Most people visit Bangkok for its historic temples, picturesque floating markets, or shiny rooftop bars. Very few know that the city is home to one of the best street art scenes in Asia.
In Bangkok, street art is concentrated around some of its most beautiful neighborhoods, close to the Chao Phraya River. Hundreds of colorful pieces cover the walls of small alleys, warehouses, and abandoned buildings.
The best area to look for graffiti and murals is around Charoen Krung Road in Bang Rak. From there, you can continue to Talat Noi, Song Wat, and Ong Ang Canal. If you have extra time, head north of Khao San Road to Ban Phan Thom.
Brief History
Bangkok’s street art scene is relatively young. Graffiti first appeared in the city in the 1990s, when Thai teenagers inspired by hip-hop culture, skateboarding, and foreign music videos began painting walls and underpasses. It was an underground activity, often rejected by locals.
By the 2000s, a generation of local artists had begun developing their own styles. One of the best-known, Alex Face, became famous for Mardi, a three-eyed child in a rabbit suit that symbolizes concern for the future.
A turning point came in the 2010s with the Bukruk Urban Arts Festival, which invited Thai and international artists to paint large murals in public spaces. The festival helped shift public opinion and drew attention to older neighborhoods like Charoen Krung and Talat Noi.
Where to Find Street Art
Bang Rak
The name Bang Rak refers to one of Bangkok’s fifty districts. However, it is also the name of its westernmost subdistrict and neighborhood. The historic Charoen Krung Road runs right through it. Though it hosts the largest concentration of street art in Bangkok, it is not overly touristy.
Start your walk near the Langham Hotel, which is soon to open. The building named Marshall Livehouse hosts a large mural by Alex Face. The iconic creature is wrapped in a flower and emerges from a crack. There used to be a different mural by the same artist on the same building.
Walk along the narrow Soi 36, following the street as it curves. Turn left, then right onto Soi 34. Colorful murals on both sides of the street are inspired by the surrounding Muslim neighborhood built around Haroon Mosque.
Walk a few steps straight ahead until you reach Charoen Krung Road. Turn left, then left again at the first corner. After a few steps, you’ll reach the famous Soi 32, the main location of the Bukruk Festival in 2016. Here, you’ll find pieces by Alex Face, Bonus TMC, Kult, Lolay, and Sabek.
Walk back and cross Charoen Krung Road. This is where Soi 43 starts. Walk for another minute until you reach the small Soi 45, just before the motorway. An impressive mural by German artist Jim Avignon covers an entire building. There is also a large piece by Austrian artist Linda in the previous soi, as well as several others under the motorway, including a chicken by renowned Thai artist Meubon.
Walk under the motorway until you reach Soi 39, then turn left. At the corner with Charoen Krung Road, you’ll spot a woman with flowers and a leopard pattern behind her. The Just Be You mural is the work of Spanish artist Carolina Adán Caro. It was created for the Krung Thep Creative Streets initiative celebrating European Heritage Days in 2025.
Continue along Soi 30, which turns left at the Portuguese Embassy. One of the most impressive street art pieces in Bangkok is here. Instead of using paint, Portuguese artist Vhils carved the embassy wall to create Scratching the Surface in 2017.
Keep walking along Soi 30 and turn right onto Si Phraya Road. Turn left onto Soi 28, and you’ll see several smaller graffiti pieces along the street, near the food stalls. There is even a small Mardi emerging from a barrel. Continue along the street, and at a small corner, you’ll see several large graffiti pieces. The area’s most famous piece is on the corner of Charoen Krung Road. Meubon’s Pukruk features a bird balancing on a unicycle. Saddo’s piece across the street was recently replaced with a large elephant mural.
Cross the street, walk for a minute, and turn right onto Soi 37. There are many graffiti pieces along the wall of this small alley. You can end your walk here or continue to nearby Talat Noi.
Talat Noi
Talat Noi is an authentic neighborhood north of Bang Rak. It is a small area where a small market once stood. Here, you’ll find a mix of car repair shops, street art, and old Chinese architecture. Cool cafés and restaurants are here, too. The whole neighborhood is becoming increasingly touristy.
Begin your exploration of Talat Noi at The Corner House Bangkok. Enter Soi Rong Nam Khaeng 1, and you’ll see graffiti on both sides of the street. One piece is dedicated to the Thai Rice Mills Association, and there is also a lazy cat beneath the Chinese lanterns.
