Song Wat KUDTHAI 2026 spotlights Thai creativity for Songkran

Song Wat, the capital’s historic trading quarter that has recently become one of the city’s most closely watched destinations for travellers from around the world, is taking its creative revival a step further this Songkran.

The neighbourhood, known for reimagining its heritage streets through new shops, art and contemporary culture, is joining forces with public and private sector partners from across Thailand to launch “Song Wat KUDTHAI 2026”, a Thai New Year festival running from April 9-12, 2026 in Song Wat. At the same time, the district will also stage a hip pop-up activation at EM District, covering Emporium, EmQuartier and Emsphere, from April 8-19, 2026.

Billed as a celebration of creativity across food, fashion, lifestyle, craft and contemporary Thai experiences, Song Wat KUDTHAI 2026 is being organised by Made in Song Wat in collaboration with Friends of Song Wat, including The Mall Group, the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, Samphanthawong district, and shops and brands from the Song Wat community.

Together, they have curated standout brands from around the country and created a special collection under the theme “KUDTHAI 2026: Only Thailand’s Best Charm”. The festival also features workshops, music, film screenings and a wide range of entertainment set against the old-world architecture of Song Wat. A key highlight is centred on Lost in Songwat in Soi Masjid Luang Kocha Itsahak, where visitors can explore exclusive activities alongside special product and food collaborations.

Curated flavours at Kudthai Market

At Kudthai Market, Gourmet Market and Gourmet Eats have brought together Thai brands from across the country to collaborate with well-known Song Wat restaurants on exclusive dishes.

Among the standouts is “braised goose stir-fried sukiyaki” by Suki Phonsiri x Han Urai, pairing a viral suki brand with a legendary braised goose restaurant. Also featured are “pad Thai mantou with grilled chicken” and “traditional steamed bun with pad Thai chicken filling” by Pad Thai Khun Chu x Gu Long Bao, bringing together a 70-year-old pad Thai recipe and a Teochew steamed bun business now in its fourth generation.

For desserts and drinks, Khiri Thai Tea x Pista& – a contemporary Thai tea brand joining hands with Thailand’s first pistachio café – have created “Thai Tea Pistachio Cream Tiramisu” and “Thai Tea with Pistachio Milk”, blending the richness of tea leaves with pistachio in three intensity levels: strong, medium and mild.

There is also “Egg Cake & Pista Dip” by Haab x Pista&, pairing charcoal-baked traditional egg cakes with a rich pistachio sauce. Meanwhile, Pasutara, an organic lemon farm from Ratchaburi, has teamed up with Lost in Songwat, a café housed in an old home, to present “Honey Lemon Soda” and “Americano Lemon”.

In addition, 17 leading shops in Song Wat have worked together to create special Song Wat Kudthai menus and collections inspired by Thai identity, with releases available simultaneously in Song Wat and at EM District.

Curated experiences at Kudthai House and Kudthai Courtyard

A historic house tucked away inside Lost in Songwat has been transformed into Kudthai House.

On the ground floor, visitors will find a showcase of modern Thai fashion and lifestyle products from THAI THAI MARKET, The Only Market, and Han Koo. Upstairs, a hidden bar created by Kudthai x Thaipioka Cultural Bar serves special drinks made from Thai spirits, accompanied by performances from well-known DJs each evening.

Outside, Kudthai Courtyard becomes a lively activity space offering kite-painting workshops, DIY T-shirt printing with Han Koo, mor lam music, open-air film screenings that tap into childhood nostalgia, and the Song Wat Kudthai Journey Stamp gachapon game. Visitors who collect stamps from five points around Song Wat can exchange them for prizes from shops across the neighbourhood.

The festival experience also extends throughout the district, including art photo check-in spots in front of Agar Raga and Mahapho Riverview, inviting visitors to explore and capture the character of the area.

Little Song Wat comes to EM District from April 8-19

The Song Wat experience will also travel into central Sukhumvit through Little Song Wat at EM District, where legendary eateries and signature venues from the district will appear in pop-up form.

The line-up brings together old- and new-generation entrepreneurs from the Made in Song Wat community, including Ika, Black 777 Somtam Gai, Oh! Vacola, Rong Klan Nuea-Moo, SCR – Song Wat Coffee Roaster, and Pista&.

The EM District activation is divided into three zones:

• Thai-Pop Market at Emporium Department Store, 1st floor
• Thai Local Market at EmQuartier, Quartier Avenue, G floor
• Thai-tainment Market with Little Song Wat at Emsphere, EM Market Hall, G floor

The aim is to bring the charm of Song Wat, one of Bangkok’s most characterful historic communities, to the heart of Sukhumvit, allowing more people to experience its food, style and spirit in a new setting.

This year’s Thai New Year celebrations are therefore being recast through the lens of a creative community, where the best of Thai products, ideas and collaborations are brought together by a network of public, private and local partners under Friends of Song Wat, led by Made in Song Wat and The Mall Group.

Song Wat KUDTHAI 2026 runs from April 9-12, 2026 in Song Wat, while the festival’s extended activation continues from April 8-19, 2026 at EM District (Emporium, EmQuartier and Emsphere) as well as Gourmet Market, Gourmet Eats and department stores under The Mall Group.