Vijit Chao Phraya 2026: Bangkok's River of Light

For one month a year, Bangkok turns its river into a stage. Temples glow in colour, bridges carry projections, drones draw in the sky and, on the big nights, fireworks go up over the Memorial Bridge at a quarter to nine. The whole thing is free, from either bank, every night.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand confirmed the 2026 dates on 22 October: Friday 13 November to Sunday 13 December 2026, 31 nights, under the theme “Light of Imagination”. It is the fifth edition, and the biggest stretch of river yet, from the Rama VIII Bridge in the old town down to the Rama III Bridge.

This guide covers the official programme night by night, the pattern of the last four editions, where to stand, and how to see it from the water or from a hotel room.

What Vijit Chao Phraya Is

“Vijit” (วิจิตร) means exquisite, or splendid, and that is the brief. Each year TAT lights a chain of landmarks along the Chao Phraya with light-and-sound shows, projection mapping, laser displays and, in recent editions, drone formations and fireworks, with Thai cultural performances at a few of the sites. The shows run on loops through the evening, roughly 6 PM to 10 PM, so you can wander between points or watch several from one spot on the river.

It began in November 2022 as a 16-night showcase for the APEC leaders’ meeting, with six sites. It has grown every year since: 31 nights in 2023, 14 points in 2024, and in 2025 a 45-night run across 15 points that drew more than 1.7 million visits and, by TAT’s estimate, over 5.5 billion baht in spending along the river. Boat operators were the biggest winners, which tells you how most people choose to see it.

The 2026 Edition: What Is Confirmed

TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool set out the plan at a partners’ briefing on 22 October 2026. The confirmed points:

Dates

13 November to 13 December 2026, 31 nights

Theme

"Light of Imagination" (แสงแห่งจินตนาการ)

Sites

13 landmarks on both banks, between the Rama VIII Bridge and the Rama III Bridge

On the programme

Rama VIII Bridge, the Royal Thai Navy Convention Hall, Wat Arun, Wat Kalayanamit, the Memorial Bridge, Soi Lhong 1919, The Langham Customs House Bangkok, Krung Thep Bridge and ICONSIAM

Show nights

Fireworks at 8:45 PM on 16 nights, drones over Wat Arun at 7:50 PM on 10, light shows every night from 7 PM to 9:30 PM

Shows

Light and sound, projection mapping, drone formations, fireworks and cultural performances

Entry

Free, as in every edition so far

Krung Thep Bridge is the news. It has never been a named site before, and it sits far downstream of the old town, near Asiatique and the Rama III piers. Its inclusion means the southern end of the river gets a show of its own for the first time, with fireworks on every Friday and on 12 and 13 November, which matters if your hotel or your cruise is down that way.

The official programme brings back the Royal Thai Navy building, Wat Kalayanamit, Lhong 1919 and ICONSIAM from 2025, and adds The Langham Customs House Bangkok, with projection mapping on the old customs house. TAT also named Wichai Prasit Fort and the Phra Pok Klao Bridge at its October briefing.

The Landmarks, Bank by Bank

Here is each point, upstream to downstream, with what the official 2026 programme has there and what it showed in 2025.

Landmark	Bank	2026 programme	In 2025
Rama VIII Bridge	Both	Laser and light show nightly; waterfall fireworks at 8:45 PM on Fridays and on 12 and 13 November	A light and laser show on the cables, six rounds a night. The drone launch point.
Siriraj waterfront	Thonburi	Not on the official list	Light installations at the mouth of Khlong Bangkok Noi and on the museum clock tower.
Royal Thai Navy Convention Hall	Thonburi	Multimedia light and sound show nightly	A laser and sound show across the naval buildings, facing the Grand Palace.
Wat Arun	Thonburi	Drone light show at 7:50 PM on Wednesdays, Fridays and 12 and 13 November	Projection on the central prang, the festival’s signature image. Drone shows on selected nights.
Wichai Prasit Fort	Thonburi	Named by TAT in October, not on the programme	The old fort lit as the “guardian of the river”, next to Wat Arun.
Wat Kalayanamit	Thonburi	Light and sound nightly; Thai cultural shows at 7:20 PM and 8:20 PM, Friday to Sunday	Light mapping on the great viharn, with shows at 7:50 PM and 8:20 PM on Friday to Sunday nights.
Memorial Bridge	Both	Light and sound nightly; fireworks at 8:45 PM on Saturdays, Sundays and 12 and 13 November	Projection along the span, and the fireworks launch point at 8:45 PM on show nights.
Phra Pok Klao Bridge	Both	Named by TAT in October, not on the programme	Lit in gold next to the Memorial Bridge, with the Sky Park on top.
Lhong 1919	Thonburi	Light, sound and special effects on the abandoned building in the soi, nightly	Projection and shadow play on the old warehouse building.
Holy Rosary Church	Bangkok	Not on the official list	Projection mapping on the Gothic church near River City.
River City Bangkok	Bangkok	Not on the official list	Light installations along the waterfront and the facade.
The Langham Customs House	Bangkok	Projection mapping with light and sound, nightly	Not a site in 2025.
ICONSIAM	Thonburi	Musical fountain, nightly	The mall’s light symphony at 6:55, 7:55 and 8:55 PM, with the water show on the hour.
Bangkok Dock	Thonburi	Not on the official list	Floating light spheres and a sculpture by the dock crane.
Krung Thep Bridge	Both	Light and sound nightly; fireworks at 8:45 PM on Fridays and on 12 and 13 November	Not a site in 2025.

