Short answer
Bangkok's main dates in November 2026 are the Royal Barge Procession on Friday 6 November, the Vijit Chao Phraya river lights from 13 November to 13 December, the Wat Saket Golden Mount temple fair from 17 to 29 November and Loy Krathong on Tuesday 24 November. Diwali events run from 3 to 29 November, the Bangkok Art Biennale until 28 February 2027 and the marathon on 28 and 29 November. Royal funeral rehearsals on 15 and 22 November are likely to bring road closures around Sanam Luang.
What are the main dated events in Bangkok in November 2026?
Four dates matter most this month. The Royal Barge Procession is on Friday 6 November; our Royal Barge Procession guide has the route and the viewing points, so we do not repeat them here. Vijit Chao Phraya, the river light festival, opens on 13 November. The Golden Mount temple fair at Wat Saket starts on 17 November, and Loy Krathong falls on Tuesday 24 November, according to Thaiger's guide of 19 October.
Time Out Bangkok's calendar of 29 October adds smaller events: a book sale at the Neilson Hays Library on 14 to 22 November, the Bangkok Theatre Festival on 14 to 29 November and Song Wat Week on 19 to 22 November. Four things run for longer. The Bangkok Art Biennale, on the theme Angels and Mara, runs from 29 October to 28 February 2027 at 11 main venues, among them Wat Arun and Wat Pho, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). ICONSIAM's Bangkok Illumination runs to 25 December, CentralWorld's Disney and Pixar Christmas display opens on 12 November and runs to 3 January, according to PostToday, and the Diwali celebrations run from 3 to 29 November. Time Out says entry to the Biennale is free, but each venue sets its own entry rules and hours, so check them. Dates and ticket prices can change.
What is happening on the Chao Phraya River in November?
Vijit Chao Phraya runs for 31 nights, from 13 November to 13 December, the Nation reported on 23 October. It is the fifth edition, with the theme Light of Imagination, and it uses 13 sites on both banks between Rama III Bridge and Rama VIII Bridge, among them Wat Arun, Wichai Prasit Fort, Memorial Bridge and Phra Pok Klao Bridge. The programme is light and sound shows, projection mapping, drone formations, fireworks and cultural performances. TAT leads it, and not every attraction runs every night.
The Nation did not give dates for the fireworks and drone shows, and Time Out Bangkok said in September that they were still to be announced. Time Out says you do not need a ticket, and suggests a dinner cruise or a riverside restaurant for a view from the water, which are paid options. Ask your hotel for the final programme in the week you arrive.
ICONSIAM's Bangkok Illumination runs from 1 November to 25 December around the Blessing Tree, a Christmas tree more than 21 metres tall, with a light show daily at 18:30, 19:30 and 20:30, according to ICONSIAM. Its tasting zone for Thai craft beer and local spirits, Flavors and Glow by the River, is free and open from 16:00 to 22:00 from 1 to 15 November, Time Out Bangkok reported.
Where can I celebrate Diwali in Bangkok in November 2026?
TAT announced on 30 October that the Amazing Thailand Grand Diwali Festival runs from 3 to 29 November in Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket, with seven celebrations and free admission to all of them. Bangkok has four. The First Light is at Central Bangrak on 3 November, with lamp lighting at 17:00 to 18:00 and live Bollywood music. Lotus by the River is at ICONSIAM Riverpark on 6 to 8 November, with lamp lighting on Diwali Day, 8 November, at 17:00 to 18:00 and riverside fireworks at 18:00.
Threads of Faith is in Phahurat Little India on 20 to 24 November. Its lamp lighting, on 24 November from 17:00 to 18:00, falls on the same evening as Loy Krathong, TAT notes. Music on the Avenue is at Quartier Avenue in EMQUARTIER on 26 to 29 November, with the final lamp lighting on 29 November at 17:00 to 18:00. For questions, TAT gives its contact centre number as 1672.
What is the Golden Mount temple fair at Wat Saket?
