena under the Bangkok skyline. Post-race, you can head to the rooftop lounge or grab a cocktail at the bar overlooking the neon-lit track, easily one of the most photogenic in the city. Location: 1087/170 Thanon Phetchaburi, Makkasan, Ratchathewi (near Central Chidlom)

Bangkok's first air-conditioned go-kart track is up on the fourth floor of Siam Discovery, so you're indoors with climate control the whole time – which is nice when you remember what Bangkok feels like in the middle of the day. Playerbox does electric karting, but they've also got arcade games, VR setups and – this is quite fun – Mario Kart simulators where you sit in actual karts and play the game (up to six players simultaneously!). The indoor E-Gokart track features Segway-Ninebot electric karts with two speed settings: a gentle kid-friendly mode and a max-speed adult mode, making it genuinely suitable for families. Eight-minute sessions cost around B350 for the standard 24 km/h speed. Beyond karting, there's Digger Land (realistic mini excavators that kids absolutely lose their minds over), karaoke rooms and a game zone with PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and VR setups. Honestly, it's more of an entertainment complex than a pure karting venue, which makes it perfect for groups where not everyone's mad about racing – you can split up and reconvene after.  Location: 4/F, Siam Discovery, 194 Phaya Thai Road, Pathum Wan (BTS Siam)

Open 24 hours a day, every single day, so it can be the very  spot for late-night karting sessions when the rest of Bangkok has gone to bed. Located on Banthat Thong Road near Chulalongkorn University, this outdoor electric track runs Ninebot Gokart Pro karts that can hit 37 km/h across four adjustable speed modes: Novice (8 km/h), Standard (18 km/h), Sport (28 km/h) and Race (37 km/h). The karts are built on high-strength steel frames that support up to 100kg, with spoilers and protective bodywork that make them safer and more forgiving than traditional karts – perfect if you're bringing people who've never done this before. Kids' karts start from B300 for an eight-minute session, regular karts B350 and the faster Plus karts B650. Because it's electric, there's not really an engine roar, just the whoosh of tyres. The track itself is wide and beginner-friendly, though experienced drivers can still have a laugh pushing the limits. Being open round the clock is genuinely brilliant for shift workers and night owls. It's also very convenient if you're already in the area for the excellent food scene on Banthat Thong. Location: 187/27 Chula Soi 3, Banthat Thong Road, Wang Mai, Pathum Wan (near BTS National Stadium)

Thailand's first all-electric go-kart circuit, sprawled across 800 metres right by the iconic Lakeside at Impact Muang Thong Thani. They dropped B600 million to make this happen – importing 30 Sodi RTX electric karts from France that'll hit 60 km/h whilst staying whisper-quiet and completely emission-free. The track layout shifts regularly to keep things interesting and safety's taken seriously here with Tecpro polyethylene barriers – the same lightweight, impact-absorbing tech used on actual F1 circuits – instead of dodgy old tyre stacks. The electric karts are brilliant for beginners because they're dead easy to control compared to petrol engines. Seating, steering, pedals – everything adjusts instantly, so whether you're a kid (minimum 130cm tall, age 7+) or a full-grown adult, you'll find your groove. The vibe's relaxed but competitive, all about pure enjoyment rather than cutthroat lap times. Afterwards, there's Breeze Café and Bar overlooking the water for post-race decompression, plus you'll get discounts at nearby Novotel Bangkok Impact if you flash your Speed Park receipt. Sessions run around B650 for adults, B420 for kids. Location: Ban Mai, Pak Kret District, Nonthaburi (at Impact Muang Thong Thani Lakeside)

Billing itself as the largest indoor go-kart track in Bangkok (and possibly all of Asia), EasyKart on RCA is a proper petrol-powered experience that brings the noise, the smell and the visceral thrill of traditional karting to the second floor of RCA Plaza. This is where people who grew up watching Schumacher come to live out their fantasies, rain or shine. The track is technical with sharp corners and a long straight that separates the confident from the cautious, plus it's wide enough that you actually need to think about racing lines and overtaking strategies. There are three different kart sizes depending on your experience and nerve: 100cc for kids aged 7+, 160cc for regular drivers and 270cc beasts that top out at 60 km/h for the properly committed. Each eight-minute session costs between B500-600, with multi-race tickets valid for three months if you're planning to become a regular. The whole setup screams motorsport – full-face helmets and racing overalls are mandatory and included, four track marshals monitor safety and there's a viewing platform where friends can watch and take the mick. Upstairs there's a lounge with pool tables, table football and a bar, which makes it ideal for pre-clubbing warm-ups since it's right in the heart of RCA's nightlife strip.  Location: 31/11 RCA Plaza, 2nd Floor, Rama 9 Road, Bangkapi, Huai Khwang

