Suggested art walks in Bangkok

The Thai capital’s fluid art scene can be tough to crack, with no single art district where you can easily hop from one exhibition to the next. Galleries, museums and creative hubs are scattered all over the city and travelling between them can be a chore. With this in mind, we’ve strung the best of Bangkok’s art venues into five manageable itineraries.

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The term “art walk” is used loosely here: most of these itineraries require some use of the metro and, given Bangkok’s typically stifling heat, you may want to employ taxis, tuk tuks, motorbike taxis or public boats for some stretches. Hours vary at the galleries, but Thursday to Saturday from 11:00 to 19:00 is generally prime time for exhibition viewing.

Art comes in many forms in Bangkok. Photo taken in or around Suggested art walks in Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand by David Luekens.

Art comes in many forms in Bangkok. Photo: David Luekens

Before you dive in, check out Bangkok galleries worth a look-see for details on individual galleries, and Bangkok 101 for current exhibition listings. Also grab a copy of the indispensable Bangkok Art Map (available at most galleries). At the end of the itineraries we’ve added suggestions for food, nightlife and rooms geared towards creative types in each area. Enjoy.

Bang Rak to Chinatown

The closest that Bangkok comes to a clearly defined art district is a stretch of Charoen Krung Road and its sois (side lanes) starting in Bang Rak near Silom Road and running north to Talad Noi on the southern edge of Chinatown. If you don’t mind walking three kilometres, this is the only itinerary that can be covered entirely on foot. A few galleries feature contemporary art and you’ll find a major design hub, but the area is best known for antique ... please log in to read the rest of this story.