Time Out Bangkok calls it Bangkok's biggest temple fair and says it runs for 13 days and 13 nights, from 17 to 29 November, at Wat Saket in the old town. The Nation's report of 31 October says the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) lists Wat Saket as one of its five Loy Krathong sites for 17 to 29 November, with Buddha relic ceremonies at the Golden Mount on 17 to 26 November. After the opening ceremony on 17 November, Time Out says, a procession wraps a long red cloth around the bell-shaped spire at the top.
The fair itself is food stalls with grilled pork skewers, fried oysters and khanom krok pancakes, plus games and old-style rides. Time Out gives no opening hours or entry fee for the fair, and advises going after dark, wearing comfortable shoes and carrying small notes. Wikivoyage lists the Golden Mount's own hours as 08:00 to 21:00 and its fee as 100 baht, both undated, and puts Panfa Leelard Pier on the canal boat route five minutes away on foot.
When is Loy Krathong in Bangkok in 2026, and where are the events?
Loy Krathong is on Tuesday 24 November, the full-moon night of the 12th lunar month, Thaiger reported on 19 October. The BMA has planned a programme from 17 to 29 November at five main sites, the Nation reported on 31 October: Wat Saket and Rama VIII Bridge on 17 to 29 November, and Phra Sumen Fort and two points on the Prem Prachakorn Canal, beside Don Mueang Police Station and at Wat Samian Nari, on 23 to 25 November. A separate BMA event, The Enchanting Waterways of Rattanakosin, runs at Mahakan Fort on 23 to 25 November from 17:00 to 22:00, with Khon dance, likay theatre, krathong-making workshops and food stalls.
Riverside hotels sell dinners on the night itself, from 1,600 baht++ at the Royal Orchid Sheraton to 8,888 baht net at the Peninsula, and several promise fireworks over the river, according to Thaiger. Banthat Thong Road, Bangkok's food street, holds a Loy Krathong week from 18 to 24 November with a swing-dance floor under a giant moon, the Nation reported.
Our Loy Krathong 2026 in Bangkok guide covers where to float a krathong, the rules on lanterns and fireworks, and how to get there. Our news item on the festival date lists the hotel programmes.
Which concerts, shows and races are on in Bangkok in November 2026?
Time Out Bangkok's calendar lists 5 Seconds of Summer on 9 November and LANY on 10 November at UOB LIVE in EmSphere, My Chemical Romance on 17 November at IMPACT Challenger Hall, and Joji on 24 November at IMPACT Exhibition Hall 5. Standard tickets for the first two start at 2,800 baht. Time Out says Live Nation Tero lists Joji as sold out, so check with the official ticket seller before you plan around any of these.
Culture and free events fill the rest. The Bangkok Theatre Festival, in its 24th edition, runs on 14 to 29 November at several venues. Khon Sida, a staging of the Ramakien, has performances at the Thailand Cultural Centre from 5 November to 10 December, with regular tickets of 600 to 2,000 baht. Princess's Cup Thailand, with equestrian events and a dog show, runs on 23 to 29 November near BTS Sanam Pao and is free to enter. A free open-air concert by Incognito and Neung ETC. is at the Benchakitti Park amphitheatre on Saturday 28 November, with gates at 16:00 and music from 17:00 to 20:00, and it needs advance registration on Eventbrite.
The ninth Amazing Thailand Marathon Bangkok is on 28 and 29 November. The Pattaya Mail reported on 29 October that 71,435 runners had registered, 8,972 of them from abroad, and that more than 40,000 companions were expected. The race offers 42.195, 21.1, 10 and 4.5 km. BTS has announced early trains on both lines from 02:00 on 28 November and late trains until about 02:00 on 29 November.
Will the royal funeral rehearsals affect my sightseeing in November?
