Update & Visitor Guide
DESIGN S/O/S - It’s time to take action and design our way forward for today and tomorrow.
In a world facing crises from climate change and economic instability to growing inequality, we can’t just wait. This year, we begin creating our own ways to survive and thrive. Because design is not only about beauty, but a force that helps us adapt and move forward with confidence.Do not wait for the crisis to arrive. Now is the time to activate your creative mode and unleash your “survival” ideas you’ve been waiting to “actualize”. Whether you’re a creator, designer, entrepreneur, thinker, dreamer, critic, connector, or doer, this is a call for you to join us. Let’s “take action” in design, and survive — together.No heroes needed. No waiting for someone else to save the day.It’s time to act for our world and our future.S – Secure Domestic Setting new standards, awakening waves that boost the domestic market.“Secure Domestic” is about building a strong foundation and raising the standards of Thai design, while energizing the local market. When Thai people value and choose Thai design, the creative economy becomes a powerful force driving the country forward.This idea goes beyond economics, it’s also about using design to improve our cities and society, helping us move confidently in a constantly changing world.O – Outreach Opportunities Creating new opportunities, fostering collaborations, and confidently taking a step towards the global state.If “Secure Domestic” is the strong foundation, “Outreach Opportunities” is the branch that reaches out to the world — creating new global possibilities. It means Thai designs that speak to people everywhere, collaborations with international brands and institutions, and spaces for sharing ideas and innovation across borders.Design has no boundaries. It’s a universal language that connects us and highlights Thailand’s potential as a true design hub of Asia.S – Sustainable Future Exploring bold and innovative paths to a sustainable future, ready to take on every challenge ahead.Good design doesn’t just respond to the present, it looks toward the future. “Sustainable Future” means using design as a driving force to create new ways for life, cities, and the planet to move forward, helping us face future challenges with confidence and stability.“Design” is not just for a few, it’s a power that moves people, cities, businesses, and the world.It’s time to turn creativity into action and make ideas happen, whether you’re a thinker, dreamer, designer, or doer.
12 Nov 2025
A conversation with Sarawut Panhnu, designer of the Bangkok Design Week 2026 Key Visual
“Thainess” is a concept we all recognize instantly. Yet behind this familiar image lies one of the biggest challenges for designers, “What kind of Thai is it?” and “How can Thai design stand out?”When this idea became part of the theme DESIGN S/O/S for Bangkok Design Week 2026, we couldn’t help but wonder how the festival’s Key Visual designer, Sarawut Panhnu, would interpret it.So today, we sat down with Sarawut to talk about the creative process behind the Bangkok Design Week 2026 Key Visual, from his view of DESIGN S/O/S as a wake-up call to how he infused his signature Thai-pop style into what he calls his first truly serious approach to Key Visual design.Interviewer: Before we get to the Key Visual, let’s go back a bit. When did you first become interested in art and design?Sarawut: It started in early high school. I realized I loved drawing but didn’t know what to study next. When I moved back to my hometown in Lopburi, I found a vocational school with a fine arts program, so I joined. Later, I continued at Poh-Chang Academy of Arts, majoring in traditional Thai painting.Interviewer: Coming from a traditional Thai painting background, how would you describe your current style?Sarawut: I call it Thai Pop — bright, playful, and contemporary, but still rooted in Thai elements like patterns and composition. Some works are satirical or slightly surreal, depending on my mood. My personal pieces often tell small stories from daily life, like a visual diary.The shift happened about seven years ago when I moved back to Lopburi. I used to restore murals in Bangkok, but there wasn’t that kind of work back home. I reconnected with old friends doing street art, graffiti, and other creative work that reflected their own lives. I wanted to do that too — to let art mirror real life. So I began mixing what I loved, like cartoons, books, and old songs, with the traditional techniques I learned at Poh-Chang. It gave me both strong foundations and room to play.Interviewer: When did you first start working in design?Sarawut: I’d done some album covers before, like for Phum Viphurit and H 3 F, and also the opening scene for the series The