Kaweewat Siwanartwong

June rolls in like a rush of neon, sequins and unapologetic joy – Pride is back, loud and proud. But this year carries a weight beyond the usual glitter and dancefloor confessions. Thailand marks its first legal recognition of same-sex marriage, a milestone decades in the making and a quiet revolution writ large across the city’s streets. Over 200,000 people will flood Bangkok, a tidal wave of colour and defiance, each step a statement, each flag a banner of hard-won freedom. The parade isn’t just a party – it’s a procession of resilience, love and history colliding in the most spectacular way. Photograph: Bangkok Pride From the wildest drag to the quietest moments of solidarity, this celebration stretches beyond surface-level exuberance. It’s the culmination of years spent fighting for recognition, for rights, for a space to simply exist without compromise. Bangkok’s roads become a runway of belonging, a stage for every story, every identity, every fierce truth. More than just a date on the calendar, this Pride is a declaration that love – unfiltered, untamed, in all its forms – finally has a home here. While the Bangkok Pride parade remains the highlight, the city hums with other LGBTQ+ events both before and after, making sure the celebration stretches well beyond a single day. So read on – there’s much more to discover. Photograph: Bangkok Pride When is Bangkok Pride? On Sunday June 1, Bangkok’s Pride parade returns to Rama I Road, transforming the city’s commercial s

Now the month turns its final page and May, with all its declarations of love, defiance and glitter, begins to exhale. Pride looms – not as an afterthought but as a culmination – and Bangkok, ever shapeshifting, readies itself for one last luminous stretch. This weekend, the city doesn’t just pulse, it parades. Colour floods concrete, sequins meet sweat, and strangers become allies beneath a sun that seems to hang a little lower, as if to listen. If you’ve not yet had your fill of fantasy, Naruto The Gallery offers a portal back to the fever-dream afternoons of adolescence – where shinobi ran wild and destiny was drawn in ink. It’s nostalgia dressed as canon, and for some, a pilgrimage. At Bar Temp., the bass deepens. Detour’s First Anniversary lands with intention, marking the occasion by giving centre stage to Loa Szala – a long overdue recalibration of who gets to command a room after midnight. Flanked by DJ Zombie and Takky, the night feels more like a statement than a celebration. Come next, Vinyl Wonder turns the dial. It’s all needle and groove, crates and cravings. Limited pressings are pored over like relics, DJs stretch out stories in sets stitched together from hiss and heartache, and collectors swap secrets between bites and bargains. It’s not loud, but it lingers. And above it all, Bangkok Pride Parade unfolds like a fever dream with a spine. Not just a march but a mirror – held up to a city still learning how to love out loud. Whatever your tempo, the weekend do

Bangkok may be a whirlwind of energy, but it’s also home to some of the world’s most transformative spas. If the chaos of the city has you feeling frazzled, consider this your invitation to unwind in style. From traditional Thai massages to signature treatments that pamper you from head to toe, these serene sanctuaries know exactly how to melt away stress and leave you feeling like a brand-new version of yourself.

Let me confess right from the start, when the opportunity came to interview Saran Yen Panya – Thai craftsman, storyteller and creative director of 56 Studio, known for turning the mundane and the ugly into something fabulously chic – I was a little nervous. In the design world, he’s practically folklore, widely recognised by anyone even remotely in the scene. And me? My design experience is, quite literally, zero. Or perhaps at best, poetic appreciation. So sitting down with someone who spins everyday banality into cultural commentary felt… daunting. I first encountered his name in Songkhla Old Town, courtesy of a mischievous little bar titled Grandpa Never Drunk Alone (cool, right?). I’d never met the man, yet the design – instinctive, odd, quietly brilliant – struck me like a late‑night revelation. Fast‑forward and I’m on a video call, notebook poised, interviewing him for Time Out about his creative journey, Bangkok’s art ecosystem and how he reads the city’s pulse today. Saran doesn’t just call himself a storyteller. He also self-identifies as an underdog – a term loaded with defiance, humility and honesty. His worldview, personal history, social observations and even taste all stem from a place of being second-guessed – and rising anyway. Photograph: Saran Yen Panya   The three eras of Saran There’s a pleasing symmetry to how Saran narrates his life’s work: three clear-cut eras, each a slightly altered shade of the last. He calls it ‘evolving, not reinventing,’ which f

From stomach-filling Western classics to quick Thai favourites, here’s our list of places you can fill up for the day.  RECOMMENDED: The best new restaurants that opened this year   Discover, book and save at hundreds of top restaurants in Bangkok with Grab Dine Out.

