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The Royal Barge Procession takes place on Friday, November 6, 2026, on the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, when 52 royal barges rowed by 2,200 Royal Thai Navy personnel carry the Royal Kathin ceremony to Wat Arun Ratchawararam.
According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the fleet departs Wasukri Pier and travels downriver past the Grand Palace to Wat Arun.
The Royal Thai Navy's schedule gives a 3:00 p.m. start. You can watch for free from public viewing areas on both banks between Krung Thon Bridge and Wat Arun, so get there well before the 3 p.m. start. The final full-dress rehearsal was held on October 28, 2026, the closest preview of the ceremony itself.
When is the Royal Barge Procession in 2026, and why is it being held?
The procession is on November 6, 2026, for the Royal Kathin Ceremony at Wat Arun Ratchawararam. Our Royal Barge Procession 2026 event page has the date, start time and route at a glance.
TAT says the ceremony forms part of the celebrations for Her Majesty Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana's fourth-cycle, or 48th, birthday anniversary on June 3, 2026, and that His Majesty the King will present Kathin robes to Buddhist monks in Her Majesty's honour.
The Royal Kathin is an annual merit-making tradition held after the end of Buddhist Lent, when robes and offerings are presented to monks.
Processions of this kind are centuries old and are reserved for major royal and religious occasions, which is why this one draws crowds from across Thailand and overseas.
What will you actually see on the river?
TAT lists 52 royal barges manned by 2,200 Royal Thai Navy personnel, arranged in five columns and three lines. The formation is approximately 1,280 metres long and 90 metres wide, so it takes time to pass any single point.
Four principal barges lead the fleet: Suphannahong, or Golden Swan; Anantanakkharat, or Multi-headed Naga; Narai Song Suban King Rama IX; and Anekkachatphutchong, or Innumerable Naga Figures.
The oarsmen row to a slow, chanted rhythm, and the barges are carved timber covered in gold leaf, glass mosaic and lacquer.
What route do the barges follow?
The barges depart from Wasukri Pier and proceed along the Chao Phraya River, passing Phra Sumen Fort, Somdet Phra Pinklao Bridge, Siriraj Hospital, the Grand Palace and the Royal Thai Navy Auditorium before arriving at Wat Arun Ratchawararam, according to TAT.
That's the traditional route established during the reign of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great. Spots near the start see the fleet first and in full formation, while spots near Tha Tien and Wat Pho see it complete the journey.
Where can you watch the procession for free?
TAT says members of the public can watch from viewing areas along both banks of the Chao Phraya River between Krung Thon Bridge and Wat Arun Ratchawararam, and the Thai government gives the public stretch for the rehearsals as from Rama VIII Bridge to Wat Arun.
The TAT Newsroom picks out these points, from north to south. The Rama VIII Bridge area is the northern end, with open views of the fleet in formation that suit photographers. Phra Sumen Fort and Santichaiprakan Park give you a riverside park in the old town where the formation passes close.
At Somdet Phra Pinklao Bridge the fleet passes beneath the bridge, and the elevated angle shows the full column, but crowds are expected. Tha Chang and the Grand Palace side are the most atmospheric, because the barges pass the palace walls, and also the most crowded.
Tha Tien and Wat Pho are a good choice near the finish, with Wat Arun directly across the water. The Wat Arun riverbank is the ceremonial destination itself, and TAT expects access there to be restricted on the day, so don't build your plan around standing at the temple.
Do you need a ticket to watch?
General viewing from the riverbanks is free, and no ticket is needed for the public areas described by TAT.
Separately, the Royal Thai Navy offered free tickets for designated riverside areas, but the TAT Newsroom reports that bookings were open only from September 8 to 16, 2026, with tickets collected in person in late September, and that window has now closed.
If you don't hold one of those tickets, plan on the public banks instead, and check the latest Royal Thai Navy announcement before you set out.
What time should you arrive, and how will travel be affected?
TAT expected each rehearsal to begin at approximately 2:30 p.m., and the Thai government listed both full-dress rehearsals, on October 21 and October 28, at 3:00 p.m.
For November 6 itself, the Royal Thai Navy's published schedule gives the start time as 3:00 p.m., and TAT advises arriving well before then.
We could not find a published timetable for when the fleet passes each viewing point, so be in place early rather than trying to time it to the minute.
TAT says boat traffic is controlled from 12:00 p.m. until the procession ends on rehearsal and ceremony days, with all boats barred between Krung Thon Bridge and Somdet Phra Pinklao Bridge and from the mouth of Khlong Bangkok Noi to Wat Suwannaram. Don't plan to watch from a river cruise or to cross by ferry during the procession.
Road closures for November 6 hadn't been announced when we checked on October 29, so travel on foot or by rail where you can, allow extra time, and check TAT and Royal Thai Navy updates that morning. For tourism information, TAT lists its Contact Centre on 1672.
How can you see Wat Arun and Wat Pho during procession week?
Wat Arun is the destination of the ceremony, and its central prang, 66.8 metres high and set with porcelain and shell, is lit at night and rewards a separate visit on a quieter day of the same trip.
If you visit the temple itself, admission is paid at the gate, so check the temple's official page for current hours and dress requirements before you go.
For a guided visit that pairs the two temples across the river, this Wat Pho and Wat Arun half-day walking tour on Klook covers both with a guide. It's a guided tour, not temple admission, and it makes most sense on a day either side of November 6, when the piers are operating normally.
Where should you stay for a riverside base that week?
Staying on the river keeps the old town, the piers and the viewing stretch within easy reach for the whole week. Our guide to the best riverside hotels in Bangkok compares more options along the water.
One established option south of the old town is the Chatrium Hotel Riverside Bangkok on Charoen Krung, where rooms start at 60 square metres with private balconies, and the hotel runs a shuttle boat to Sathorn Pier and the BTS.
You can check Chatrium Hotel Riverside Bangkok on Expedia for procession week dates, and choose a river view room if the water is the point of the trip. From that base, ICONSIAM, the large riverside mall on the Thonburi bank, is a practical stop for food and supplies before you head upriver.
On November 6 itself, allow plenty of time to reach the Krung Thon Bridge to Wat Arun stretch, because the banks and the roads behind them will be busy from early afternoon.
Check the calendar
Ceremony timings and viewing arrangements can shift in the final week, so confirm the November 6 details against official announcements before you travel. For this event and everything else on in the city while you're here, see our Bangkok events calendar for current November 2026 dates.