Bangkok's Free River Light Festival Runs to 13 December
If you have a Bangkok trip pencilled in before mid-December, plan at least one evening by the river. Vijit Chao Phraya 2026, the Tourism Authority of Thailand's festival of light, runs from 13 November to 13 December across 19 locations on both banks of the Chao Phraya, and you can watch it from promenades, parks, piers and bridges without a ticket.
Quick facts
- When: 13 November to 13 December 2026, evenings
- Where: 19 riverfront spots between Rama VIII Bridge and Rama III Bridge
- Cost: free public viewing
- Headline acts: 800-drone shows at Wat Arun, fireworks on set nights, light and sound shows every half hour
This is the festival's fifth edition, built around the theme "The Light of Imagination". Expect projection mapping on historic buildings, lasers, illuminated installations and cultural performances, and for the first time this year, installations designed with Chulalongkorn University, Thammasat University and King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang.
The nights worth planning around
Most locations run six five-minute shows a night, at 7pm, 7.30pm, 8pm, 8.30pm, 9pm and 9.30pm, including Rama VIII Bridge, Memorial Bridge, Krung Thep Bridge and the naval auditorium bridge. The bigger moments happen only on certain dates, so pick your night with these in mind:
- Wat Arun drone shows: 800 drones at 7.50pm on 13, 15, 18, 20, 25 and 27 November and 2, 4, 9 and 11 December
- Memorial Bridge fireworks: 8.45pm on 13 to 15, 21 to 22 and 28 to 29 November and 5 to 6 and 12 to 13 December
- Rama VIII Bridge waterfall fireworks: 7.30pm on 13 and 15 November, then 8.45pm on 20 and 27 November and 4 and 11 December
- Thai artistry show at Wat Kalayanamit: 7.20pm and 8.20pm on Fridays to Sundays through the festival
Only two nights stack everything at once: Friday 13 November and Sunday 15 November each line up a Wat Arun drone show, both sets of bridge fireworks and the Thai artistry performance on the same evening. After that, the drones fly on Wednesdays and Fridays, and the Memorial Bridge fireworks move to Saturdays and Sundays.
Where to watch from
Other stops include ICONSIAM's multimedia water features, Asiatique's Benjarong-inspired light installation, a projection show at the First Presbyterian Church, and a balloon light show at the riverside Soi Lhong 1919. From 13 to 15 November, a lit-up barge called "Vessel of Joy & Smiles" also sails between the Sathorn area and Rama III Bridge from 6pm to 10pm.
The Langham, Custom House, Bangkok, a restored historic customs building, hosts nightly projection mapping as one of the festival locations, ahead of the hotel's grand opening on 20 December. If you are choosing where to stay by the river, the city has plenty of new and refreshed options, from the refreshed Anantara Siam to the Dusit Thani.
The full schedule is on the Tourism Authority of Thailand newsroom.
