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Bangkok’s social calendar gets crowded once the cool season rolls round, but one date stays circled for locals and expats alike – the Ploenchit Fair. Yes, it raises money for charity, though most visitors simply come for a cracking day out. The 69th edition returns to Bangkok Patana School on Saturday November 21.
Come hungry. Food vendors serve dishes from around the world, shoppers browse market stalls and youngsters queue for rides and fairground games. Bands fill the main stage, and the Grand Raffle draw keeps thousands of visitors hanging on until the final number is called. The name comes from the fair's first home in 1957, the grounds of the British Embassy on Ploenchit Road.
Proceeds go to the British Community in Thailand Foundation for the Needy (BCTFN), which backs grassroots education and healthcare projects in underserved areas. The event's running total stands at more than B70 million. Last year, the money funded medical check-ups for 730 kindergarten children and vocational training for 250 women, plus upgraded classrooms, meals and childcare for 300 pupils and their families. This year's partners include the Bright Dawn Foundation, which runs health programmes in rural schools, the Thailand Hilltribes Education Project and the Christian Care Foundation for Children with Disabilities.
‘The fair is simply a great day,’ says BCTFN president Derek Stamp. ‘Come with friends, bring the kids, eat good food, enjoy the entertainment. The fundraising happens naturally when people are having fun together.’
Fair enough. Early-bird entry on Ticketmelon costs B200 for adults and B100 for anyone aged 12 and under, a third off the usual price, as long as you book before October 31. Parking is tight, so take the BTS to Bang Na, where a free shuttle has run in past years.
The Ploenchit Fair is at Bangkok Patana School on Sat Nov 21. Companies keen to get involved can contact the organising committee through the website.