The best things to do in Bangkok this weekend (July 23-26)

Streaming services are great until you realise that half the films you want never make it onto them. That’s part of the appeal of the Taiwan Documentary and Film Festival in Thailand, which returns for its eighth edition with more than 17 documentaries and narrative features screening across Bangkok and Khon Kaen. The festival has become a fixture for audiences drawn to contemporary Taiwanese cinema and thoughtful non-fiction. The full programme is here, while early speculation points to the  possible return of Ang Lee’s much-loved Father Knows Best Trilogy – three sharp, deeply human portraits of family life rarely seen on local cinema schedules.

July 22-24. Free entry. House Samyan and Century The Movie Plaza Sukhumvit.

The OKMD National Knowledge Center is still wrapped in scaffolding on Ratchadamnoen Klang Road, but it is already asking Bangkokians to help shape what comes next. Letter for Later invites you to write two notes. One, addressed to your future self, stays sealed and returns to your doorstep in three years, ready for a reality check from 2029. The other, written for future generations, joins a public exhibition when the centre opens, capturing a snapshot of everyday hopes, worries and life in 2026. Participation is free. Pick up a pen, seal your envelopes and leave them at one of five Letter Stations: TK Park on the eighth floor of centralwOrld; Taiban in Hua Lamphong; Rimkhobfabooks Bookstore in Bang Phlat; Midsummer Cafe & Roastery on Song Wat; or A BOOK with NO NAME in Samsen. You can also submit online until September 20.

Now-September 20. Free entry. Five Letter Stations across Bangkok and online.

Gracie Abrams fans have a new Bangkok pilgrimage. To mark the release of her third album, Daughter From Hell, BONCI has given its café a temporary makeover with artwork inspired by the singer and a menu borrowing names from the record. Order a charcoal-topped Hit the Wall coffee, caffeine-free Look at My Life, fizzy ume plum drink Good Reason or Daughter From Hell dark beer cake. Limited-edition cup sleeves inspired by the album’s tracks are also up for grabs while stocks last. Even if you only stop by for an afternoon coffee, expect fans comparing favourites and taking photos between sips.

Now-July 31. Free entry. BONCI. 10am-6pm

Bangkok rewards anyone willing to slow down, and Charoen CITYZEN: Charoen Edition is a fine excuse to spend a day wandering Talat Noi and Charoen Krung. Pick up a CITYZEN ID and journal, then follow a self-guided route connecting neighbourhood cafés, old-school eateries, galleries and family-run shops. Stop for a bowl at Kway Teow Roo Talat Noi, grab a scoop from Rice9 Gelato, linger over coffee at Sunset Coffee Roasters or browse Jittawilai Photo Studio, collecting stamps as you go. A small art exhibition, surprise DJ sets and a lucky draw add a little extra, but the real pleasure is getting to know one of Bangkok’s most characterful neighbourhoods at street level.

July 24-30 (closed Monday). Free entry. The Corner House. 11am-7pm 

Singapore’s best-known design-led pop-up event finally arrives in Bangkok. After spending more than two decades championing emerging designers and small creative businesses through Boutiques Singapore, founder Charlotte Cain brings the concept overseas for the first time with Boutiques Asia: The Bangkok Edition 2026 at ICONSIAM.

Across three days, more than 120 brands from Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, South Korea and Japan set up shop inside the riverside mall, many appearing in Thailand for the first time. Expect menswear, womenswear, accessories, beauty products, homeware and food concepts, plus more than 70 exclusive launches and limited-edition releases.

Singapore names likely to draw attention include leather goods studio Tow Tow, unisex apparel label GRAYE, artisanal footwear maker Palola and accessories brand Talking Toes. Elsewhere, Industry+ stages its ‘No Boundaries’ exhibition, bringing together collectible works by Multistandard, Anon Pairot Studio, Studio Act of Kindness, Critiba, Karyn Lim and Dai Sugasawa. Supported by Enterprise Singapore, the event reflects the growing exchange between creative communities across Asia, with Bangkok a fitting first stop outside its home city.

July 24-26. B160 for a one-day pass and B450 for a three-day pass. Grab your tickets here. 7th floor, ICONSIAM. 10am-8pm

Note: Under-12s go free. KTC or SCB CardX holders get 25 percent off.

Peru's Independence Day falls on July 28, and Bar.Yard at Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok marks the occasion with five days of food, music and plenty of pisco. Visiting chef Julio César Concha Muñoz has curated a menu inspired by the dishes he grew up with, giving Bangkok diners a taste of Peruvian favourites without leaving the city. Expect fresh ceviche in several forms, including ceviche clásico, ceviche carretillero and tiradito al ají amarillo, followed by traditional sweets such as suspiro a la limeña and alfajores. Pair your meal with a classic pisco cocktail, available throughout the month, and settle in for an evening celebrating one of South America’s great food cultures.

July 24-28. Free entry. Bar.Yard at Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok. 5pm-1am

PUN returns to the stage with The Space Between Dream and Dawn – Comeback Show, his first live performance since completing his ordination. Picking up where MUSEUM OF SOMNIA – An Embodied Music Experience left off, the concert revisits the songs and stories that shaped the project while opening a new chapter. PUN oversees every detail, from the setlist and narrative to the staging, lending the evening a distinctly personal touch. Tickets are reserved for visitors who attended the MUSEUM OF SOMNIA exhibition with either a One-time Pass or Four-times Pass, making this a rare reunion with the fans who have followed the journey from the start.