Believers. Back then, my work was purely painting on canvas — no digital tools at all. I’d scan the finished piece and pass it to the team for further editing.Later, brands started reaching out, and I realized I had to adapt. Paintings weren’t always practical for brand use, which required digital or vector files. So I began learning digital tools, starting with an iPad and gradually moving to vector programs. Friends helped me with techniques, and over time I shifted from canvas to digital — while keeping the brushstroke feel of painting.Interviewer: So this is your first time creating a Key Visual?Sarawut: Not my first design project, but my first time doing it seriously and in full scale.Interviewer: How do you define a Key Visual?Sarawut: I see it as creating the overall mood and identity of a project. Since I’m not trained as a designer, my process is more intuitive — I start by sketching and composing in my own way. Then I collaborate with my graphic designer friends, Dashflash Worldwide and Blue Wave, who help refine the layout, graphics, and details. Through this, I learned a lot about how designers think and work.Interviewer: When you first received the theme DESIGN S/O/S, how did you interpret it?Sarawut: When I first saw the theme DESIGN S/O/S, I felt it was more like a wake-up call – a signal urging Thai designers to rise, think, and create in their own way. And the first person to receive that signal was me. So I wanted to awaken my creativity by building on what I already have: reimagining Thai identity into something new.Interviewer: In a world that’s moving fast and full of challenges, how do you see design as a tool to help us “survive”?Sarawut: I believe design has always been part of our lives — from ads and art to something as simple as a coffee cup. If we want to survive today, we must truly understand what design means.Now, with social media, nothing feels outdated anymore. Everyone understands taste and trends, often without realizing it. Inspiration is everywhere, right in our hands. The world already runs on design — and that’s why I believe design is our way to survive.Interviewer: What does “Thainess” mean to you?Sarawut: For me, Thainess is something close and familiar. It’s part of everyday life, not something distant or abstract. If it’s too far removed, it stops feeling real. Thainess is found in Thai patterns, one of Thailand’s most iconic motifs. It’s all around us, woven into the surroundings we’ve seen all our lives.Interviewer: And what’s the “flavor” of your Thainess?Sarawut: I’d say rainbow flavor (laughs). My work is never fixed. It changes with time and what’s happening around me. Like life — sometimes sweet, sometimes bitter, sometimes spicy. But this year, I’d say it’s rainbow flavor — bright, sweet, and fun.Interviewer: How did you connect DESIGN S/O/S with Thainess in your process?Sarawut: I looked at last year’s event first, since it already explored Thai identity quite a bit. So this year, I focused on my own perspective — reinterpreting Thai patterns, culture, and everyday life I’ve known for over a decade into something more contemporary, playful, and in tune with today’s world.Interviewer: From concept to creation, how did you turn the idea into the Key Visual?Sarawut: I started by researching the word “design” (laughs). Since I didn’t come from a design background, I wanted to understand it better. I realized design is a way of planning life, which made me see Bangkok as a city of design shaped by its people. I brought those stories into the Key Visual and added my own sense of Thainess.If you look closely, you’ll see traditional Thai patterns hidden in the image — not directly, but subtly within the composition. Just like in the past, when these motifs were part of everyday life, I reinterpreted them in a modern way. I began by sketching the concept and layout, then worked with two designers to refine it into a complete piece.Interviewer: Is there a character you like most in the Key Visual?Sarawut: Not really — they all represent real people in Thailand’s creative scene, not fictional ones, so I like them all (laughs). If anything, the Thai pattern itself is the true character of the work. But I’m also drawn to the running figure — it captures movement, energy, and how design lives in people’s everyday lives.Interviewer: Lastly, what would you like to say to those coming to Bangkok Design Week 2026? What can they expect?Sarawut: You’ll see fun works and a new flavor of Thainess you might not have seen before. Some will love it, some maybe not — and that’s okay. I think it should be a space where people can feel differently and freely. Next year, the festival’s flavor might change again, but what will always stay the same is the joy of creating and discovering something new every year.
