Thailand continues to pursue the tourism levels it enjoyed before the COVID-19 pandemic, as tourism revenue is a key component of its economy. Leading the charge is the capital city of Bangkok, which once again reclaimed the title of “Most Visited City” in 2024. To further establish its status as a regional hub and boost tourism, Thailand has launched a series of events in 2025 to highlight the city’s cultural impact and what it offers to the global community.
Bangkok has been telling this story through the UNESCO Creative City Network (UCCN), a UN organization that strengthens cooperation between cities in cultural and urban development areas. This year, the Thailand Creative Culture Agency (THACCA) will use Bangkok Design Week to promote Bangkok within the UCCN’s Design category, foster sustainable urban development, and form international connections through locally developed design.
What Is Bangkok Design Week?
Bangkok Design Week (BKKDW) 2025 came back in February for its eighth installment. It is an arts and design festival with this year’s theme being Design+Uprising. BKKDW puts creativity at the center of the search for solutions to improve the quality of life and drive society forward. For creators, the event represents an experimental field for creative ideas rooted in local identities.
The event presented a range of activities for visitors, from getting hands-on experience in art workshops to engaging with site-specific installations. Festival goers could also support local creators in neighborhood-inspired markets, inviting the discovery of new sides to Bangkok they might not have known about.
BKKDW had something for everyone and encouraged fresh eyes and the exchange of ideas between residents, international visitors, and everyone in between.
The City Districts that Participated in Bangkok Design Week
BKKDW is an annual city-wide event spanning multiple districts, each with unique contributions and attractions. Here’s a list of the districts that participated this year in Design Week and their major attractions.
Charoenkrung-Talat Noi
Located along the east side of the Chao Phraya River, Charoenkrung is known as “Bangkok’s First Road” and plays a central role in the city’s history of commerce. Home to mosques, embassies, shophouses, and Art Deco official buildings, the area is a place of cultural diversity reflected in its architecture, shops, and eateries.
The Thailand Creative & Design Center (TCDC) is also located in the Grand Postal Building, the symbolic headquarters of Bangkok Design Week and a nexus for all the event’s participants.
Yaowarat-Songwat
Bangkok’s neon-clad Chinatown buzzes with energy from day to night and has long attracted visitors with its distinctive Thai-Chinese culture, gastronomy, and trade. Yaowarat and Songwat Road Road are now magnets for creative entrepreneurs, contemporary design, and ideas reflected in galleries, cafes, and public spaces.
Phra Nakorn
Phra Nakorn district is the historic cultural center of the city. It is world-renowned for its temples, palaces, and communities of craftsmanship heritage.
For BKKDW, a large 860 sqm ‘Sua’ (the Thai word for a kind of sitting mat) made out of recycled plastic was installed on Lan Khon Meuang Town Square. The intent was to turn the space into a massive living room for all to enjoy, as this type of mat frequently covers the living room in a Thai home.
This Sua served as an enormous gathering space for visitors to stop by, rest, and reflect in between their exploration of the various venues and installations of BKKDW.
Pak Khlong Talat
The location of Bangkok’s premier fresh flower market, Pak Khlong Talat, is designed to stimulate all of the five senses. The Bloom Experiment captured this at the Float Flow Flower exhibition.
Located in the 15-minute park near MRT Sanamchai station, this art installation utilized recycled CDs that reflected a kaleidoscope of colors, like the different kinds of flowers found in the market. It honors the history of the canals and the ways of life surrounding them.
Bang Pho
Well-known amongst local and international communities, Bang Pho is Thailand’s largest wood-trading district. It’s Bangkok’s center for wooden furniture production, and its designers, artisans, and carpenters put out their very best work to display for BKKDW.
Hua Lamphong
Thailand’s oldest railway station, Hua Lamphong, has gradually transformed into a cultural venue, hosting everything from public big-band swing dancing events to screenings and concerts. A BKKDW program was located here, which enabled festival goers to explore the entire district, from the Bangkok General Post Office (Rongmuang) to the Sri Hua Lamphong Hotel, to take in the many sights and sounds of this cultural event.
Bang Lamphu—Khaosan
A new creative art space in Banglamphu, Sonjai House, hosted several activities in this familiar and iconic tourist district. From arts and crafts markets to culinary exhibitions to photography exhibits, the BKKDW artists expertly told the story of the people of Khaosan.
Other Participating Districts
In addition to the aforementioned districts, BKKDW25 took place in other venues scattered around the city, such as BANGKOK MODERN, an exhibition of the architecture of the 1950s-1970s at the Goethe-Institut Thailand. There was also the Khlong San MAKE project, which directly engages with the community by inviting students from nearby schools to take part in upskilling design activities focusing on sustainable materials.
When’s the Best Time to See Bangkok Design Week?
Packed with many activities, newly conceived initiatives, and age-old traditions, Bangkok is THE Southeast Asian destination for experiencing creative festivals and immersing yourself in rich culture. With Bangkok Design Week bringing out the very best in local artists and innovators, there’s never been a better time to explore the beating heart of Thailand. Keep an eye out on BKKDW’s official site for details on next year’s festival.
