We’re reminded this month that the Old Town is home to plenty of great yet underrated art galleries. Do check out the 19th century photography of John Thomson at the National Gallery (through Feb 28) and 71 years Kamol & Friends, the special exhibition at Ratchadamnoen Contemporary Art Center by celebrated artist Kamol Tassananchalee, Thai National Artist in Visual Arts (1997). Only five minutes away, The Queen’s Gallery is also currently home to Distance by Steps, a dramatic collective exhibition by leading artists from across Thailand, initiated by Naowarat Pongpaiboon and Kaewkao Pongpaiboon, comprising photographs, drawings, sculptures and poetry on the subject of neglected elderly people.

 

 

From the Queen’s Gallery, if you walk down the road, you’ll come across Dialogue Coffee and Gallery with its distinctive bike parking spots in front. The “free space for slow life” café is a great place to take refuge after a long day of walking from gallery to gallery. The 100-year-old house serves up some reasonably priced frappucinos (B60-85), Sangria (B180) and wine by the glass (B140), and a small variety of homemade pizzas (B100-B190) and quesadilla (B90-B140). It also makes a great spot to catch up with your Instagram, thanks to Wi-Fi and plug points.

 

 

 

Just down the road lies The Passport Bookshop, dubbed by many as the book oasis of Phra Nakorn. Popular among tourists and locals, the joint is a cozy bookshop with an emphasis on travel and all things Southeast Asian.

 

 

Brown Sugar is one of Bangkok’s best jazz bars for a reason. The Phra Sumeninstitution offers classic Western comfort food and cocktails, and live performances by quality local jazz bands dominated by finalists of The Voice Thailand like Tissue Paper and Attention Please. Performances run from 8:30 pm from Tue-Sun.

 

 

If you’re looking for something a bit different, head over to experimental performance venue Zoo this Jan 16 at 8pm for a creative multimedia evening, with drum set pieces by jazz percussionist Gerry Hemingway, composed by American artist Sarah Weaver, and a minimalist saxophone improv set by Japanese artist Katsura Yamauchi. 

 

 

 

Looking for some late night comfort food? You’ve got plenty to choose from in the area. The famous Khao Tom Bowon, which serves tasty porridge with many savory side dishes to choose from is right opposite Bowonniwet Temple. Khao Tom Fa Mui (Fa Mui Restaurant) is also on the same road near Brown Sugar, with the popular chicken feet soup for those brave enough to try. A slightly further walk across Ratchadamnoen Road through Mahachai Road gets you to the infamous Pad Thai Thip Samai, known to locals as Pad Thai Pratu Phi for some street-side premium egg-wrapped pad Thai noodles.