08 Nov 2025
Announcement of Participant
Announcement of ParticipantBangkok Design Week would like to give a sincere appreciation for all applications. We are delighted that you are a part of this festival. Your participation in Bangkok Design Week 2026 drives the growth of the Creative Industry.List of the Participants for Bangkok Design Week 2026BKKDW2026 Supporters:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx______________________________________List of BKKDW2026 Program Partners:• Exhibition Festival Venue103PAPER SHOPA440 Sound LabABSOLUTE BEGINNER CO., LTDAlkhemist ArchitectsArisara StudioaRoundPBangkok City LabBangkok Community RadioBanglamphu everythingbendi-BANGKOKcc.studioCerebrum Design Co.,LtdCreative Economy AgencyCreative House By CEACuratorial Team of VBHK 2025Dek Korat x Pratintip Artist / PR GROUP THAILAND Department of International Trade Promotion (DIPT)Design PLANTDogseyesview StudioEA-CREkaterina KorchaginaEmbassy of Italy in Bangkok – Italian Cultural InstituteFriends Making WorkHeartsell Entertainment Co.,ltd.Homework fabricHumans of Flower Market by ArchSUHumans of Flower Market by ArchSU x WalkWingINDA – International Program in Design and Architecture, Chulalongkorn UniversityInfinite riotKOLABLee [Phasit Lorsrimuang / Chayutpon Jirajaturapak / Pawin Chaiyapatranun]Live Life DetailmarionsiamMEXmflex factoryMitt Mind TreeMUNIENulty Lighting Design ConsultantsOne to ThreeParnak StudioPART HardwarePBBO X Farmgroup X Veig X HannPDMBRANDPHAYANCHANAPor Laew Dee the CreatorPrem.artisticRUI+ / Fascinating Bangkok: Art Empowers EnterprisesSchool of Architecture, Art, and Design – KMITL x Monash UniversitySHERPUBLIQShma x we!park Splendour SolisSumphat GallerySUTO x Banglamphu EverydayTAKANAO TODO DESIGNThan-T x ChoraleeTHINKK StudioTJT Creative Lab x Playlist x InteractiveVCUarts QatarViaBusYour Own VenueABAC Architecture + Design , Assumption UniversityADOTAsvin BangkokBANGBAMRUSTUDIO Bangpho Creative CommonsBroduction House / DANUCenter of Innovation for Society (CIS), KMUTTCharoen Lifeclick! – Thammasat Design School (TDS)CODE LifestyleCrystal Design CenterDinDA & MinDA, Faculty of Decorative Arts, Silpakorn UniversityDistortion Studio / NIKITA TROUFANOVDYA Awards, Faculty of Decorative Arts, Silpakorn UniversityElpa ShawFabLab BangkokFABLab Bangkok & Creative Media, KMUTTFarm to TableFloorament x co-incidence.process.coffeeFlying Fish Coffee CompanyGalvaniiGola GalleryGump’s Cross x Canvas and coHouse of Passai+mARCHICONSIAM x BMA x Op-portus x Urban AllyKoyori Project 2025lamunlamai.craftstudioLivelyhoodMadskill BangkokMahanak AllyMEA SPARK, MEA Electricity MeseumMMAD GalleryMobella GalleriaMojito EntertainmentNeighbourmart x CEANKUST x SU in Partnership with OneBangkok OLD DAISY CAFEOpenschoolOp-portusP.tendercoolP45 SPACEPAKKLONG MARKET (2552) COMPANY LIMITEDPOMEProject77 / The Head and The Heart x Stupid StayRTUS-BangkokSARNSARDSchool of Architecture and Design, KMUTT Sewing Machine Museum, Faculty of Home Economics Technology, RMUTKSilpacheep, Faculty of Decorative Arts, Silpakorn UniversitySriwiang GallerySuankularb Wittayalai SchooSUPERNATURESTaiwan Creator AroundThe XYZ art and culture centerUNFEST’26 by Unformat studio Powered by cloud 11Urban AllyUrban Ally x CreatorsWastemattersWater Sensitive Cities Australia Monash Universitywe!parkWomen and Men Progressive Movement Foundation x Bio Thai FoundationXD49 Limited___________________________________• Talk Festival VenueBangkok City LabCerebrum Design Co.,LtdDesign PLANTIALD Southeast AsiaLUKYANGTTALAB – Thoresen Thai AgenciesYour Own VenueA49Banglamphu everythingFloorament x co-incidence.process.coffeeGameDevHubRTUS-BangkokSchool of Architecture and Design, KMUTT UNFEST’26 by Unformat studio Powered by cloud 11___________________________________• WorkshopFestival Venue!nw collectiveChula x UQLUKYANGMission EarthNulty Lighting Design ConsultantsSAGAWSHERPUBLIQThaiEstateClubYIMSAMERYour Own VenueBangkok Community RadioBanglamphu everythingFabLab Bangkok & CISFlooramentGachaGlasglow HomedecorGump’s Cross x Analog Sky FlowIsan Wellness Soundscapelamunlamai.craftstudioMustARTNuclistudio / Superpuen SARNSARDSriwiang Gallery Stand For StraysThe AttractionThe Roots Routes UNFEST’26 by Unformat studio Powered by cloud 11URBAN STREET BANGKOK___________________________________• Event (อีเวนต์) Festival VenueBUCA – Bangkok Urban Cycling AllianceCreative House By CEAFascinating Bangkok:Art Empowers Enterprises [China]PlayerfromneighborPor Laew Dee the CreatorSHERPUBLIQStorywiseYour Own VenueBanglamphu everythingEntertainment ProjectFaculty of Decorative Arts, Silpakorn UniversityGor.Gor.Nor.Group x WIPGump’s Cross x EkarIsan Wellness Soundscape