July 25-August 8. B299-1,299 via here. centralwOrld LIVE. 11am-10pm

Pride Month may be over, but the conversation doesn’t end with the last parade. Beyond the Rainbow spends two days at TUFF Bar exploring queer lives through film, performance, workshops and open discussions, with a programme that values lived experience over polished slogans. Organised by Little Light Lab and independent collaborators, it gives people  space to share stories, learn new skills and meet others across a packed weekend. More than a cultural gathering, the event asks who gets remembered, whose voices are preserved and why everyday experiences deserve a place in the public record long after the rainbow flags come down.

July 25-26. B150-250 via here. TUFF Bar. 11am-11pm

The famous duo from England, HONNE return to Bangkok as a major stop on their 10 Year Anniversary Tour,  bringing ‘Day 1’, ‘Location Unknown’, ‘No Song Without You’ and the rest of the heart-on-sleeve catalogue back to the city. Anyone who caught them last year will know this is one for the calendar, but word from recent shows suggests a more intimate turn this time, with stripped back moments and a warmer, more reflective delivery. From ‘Warm on a Cold Night’ to ‘Love Me / Love Me Not’, expect a decade-spanning set built for big feelings and phone-torch singalongs.

July 25-26. B2,800-6,900 via here. KBank Siam Pic-Ganesha Theatre. 4pm

Monster Music Festival returns for its fifth edition with another marathon weekend of live music, bringing some of Thailand's biggest names under one roof. The first line-up is already packed with crowd favourites: Big Ass, Bowky Lion, Ink Waruntorn, Jeff Satur, Taitosmith, Three Man Down and YOUNGOHM are confirmed across two days, with more than 100 additional acts still to be announced. Expect long afternoons rolling into late-night headline sets, backed by bigger production and large-scale visuals. If your calendar has room for only one major music festival, this is an easy contender.

July 25-26. B2,500 via here. Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. From 1pm

Weekends are easier to plan when brunch comes with something extra. Every Saturday this July, Seenspace teams up with Hello Flashback for a laid-back afternoon of food, drinks and hands-on activities. Try flower arranging or a photo-frame workshop, or simply settle in with a cocktail and watch Thonglor drift by. On July 25, Roadlaan Runclub stops in for a post-run meet-up, offering a good excuse to swap running shoes for brunch. It’s walk-ins only, so turn up, grab a table and stay as long as you like.

Every Saturday. Free entry. Seenspace. 1pm-5pm

Book festivals tend to occupy convention centres and exhibition halls. Bangkok Book District Fest takes another route. Returning for its second edition, it spreads across Phan Fa, Wang Burapha, Fueang Nakhon, Sao Chingcha, Tha Tien and Nang Loeng, encouraging visitors to explore some of the city’s oldest neighbourhoods one bookshop at a time. More than ten independent bookstores take part, each offering carefully chosen titles and plenty of opportunities to meet the people behind the shelves. Past editions have featured second-hand book markets, reading walks and outdoor literary gatherings at Rommaninat Park, where visitors settled beneath the trees with novels, notebooks and iced coffees. 

July 25-26. Free entry. Phra Nakhon District. 9am-6pm

For one evening, Lumphini Hall returns to its original role as a social dance hall, with live big band music filling a room that has welcomed generations of dancers. Expect couples gliding across the wooden floor, familiar standards from the Bangkok Music Division and spectators clapping along from the sidelines. Dust off those dress shoes or favourite evening outfit, arrive early for a table near the action and settle in as daylight fades through the tall windows. By early evening, the dance floor usually takes care of the rest.

July 26. Free entry. Lumphini Hall. 5pm

Streaming can wait. Bangkok Kunsthalle’s Sunday Cinema makes a strong case for watching films the old-fashioned way: in a dark room with strangers, followed by the quiet walk home. Curated by Rosalia ‘Namsai’ Engchuan, the fortnightly programme takes over the Screening Room inside the former Thai Wattana Panich printing house on Charoen Krung, where exposed walls and industrial details recal the building’s past. The line-up ranges from modern classics to acclaimed contemporary titles, including 2046, Drive My Car and Perfect Days, alongside Thai favourites such as Forever Yours and The Village Boss. Screenings are free, begin at 5.30pm and require advance booking, with intentionally limited seating.

Selected Sundays. Free entry; reserve via here. Bangkok Kunsthalle Screening Room. 5.30pm

Cloud 11 launches a new series exploring the roots of Thai creativity, beginning with northern Thailand. Toob North brings Chiang Mai cooks, coffee roasters, ceramicists and community groups to Bangkok for a celebration of the region's food, craft and creative traditions. Expect fragrant khao soi, freshly brewed coffee, handmade pottery and conversations with the people behind them. 

Exhibitions, workshops and talks across the fifth floor explore three themes –  Living Land, Human Hand and Inner North – linking local landscapes, traditional skills and everyday life. 

July 16 to August 3. Free entry. Cloud 11. 10.30am-8.30pm