Continue along the soi until you reach the end. On the corner of the Thai Fishsauce Factory, you’ll spot a giant mural covering two sides of a building. The impressive piece is the work of Thai artist Jayoto and features a bowl of Thai food surrounded by local residents and cats.
Turn right onto Soi Wanit 2 and walk to the Bumblebee Transformer. Continue along the same street, and after a moment, you’ll see a small mural on your left depicting a girl wrapped in flowers. A few steps later, on the right, there is a mural of the legendary Fiat 750 (that stands abandoned nearby) next to a crumbling wall.
Turn left onto Soi Chao Sua Son, and you’ll see a small alley on the right with two large murals. The Chinese dragon on the left faces a girl holding a fan. It’s a popular spot for selfies.
Go through that alley, and you’ll return to Trok San Chao Rong Kueak. The whole street is filled with street art painted during the Bukruk Festival in 2016. After turning right, you’ll spot another interesting mural featuring a woman and a barcode.
Walk to the end of the soi and turn right onto Soi Duang Tawan. Turn left onto Soi Wanit 2 until you reach the beginning of Soi Charoen Phanit. Where the street meets Song Wat Road, there is a building completely covered in murals. It houses Hugs Songwat Café, a great place to have coffee.
Song Wat Road
If you visited Bangkok several years ago, you probably haven’t heard of Song Wat Road. However, in the past couple of years, it has become one of Bangkok’s most popular streets. Flocks of tourists come here to admire historic architecture and colorful street art, shop, or dine.
Begin your walk at the corner of Song Wat Road and Song Sawat Road. This wall was once home to a flower mural by Ainich. It was recently replaced by a mural depicting a girl holding Takabb cough spray, created by Thai artists Jecksbkk and Nong Pop.
Continue along the road, and at the first soi on the right, you’ll see a large mural featuring two female faces. It is the work of local artist Waris, who often portrays women as superheroes. The mural was part of an initiative called Brighten Your Street, Color Your Neighborhood.
Continue along the road, and just a moment later, you’ll arrive at an empty parking lot with two large murals. The one on the left shows two elephants juggling above each other and is the work of Belgian artist Roa. The one on the right is by Belgian artist Kitsune Jolene. It depicts a woman holding a fan featuring the Belgian and Thai flags and celebrates 155 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Previously, a mural featuring bicycles by Spanish artist Aryz stood here.
Return to Song Wat Road and walk for a minute. After you reach the cool Mischa Cheap Bar, turn left into a small passage. There are two graffiti pieces here. One shows a monster lying down and was created by Peruvian artist Seimiek. The other depicts a totem by an artist from Sydney, Australia.
A few steps later, you’ll arrive at the popular community space and lifestyle hub Soul Songwat. Both sides of its entrance are covered with attractive murals. On the left, there are two goldfish forming a circle; on the right, you’ll see a large blue dragon.
If you cross the street, you’ll see a beautiful yellow mosque at the end of a small alley. On its left, there used to be blue clouds that were part of a Visa card marketing campaign. On the right, there are still paintings of two ceramic bowls filled with bao, a tribute to the neighboring bao shop, and a couple of monsters by Thai artist Mr. Kreme.
Continue along Song Wat Road almost to the end. The tiny Soi Maitri Wanit hides several artistic installations. On your left, you’ll see bowls painted as maneki-neko, the lucky cats with a raised paw.
Walk to the end of the street, turn right, then left onto Anuwong Road. After a few steps, you’ll reach BEANS Coffee Roaster Songwat. Local artist Benzilla painted his famous three-eyed monster, Loook, here.
Ong Ang Canal
Ong Ang Canal was originally dug to protect Bangkok’s Old Town. It acquired the name Pottery Canal because of the Chinese merchants who sold pottery nearby. It was neglected for centuries, but a few years ago, it received a well-deserved facelift. It is now one of Bangkok’s few pedestrian areas.
You can start exploring Ong Ang at the corner of the small alley that leads to Ama Hostel. The alley is adorned with Chinese lanterns and murals on both sides. The largest one shows a Chinese woman in a traditional red dress (Ama means grandmother in Chinese).
Walk north along the canal, and you’ll arrive at the canal’s main square, Saphan Han. Many events take place here, and the square is home to one of the most recognizable graffiti pieces in Bangkok. Alex Face painted his Mardi after the birth of his daughter, and the flowers emerging from the character’s head symbolize raising a child in an uncertain world.
Continue north and cross Yaowarat Road. You’ll enter a much less crowded section of the canal. On your left, you’ll notice a long wall full of graffiti by different artists. It includes pop-cartoon characters, portraits, and wildlife. The pieces were part of the ATM Spray x Khlong Ong Ang urban art project, painted in October 2020.
