Time Out Bangkok

🌏 Discover the best of Bangkok with us. The best bits of Bangkok

21/08/2025

Following a similar campaign in Japan, Thailand’s Tourism and Sports Ministry plans to hand out 200,000 free domestic flight tickets to foreign arrivals. It’s a move that may delight tourists but leave some locals feeling sidelined. The initiative raises the question: should Thailand’s recovery hinge on chasing foreign wallets or on empowering its own people to rediscover their backyard? For now, the government’s bet is on outsiders but whether locals see this as an opportunity or an oversight could decide if the gamble truly pays off.

🔗 Read more: https://www.timeout.com/bangkok/news/fly-for-free-in-thailand-but-only-if-youre-a-foreigner-082125

21/08/2025

In full bloom across four rai of land, more than 60,000 golden-yellow cosmos are transforming Wachirabenchathat Park (Suan Rot Fai) into a glowing sea of sunshine in the heart of the megalopolis.

The field will be at its peak all throughout August 2025. The park opens daily from 4.30am to 9pm. This meadow sits inside Wachirabenchathat Park in Chatuchak, right next to Queen Sirikit Park, which makes it easy to turn a flower walk into a full city day – grab street food, browse Chatuchak Market or check in at a nearby cafe.
Catch it before you miss it; this tender bloom won’t last long.

🔗 Read more: https://www.timeout.com/bangkok/news/bangkoks-golden-hour-is-here-082125

21/08/2025

In 2009 the lights dimmed on the Bangkok International Film Festival and, for nearly two decades, nothing followed. What had once promised to place Thailand firmly on the global cinema map faded into memory, spoken of only in passing as a ‘what if’ in conversations about the city’s cultural ambitions.

Now, the festival returns from September 25 to October 15, with Bangkok once again welcoming audiences to discover stories from around the world. More than 200 films – from shorts to documentaries, animations to full-length features – will be shown, making this the largest film festival in Southeast Asia.

The official opening takes place on September 29 at Iconsiam’s Pinnacle Hall with the world premiere of Tee Yod 3, the latest chapter in a Thai horror saga already etched into pop culture. From there, screenings will spill across Siam Square at Major Cineplex, SF Cinema, House Samyan and Lido Connect, transforming the neighbourhood into a maze of moving images and restless conversations.

🔗 Read more: https://www.timeout.com/bangkok/news/bangkok-hosts-southeast-asias-largest-film-festival-082125

21/08/2025

Bangkok without street food is like som tam without the chilli: impossible to imagine. Our city’s smokey, chaotic food culture is why we’re ranked among the food cities in the world.

But big changes are simmering in the background. The BMA is cooking up the Big Mango’s first Hawker Centre, now under construction right beside Lumphini Park and set to open in early 2026. The space will host 176 vendors and be split into two shifts: a morning crew from 5am to 4pm and a night crew from 4pm to midnight

The idea is to give vendors a stable home, keep prices accessible and add a little more order to our messy food scene. Governor Chadchart is pushing for a safer, greener and more sustainable model – closer to Singapore’s approach. Whether this shift preserves the city’s street food magic or smooths out its rough edges, only time will tell. For now, we’ll keep munching skewers on the sidewalk and asking the ultimate Bangkokian question: can the city organise chaos without losing its flavour?

🔗 Read more: https://www.timeout.com/bangkok/news/bangkoks-first-hawker-hub-set-to-stir-lumphini-park-in-2026-082125

21/08/2025

For years, talking about local wine in Thailand felt like a secret. Small producers were silenced by strict laws, while big brands found loopholes. But a new era is pouring in, thanks to the marathon battle of small producers including Thai Wine Association and GranMonte Vineyard and Winery’ Mimi Lohitnavy.

Now, change is coming to the nation's alcohol laws and a voice is being given to the underdogs of Thailand’s craft scene. We sat down with Lohitnavy to hear the full story of her fight for freedom and how it could soon impact the self-censorship of your selfies.