Bangkok’s dining scene never ceases to impress with new restaurants constantly adding fresh energy to the city’s vibrant food landscape. While elegant fine dining establishments often steal the spotlight with their refined menus and impeccable presentation, casual eateries play an equally important role in shaping the city’s culinary identity. From bustling street-side stalls to trendy bistros, these spots capture the capital’s lively spirit through bold flavours, creative concepts and inviting atmospheres. If you’re planning a romantic evening for two, a laid-back family dinner or even a solo food adventure, there’s no shortage of exciting options. The city’s diverse culinary landscape continues to expand, offering everything from Cantonese and French delicacies to comforting Burmese dishes. Whether you’re drawn to modern fusion cuisine or timeless classics, there’s always something new to discover. Discover, book and save at hundreds of top restaurants in Bangkok with Grab Dine Out.

If you're the sort of person who slows down at a half-painted wall or feels personally attacked by a good curation, Bangkok will keep you busy. The city’s art scene isn’t just thriving – it’s sprawling, unpredictable and, at times, gloriously chaotic. From white-cube galleries tucked inside half-renovated shopfronts to sprawling museum halls and street corners where murals seem to bloom overnight, there’s no singular way to experience it all – and frankly, no point in trying. Alongside permanent collections and galleries are artist-run spaces and community-led studios with more personality than polish, where work is hung with nails, not pretension. Add to that a packed calendar of temporary exhibitions – changing faster than most people can update their weekend plans – and you’ll find yourself wandering into corners of the city you didn’t know existed, just to catch a film screening or a giant sculpture on Sanam Luang. And yes, it’s a lot. Too much, maybe. But that’s hardly a complaint. If anything, it's a reminder that Bangkok’s cultural life isn’t waiting for permission – it’s already happening, with or without you. We’re just here to help you keep up. Make time to wander through these exhibitions – and while you're out, take in the rest of what Bangkok has lined up this weekend. Below, you’ll find all of the free art and photography exhibitions happening in the city right now, but that’s not everything: don’t miss out on the things to do on the weekend right here. Enjoy. S

  April has arrived, marking the official start of summer. With the city’s parks and streets taking on new life, the cultural scene is also awakening. Museums and galleries across the city are gearing up for exciting exhibition openings, offering fresh and inspiring experiences for art lovers. As the temperatures rise, why not seek refuge in a cool gallery or museum? Bangkok boasts a wealth of world-class art and photography exhibitions, all available to explore without spending a satang. From contemporary photography to traditional artwork, there’s a variety of free exhibitions on offer throughout the city this month. Set aside some time to explore these exhibitions, and while you're at it, discover everything else Bangkok has to offer this weekend.Below, you’ll find all of the free art and photography exhibitions happening in the city right now, but that’s not everything: don’t miss out on the things to do on the weekend right here. Enjoy. RECOMMENDED:  The best things to do in Bangkok The best things to do this weekend  Bangkok’s best spots to live the art life Top spots to see street art

The days are getting brighter, the art is getting bolder and whether it’s genius or gibberish, Bangkok’s art scene is well worth the price of admission. The capital is becoming packed with things to do at incredible art galleries and museums, that span world-class contemporary collections and chic commercial spaces covering the classics to the avant-garde. We've rounded up the best shows in town, carefully sorting the masterpieces from the "disasterpieces" – because let’s be honest, not all art is created equal. Whether it's a bold new painting, a quirky installation or something that makes you wonder if you’re missing the point, we’ve got you covered. Who knows, you might even spot something that makes you say, “I could do that.” RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in Bangkok The best things to do this weekend  Top spots to see street art

In a city where heat clings to your skin long after sunset and the streets pulse with the endless thrum of tuk-tuks and techno, Bangkok’s nightlife doesn’t so much invite you in as drag you by the collar. Every weekend, its dancefloors swell with a crowd that seems plucked from the pages of a street style blog – sequins, sunglasses and a studied sense of nonchalance. But past the queue-snaking clubs and glitter-drenched Instagram backdrops, there’s another scene unfolding. Underground. Off the beaten BTS track. Unapologetically strange, stylish and sonically driven. These clubs don’t just keep the lights on – they blaze a trail. Bangkok’s after-hours scene, in all its guises, continues to confound, delight and seduce. Whether you’re chasing beats in a basement or sipping bourbon under LED constellations, one thing is clear – sleep can wait. Whether it’s the old guard spinning vinyl in converted warehouses or sleek newcomers rewriting the rules of revelry, the Thai capital remains relentlessly restless. Here, a guide to some of the city’s most singular nights out – and the places hosting them. RECOMMENDED: Bangkok's best new bars in 2024