If you continue along the same side, you’ll spot an unusual painting on the wall. Local artist Don’t Like Monday Boii painted a kind of retro toy packaging box that incorporates elements of the neighborhood as toy parts. There’s a pottery market, a local bridge, a rickshaw, and a kayak.
Continue walking until you reach Damrong Sathit Bridge. Cross the bridge and head back along the canal. After a moment, you’ll see a narrow alley with walls completely painted on both sides. The Glow in the Dark Alley depicts a mystical forest. Outside the alley, there’s a painting of a woman with a baby floating in the river. It is the work of local artist Mother.
Walk a few steps and turn left into another alley. At the end, you’ll spot a cheerful graffiti piece showing a boy holding a red flag with a sign reading Bangkok. It is the work of Korn Doll, famous for his cartoon-style characters with big eyes.
After passing the 3D bridge, you’ll see an impressive piece by Asin. It features Polaroid photos with his iconic chicken wearing a helmet and goggles, as well as a Sikh man wearing a turban and sunglasses.
Continue south, and you’ll see another long wall packed with street art. This time, the wall is not part of a building but serves as a temporary fence. It was painted for the Ong Ang Water & Color Festival in 2024 and is divided into a Story Wall, where artists depict local history, and an Open Wall, which showcases emerging talents.
Ban Phan Thom
Ban Phan Thom is an old neighborhood north of Khao San Road. This is the quieter alternative to the infamous party area, with plenty of budget hotels, hostels, and guesthouses. In recent years, many of its shops and restaurants have been refurbished, giving the neighborhood a somewhat bohemian appearance.
Begin your walk where the pedestrian bridge that continues Thanon Bowon Niwet meets Thanon Parinayok, along the Bang Lamphu Canal. There is a long wall covered in graffiti by different artists.
Walk to the right and turn left onto Soi Banphanthom. On your left, you’ll see a blue mural. The work of renowned artist Bonus TMC features a tiger and a sea full of fish.
Walk along the street and check out the small Soi Phan Thom on your right. Several graffiti pieces adorn this street, including another work by Alex Face. It shows Mardi topped by a pile of money, symbolizing the pressure to earn money.
Walk to the end of the street, turn left, and then right onto the narrow Soi Wat Tri Thotsa Thep. On your left, you’ll see a man with an Afro hairstyle painted using the stencil technique.
Continue walking down the alley and turn left onto Soi Samsen 4. Walk for about 100 meters (320 feet), and you’ll spot a tiny turquoise-colored alley on your right, with murals on both sides. On your left, there are two differently shaped eyes; on your right, a tiger stands in the middle of a jungle.
Go through the small street and turn left into a small community space between the buildings. A long wall on your right features works by different artists, including one by Mr. Kreme.
Walk to the end of the community space and turn left. On the corner with Soi Samsen 4, you’ll see a small graffiti piece showing a Buddhist child praying. French artist Valé is the author of this small stencil piece.
Turn right onto Soi Samsen 4, walk for about a minute, and turn right onto Soi Samsen 2. On your left, you’ll see a long collaborative mural painted by some of Thailand’s most popular street artists, including Alex Face, Asin, and Meubon.
Street Art Tours in Bangkok
If you don’t want to explore on your own, there are several tours available on our partner website, GetYourGuide. This one is a two-hour walking tour through Talat Noi and Song Wat. It also includes a visit to the world’s largest golden Buddha.
This one is a 3.5-hour e-scooter tour through the Old Town, Chinatown, and Talat Noi. In addition to the main sights, it takes you through some hidden alleys and squares. It doesn’t focus exclusively on street art.
Finally, this is a four-hour private tour of Talat Noi and Song Wat. It takes you to the main street art pieces and includes a licensed English-speaking guide.
Where to Stay
If one of the main reasons for your visit to Bangkok is to explore its street art, you should stay in one of the neighborhoods mentioned above. The Royal Orchid Sheraton Riverside Hotel is one of the best options, as it offers luxury, great views, and easy access to some of the nicest pieces.
Merchant’s Gate Songwat is a new property located directly on Song Wat Road. This three-star boutique hotel offers clean, well-designed rooms in a neoclassical building surrounded by Song Wat’s quirky art.
Chillax Resort Khaosan, in the middle of Ban Phan Thom, is close to many beautiful graffiti pieces. Every room comes with an in-room whirlpool bath or Jacuzzi tub, and there is a large rooftop bar with a pool.
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