🔗 Read more: https://www.timeout.com/bangkok/restaurants/the-grape-crusader

20/08/2025

Every August 19, the world pauses for International Photography Day. This year, we pause alongside Darkle, a headlining photographer behind the Capture Bangkok exhibition. This photo-film treat was shot exclusively with Canon cameras and lenses, with music and sound design by the man himself.

Photography has long been described as a kind of alchemy, an attempt to hold the fleeting, to pin down something that feels like soul in a single frame. Darkle’s work deepens that pursuit, not simply recording the present but probing its layers, searching for traces of what came before. What emerges feels less like documentation and more like a reincarnation – fragments returning in altered form, a ghost made visible.

Bangkok and Chinatown in particular, becomes both stage and spirit. After two decades there, he translates its strange currents – the silence, the energy, the pull of the unseen – into images that carry their own quiet gravity.

As today marks the final day of the Capture Bangkok exhibition, we want to extend our thanks to the sponsors and partners who made it possible – Canon, Coca-Cola and LG – and to The Corner House Bangkok for providing such a beautiful space to host the show.

We don’t yet know what our next project will be, but we can’t wait to share it with our wonderful audience and hope to see you there.

20/08/2025

The monsoon has its own plans this weekend – rain teased, held back, then arrived without warning. Navigating puddles becomes a small dance, a mix of rhythm and spontaneity. The order of arrival matters little; it’s the moments themselves – brief, bright, insistently alive – that make it worth stepping out.

🔗 Read more: https://www.timeout.com/bangkok/things-to-do/things-to-do-in-bangkok-this-weekend

20/08/2025

From the front rows of fashion to the front lines of recovery, Bangkok's Taylor Srirat is sparking a conversation that's long overdue. His podcast, ‘House of TayTay’, pulls back the curtain on drug addiction and sobriety in a way few in Asia have dared.

A Columbia grad who's been sober for eight years, Taylor isn't just talking – he's building a community for those who feel unheard. It's raw, honest and absolutely essential listening.

🔗Read more: https://www.timeout.com/bangkok/art/meet-the-host-of-bangkoks-bravest-podcast

19/08/2025

Out with the train schedules, in with the swing tunes! For one night only, Hua Lamphong Railway Station transformed into the city’s most spectacular ballroom for 'Step into Swing Vol. 2'. Dancers of all levels took over the neo-classical hall, bringing incredible energy and vintage vibes to this iconic landmark.

Big thanks to photographer for for swinging into the action and catching these magic moments.

19/08/2025

Turns out, Bangkok has main character energy.

Our city was just crowned the best in the world for the under-30 crowd, so we hit the street to ask you, ‘what makes a city a vibe for Gen Z’?

The reasons might surprise you (it's not just about the mango sticky rice!). Warning: Gen Z slang ahead – try not to feel old!

19/08/2025

Just before her performance, Lisa, Thai superstar and BLACKPINK member, met Louk Golf, popular English tutor and founder of Angkriz English Academy. He gave her a hand-woven bamboo fan inscribed with ‘Ruay Nat’ – southern Thai for ‘super rich.’

Lisa has a knack for turning the ordinary into global trends – remember Labubu, the art toy brand that went viral after she was spotted with one? This fan could be next, showing how cultural charm can travel far and even shine a light on local makers.

It comes from Dasdnn, a quirky Songkhla shop founded by four creatives. Styled like an old-school general store, it celebrates the beauty of everyday things with the motto ‘Something that is so common.’

The bamboo fan is already sold out, but you can preorder through @ดาษดื่น.

🔗 Read more: https://www.timeout.com/bangkok/news/lisa-picks-up-a-fan-and-everyone-wants-one-081825

18/08/2025

Ever wondered what it would be like if a recording studio turned into a bar? That’s the vibe at REC., the new nightlife spot inside Athenee Tower. With vinyl touches, moody lighting and DJs setting the rhythm, it feels like stepping into a rehearsal room. The menu plays along too, pairing classic cocktails with musical eras and mixing up signatures inspired by iconic songs. This isn’t a place to sit still, it’s where the energy stays high and the night keeps moving.

🔗 Read more: https://www.timeout.com/bangkok/bars/rec