Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University is once again throwing its lawn open to the public for an evening of open-air cinema, live music and hands-on activities. Chula Klangplaeng, now in its third year, takes place on 6 November at Chula 100th Anniversary Park, and it's free-spirited in the best sense: bring a mat, stake out a patch of grass, and settle in.

The film programme centres on two romances that couldn't be more different. First up is the beloved Thai comedy Bangkok Traffic (Love) Story from 2009, directed by Adisorn Trisirikasem. It follows Mie Li, a 30-year-old who falls for Loong, a night-shift BTS engineer, and starts bending her own rules to chase him — all set against the daily grind and unlikely romance possibilities of the city's public transport system. It's a film that doubles as a love letter to Bangkok itself.

The second screening crosses the Pacific: 10 Things I Hate About You, the 1999 high-school take on Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. Sisters Kat and Bianca navigate strict-dad rules, a scheming plan involving Patrick Verona, and the blurry line between a fake scheme and genuine feelings. Nostalgia quota: thoroughly covered.

Beyond the screen, the evening is packed with things to do. Live music runs through the night with both folk and full-band sets. Workshops range from tarot readings and personalised hanneh art illustrations to hand-painted fans and stone-keychain making — so you can leave with something you made yourself.

There's also a more reflective side. The Arun Chula Archive project invites former and current students, local residents and anyone with memories of the neighbourhood to contribute photographs documenting life around the university. A selection will be shown at the event, and the collection will be preserved in a digital archive for future study. Images may feature places within and beyond the university's boundaries — Sam Yan, Banthat Thong, Saphan Lueang and the National Stadium among them.

The event is organised by the Social Development and Service Department of the Chulalongkorn University Student Government, and the aim is simple: let students, alumni and the wider public discover the character of the Chula neighbourhood through entertainment, creativity and shared memories.

For travellers, this is a rare chance to see a famous Bangkok institution at its most relaxed. Chula 100th Anniversary Park sits in one of the city's most rewarding districts — Banthat Thong road nearby is packed with street food stalls that draw queues of students every night, and the National Stadium BTS station puts the whole area within easy reach. Even if you have no connection to the university, an evening of films under the sky, live music and casual workshops is about as pleasant a way to spend a November night in Bangkok as you'll find.