May arrives not with a bang, but a sigh – the kind that follows weeks of blistering heat. There’s rain, finally, though only just enough to soften the pavements and slow the city’s pulse. What remains is a delicate window, a rare pause, where culture rises to fill the gaps left by the sun. Making a stop in Bangkok, the 100% Doraemon and Friends Tour feels less like visiting an exhibition and more like entering a shared memory. A few train stops away, KAWS: Holiday Thailand offers a different kind of spectacle. Here, the 18-metre COMPANION figure reclines in public space like an interloper who’s overstayed his welcome. Playful, yes, but also unsettling – a glossy contradiction of scale and softness. Its presence is hard to ignore, yet just opaque enough to resist meaning. Meanwhile, Kyle Legacy - The King of Crowdwork trades polish for unpredictability. No script, no safe distance. It’s comedy as tightrope – part chaos, part charm – thriving on the discomfort of strangers turned spectators. Nothing rehearsed, everything vulnerable. Then comes grandeur. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers in Concert lands with orchestral force. Over a hundred musicians and a soaring choir channel Shore’s score into something almost transcendent. It’s not subtle, nor brief. But in a month like this – lush, strange, saturated – that’s exactly the point. If all that still leaves you twiddling your thumbs, we’ve rounded up the top happenings, late-night antics, curious pop-ups and oddball outings

When Time Out Bangkok released its first-ever digital cover, it didn’t scream for attention. No neon overlays, no overly filtered drama. Just a quiet, deliberate choice: film. Not as an aesthetic gimmick, but as a statement. Shot by STYLEdeJATE (Jate Pokmangmee) – co-founder of Fotoclub BKK and something of a household name in Bangkok’s analogue photography circles. In an age of instant everything, choosing to shoot on film is a refusal. A refusal of convenience, of perfection, of the compulsive need to edit life into something shinier than it is. It was, in many ways, the perfect medium for this moment. Photograph: STYLEdeJATE Behind the lens was a man who’s spent the last decade treating photography less like a trend and more like a language. Through Fotoclub BKK, Jate has been quietly building a space where the practice of image-making isn’t just preserved, but deeply felt – one 36-frame roll at a time. Photograph: Fotoclub BKK A click worth considering Our shoot, fittingly, was done entirely on film. Not for aesthetic posturing or vintage cosplay, but to say, plainly, ‘this still matters’. Analogue, with its grain and limitations, has crept back from the brink and is now quietly mounting a comeback. Not ironic, not retro – just right. ‘You only get 36 shots,’ Jate told me, without a hint of lament. You can’t go around pressing the shutter like it doesn’t cost anything. You have to think. And when you think, it becomes something else entirely. Photograph: STYLEdeJATE

Objects don’t speak, but they remember. They sit quietly in corners, slip into suitcases, cling to scent and touch. These pieces don’t shout – they murmur. Each one, whether burnished or threadbare, holds weight beyond its surface, shaped by hands long gone or still near. Some crossed borders tucked in coat linings, others gathered dust in untouched drawers. Together, they map stories of migration, memory and belonging. Here, sculpture steps in for language, texture for voice. The result is a space that doesn’t just display but listens – a room built not of walls but of objects that once made a place feel like more than shelter. Until Jul 7. Free. Archives Design, 11am-6pm  

The Bangkok Pride Parade doesn’t ask for permission – it arrives in full colour, full volume, full truth. What begins as a march quickly slips into something less definable: a shared pulse, a crowd that breathes as one. There are sequins and slogans, drag queens and aunties, toddlers on shoulders and lovers mid-kiss. It’s not just a spectacle, it’s a communion. Strangers lock eyes, dance, cry a little, laugh more. And underneath the glitter, there’s something heavier – resistance wrapped in celebration, pain stitched into banners held high. This year’s theme, Born This Way, lands less like a slogan and more like a quiet insistence: that identity isn’t constructed, it’s remembered. Here, difference isn’t tolerated or celebrated – it simply is, and that, somehow, feels revolutionary. Jun 1. Free. Register here. National Stadium, 11am onwards

Kangkao returns after its post-Songkran event, not so much with a bang as with a low, deliberate throb. The kind of night that doesn’t need fanfare – it just slips into the calendar like it never left. This time, the roster reads like a quiet provocation. Wada Yosuke, known for precision and depth, threads tension through rhythm without ever breaking a sweat. Torau follows, all restraint and murky euphoria, while Mo leans into textures that feel both strange and seductive. Jakrin rounds things off, blurring lines between control and collapse. It’s less a reunion than a reset – no big declarations, just a room, a system and a handful of selectors trusted to stretch time until everything else falls away. May 31. B700 via here and B800 at the door. Trinity Mall 1, 9pm onwards