An English lit professor's personal collection. Out in Pathum Thani, still soft launching, grass half-planted. If you're into a proper curated library setup though, it's worth the trek. What they're selling: English literature and academic texts, here and there of Thai books, especially scholarly stuff by the owner's academic friends, plus design books, graphic novels, art books, cookbooks, all those beautiful coffee table things people collect but never have space to display properly. It's essentially browsing someone's dream library. Message before you rock up – they're still setting things up. Also there are dogs. The owner calls them 'the real owners of the house' and they're big on the greeting committee, so if you're not a dog person, flag it when you message. Location: 82 Moo 11, Soi Phahon Yothin 64 Yaek, Khu Khot Subdistrict, Lam Luk Ka District, Pathum Thani

Multi-storey bookshop in Sathorn that does monthly themes because they're ambitious. Art books, novels, graphic novels, children's books – mix of Thai and English.  There's a reading library upstairs (heavy on Thai horror and thrillers, respect), workshop space, a piano you can actually play. They run discussion groups, host events, the whole community space thing. The cafe serves drip coffee and organic drinks.  Location: 572/3 Soi Sathon 3, Thung Maha Mek, Sathon, Bangkok

Started as a beloved indie bookshop in RCA with all the charm and none of the commercial backing because owner Tong (Pravit Phansawang) hated how expensive certain titles were – hundreds, thousands of baht just sitting there out of reach – and wanted to make quality reading actually accessible. Then reality hit. Financial challenges, the brutal economics of book retail, the usual story. Instead of packing it in completely, Tong integrated the bookshop into a restaurant called Hen Ok Hen Jai Ratchawat. So now their bio reads 'a restaurant that sells books (not a whole lot but we do)'. It's a hybrid situation – you're eating surrounded by books, the concept persists even if the business model had to adapt to survive. The selection's mostly Thai with occasional English titles, leaning literary and translated works. They publish stuff themselves too, better specs and lower prices than the overpriced editions that started this whole thing. Location: 544 Rama V Rd, Thanon Nakhon Chai Si, Dusit District, Bangkok

Three floors of secondhand English books that have been around since 2004. The wooden everything, the soft lighting, the way they've organised over 18,000 books by author so you can actually find stuff without losing your mind. The selection skews heavy on fiction but they've got decent French, German and even some Scandinavian titles too. The cafe situation is tiny but functional – grab something cold and settle in. The vibe makes up for it. The staff will buy back books at 50 per cent of the price you paid if you're done with them too. Location: 714/4 Sukhumvit Rd, Khlong Tan, Khlong Toei, Bangkok

Just when you thought Lisa couldn’t possibly squeeze anything else into her schedule, she’s gone and bagged herself a lead role in a Netflix Notting-Hill-style romantic comedy, according to sources. And yes, we’re absolutely holding out hope that Thailand might just sneak its way into the frame. Netflix dropped the news on February 5 that Lisa will star in an as- yet- untitled rom-com penned by Katie Silberman, the writer behind Set It Up and Booksmart. Translation: – this one’s going to be good. Lisa is also reuniting with David Bernad, the executive producer she bonded with on the set of The White Lotus season three, which, let’s not forget, was filmed right here on our gorgeous shores in Koh Samui, Phuket and Bangkok. Photograph: ShutterStock According to reports, the entire concept for the film was born during those six months of filming in Thailand. Lisa and Bernad apparently spent their downtime gushing over Notting Hill, the 1999 Julia Roberts classic about a famous actress falling for a regular bloke who runs a bookshop. They loved it so much they decided to create their own version, tapped Silberman to write it and now here we are. So the big question – will any of this film actually be shot in Thailand? Netflix is keeping plot details locked down tighter than a vault, but the inspiration tells us plenty. If they’re riffing on Notting Hill, we’re looking at a celebrity meets normie romance. And where better to set that than a country that’s already proven itself as

The Bangkok City Challenge blew up around luk thung singer Kratae Rsiam's track repping the capital's energy - a song that became the soundtrack as she and thousands of others posted videos in brightly coloured sabais thrown over jeans at Bangkok intersections and tourist spots across the city. The trend's hit millions of views, launched a challenge with over B200,000 in prizes and pulled in Thai influencers, actors and regular people all recreating the look. The sabai – a silk shawl about a foot wide, draped diagonally across one shoulder with the tail flowing behind – has been around for centuries. It came out of cultural exchange with Indian textiles and Southeast Asian traditions, worn historically by noblewomen and in royal courts. By the mid-20th century, it had settled into ceremonial use – classical dance performances, formal events, special occasions – rather than everyday wear. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nicole Nam (@nicolenamxo) So why pair it with denim? Because the mix is actually doing something interesting – and kind of necessary. What emerges is a visual language that holds two things at once: irreverence and respect, without either one cancelling the other out. It's not cosplay. It's definitely not pastiche. It's contemporary Thai identity sorting itself out in real time on social media – the kind of thing that happens when tradition finds room to breathe in everyday life again. And it's here because people want to act