Marshall LivehouseMASAYAMaster of Industrial Design, Chulalongkorn UniversityOo La LabPlay SpacePrincess Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music (PGVIM)RTUS-BangkokTeam Spice RoadtheCOMMONS Cloud 11UNESCO and FabCafe BangkokUNFEST’26 by Unformat studio Powered by cloud 11URBAN STREET BANGKOK___________________________________• TourYour Own VenueBangkok City LabBanglamphu everythingFaculty of Tourism and Hospitality, Dhurakij Pundit UniversityICONSIAM x BMA x Op-portus x Urban AllyPhra Nakhon SaejengRTUS-BangkokTermStationThe Roots Routes THEPLOCATIONWomen and Men Progressive Movement Foundation x Bio Thai Foundation___________________________________Please note that the list of selected programs in the Music & Performing, Promotion, and Market categories will be announced at a later stage. Kindly await further communication from the festival team.For inquiries about festival participation, please contact program.bkkdw@cea.or.th———————Bangkok Design Week 2026Design S/O/S29 Jan – 8 Feb 2026.#BKKDW2026#BangkokDesignWeek#DesignSOS
01 Nov 2025
BANGKOK DESIGN WEEK 2026 DESIGN S/O/S
BANGKOK DESIGN WEEK 2026DESIGN S/O/SIn a world that’s moving faster and facing greater challenges, the question “What can design do?” remains. For us, it’s no longer just a conversation but a signal to act – a call to explore and create tangible solutions for the challenges ahead.This year, Bangkok Design Week 2026 is sending out the signal DESIGN S/O/S, not a call for help, but a declaration that design is the tool and the force that will help us move forward together.S – Secure Domestic : Design to Strive – Setting new standards, awakening waves that boost the domestic market.O – Outreach Opportunities : Design to Offer – Creating new opportunities, fostering collaborations, and confidently taking a step towards the global state.S – Sustainable Future : Design to Survive – Exploring bold and innovative paths to a sustainable future, ready to take on every challenge ahead.In the past, “Thai design” may not have received the recognition it deserved. Today, we invite everyone to see it through a new lens that is playful, adaptable, and contemporary. By reinterpreting Thai roots, from patterns and materials to craftsmanship and traditional techniques, in fresh and innovative ways, we create designs that remain unmistakably Thai. Not by imitating others, but by embracing our own identity — a direction that Bangkok Design Week continues to champion as it brings Thai design onto the global stage.Bangkok Design Week 2026 invites you to tap into your creative energy and start making things happen. Don’t wait for challenges to come, turn your ideas into something real.No matter who you are, a creator, a designer, an entrepreneur, a thinker, a dreamer, a critic, a connector or a doer, it’s time to take action and design our way forward, together across Bangkok.📍29 January – 8 February 2026Key Visual: DESIGN S/O/S designed by Sarawut Panhnu#BKKDW2026#BangkokDesignWeek#DesignSOS
22 Oct 2025
BKKDW2026 Open Call
Open Call for ApplicationNow – 30 September 2025“BKKDW is a platform where creators can showcase their potential through design and creative works in a variety of programs that blend harmoniously with the urban context.”Bangkok Design Week 2026 (BKKDW2026) launches its 9th edition from 29 January to 8 February 2026, under the theme Design S/O/S. Creative battlefields are activating across Bangkok, empowering professional and emerging talents from every discipline, armed with diverse weapons of ideas spreading citywide. The festival will forge new alliances, expand into global markets, and create proving grounds where bold ideas come to life. Together, we will build a city resilient and ready to face any challenge through the power of design.The festival invites everybody from all walks of life who believes in the power of action to come together to use creativity as a power against the crises and find new, intangible solutions.BKKDW2026 will be held across the areas of various districts in Bangkok. It is open for participation in various forms, including showcase & exhibitions, talks, workshops, events, music and performing arts, tours, markets, promotions, and projects.Those who are interested in participating can refer to the details and apply here: https://www.bangkokdesignweek.com/en/bkkdw2026/get-involved/program-partner Download PDF: Participation handbookhttps://bit.ly/BKKDW2026-OpenCall-EN For more information on the participation in the festival, please contact: program.bkkdw@cea.or.thFollow us www.bangkokdesignweek.comFB/IG: bangkokdesignweek X: @BKKDesignWeekLine: @bangkokdesignweek#BKKDW2026#BangkokDesignWeek#DesignSOS
15 Aug 2025