To mark the 20th anniversary of Naruto, 54 Entertainment, in partnership with SL Experiences, presents Naruto The Gallery – an immersive exhibition that invites fans to explore the intertwined fates of Naruto and Sasuke. With seven meticulously curated zones, visitors journey through key moments, from their childhood in Konoha to their fated reunion during the Fourth Great Ninja War. The exhibition is not just a walk down memory lane, though. It showcases original storyboards, character designs and unforgettable anime scenes that reveal the heart of the series. Highlights include a stunning diorama of Hidden Leaf Village, a tribute to iconic quotes and an exclusive collaboration with five emerging Japanese artists. It’s a celebration of the anime’s legacy, full of surprises for fans both old and new. May 31-Jul 31. B250-450 via here. Free for kids below four years old. River City Bangkok, 10am-8pm

To mark the 20th anniversary of Naruto, 54 Entertainment, in partnership with SL Experiences, presents Naruto The Gallery – an immersive exhibition that invites fans to explore the intertwined fates of Naruto and Sasuke. With seven meticulously curated zones, visitors journey through key moments, from their childhood in Konoha to their fated reunion during the Fourth Great Ninja War. The exhibition is not just a walk down memory lane, though. It showcases original storyboards, character designs and unforgettable anime scenes that reveal the heart of the series. Highlights include a stunning diorama of Hidden Leaf Village, a tribute to iconic quotes and an exclusive collaboration with five emerging Japanese artists. It’s a celebration of the anime’s legacy, full of surprises for fans both old and new. May 31-Jul 31. B250-450 via here. Free for kids below four years old. River City Bangkok, 10am-8pm

In a world spinning faster than most of us can think, the quiet unravel often goes unnoticed. We chase blueprints we didn’t draw, forget what used to keep us up at night, fold ourselves into shapes that don’t quite fit. The first solo offering from Lynny Blackbunny, and it doesn’t ease you in. Her canvases press into the soft tissue of identity – gender, tradition, expectation – pushing back against roles handed down like heirlooms. At its still, aching core sits Remains of Hope: a fragile flotilla of over 3,000 paper boats, each folded from a discarded lottery ticket, collected over half a year. They hover in limbo between resignation and resistance – a quiet, stubborn echo of dreams once whispered, now adrift. Until Jun 17. Free. Palette Artspace, 8am-8pm  

Sunju Hargun isn’t just another name in the scene – she’s quietly woven herself into the fabric of Thailand’s electronic underground. Producer, DJ, and co-founder of Siamese Twins Records, her sound drifts through fifteen years of exploration, rooted in psychedelia but stretching across acid, minimal, deep trance, techno and ambient textures. It’s a journey as much about space as rhythm, where every beat unfolds like a slow revelation. Backing her up are DJ Chhabb and Olle, both adept at navigating those same shadowy corners, spinning sets that balance on the edge between hypnotic and ecstatic. Together, they don’t just fill a room – they create an atmosphere where the night feels infinite and the music becomes something more than sound, a pulse felt deep beneath the skin. May 31, B750 with two drinks. HORN, 9pm onwards

Some nights aren’t built for small talk or subtlety, this is one of them. A low-ceilinged room, bodies shoulder to shoulder, the kind of bass you feel before you hear. It’s another round of club pressure – no fluff, no filler. MAYTAE opens the floor with tempo and intent, followed by ISSYPEOPLE spinning left-field selections that flirt with chaos. IARBUCKLE cuts in sharp, all muscle and momentum, while DIETSOON closes with the kind of set that doesn’t wind down so much as detonate. It’s dance music at its most physical, where the only thing that matters is what's happening right now, in the dark, between the drop and whatever comes next. May 31. B300-500 at the door. Blaq Lyte Rover, 9pm onwards

There’s a particular kind of calm that arrives when the world slows just enough for magic to slip in. This evening invites you to step away from the noise, guided by your cacao fairy into a space both gentle and charged. Gathered in a circle, cups of ceremonial cacao warm hands and quiet minds, setting the tone for something deeper – an invitation to reconnect not only with others but with parts of yourself too often left behind. It’s a rare pause, a chance to open up without words, to be fully present in the soft exchange of energy and intention. In a world that rarely stops, this is a quiet rebellion – a moment to drink in the stillness and find something quietly extraordinary. May 31. B1,414. Reserve via Instagram @tash.fl., Slowcombo, 6pm-8pm

