When is Vijit Chao Phraya?

13 Nov to 13 December 2026 (31 days) along the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok.

Is Vijit Chao Phraya free?

Yes, watching from the riverside is free for the whole festival. Dinner cruises and some riverside venues charge on their own.

When is the drone show?

Drone show: 19:50 at Wat Arun on 12, 13, 18, 20, 25, 27 Nov and 2, 4, 9, 11 Dec.

Is there a cultural show?

Yes: a cultural show with light and sound at Wat Kalayanamit, at 19:20 and 20:20, on 16 set evenings (listed above).

Vijit Chao Phraya 2026: Bangkok’s river-of-light festival

2026

Free light shows on both banks of the Chao Phraya, with drones and cultural shows on set evenings. Where to watch, how to get home, and which days overlap.

OPENS: 13.11
ENDS: 13.12
DAYS: 31

Checked 7 November 2026

Vijit Chao Phraya is a free light festival on both banks of the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, run by Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). In 2026 it runs from 13 Nov to 13 December 2026 (31 days) under the theme “Light of Imagination”.

Watching from the riverside costs nothing for the whole festival. Drone and cultural shows are on set evenings only, listed below.

At a glance

Dates: 13 Nov – 13 December 2026, 31 days
Organiser: Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)
Theme: “Light of Imagination”
Cost to watch: Free from the riverside, the whole festival
Where: Both banks of the Chao Phraya, from Rama III Bridge to Rama VIII Bridge

Special shows: dates and times

TAT’s programme sets two special shows on fixed evenings. Everywhere else the lights run through the evening.

Show	Where	Start	Evenings
Drone show	Wat Arun	19:50	Nov: Thu 12, Fri 13, Wed 18, Fri 20, Wed 25, Fri 27 Dec: Wed 2, Fri 4, Wed 9, Fri 11
Cultural show with light and sound	Wat Kalayanamit	19:20, 20:20	Nov: Thu 12, Fri 13, Sat 14, Sun 15, Fri 20, Sat 21, Sun 22, Fri 27, Sat 28, Sun 29 Dec: Fri 4, Sat 5, Sun 6, Fri 11, Sat 12, Sun 13

Fireworks: the reports disagree. The place-by-place list in The Nation and Thansettakij (5 November) gives Rama VIII, Memorial and Krungthep bridges on 12, 13, 20 and 27 November and 4 and 11 December, 20:45. Thansettakij’s highlight list in the same article, and Click2Go (7 November), give Memorial Bridge on Saturdays and Sundays, 20:45 (the highlight list prints 12–15, 21–22 and 28–29 November, 5–6 and 12–13 December).

Times and evenings are TAT’s programme as printed by The Nation and Thansettakij on 5 November 2026. TAT’s own festival page lists the places but gives no showtimes.

Where to watch free

The lights are along both banks, from Rama III Bridge to Rama VIII Bridge. The pier and station below come from this site’s boats and temple pages, not from the programme.

The programme names, among others: Rama VIII Bridge, Wat Arun, Wichai Prasit Fort, Memorial Bridge (Phra Phutthayotfa), Phra Pok Klao Bridge, Krungthep Bridge.

Place	Pier	Station
Wat Arun	Wat Arun: Blue-flag tourist boat, Thai Smile, Ferry	MRT Sanam Chai (BL31), exit 1
ICONSIAM	ICONSIAM: Yellow flag (midday), Orange flag, Red flag, Blue-flag tourist boat, Thai Smile	BTS Saphan Taksin → Sathorn Pier, exit 2

Other places in the programme are left out of the table until a pier or station is checked for them.

Wat Arun: hours, fee and how to get there →

Watching from a boat

Dinner cruises that run on the festival’s evenings are listed by sellers at about ฿899–2,000 (seller prices read 7 November 2026; they change). The cruise guide compares them by price, pier and what is included.

White Orchid dinner cruise (GetYourGuide)Affiliate link★ 4.4 · 5,474 reviews · from ฿1,128 per personseller page, 7 November 2026
The Planet dinner cruise (GetYourGuide)Affiliate link★ 3.3 · 12 reviews · from ฿1,580 per personseller page, 7 November 2026
Chao Phraya dinner cruise (Klook)Affiliate link★ 4.8 · 505 reviewsseller page, 5 November 2026

Affiliate link: if you book through it, this site may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The link carries no dates or other details of yours.

River cruises compared by price →Chao Phraya boats: piers and fares →

Getting there and home

The shows start after dark. Check the last boat before you go.

Last weekday departure, from the lines’ own timetables on the boats page
Line	Last boat
Green-yellow flag	17:45
Orange flag	18:05
Yellow flag	19:05
Blue-flag tourist boat	19:45

The last boat of these lines leaves at 19:45, before the 19:50 drone show starts. Plan to go home by rail, taxi or a cruise.
MRT Sanam Chai (BL31), exit 1, is the nearest train station for Wat Arun’s side of the river. Last trains: toward Tha Phra 23:24 · toward Lak Song 00:16.
Saphan Taksin (S6), exit 2, is the station for Sathorn (Central) Pier, where the boats page’s lines start.
One seller (Click2Go, 7 November) expects 5 December 2026 to be the busiest night of the festival. Book early for that night.

River boats: lines, piers and fares →Bangkok tonight →

Days that overlap

Days inside the festival that change plans:

November 2026 calendar →December 2026 calendar →

Questions

When is Vijit Chao Phraya?: 13 Nov to 13 December 2026 (31 days) along the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok.
Is Vijit Chao Phraya free?: Yes, watching from the riverside is free for the whole festival. Dinner cruises and some riverside venues charge on their own.
When is the drone show?: Drone show: 19:50 at Wat Arun on 12, 13, 18, 20, 25, 27 Nov and 2, 4, 9, 11 Dec.
Is there a cultural show?: Yes: a cultural show with light and sound at Wat Kalayanamit, at 19:20 and 20:20, on 16 set evenings (listed above).