There’s something deliciously cruel about realising you spent your twenties on the wrong person, isn’t there? Givēon knows it and he’s dragging those Long Beach heartbreaks straight to Bangkok. He peddles a particular kind of devastation as a singer – what many call velvet-smooth heartbreak, wrapped in a deep baritone. The seven-time Grammy-nominated R&B singer has announced his first ever Thai concert at UOB LIVE at EmSphere on Monday February 2 2026. It’s part of his Dear Beloved Tour, named after his second studio album Beloved, which dropped last July to critical praise and reached No. 8 on the Billboard 200. His breakthrough hit ‘Heartbreak Anniversary’ turned post-relationship misery into streaming gold and his new album Beloved continues mining that same vein. Tracks like ‘Twenties’ and ‘Rather Be’ explore the peculiar pain of wasted time and hindsight regret, all delivered in that signature baritone. Givēon told Rolling Stone that Beloved ‘was made live, so it’s made to be performed live’. He’s planning to bring strings, horns, background vocals and a full eight- to ten-piece band to create what he describes as a ‘movie-like world’ on stage. Bangkok has every sign that it will be part of that promise. Pricing and where to purchase Mastercard and Live Nation Tero member presales have ended. General tickets are now available at Thai Ticket Major in two price tiers (all standing): B2,500 and B3,200. Photograph: Live Nation Tero Event details Date: Monday February 2 202

You know that bit in the California rapper’s hit Taste where he’s ticking off cities? LA gets a taste, Miami gets a taste, then New York, Chicago, Houston and Portland get their shoutout. Well Bangkok's next on his worldwide roll – Ekamai to be exact. Photograph: salonedivita SALONE DI VITA’s hosting the whole thing with Hennessy behind it, launching their X.O La Carafe at the venue. So there's your excuse to feel fancy before inevitably losing all composure to ‘Rack City’.   The details:  When: Friday January 2 2026  Where: SALONE DI VITA, Sukhumvit 63 (Ekamai)  Reservations: LINE @salonedivita or call/WhatsApp +66 83 982 6262 Entry is table reservations only. No tickets sold.

Thailand just officially declared its native cat breeds a national symbol. Not metaphorically anymore, but cabinet-approved, stamped and sealed – these cats are now part of the kingdom’s official heritage. The fab five of Thai feline culture Suphalak Photograph: Maewboran A rare reddish-brown beauty that’s been prowling Thai soil for centuries. Pure native bloodlines are increasingly hard to find. Korat   Photograph: Veda Napha Naramit The silver-blue good luck charm. One of Thailand’s oldest breeds, traditionally given as gifts to bring prosperity and happiness. Siamese (or Wichienmaat)   Photograph: Elite Veterinary Care Perhaps the most famous globally, but thoroughly Thai at heart. Temple cats of ancient Siam, documented for over 700 years. Konja   Photograph: The Thai Cat Center The sleek black beauties with a rich history in Thai folklore. Native to the region and revered in traditional beliefs. Khao Manee   Photograph: Octavio.hgc Those stunning odd-eyed white cats that look like they're judging your life choices. Once exclusive to Thai royalty, they’re ancient symbols of good fortune. These cats have been padding around Thai homes, temples and manuscripts for centuries. There’s literally an ancient text called the Tamra Maew (basically a mediaeval cat encyclopaedia). They’re woven into local beliefs, good luck charms and cultural folklore – the whole nine lives, if you will. Why this matters (beyond the obvious cuteness factor) Sure, it sounds like the Thai