No one throws a show quite like a drag queen, and Bangkok is about to host an entire nation’s worth. Drag Bangkok Festival lands at Parc Paragon. This isn’t just a show – it’s a gathering. A full-throttle congregation of Thailand’s boldest performers, backed by city authorities, cultural powerhouses and a drag community that doesn’t do things by halves. There’ll be stages, yes, but also masterclasses, workshops, glitter-flecked side quests and enough lashes to fan a small country. Evening affairs bring even more drama. May 30-Jun 1. Free. Parc Paragon, 5pm onwards (midday-10pm on Jun 1)

Two selectors, both fluent in the language of house, no gimmicks in sight – just a well-calibrated glide from dusk to whatever comes after. First up: LINUS. (Grow Room, SE), easing in with velvet-touch grooves and a taste level that never tries too hard. His sets have that festival-season confidence – measured, unbothered, but always landing right where they need to. The kind of sound that doesn’t scream for attention but gets it anyway. Then comes V. ALARIK, stepping in as the clock slips past midnight. A familiar name in Bangkok’s underground, with nearly ten years behind the booth and releases across imprints like Purism and RE:FACE. His approach is clean-cut but never cold – classic motifs, crisp percussion, and enough movement to keep the floor suspended somewhere just shy of sleep. May 30. B200 at the door. BEAMCUBE, 9pm onwards

A year ago, Detour crept into Bangkok’s underground scene – low-key, low-lit and unapologetically loud. Since then, it’s become the kind of night whispered about in bathrooms and basements, a name passed between those chasing something just left of centre. Now, for its first anniversary, it’s marking the moment with a shift: a female headliner, for the very first time. Loa Szala takes the reins, her sets known for tight, percussive builds that unravel into full-bodied release. She’s flanked by Takky and DJ Zombie, both familiar faces with a talent for reading rooms and throwing them off balance. It’s not just a party. It’s a statement of intent. One year in, and Detour isn’t settling. It’s recalibrating – darker, sharper, more deliberate in its chaos. May 30. B500 via here and B800 at the door. Bar Temp., 9pm onwards

In the hush of Bangkok’s Phaya Thai district, the Asvin building holds its breath. Once the headquarters of Asvin Pictures Co., Ltd., it now cradles something else – something that murmurs instead of shouts. Octave Maze Asvin Collection by Wit Pimkanchanapong returns to this charged space, rethreading the needle of memory, film and sound. If February’s iteration, first unveiled during Bangkok Design Week, was the prelude, this is the fuller movement. Running from May 15-August 31, Pimkanchanapong’s latest venture is less sequel, more echo. It deepens its dialogue with the original installation, not by glossing it over with polish, but by slipping further into the cracks: layering context, summoning ghosts, listening to what walls might say if they could still speak. Here, featured tracks in this iteration include ‘Bua Khao’, ‘Nai Fan’, ‘Ploen’, ‘Lom Huan’, ‘Wan Phen’, ‘Dok Mai’, ‘Ruean Pae’ and ‘Hak Roo Sak Nit’. Each melody a fragment of a vanished world, each note a memory unspooling at its own pace. Photograph: asvinbangkok It is not a show in the usual sense. There are no plinths, no spotlighted statements. Instead, you move through it, or it moves through you. The architecture becomes score, your footsteps the rhythm, the air around you thick with ‘Lom Huan’ and ‘Dok Mai’. Each track unravels part of Asvin’s past – a studio born mid-century, swept into nostalgia and neglect, now pulsing softly back to life. Visitors are offered a slow, deliberate kind of looking and li

In a city where wellness is often synonymous with fluorescent-lit gyms or overpriced smoothies, an open-air park on Banthat Thong Road is offering something different: a weekend where health doesn’t come in a bottle, but in the form of second-hand denim, vegan curry and guided self-reflection. On May 24-25 from 10.30am-8.30pm, Chulalongkorn University Centenary Park hosts a free gathering that falls somewhere between a sustainability fair and a collective existential check-in. Organised by Vtopia, a group advocating for plant-based living, alongside Loopers, a platform for second-hand fashion. Food stalls sling drinks made with oat milk so velvety they might briefly repair your relationship with your parents. Goodmate is offering those. Then there’s POHSOP, an outfit slinging meat-free comfort food with the kind of deliberate cosiness usually reserved for rainy afternoons and existential doubt. Elsewhere, there are cafes for caffeine-dependent introspection, plus what appears to be a minor army of lifestyle vendors, all ready to tell you how a scented candle can fix your soul (or at least your condo). Photograph: soulfood.goodlife Still, the most quietly intense feature may be a workshop called Satir Iceberg Workshop, led by a coach trained in the Satir method – a therapeutic approach so niche that fewer than thirty people in Thailand are certified in it. Participants are encouraged to plumb the murky depths of childhood, internalised shame and whatever else might be crowdi

