Bangkok is slowly emerging as a mecca for street art in Asia. Like in many other parts of the region, the art form has long been looked down upon and misunderstood by locals. But as the quality of the art work continues to improve, in addition to semi-regular events helping promote public art, Bangkok residents are starting to realize that ‘street art’ means a lot more than just vandalizing buildings with ugly tags.

One of the organizations responsible for this change in perception is BUKRUK, which in both 2013 and 2016 organized their Urban Arts Festival in the city. The events brought Thai and international graffiti artists together to add some much-needed color to Bangkok’s cityscape. A lot of the prominent works from these events still remain, attracting tourists and local residents to certain parts of the city that they might not have bothered to visit otherwise. In addition to special events, resident Thai artists like Alex Face, Bon and Bonus TMC are also helping put more eyes on Bangkok’s emerging street art scene.