This week in Bangkok: 5 – 11 Nov

The royal barge procession goes down the river on Friday afternoon, and the Diwali weekend starts the same day at ICONSIAM. Saturday has stadium K-pop, a free game festival at EmSphere and an open-air disco in Thonburi. There are free runs, dance and films on Sunday, and two arena-sized visitors early next week.

Friday

• Royal Barge Procession 2026: Fifty-two royal barges rowed by Navy crews go down the Chao Phraya from the Rama VIII Bridge to Wat Arun for the Royal Kathin ceremony from 14:30; it is free to watch from spots such as Rama VIII Park and Santichaiprakarn Park.
• Amazing Thailand Grand Diwali Festival 2026: Lotus on the Water: The riverside part of the Tourism Authority's Diwali programme runs Friday to Sunday on the open-air Riverpark beside the river at ICONSIAM, with lamps, puja ceremonies, food and stage shows.
• Na-Ra: Pichet Klunchun directs a contemporary dance piece joining performers and forms from northern and southern Thailand, at the Sodsai Pantoomkomol Centre at Chulalongkorn University from 19:30 to 21:00.

Saturday

• 10 Years of Transport with Rainbow Disco Club: Party crew Transport marks ten years with a twelve-hour open-air dance at ChangChui from noon to midnight, joined by Japan's Rainbow Disco Club on a Funktion-One system; ฿900.
• Ragnarok Festa 2026 - Melody of Alberta: A free one-day festival for Ragnarok fans on the 6th floor of EmSphere from 10:00, with gaming and esports activities, giveaways and live sets by 4EVE and ATLAS.
• BIGBANG 2026-2027 WORLD TOUR IN BANGKOK: The K-pop group plays two stadium shows at Rajamangala National Stadium on Saturday and Sunday, with tickets from THB 2,900 to 11,900.
• Stand-up #2: miss-take by Gapbo: Comedian Gapbo returns with a second solo stand-up show about a year of mistakes, with four performances at Lido Connect Hall 2 at 14:00 and 19:00 on Saturday and Sunday; ฿1,000.
• Activity Series: TORTHAI – decoding Thai architecture (workshop): A free hands-on workshop at Museum Siam from 13:00 to 17:00 where you take apart and rebuild wooden pieces of a Thai stupa to see how temple architecture fits together; places are limited and you need to register.

Sunday

• DraMa Runners City Run 11.5K: A free 11.5 km sightseeing run from Central Northville past the Maha Chesadabodindranusorn Bridge, temples, a river ferry crossing and the old Nonthaburi provincial hall, with check-in from 05:30 and the run from 06:30.
• Grammar of Lanna Living Bodies: Folk dancers from eight northern provinces perform traditional Lanna fon dances arranged by Pichet Klunchun at the National Theatre from 13:00 to 15:00, as part of the MOVE THAI programme.
• Sunday Cinema: Bangkok Kunsthalle's free fortnightly film night opens at 17:30 with Johanna d'Arc of Mongolia, with La Chimera, Perfect Days and a 1964 Thai film to follow on later Sundays.

Next week

• LANY: Soft World Tour Bangkok: The US band brings its Soft World Tour to UOB LIVE at EmSphere on Tuesday at 20:00, with tickets from THB 2,800 to 9,000. (website)
• Khon The Theater: Prap Kaknasun: A free masked dance-drama from the Ramakien, with live narration, singing and a piphat ensemble, on the first floor of Paradise Park on Wednesday at 14:00 and 17:30, an hour each.

Still running

• DIAGE Experience: Five walk-in light and sound installations, among them NONOTAK's 66-beam DUAL, stay open free on the 2nd floor of Cloud 11 from 12:00 to 22:00 until 15 November; the darker rooms are best after 18:00. (website)

Every listing above is on the map, along with the rest of this week's events. Dates and prices were checked on Thu 5 Nov 2026; confirm with the organiser before you go. The same list goes out as our Thursday email, and the sign-up box is at the foot of this page.