At Cannes this year, the applause was not just loud – it was seismic. A Useful Ghost, the feature debut by Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke, emerged from the Critics’ Week sidebar with the Grand Prize AMI Paris in hand. It’s the sort of win that quietly shifts things. Not only for the filmmaker, or for 185 Films, the Thai production house behind it, but for an entire region still largely overlooked in the palmares of European festivals. Only once before has an ASEAN film claimed this prize – Malaysia’s Tiger Stripes in 2023 – which makes A Useful Ghost the second, and possibly the strangest. The story opens with March, grieving the sudden death of his wife, Nat, who succumbed to dust pollution. Soon, he discovers her spirit has returned – in the body of a vacuum cleaner. As he navigates this surreal reunion, his mother’s factory is beset by another ghost, this time a disgruntled labourer who brings operations to a halt. The family, already unsettled, rejects Nat’s lingering presence. But she, determined and oddly practical, offers to exorcise the workplace in exchange for being acknowledged – not just as a ghost, but as a partner. It’s part satire, part seance, and entirely sincere in its portrayal of loss and cohabitation. Photograph: A Useful Ghost Photograph: A Useful Ghost Critics’ Week, dedicated to first and second-time directors, has always been where oddball gems surface. Yet Thai cinema’s presence here has been sporadic. It’s been a decade since Apichatpong Weerasetha

If you’ve ever hesitated to take your pet with you on a trip, the Red Line electric train is quietly rewriting the rules. Previously, furry friends were only allowed on board during weekends, making weekday travel something of a logistical headache for devoted owners. But from June 1, this changes entirely.  The city’s commuter rail now welcomes animals every day, inviting owners to bring their four-legged (cats and dogs only) companions to travel absolutely free of charge. Whether it’s a leisurely outing or a vet appointment, the service is a small but significant gesture towards making urban travel more inclusive – and a little less stressful.  Of course, this new pet-friendly policy isn’t a free-for-all. There are clear guidelines to keep everyone safe and comfortable.   Conditions: Pets must have valid identification documents – no exceptions. Passengers with animals are limited to the CARI carriage only, keeping everyone comfortable. Each person may bring one pet only, ensuring space and order on board. Animals must stay inside fully enclosed carriers with secure mesh ventilation, allowing them to see out without escaping. The train operator does not accept liability for any accidents or injuries involving pets – responsibility lies with the owner. Pet travel hours: Monday to Friday.5.30am-6.30am10am-5pm9pm-midnight Saturday, Sunday and public holidays.5.30am-midnight It’s an encouraging step forward, an understated celebration of companionship amid the city’s pulse.

In the thick of Los Angeles’ sprawl, where sunlight scorches more than it soothes, Ringgo Ancheta – better known as MNDSGN – crafted a sound that feels more like a lucid dream than a discography. Born in South New Jersey, he grew up on gospel harmonies echoing through church pews, breakbeats bleeding from boom boxes and the velvety R&B his older sisters had on loop. By 14, he was elbow-deep in beats, a teenager teaching himself the mechanics of emotion through drum machines and software glitches. Now, for the first time, MNDSGN is bringing his tapestry of grooves to Bangkok. This June, he’ll perform an intimate set of unreleased material and fan favourites, with vocals and keys at the fore. Photograph: Stones Throw His journey, however, doesn’t end in adolescent bedrooms. MNDSGN moved west, folding himself into the kaleidoscopic chaos of LA’s beat scene, finding kinship with the Low End Theory crowd before catching the ear of Stones Throw Records. The label released Yawn Zen (2014), Body Wash (2016) and Rare Pleasure (2021), each album a shapeshift in tone, but always unmistakably him. The last marked a departure – live band recordings, cinematic swells and an ensemble cast featuring the likes of Kiefer, Fousheé and Anna Wise, as if he’d finally decided to soundtrack the film he’d been scoring in his head all along. Though his own records trace an internal cosmos, MNDSGN’s fingerprints are scattered across contemporary R&B and hip-hop. He’s produced for Tyler, the Creator,

