9 best things to do in Bangkok at night if you’re not into partying

Located on the sixth floor of Piman 49, this painting studio-slash-bar allows you to unwind, unleash your inner artist, and get tipsy at the same time. Paintbar Bangkok offers evening sessions from 7:30pm onwards where you can try your hand at recreating the night’s featured painting. Fee includes art materials and supplies, instruction and the canvas. The venue also serves a great selection of food and booze. Order a glass of Merlot with one their reasonably priced tapas. 

6/F Piman 49, 46/4 Soi Sukumvit 49, 08 1001 0849. Open Tue-Fri 14:00-22:30, Sat 10:00-22:30, Sun 10:00-18:00

Japanese-style baths are best enjoyed at night after a long and demanding day or week at work. Yonomori Onsen & Spa, located on Soi Sukhumvit 26, is open until midnight and covers all the bases when it comes to an authentic Japanese onsen experience. The water is sourced from the thermal springs of Wat Wangkanai, which is known for its detoxifying properties. The place is decked with bamboo trees, wood, and stone, and offers a variety of different baths, from a mineral water bath to a soda bath, to a cold bath, and more. The facilities also include a steam and sauna room, and massage rooms. 

120/5 Soi Sukhumvit 26, 0 2259 5778. Open daily 09:00-24:00

There are a good number of these shops in the city but Sheldon Space in Ekkamai is the only one that’s open around the clock. There are heaps of board games to choose from, including role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons, and wacky card game Exploding Kittens. Sheldon Space also has PS4 and Nintendo Switch for video gamers, and a big screen projector for sports fans to watch live games and matches. Drinks and snacks are also available.

267/16 Soi Sukhumvit 63, 08 2586 5170

After a crazy day dealing with deadlines, nothing quiets the soul like walking through a gallery and admiring beautiful pieces of art in peace. Bangkok, surprisingly, has a handful of galleries that are open until midnight or past, such as the two-story Sathorn 11 Art Space, which is dedicated to fine-art exhibitions, and Jam, a space that hosts cool street-art shows, art talks, and even indie movie nights. In the Sukhumvit area, you have Goja, a minimalist space set in an old renovated shophouse. 

Sathorn 11 Art Space, 404 Soi Sathorn 11, 0 2004 1199. Open Tue-Sun 17:00-01:00
Jam, 41 Soi Rong Nam Kang (Charoen Rat Soi 1), 08 9889 8059. Open Tue-Sun 18:00-24:00
Goja, 5/45 Soi Pridi Banomyong 3. Open Wed-Mon 15:00-24:00 

If you’re dealing with insomnia or are just one of those people who have so much energy at night, then fitness centers that are open round the clock, like Jetts 24-Hour Fitness and Fitness24Seven, will be of benefit. These gyms come with full equipment and facilities, and even a private trainer until super late. But if you feel like playing sports, check out D-Sports Stadium atop Donki mall. The place is open until 3 am and has facilities for baseball, rock-climbing, and tennis. 

Jetts 24 Hour Fitness, Suanplern Market, 3654 Rama 4, 064 218 3387
Fitness24Seven, 1106 Sukhumvit Road, Phra Khanong, 06 2545 9921
D-Sports Stadium, Donki Mall Thonglor, 107 Soi Thonglor 10, 0 2077 9999. Open daily 10:00-02:00

Though lively music, and most likely alcohol, will be involved, a night at the karaoke bar will definitely be less chaotic than an evening in Soi Thonglor 10. One of the more popular and central karaoke spots is Karaoke Manekineko on the the fourth floor of Donki Mall. This family-friendly karaoke venue from Japan is open until three in the morning. Choose from a huge and varied selection that includes songs in English, Thai, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Indonesian and Malaysian. The smallest room can fit up to 5 people while the VIP room, which comes with a pool table, can host up to 30 people. 

Karaoke Manekineko, 4/F Donki Mall Thonglor, 107 Soi Thonglor 10, 0 2301 0905. Open daily 11:00-03:00 

Dark surrounds, laser beams, adrenaline-pumping music, competitive play—a game of laser tag is like clubbing, but not. You don’t walk around a club trying to “shoot” someone, for one, plus you don’t get to carry around all this cool gear. Yok Pok Ying Laser Games, ranked one of the biggest laser tag establishments in the world and the biggest in Asia, is open until 1 am. Unlike other laser tag establishments, you don’t wear a cumbersome vest here. Instead you slip on a headband that acts as your sensor.

244/7 Ratchadaphisek Road, 0 2087 3939. Open Fri-Sun 14:00-01:00, Mon-Thur 14:00-24:00 

Right in the middle of party central RCA is probably the only bookstore in Bangkok that’s open until midnight. The selection spans Thai literature and Thai-translated versions of international bestsellers. There’s even a cafe where you can grab small bites and lounge about while reading your new book. The second floor houses a gallery/co-working space while the third floor holds a bar area.

21/118, Royal City Avenue, Rama 9, 08 4654 3954. Open daily 10:30 - 24:00

If you have a pile of work to get done, pull up to the newest lifestyle mall Samyan Mitrtown, and check yourself into SAMYAN CO-OP, a multi-story co-working space that's open round the clock. The venue offers free wifi, sharing workstations, power outlets, meeting rooms, and the entry is free. Samyan Mitrtown also has many eateries that are  open 24/7 to cater to any late-night cravings such as Shabushi, KFC, Swensens, and Starbucks.

Samyan Mitrtown, 944 Rama IV Road. Open 24 hours