Which show to choose
The choice depends mostly on what you are after. For a light-hearted evening with no language barrier, Calypso Cabaret is the safe bet: costumes, lip-syncing and comic numbers follow one another for an hour. To discover the country's most prestigious stage art, khon can be seen in a short version at Sala Chalermkrung on weekdays, or in a full-length version during the big year-end productions. Dinner shows by the river combine a meal and a performance in the same evening, at a noticeably higher price. Finally, Muay Thai, with its ritual and its music, is a show in its own right.
Two names come up often and are no longer current. Siam Niramit, the big historical revue near the Thailand Cultural Centre on Ratchadaphisek Road, permanently closed its Bangkok venue in 2021. The Joe Louis puppet theatre, long based at Asiatique, has also closed, as have the former Muay Thai shows staged there. Be wary of agencies or drivers who still offer tickets for these shows.
Calypso Cabaret at Asiatique
Founded in 1988 in a former cinema on Sukhumvit Road, Calypso is Bangkok's oldest cabaret. After several moves, it settled in 2012 in Warehouse 3 of Asiatique The Riverfront, the riverside night market. The performers are transgender women (kathoey), hence the "ladyboy show" nickname seen everywhere; they lip-sync, with no live singing, through a sequence of acts: big feathered revues, celebrity impersonations, Thai, Chinese, Korean or Japanese songs, and comic numbers.
Times, length and tickets
The show lasts about 50 minutes according to the official website. There are two performances a night; in October 2026, authorised resellers list them at 7:15pm and 9pm, but the exact time is shown on the official box office when you book. The cabaret's website does not publish a price list: resellers show tickets at around 900 baht, and the box office on site around 1,200 baht per adult (prices checked in October 2026). Packages with a Thai dinner at the cabaret's restaurant, or with a dinner cruise on the river, can also be booked on the official box office.
Good to know
- The show is open to all ages, with adult supervision; a child under 3 can share a parent's seat free of charge.
- Tickets are non-refundable; if you book directly with the cabaret, however, you can ask to change the date.
- The theatre is wheelchair accessible; mention it in the special requests field.
- Arrive at least 10 minutes before the start. After the show, the performers pose for photos in the lobby in exchange for a tip.
- Getting there: BTS Saphan Taksin, then the free river shuttle from Sathorn pier, as for the rest of Asiatique.
Another cabaret of the same kind, Golden Dome, has been playing since 1997 on Ratchadaphisek Road, in the Huai Khwang area, with several performances in the early evening. It does not publish its times or prices on an official website: go through a recognised agency and check the time when booking.
Khon, the masked theatre of the court
Khon is a masked dance drama dating back to the Ayutthaya kingdom. It tells episodes of the Ramakien, the Thai version of the Indian Ramayana: Prince Rama, his wife Sita abducted by the demon Thotsakan, and the monkey army of General Hanuman. The dancers never speak: narrators and a chorus at the side of the stage deliver the text, while a piphat ensemble of xylophones, gongs and drums keeps time. The masks identify the characters, monkeys, demons or deities, while the human heroes usually perform with their faces uncovered. Khon in Thailand has been inscribed on UNESCO's list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2018.
At Sala Chalermkrung, Monday to Friday
Opened on 2 July 1933 on Charoen Krung Road, the Sala Chalermkrung Royal Theatre was built at the initiative of King Prajadhipok (Rama VII); it was one of the first air-conditioned venues in the country. Since its 1992 renovation, it has been devoted to the Thai performing arts.
The theatre now presents "Khon, The Thai Classical Masked Dance", a short 25-minute version designed for visitors, with live music, narrators and English and Chinese subtitles. Performances are held Monday to Friday at 1pm, 2:30pm and 4pm. A ticket costs 400 baht for foreign visitors (prices checked in October 2026). A Grand Palace admission ticket bought by a foreign visitor gives access to the show: show it at the entrance. A shuttle leaves from the palace's Phiman Thewet Gate 30 minutes before each performance, for a one-way trip to the theatre.
The theatre is at 66 Charoen Krung Road, in Phra Nakhon district, on the edge of Chinatown and a few minutes' walk from MRT Sam Yot station (Blue Line). It closes on some public holidays and during ceremonies: the Grand Palace website publishes the closure dates.
At the National Theatre, near Sanam Luang
Opened in 1965 at the corner of Rachini and Na Phra That roads, next to the National Museum, the National Theatre is run by the Fine Arts Department. Closed in 2022 for a complete renovation (lighting, acoustics, scents released during the show), it reopened in May 2026. Its company stages full-length khon and lakhon, another form of dance drama, at modest prices. In October and November 2026, the "Ramavatar" episode of the Ramakien plays as a matinee at 2pm on 11, 17 and 25 October and 1 November, with tickets from 100 to 400 baht, sold at the box office and on the Fine Arts Department website. Performances are not systematically subtitled: read a summary of the episode before you go. The area is described in our guide to Banglamphu and the Old Town.
