What to do and see in Bangkok, Thailand: The Best Events

Songkran is Thailand's most important public holiday and celebrates their traditional new year. Silom sees possibly the biggest Bangkok crowd line the streets with water pistols and powder, ready to wash away the sins of the past year and party in true Thai style. There is no escape from getting drenched in the water fight if you are anywhere along the 5km stretch of party zone that is Silom, but the BTS skywalk is a good place to go to get a good view of the festivities and hide in relative safety. When you are ready to get back into the thick of it, walk down to the busy streets, grab a beer from one of the stalls on the side of the road and carry on partying. Be careful not to carry any valuables that can't take a soaking.

Songkran is Thailand's most important public holiday and celebrates their traditional new year. The backpacking favourite Khao San Road and neighbouring Rambutree become one of the country's biggest tourist havens to celebrate the water festival, with a carnival atmosphere and a wonderful mix of Thai tradition and fun travelling spirit. Decoratively painted elephants walk the streets, children throw ice-cold buckets of water at policemen and if you are on the streets, you are fair game for a soaking. Those arriving with bags, be warned that no one gets let off. It takes place between the 13-15th April (all over the country), everyone armed with giant water guns and their Hawaiian style floral 'Song Kran Shirts'. The traditional water pouring is meant as a symbol of washing away sins.

Asiatique the Riverfront is a very popular night market destination which has been open for only a few years. Popular amongst locals and tourists, it is a big night market converted from a vast warehouse. As it is situated right on the Chaopraya River, celebrating Loy Krathong – the Thai light lantern festival – feels especially festive here. With all the lighted boats going up and down the river, the plentiful, luxurious hotels dotted along the coast and the biggest Ferris wheel in Thailand as a background, this location will surely provide the best ambience to celebrate this festival.

The annually held Bangkok Marathon in Thailand attracts over 30,000 runners and passes many historical or culturally significant landmarks in the city of Bangkok. It is most well known as being "the world's longest marathon" due to an official mistake in 2015 that added 6 kilometres to the race.

In Yaowaraj, the official name of Chinatown in Bangkok, is the home of the largest Chinese New Year celebration in Thailand. During the celebration crowds of worshippers, exploding firecrackers, dragon dancers, and families of Chinese descent swarm the streets of Chinatown. The event usually takes place in January or February and is a spectacle in which tens of thousands of people help to "paint" the streets red.