Bangkok City Library

Attractions | Libraries, archives and foundations
Rattanakosin
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Tuesday July 18 2017

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Written by Gail Piyanan

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Time Out says

In 2013, Bangkok was named the World Book Capital by UNESCO. To honor the distinction, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) came up with nine initiatives to continue on promoting the culture of reading among Bangkokians. One of them is the 296-million-baht Bangkok City Library on Ratchadamnoen Road.

Refurbished with respect to the original building’s neoclassical structure, Bangkok City Library provides a massive 4,880-sqm reading space over three floors. The first floor welcomes visitors with new books, magazines and newspapers as well as a 30-seat theater, coffee shop and tourist information booth. Books and media for kids find a home on the mezzanine. Here, cozy corners are provided for parents and children spending time together over a favorite title. Books in foreign languages can be found on the second floor, where a multi-purpose event space and a study room have also been installed. The uppermost level is home to volumes about the Thai royal family and royal initiatives, as well as rare publications donated by foreign embassies.

Currently, there are over 40,000 books classified under the Dewey decimal classification system, together with more than 1,000 e-books that are accessible from the library computers. Free WiFi is offered so you can bring your laptop to access all online resources.

Please note that parking is not available.

Details

Address: 39; Bangkok City Library; Ratchadamnoen Klang road; Bangkok

Price:: Free entry, annual membership fees B25/adult, B5 to 15/child, available for Thai citizens with valid ID and house registration only

Opening hours:: Tue-Sat 08:00-21:00, Sun 09:00-22:00

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What’s on

Roll dice with strangers at TK Park's city-wide board game sessions

TK Park takes a wider approach this year, spreading its board game gatherings across Bangkok. Working with the Institute of Board Games for Learning and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, the idea feels simple: create space for people to meet, play and think together. Sessions run on the third Sunday of each month across 12 learning libraries, each one offering a slightly different crowd. April sits on chance, with dice-led games setting the tone for Songkran. Expect titles like King of Tokyo, Sagrada and Camel Up, alongside a few lesser-known picks. Wins come and go quickly, but the real appeal sits in the conversations between turns, where strangers settle into something resembling familiarity. April 19. Free. The Bangkok City Library, 11am-3pm

Apr 19, 2026