The big year-end production
Every year, the SUPPORT Foundation, created by Queen Mother Sirikit, stages a large-scale khon production at the Thailand Cultural Centre, the MRT station of the same name on the Blue Line. In 2026, the "Sita" episode plays there from 5 November to 10 December in the main hall, with tickets at 600, 800, 1,000, 1,800 and 2,000 baht on Thai Ticket Major, on sale since 12 August (prices checked in October 2026). It is the most spectacular way to see khon, with hundreds of dancers, lavish sets and costumes, for a performance lasting several hours.
Thai dance dinner shows
Sala Rim Naam, by the river
The Mandarin Oriental's Sala Rim Naam restaurant stands on the Thonburi bank, opposite the hotel (48 Oriental Avenue), and is reached by the hotel's shuttle boat; a car park is also accessible from Charoen Nakhon Road. In a decorated pavilion, the Thai dinner is accompanied by classical dances, including excerpts of khon, Wednesday to Sunday. Dinner starts at 7pm, the first show at 7:30pm and the last at 9:30pm. The set menu costs 2,800 baht for four courses and 3,400 baht for five courses, plus 10% service charge and taxes (prices checked in October 2026). Smart dress is required: long trousers and closed shoes for men, no sleeveless tops.
Dinner cruises
On the Chao Phraya River, large boats leave every evening at around 7:30pm to 8pm from the River City, Iconsiam and Asiatique piers for a cruise of about two hours, with a buffet, a band and sometimes traditional dance on board. Prices vary with the boat, the pier and the reseller. How the cruises work, the piers and the difference between large boats and converted rice barges are covered in our page on the Chao Phraya River.
Muay Thai, a show in its own right
A Muay Thai night in a big stadium is as much a ritual as a sport. Before each bout, the boxers perform the wai kru ram muay, a dance paying homage to their teachers, to the sound of a traditional orchestra that then sets the pace of the rounds. Rajadamnern Stadium, on Ratchadamnoen Nok Road, holds fights every night; Lumpinee Stadium, on Ram Intra Road, hosts the ONE Lumpinee nights on Fridays. Expect around 2,500 baht at ringside at Rajadamnern, less in the stands (prices checked in October 2026). Each night's programme, seat categories and access are detailed in our page on Muay Thai in Bangkok.
Shows at a glance
| Show | Venue | Days and times | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calypso Cabaret | Asiatique The Riverfront | Every night, 2 performances | Around 900 to 1,200 baht |
| Khon (short version) | Sala Chalermkrung | Monday-Friday, 1pm, 2:30pm, 4pm | 400 baht, included with the Grand Palace ticket |
| Khon "Ramavatar" | National Theatre | 11, 17, 25 October and 1 November 2026, 2pm | 100 to 400 baht |
| Khon "Sita" | Thailand Cultural Centre | 5 November-10 December 2026 | 600 to 2,000 baht |
| Dinner with dance | Sala Rim Naam (Mandarin Oriental) | Wednesday-Sunday, 7:30pm-9:30pm | 2,800 or 3,400 baht, plus service and taxes |
| Muay Thai | Rajadamnern and Lumpinee stadiums | Every night at Rajadamnern | Around 2,500 baht at ringside |
Prices checked in October 2026. Calypso Cabaret prices are those shown by resellers and at the box office, as the cabaret does not publish a price list.
Practical tips
Book in the right place
Buy your tickets from each venue's official box office, at its ticket counter or from a recognised agency. Do not go through touts or tuk-tuk drivers offering "shows" with transport included: tickets may be marked up, or be for a venue that has closed. The most common traps are described in our guide to scams and safety in Bangkok.
Plan the evening
In the evening, traffic is heavy: the BTS, the MRT and the boats are often faster than a taxi, especially for Asiatique and the Thailand Cultural Centre. Plan your way back before you set off, as the express boats stop in the early evening; our guide to getting around Bangkok gives the timetables and the taxi apps. For the afternoon khon at Sala Chalermkrung, visit the Grand Palace in the morning first.
Dress and etiquette
Neat clothing is enough in the theatres; dinners in the big hotels call for smart dress. Do not use flash photography during performances. If the royal anthem is played before the show, as in Thai cinemas, stand up and remain still until it ends.
Further reading
To combine a show and dinner by the river, our page on Asiatique The Riverfront covers the site, its restaurants and its Ferris wheel. The afternoon khon pairs well with a visit to the Grand Palace and an evening in Chinatown, a few streets from Sala Chalermkrung. For a sportier evening, our page on Muay Thai in Bangkok presents the two big stadiums.