From the Water

The festival was designed with the boats in mind. The dinner cruises sail the exact stretch that is lit, past Wat Arun and the Grand Palace while their projections run, and the open upper decks are the seats to ask for. Which sailing suits a show night depends on where the show is.

Saturdays and Sundays are the easy nights. The fireworks are at the Memorial Bridge, which sits between the main piers and Wat Arun, so every dinner cruise route passes it and any evening sailing is within sight at 8:45 PM. The one boat that boards beside the bridge is the Bangkok Chaophraya Cruise’s second boat, sold on GetYourGuide as a 7:30 PM sailing from Yodpiman River Walk (MRT Sanam Chai).

Fridays have fireworks at both ends. On 20 and 27 November and 4 and 11 December the fireworks go up at the Rama VIII Bridge, the northern end of the cruise route, and at Krung Thep Bridge, about a kilometre below Asiatique, both at 8:45 PM, after the drones over Wat Arun at 7:50 PM. Which one you see best depends on where your boat is at 8:45 PM: a boat still heading upriver is closer to the Rama VIII waterfall, one already turning back south is closer to Krung Thep Bridge. On 12 and 13 November all three bridges have fireworks.

Two things to know. Several operators sell “festival” sailings at a premium on fireworks nights and on Loy Krathong (24 November), and the cheaper promotional tickets are often not valid on those dates. And the boats are busy: the most reviewed cruises sell out their weekend sailings a week or more ahead during the festival.

Every dinner cruise sailing during the festival, with its price and a Book Now link, is at the top of this page, and our cruise guide compares them side by side.

Sleeping on the River

A river-view room turns the festival into something you watch from bed. The Thonburi bank between ICONSIAM and Khlong San looks across to River City and the old town; the Bangkok bank around Sathorn and Bang Rak looks across to Wat Arun’s side of the river. Prices rise on the fireworks weekends, and the small boutique hotels at Tha Tien, facing Wat Arun, go first.

A Short History

Edition	Dates	Scale	Notes
2022, the first	12 to 27 Nov	16 nights, 6 sites	Staged for the APEC leaders’ week. Projection on Wichai Prasit Fort, shadow play at Wat Kalayanamit, lights on the Rama VIII Bridge.
2023	1 to 31 Dec	31 nights, 5 main sites plus partners	Fireworks at the Memorial Bridge at 8:45 PM on selected nights, drone shows at Asiatique, a countdown finale at Wat Arun.
2024	16 Nov to 15 Dec	30 nights, 14 points	Drone shows at Wat Arun at 7:50 PM, fireworks at the Memorial Bridge on ten nights, part of the Thailand Winter Festivals.
2025	9 Nov to 23 Dec	45 nights, 15 points	”Light of Siam, Mother of the Land”, in tribute to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother. 1.7 million visits.
2026	13 Nov to 13 Dec	31 nights, 13 points	”Light of Imagination”. Krung Thep Bridge joins the list.

Getting Around on Show Nights

The river boats stop early. The Chao Phraya Express Boat’s last departures from Sathorn are around 7 PM, so it gets you to a spot but not home. The Tourist Boat and the cross-river ferries run later, but on fireworks nights plan to leave by rail or road.

Rail does the job. MRT Sanam Chai is the station for the Memorial Bridge, Rajinee, Tha Tien and Wat Pho; MRT Itsaraphap serves Wat Kalayanamit and the Kudi Chin side. The BTS Gold Line reaches ICONSIAM and runs until midnight. Taxis and ride-hailing from the old town are slow after a fireworks show; walk ten minutes away from the river before you call one.

Two other dates share the river. The Royal Barge Procession sails from Wasukri Pier to Wat Arun on Friday 6 November, the week before the festival opens, with river closures from midday. Loy Krathong falls on Tuesday 24 November, the festival’s twelfth night, and brings the biggest crowds of the month to every pier.

Bring a light layer for the river breeze after 9 PM, a power bank, and patience at the piers. Late November is the start of the cool season, usually dry, around 26°C in the evening.