The Smashing Pumpkins have announced a tour stop in Bangkok, marking their first return to the city in nearly three decades. The last time they performed on Thai soil was in 1996, at the Thai-Japanese Stadium, back when 1979 felt eerily prescient rather than tinged with longing. This October, they’re set to play Union Hall, with a setlist that could include familiar favourites – ‘Tonight, Tonight’, ‘Bullet with Butterfly Wings’ and the aforemontioned ‘90s anthem – alongside tracks from recent projects Agohori Mhori Mei and the sprawling Atum: A Rock Opera in Three Acts. It’s a glimpse into nearly four decades of noise, angst and unexpectedly tender chaos.Tickets are now officially on sale, which means the countdown begins – for fans old enough to remember the first round, and those who’ve only known The Smashing Pumpkins as a name scrawled across a vintage T-shirt. Heading to Union Hall to catch the show? Here's what you need to know: timings, setlist predictions, and whether there’s still time to secure a spot. When are The Smashing Pumpkins playing at Union Hall?  Wednesday, 1 October. Mark your diary with something permanent. What are the timings? Doors open at 6.30pm. If recent shows are any indication, the band tends to go on around 7pm and finish by 9pm.  When do The Smashing Pumpkins tickets go on sale? General sale starts at 10am on Friday, May 16. Available via Trip.com here. Ticket prices Prices are split by zone: CAT V is B6,000, CAT S is B5,000 and CAT A comes

There’s a quiet power in sequins. Or rather, in who gets to wear them, how loudly, and where. Across the globe, drag has gone from the margins of nightclubs and basements to something more spectacular – more televised, more codified, more Instagrammable. Yet in Bangkok, drag isn’t simply performance. It’s protest, lineage, celebration, defiance. It’s the kind of beauty that doesn’t ask for permission. This year, that spirit takes centre stage at Drag Bangkok Festival, a three-day event co-organised by Yellow Channel and Bangkok Pride, held from May 30  to June 1 at Parc Paragon. Visibility is political. And in a country where LGBTQIA+ identities remain legally unprotected in many ways, the sight of 500 drag performers from around the world gathering under the Bangkok sun is more than fabulous. It’s necessary. Photograph: Thailand’s Drag Star The crown jewel of the festival is ‘Thailand’s Drag Star’ on May 30 at 5pm, a competition drawing in 20 contestants from across the country. They won’t just be judged on looks or lip-syncs. Instead, it’s a showcase of artistry rooted in Thai heritage, filtered through the aesthetics of high camp, punk defiance and sheer ingenuity. The theme  – Thaituristic Drag Scene – points toward a larger cultural ambition: to assert drag not only as entertainment, but as a legitimate, viable profession within Thailand’s creative economy. One with the power to generate income, craft identities and export local expression to international stages. Pho

If you’ve ever paid attention to The Smashing Pumpkins – not just the sound but the mythology, the tantrums, the bald ambition of it all – you’ll know Billy Corgan has long treated music less as a career and more as a divine crusade. He once described his art as a ‘true narrative,’ only to watch, in his words, ‘people quite cleverly try to disassemble what I’d actually built.’ Translation: he’s never been one for subtlety. Or brevity. This year, the band returns to Bangkok for the first time in 29 years. Yes, twenty-nine. Their last appearance on Thai soil was at the Thai-Japanese Stadium in 1996, back when ‘1979’ was still fresh enough to feel prophetic rather than nostalgic. This time, they’ll take the stage at Union Hall on Wednesday, October 1 – part of a long-overdue Asian tour that also includes dates in Japan, South Korea and the Philippines. For the uninitiated, The Smashing Pumpkins are the goth-adjacent, guitar-heavy architects of alt-rock’s most theatrical moments. They were moody before moody was a brand. Their 1995 double album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness remains one of the most ambitious records of the decade – part concept album, part existential cry into the void. Tracks like ‘Tonight, Tonight’ and ‘Bullet with Butterfly Wings’ weren’t just radio staples; they were angst anthems for anyone who felt dislocated by their own youth. Corgan, with his monk-like dome and Nietzschean one-liners, has remained an enduring (if polarising) figure in music – par

We live in a world where the notion of freedom is constantly pursued, yet we are also the architects of our own prisons. Our identities are shaped by the eyes of others, expectations bind us like invisible chains, and in the end, we drift further from who we truly are.  A Cage of Fragile Heart, an immersive experimental performance presented by RCB Experimental Art Lab in collaboration with Follow the Star, invites its audience to examine the dualities of freedom and confinement. Directed by Pimdao Panichsamai – a Bangkok Art Biennale 2024 artist and award-winning experimental filmmaker – the work is an intimate exploration of the human condition, unfolding in a series of five strikingly raw and poetic acts. Performances will be held at the RCB Forum, River City Bangkok, from June 7 to 15. The performance takes its audience on a journey through the delicate spaces between self-perception, societal influence and the weight of expectations. At its heart, A Cage of Fragile Heart is about how we, as individuals, are often caught in a cyclical struggle between the self we are told to be and the person we truly want to become. The solo performer, embodied by David Bigander, weaves a narrative through movement, voice and space, allowing the body to speak truths often left unspoken. Photograph: A Cage of Fragile Heart The performance unfolds in five parts: In the opening act, Innocent, the human form moves with unburdened curiosity. Unfettered by external constraints, identity is a

