Editor’s Note
This week, local traditions take centre stage, from Chonburi’s buffalo races to Bang Phli’s lotus offering and Chaiyaphum’s incense ceremony. There is also seasonal food in Kanchanaburi, light art in Roi Et and new exhibitions in Bangkok. Check local details before travelling, especially for outdoor events.
In This Issue
- Chonburi gathers for its buffalo racing tradition
- Bang Phli prepares its lotus offering on the canal
- Kanchanaburi pairs seasonal mushrooms with gemstones
- Chaiyaphum marks the end of Lent with incense offerings
- Roi Et turns Bueng Phlan Chai into a night-time canvas
- Thai and Chinese painters meet through the brush
- Bangkok artists reconsider how belief changes form
- This Week: Events, Openings & Offers
01 / LIVING HERITAGE
Chonburi gathers for its buffalo racing tradition
Chonburi’s 155th Buffalo Racing Festival runs from 17 to 25 October at the grounds by the provincial hall and Mueang Chonburi District Office. The main racing day is 25 October, when decorated cart processions and contests bring the province’s farming heritage into public view. The wider fair includes Thai chess, folk activities and performances. This is a local tradition with buffaloes and farming communities at its centre, so go for the cultural context as well as the spectacle. Confirm the daily programme and any access changes with local organisers before travelling.
Source: Thailand Public Relations Department · Pattaya Mail / NNT, 10 October
02 / FAITH & COMMUNITY
Bang Phli prepares its lotus offering on the canal
The Rap Bua Festival returns to Bang Phli, Samut Prakan, from 19 to 27 October, centred on Wat Bang Phli Yai Nai. Its canal-side tradition invites devotees to offer lotus flowers to a boat carrying a replica of the revered Luang Pho To image. The ritual belongs to the local community and should be observed respectfully; the broader programme also gives visitors a reason to explore Bang Phli beyond the airport district. The official calendar confirms the festival dates, but visitors should check the procession day and route locally before making plans.
Source: Thailand Public Relations Department, 1 October · Tourism Authority of Thailand calendar, 29 September
03 / REGIONAL FOOD & CRAFT
Kanchanaburi pairs seasonal mushrooms with gemstones
Bo Phloi’s Mushroom and Gem Festival runs from 16 to 25 October in Kanchanaburi. The provincial calendar positions it around two local signatures: seasonal mushrooms and the district’s gemstone trade, with food, cultural performances and family activities alongside them. It is a useful reason to see a part of Kanchanaburi beyond the best-known river sites. Go for the local produce and makers rather than expecting a luxury fair. The published calendar gives the dates but no detailed venue, prices or daily schedule, so confirm those directly with provincial channels before travelling.
04 / ISAN HERITAGE
Chaiyaphum marks the end of Lent with incense offerings
Nong Bua Daeng in Chaiyaphum will hold the Bun Krathup Ok Phansa Festival from 21 to 25 October in front of the district office. The practice centres on krathup incense offerings and the close of Buddhist Lent, turning a district tradition into a reason to travel through this part of Isan. The Tourism Authority of Thailand lists the dates and location, but does not publish a detailed daily programme. Approach it as a community observance, dress with respect around ceremonies and check local timings before setting out.
Source: Tourism Authority of Thailand calendar, 29 September
05 / PUBLIC ART & PLACE
Roi Et turns Bueng Phlan Chai into a night-time canvas
VIJIT Roi Et Illumination continues at Bueng Phlan Chai through 18 October, with the Tourism Authority of Thailand listing the programme nightly from 17:00 to midnight. Light and creative installations recast a familiar public space as an evening walk through the city. This is the Roi Et chapter of a three-region project, but the location gives the experience its local character. Allow time to explore the surrounding town rather than making the lighting the whole trip. Check weather and any final programme changes before travelling.
Source: Tourism Authority of Thailand calendar, 29 September · Tourism Authority of Thailand VIJIT overview, 23 September
06 / ART & CULTURAL EXCHANGE
Thai and Chinese painters meet through the brush
Song of the Brush opens at Bangkok Art and Culture Centre on 20 October and continues to 15 November. The exhibition brings together Thai painters, Chinese artists and Chinese art students studying in Thailand, using painting to explore different visual languages and shared ideas. It is a more thoughtful prospect than an abstract call for cross-cultural exchange: visitors can see the dialogue in the works themselves. Find it on the third-floor Curved Wall; the centre is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 20:00. Confirm admission and programme details with the venue.
Source: Bangkok Art and Culture Centre
07 / CONTEMPORARY ART
Bangkok artists reconsider how belief changes form
Beliefs Are Transformed, a solo exhibition by Tanakrit Polngam, opens on 17 October and runs to 29 November at BACC pop-up’s People’s Gallery P2 in MMAD, MunMun Srinakarin. Sculptures recombine human, animal, mythical and sacred forms inside wooden boxes that suggest altars, cabinets and archives. The work asks how faith and memory change as objects move between sacred and everyday settings. Note that this is the BACC pop-up at Seacon Square Srinakarin, not the main Rama I Road building. Check admission and venue hours before visiting.
Source: Bangkok Art and Culture Centre
This Week: Events, Openings & Offers
Dates and published terms checked on 15 October 2026. Confirm availability, schedules, admission and booking conditions directly before travelling or paying.
DESIGN EXHIBITION
“NOT FOUND” design thesis exhibition
20–25 October 2026 · BACC, Hall, L Floor, Bangkok
Fourth-year Graphic and Multimedia Design students from Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University present work under the theme Lost in a Dream. BACC lists opening hours as Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00–20:00. No admission charge or reservation terms are stated on the venue page; confirm directly before visiting.
ART EXHIBITION
BEHIND MY EYES
Until 31 October 2026 · River City Bangkok, Photographers’ Gallery
Hiroka Limviphuvadh turns images glimpsed before sleep, during meditation and in dreams into a visual journey. River City is open daily, 10:00–20:00. The official exhibition page does not state a price or booking condition; check with the venue before visiting.
DRINKS CULTURE
Bangkok Bar Show 2026
24–25 October 2026 · 12:00–19:00 · Anantara Siam Bangkok
Seminars and tastings bring Thai and international drinks producers together. Advance passes through 18 October cost THB 400 for one day, THB 750 for two days or THB 1,150 for VIP. Standard advance tickets include seminars, participating booth tastings and one complimentary drink per day. Onsite one- and two-day tickets cost THB 500 and THB 900 and exclude that drink. Check live availability on the organiser’s event page before payment.