They can. The first on-site rehearsal of the royal funeral processions of Queen Sirikit the Queen Mother took place on 31 October. The Nation reported that the second is set for 15 November and the third for 22 November at Sanam Luang, with two full-scale rehearsals on 6 and 12 December. The cremation itself is on 16 December. On 31 October the police put traffic controls on 16 roads around the Grand Palace and Sanam Luang between 06:30 and 19:30, timed to each procession, and suggested detours. They advised drivers to allow an extra one to two hours and gave the traffic hotline as 1197.
The Grand Palace's schedule page showed the palace, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and its chapel open all day in November when we read it on 2 November; for a palace date, call +66 2 623 5500 ext. 2171, as the page suggests. Thaiger reported that Wat Phra Kaew and Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall stay open for the public to pay respects to the Queen Mother. Our Bangkok in December guide covers the ceremonies themselves.
What is the weather in Bangkok in November, and how do I get around?
November opens the cool, dry season. The 1991 to 2020 WMO normals for the Bangkok Metropolis station give 44.6 mm of rain on 3.8 days, a mean daily high of 33.1 °C and a mean low of 24.7 °C, with 68.8% humidity. Our best time to visit Bangkok guide explains the season, and our cool season outlook says the Thai Meteorological Department had not yet declared the start of winter on 28 October.
On crowded evenings the trains are the practical choice. The BTS timetable page gives service hours of 05:00 to 01:00, with the last train from Siam at about 00:02, and says extra trains are added for special events. Our BTS and MRT fares guide lists the fares, and our Chao Phraya Express Boat guide explains why the river boats are a daytime option.
For a temple day, our Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun tour is from $75 per person, meets at about 8:30 am and takes about 4 hours, with the three entrance tickets included. For an evening, our night tuk-tuk food tour is from $40 per person, starts at about 5:30 pm and ends in Chinatown at about 9:30 pm. If your date is 6, 15, 22 or 24 November, tell us on WhatsApp and we confirm the plan before you pay.
Practical checklist
- Pencil in 6, 13, 17 and 24 November, and check each organiser's announcement in the week before.
- Allow one to two extra hours for road journeys around the Grand Palace and Sanam Luang on 15 and 22 November.
- Register on Eventbrite for the free Benchakitti Park concert on 28 November.
- Check ticket status with the official seller before you plan a concert evening.
- Carry small notes and wear comfortable shoes for the Golden Mount fair, which starts on 17 November.
- Check the Grand Palace schedule page before a palace day.
Questions and answers
What is the biggest event in Bangkok in November 2026?
Loy Krathong on Tuesday 24 November is the biggest festival night, and the BMA programme around it runs from 17 to 29 November. The Royal Barge Procession on 6 November and the marathon on 28 and 29 November, with 71,435 registered runners, are the other large dates.
When does Vijit Chao Phraya start in 2026?
It runs from 13 November to 13 December, 31 nights, at 13 sites between Rama III Bridge and Rama VIII Bridge. The fireworks and drone show dates had not been announced when we checked, and Time Out Bangkok says no ticket is needed.
Is the Golden Mount temple fair free?
Time Out Bangkok and the Nation give no entry fee for the fair, which runs from 17 to 29 November at Wat Saket, and stalls and rides are paid. Wikivoyage lists a 100-baht fee for the Golden Mount itself, undated, so check at the gate.
Are there Diwali events in Bangkok?
Yes. TAT lists four in Bangkok, at Central Bangrak on 3 November, ICONSIAM Riverpark on 6 to 8 November, Phahurat Little India on 20 to 24 November and EMQUARTIER on 26 to 29 November, all free.
Will the royal funeral rehearsals close roads in November?
Probably, near the Grand Palace and Sanam Luang. The first rehearsal, on 31 October, put traffic controls on 16 roads, and the next two are set for 15 and 22 November. Police gave the traffic hotline as 1197.
Is the Grand Palace open in November 2026?
Its schedule page listed the palace, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and the chapel as open all day in November when we read it on 2 November. It also gives a phone number, +66 2 623 5500 ext. 2171, for current closures.