In a world where oat milk has outlived common sense and lab-grown salmon is no longer the stuff of science fiction, it seems only fitting that the food world’s most elaborate trade show is doubling down on reinvention.  There are trade shows, and then there’s THAIFEX – ANUGA ASIA, bringing with it an unsettling number of buzzwords, ambitious chefs and alternative proteins. From May 27-31 at IMPACT, Muang Thong Thani, the region’s most sprawling food and beverage gathering is set to occupy Bangkok’s cavernous exhibition halls, with over 3,100 companies hawking everything from drinks, fine food, food technology, frozen food, fruits and vegetables, meat, rice, seafood and sweets and confectionery – and if you’re wondering what that actually includes, you can check right here. It’s all orchestrated by Thailand’s Department of International Trade Promotion, the Thai Chamber of Commerce and German events heavyweight Koelnmesse. Expect 90,000 industry visitors, 2,000 serious buyers, and a rotating cast of regional policymakers, trend forecasters and flavour evangelists. Photograph: THAIFEX – ANUGA ASIA This year’s iteration casts its net wider, welcoming newcomers from Central Asia to Eastern Europe, with fresh national pavilions from Australia, Hong Kong and the Netherlands. The theme? ‘Beyond Food Experience’ – a catch-all phrase for the industry’s growing obsession with functionality and virtue. Expect edible optimism in the form of gut-friendly sodas, brain-boosting snacks and

What happens when two decades of fragmented memories, political tension and home-recorded chaos are stitched back together, frame by frame? In I a Pixel, We the People, Chulayarnnon Siriphol turns twenty years of video work into a flickering constellation of resistance, memory and quiet revolt. Spanning 24 episodes, the project is equal parts retrospective and reinvention: home footage in faded hues, VHS ghosts, government archives, handheld fictions – all reassembled into a fragmented narrative that feels both intimate and unspeakably vast. Screened at Bangkok CityCity Gallery in six weekly instalments, April 26-Jun 21 (Wednesday to Saturday, 1pm-6pm), the work is not so much an exhibition as it is an unfolding. Each week brings a new season – four episodes at a time – demanding that the viewer return, absorb, connect the fragments and confront what it means to remember. In this 24-episode sprawl, what emerges is not a single, coherent picture but a mosaic stitched from what might otherwise be discarded. Siriphol’s work suggests that if even one flicker were missing, the whole structure might collapse. It’s a quiet rebellion against the dominant version of events – one that says the overlooked matters. That silence isn’t absence. That the footnotes might actually be the main text. Photograph: Bangkok CityCity Gallery But the videos are only part of the story. The exhibition itself spills over into a dense installation, where mountains of household objects – hoarded over de

A ghostly trace runs through Fathom in Absence, the first in a series of guest-curated film programmes at Bangkok Kunsthalle. These are not just films, but cinematic relics from the early 2000s – forgotten, fragmented and half-remembered, like dreams recalled mid-commute. The programme resurrects four Thai experimental works, each shrouded in its own particular strangeness, screened on Saturday evenings across May (May 3, 17 and 31).  Organised in collaboration with the Thai Film Archive, the series avoids nostalgia in favour of excavation. Here, the past isn’t polished; it flickers, uneven and unsteady. Screened on Saturday evenings throughout May, each film arrives like a message in a bottle from a cinematic era many have tried to forget or never knew existed. They are not tidy cultural artefacts; they are jagged, unresolved and defiantly strange. Their return feels less like a retrospective and more like a séance. Entry is free – an invitation rather than a transaction – and each work will be shown in its original Thai with English subtitles. These are films that resist easy summary and, frankly, demand to be seen rather than explained. But if you're wondering what to expect, here's the lineup: Photograph: The Cruelty and the Soy-Sauce Man+ (2000) May 3, 7pmThe Cruelty and the Soy-Sauce Man+ (2000), directed by Phaisit Phanphruksachat Photograph: Mae Nak (1992) May 17, 5.30pmMae Nak (1992), directed by Pimpaka Towira Photograph: Kon Jorn (1999) May 17, 6.20pm (a