Your last call on a night out in Thailand might be pushed later into the night as Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is pushing hard to scrap the country’s alcohol-zoning rules, extend closing times to 4am nationwide and axe the ban on selling alcohol between 2pm and 5pm. If all goes to plan, these changes will roll out in January 2026. Right now, only certain licensed zones get to party past 2am: Silom, RCA and Ratchadaphisek in Bangkok, as well as hotspots like Phuket, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri and Ko Samui. Everyone else has to shut down at 2am, no exceptions. It’s a system that’s been criticised as outdated and a bit arbitrary. Many say why should geography determine when you can order another round? The proposed reforms would level the playing field. Instead of jumping through hoops to get entertainment venue licensing, all alcohol vendors could register directly with the Ministry of Interior as liquor outlets for that ‘simple, streamlined’ structure. The government’s motivation isn’t purely altruistic, of course. Extended hours and fewer restrictions are expected to pump up tourism-related numbers and generate hundreds of billions of baht in additional tax revenue.  Both the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Public Health have been tasked with figuring out the logistics of actually killing off these zoning regulations through ministerial channels. As mentioned, it’s early days, but if the cabinet thinks this is the way to go, Thailand’s hospitality industry (and anyone w

Halloween’s creeping up and the city’s got spooky activities lined up for this haunting season on every major soi (full lineup here). But before you reach for the witch’s hat or vampire cape, here’s a thought: why not dress up as Bangkok itself – its beloved faces, its everyday heroes, its homegrown icons? Bangkok has more personality in one street corner than most places have in their entire downtown. It’s colourful, unpredictable and iconic, so wear that energy on your sleeve, literally. Be the one at the party who thought outside the box, or in this case, outside Chatuchak’s costume stalls. Here’s some inspo to get you started: Tuk-tuk  Photograph: TAT Start strong with a local icon. Go DIY by grabbing a large cardboard box, paint it that unmistakable blue and red combo, strap it around your waist. Throw on a short-sleeved button-up (bonus points if it’s slightly faded) and you can optionally layer a vest over it to give that motorbike jacket energy. Khaki or dark blue work trousers keep it authentic. Maybe tuck a mini Bangkok map in your pocket. Finish with worn trainers or sandals and, really important, a neck towel for that ‘I’ve been driving all day’ effect. What you need: Cardboard box, blue and red paint, short-sleeved button-up (any colour, faded preferred), dark vest, khaki or navy work trousers, folded map, neck towel. If Thailand could win Best National Costume at Miss Universe 2015 with a tuk-tuk, we’re betting hard you’ll win best dressed at your Halloween pa

Friday October 3, the very same day The Life of a Showgirl hits streaming, Sukhumvit 31 goes shimmering-naughty for Bangkok’s Swifties with a Nightify Bar Crawl: Taylor’s Version. The long night includes five crawl stops, three all-night sanctuaries and DrinkAid keeping watch in the backroom, which means every ticket comes with hangover support.   Photograph: nightifyth   The route:  Soho House – 5pm onwards Backstage energy. Listening party. Screening. Eras Tour atmosphere at maximum saturation. Peppina – 6.30pm-8pm Italian food with Taylor-inspired drinks. Special pricing on à la carte cocktails. Treehouse Cafe and Bar – 8pm-9.45pm Trivia warfare. Deep cuts. Lyrical forensics. Pin 31 – 10pm-10.45pm 10 percent off cocktails. Projections. DJ sets. OFTR – 11pm-late Live bands. Complimentary shots keeping momentum vertical. Afterparty. All-night sanctuaries: Luka Buy-one-get-one cocktails and Suntree beers. Taylor bingo rewarding album knowledge with shots. Kenny’s Set menu, drink specials, themed decor, Taylor soundtrack on loop. C.A.L.M. Live band covering her greatest devastations from 8pm-11pm. Outdoor seating, food, cocktails, stars overhead. Basically, you get: Taylor-coded cocktails and bites at every venue. Trivia that separates casual fans from vault-track scholars. Photo ops and projections turning walls into Taylor moodboards. Live bands reimagining her catalogue. DJs spinning remixes until dawn. Free DrinkAid to keep you going. Plus surprise discounts, shots and p

So, there’s a performative male contest happening at Thammasat Rangsit University on October 1, put together by @sl4y3rr.rika, @sapphostirical, @ingmaroan, @ptricica, speakableherb and the Toa Hin On (โต๊ะหินอ่อน) collective. It’s part of a bigger phenomenon that started in America, famously in Seattle, then San Francisco joined in. The events drew hundreds. Sponsors even stepped in, funny enough a matcha label. Then colleges got FOMO: Cornell, University of Florida, Memphis, Yale, everyone wanted their piece of the action. And now Bangkok’s being Bangkok: a city where all gender expressions feel natural, where global movements find fertile ground and grow into something distinctly Thai. And it’s happening at Thammasat Rangsit Campus, Thailand’s progressive intellectual institution, where student movements were born and never really stopped. The place practically runs on boundary-pushing. Always has. So when the winds of change blow through, Thammasat makes it matter.   Photograph: @sl4y3rr.rika, @sapphostirical, @ingmaroan, @ptricica, speakableherb and the Toa Hin On (โต๊ะหินอ่อน) collective The invitation post reads: ‘Everyone’s welcome! This is a lighthearted event organised by students. Come join us for fun and entertainment! P.S. Don’t forget to bring all your performative essentials – books, matcha latte, wired earphones, your favourite CD and any literature! See you Wednesday October 1 at the SC1 Hall.’ Still, the contest’s poster makes clear the matcha latte can’t b

Sony Pictures just handed one of their biggest rom-com properties to Thailand’s GDH. If you’re not familiar, this is the Bad Genius studio, the same house that got How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies Oscar-shortlisted for Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards. This Thai production powerhouse now claims 50 First Dates.   Photograph: GDH The 2004 Hollywood original is a pure amnesia romance. Drew Barrymore’s Lucy wakes up memory-wiped daily while Adam Sandler’s Henry relives the same courtship ritual. Love on permanent reset yet still choosing each other every sunrise. But in Thailand’s version, love rewinds in a whole new way: he forgets, she recalls.   Photograph: Sony Pictures The casting doubles down on surprises. Thai-born I-DLE’s Minnie Nicha leaps from K-pop stages to her first film role.    Photograph: min.nicha   Opposite her is Nadech Kugimiya, Thailand’s eternal heartthrob and box office guarantee, whose film Death-Whisperer 2 became the highest-grossing Thai film of all time in 2024, raking in B825 million.    Photograph: kugimiyas   Behind the camera is Mez Tharatorn, whose credits include co-writing How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies as well as hits like The Little Comedian, The Con-Heartist and I Fine… Thank You… Love You.   Photograph: Content Thailand   Since the announcement, everyone’s talking about cultural translation. GDH rarely does shallow remakes and we already see them reshaping the core story. What changes whe

Moo Deng’s first birthday bash has come and gone. Over four days, 28,890 local and international visitors flooded Khao Kheow Open Zoo to celebrate this basin baby. Photograph: Khamoo and the gang They carved her a cake from earth’s bounty. A fruit-and-veggie cake was sculpted for the birthday girl herself.  Photograph: Khamoo and the gang Then Moo Deng rang in her first year with a birthday shower that gave us a chaotic, wet-floor ballet.  Photograph: Khamoo and the gang Next came the first-ever official Moo Deng Coin by B.Leila, a collectible currency crafted for the Wildlife Sponsorship Programme. Photograph: Khamoo and the gang As the confetti settles, the zoo offers its star resident (and us) the ultimate grand gesture: a rebrand of the Khao Kheow Open Zoo’s Hippo Village. Plans are still under wraps but teaser visuals appeared on the zoo’s Facebook page, causing fans to swoon in the comments: ‘So pretty, just like Moo Deng,’ said one. ‘Hey, Moo Deng, let me know when it’s finished so I can visit often,’ said another. Post-birthday, her keepers wrapped it up with heartfelt words on Facebook: ‘The event’s wrapped up – thank you to everyone who came to see Moo Deng! And to the international fans who flew in from all over the world. We never thought people would cross oceans just to see a hippo standing in a basin.’ And that’s our girl, closing out her first chapter. This went from a full-blown zoo celebration to an international spectacle, with fans crossing oceans

Chut thai where ‘chut’ cuts straight to the bone, meaning ‘outfit.’ But peel back the surface and you're staring into centuries of textile artistry and encoded culture.  From the Dvaravati to the Srivijaya eras, spanning the sixth to thirteenth centuries, the wrap skirt was designed to move with the monsoon and with meaning. It’s fashion, function, faith and flirtation, all woven into one. You could trace it back to a story told in homegrown silk and the ancient trade routes that pulse through Thailand’s past.  For women, there’s the ‘pha nung’ and its cousin ‘pha sinh’. From North to South, each province translates climate and spirit into their chuts. Mountain communities speak different textile languages from coastal cities.  Then in 1964, Queen Sirikit unveiled chut thai ‘phra ratcha niyom,’ a polished royally endorsed national costume. The men’s suea phraratchathan followed in the late 1970s, rooted in that Raj-pattern legacy with modern grace. Now the story moves forward: UNESCO recognition. Thailand aims to immortalise the artistry behind its national costume, the know-how, craftsmanship and rituals, by seeking a place on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list, with evaluation set for 2026. This nomination is part of a larger cultural preservation effort, an ever-growing vault of 396 relics and rituals already safeguarded as national heritage, with Muay Thai and Songkran circling close by.  The proposal weaves a story of shared heritage and mutual respect, threaded