- New Year’s Day (public holiday, day off)
- Wan Dek – Children’s Day
- Wai Khru – Teachers’ Day
- Chinese New Year
- Makha Bucha Day (public holiday, day off )
- Chakri Day (public holiday, day off )
- Songkran (public holiday, day off )
- Labor Day
- Coronation Day (public holiday, day off )
- Visakha Bucha Day (public holiday, day off )
- Birthday of the Queen (public holiday, day off )
- Asahna Bucha Day (public holiday, day off )
- Khao Phansa (public holiday, day off )
- King Rama X Birthday (public holiday, day off )
- Mother’s Day (public holiday, day off )
- Commemoration of the Passing of King Rama IX (public holiday, day off )
- Chulalongkorn Day (public holiday, day off )
- Loy Krathong
- Father’s Day (public holiday, day off )
- Constitution Day (public holiday, day off )
- Christmas
- New Years’ Eve
New Year’s Day
Public Holiday
Date: January, 1
In Thailand, New Year is officially celebrated on 1 January.
New Year’s Day is a popular holiday in Thailand, many people in Thailand take time off and travel or go to see family.
New Year in Thailand is the peak of the high season, which means the country’s busy with tourists and there are plenty of places to go and events going on for celebrations and partying.
Back to TopWan Dek – Children’s Day
Date: January, 2
Children’s Day known as Wan Dek in Thailand, Children’s Day is an occasion for children to have fun and to create awareness about their role in developing the country.
Many local authorities such as the Dusit Zoo, Thai Red Cross Museum, Museum Siam, the Army, Navy, and Air force bases, Government House and Parliament House organize special events and let children in for half price or even for free on this day.
Back to TopWai Khru – Teachers’ Day
Date: January, 16
National Teachers’ Appreciation Day (also called as Wai Khru) is a Thai ritual in which students pay respects to their teachers in order to express their gratitude and formalize the student–teacher relationship.
Wai khru has long been an important rite in the traditional martial and performing arts, as well as in astrology , Thai Massage and other traditional arts; students and performers of Muay Thai (Wai khru ram muay) and Krabi Krabong, as well as Thai dance and classical music, will usually perform a wai khru ritual at their initiation as well as before performances to pay respect and homage to both their teachers and the deities who patronize their arts. .
The highlights of the day include religious activities, a ceremony of paying respect to teachers and activities to strengthen unity among teachers.
It is to be mentioned that if you have a Sak Yant tatoo made by a monk or ajarn and blessed in a proper way, it can be “recharged” with magical powers at Wat Bang Phra monestery during the Wai Khru ceremony.
Back to TopChinese New Year
Date: January, 25 in 2020 (first day of the first month of the Chinese calendar (between 21 January and 20 February).
Chinese New Year also called “Lunar New Year” or “Spring Festival”. Chinese New Year is a public holiday in Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala and Satun provinces only.
Many Thai people are of Chinese descent, especially in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Nakhon Sawan, Phang Nga, Phuket and Suphan Buri. This means that Chinese New Year is one of the most significant festivals in Thailand.
Back to TopMakha Bucha Day
Public Holiday
Date: February, 9 in 2020 (full moon day of the 3rd lunar month (February or March)
This is one of Thailand’s Buddhist holidays. Makha Bucha Day (also called Saṅgha Day, Fourfold Assembly Day) marks the coming together of 1,250 enlightened disciples of Buddha, on a full moon day without being summoned and they then listened to Buddha’s teachings. All of the monks were ordained by Buddha himself. Buddhists go to temples to make merit and join candlelight processions or “Wian Tian”.
Makha Bucha Day is the second most important Buddhist festival, celebrated on the full moon day of the third lunar month in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Sri Lanka and on the full moon day of Tabaung in Myanmar.
Back to TopChakri Day
Public Holiday
Date: April, 6
April 6, 1782, was the day that King Rama I founded the Chakri Dynasty, Thailand’s current ruling dynasty. It is also a day to remember all of the contributions of all the Chakri kings throughout the history of Thailand.
Rama I is widely known for establishing Krung Thep, modern day Bangkok, as the capital of Thailand.
Ceremonies are held at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew) in Bangkok and other temples around the country. Many Thais celebrate the dynasty by placing flowers on statues of Rama I.
Back to TopSongkran
Public Holiday
Date: April, 13-15
Songkran (also known as Maha Songkran) is the Thai New Year festival, which takes place in April, 13, but the holiday period extends from 14 to 15 April every year. Songkran is celebrated throughout Thailand in April, the hottest month of the year.
Songkran is a term derived from Sanskrit meaning ‘to move‘ or ‘movement‘. It derives from the movement of the Sun from one position to another in the zodiac.
The Songkran celebration begin with merit-making, visiting local temples and offering food to the Buddhist monks. Pouring water on Buddha statues represents purification and the washing away of one’s sins and bad luck. Thais who have moved away usually return home to their loved ones and elders.
Songkran is known for its water festival. Major streets are closed to traffic, and are used as arenas for water fights. Celebrants are splashing water on each other and shooting water-guns.
Back to TopLabor Day
Date: May, 1
As in many countries across the world, Labor Day is celebrated on May 1st in Thailand.
Back to TopCoronation Day
Public Holiday
Date: May, 4
Commemorates the coronation of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, the ruling monarch, on May 4, 2019.
Back to TopVisakha Bucha Day
Public Holiday
Date: May, 6 in 2020 (full moon of the month of Vesākha, usually in April (first), May or June (last) May or June))
Visakha Bucha Day means “worship of Lord Buddha” (also called Buddha’s Birthday or Buddha Day) is one of the most important Buddhist holidays in the Thai calendar. It represents three significant separate events:
- The Buddha was born on this day, when he was born into a royal family in what is now Nepal.
- The Buddha achieved “The Enlightenment” (NIRVANA) on the same day
- He passed away on this day at age 80 in India
During Visakha Bucha Day and the week before, people put religious flags (yellow flags) outside their houses, visit the temples to listen to sermons about the Dharma (Buddha’s teachings) and bring flowers , candles and incense to honor the Three Jewels: Buddha, the Dhamma (the truth) and the Sangha (the community of disciples). And after sunset, they participate in candlelight processions carrying flowers, three incense sticks and a candle and walk clockwise around the main chapel or chedi of the temple three times. It brings them prosperity and luck.
Back to TopBirthday of the Queen
Public Holiday
Date: June, 3
Birthday of Queen Suthida, queen consort of King Vajiralongkorn.
Back to TopAsahna Bucha Day
Public Holiday
Date: July, 4 in 2020
Asahna Bucha Day (also written as Asalha Puja, also known as Dharma Day) represents the Buddha’s first preaching to his first five disciples; Dharma refers to the teachings of the Buddha.
This is also the day when the first Buddhist monk was ordained. The next day is the beginning of Buddhist Lent and the rainy season retreat of the monks.
Buddhists participate in the ceremonies by performing a variety of Buddhist activities at the temples, mainly merit-making ceremonies. They offer food and alms to monks, give donations, listen to sermons, and observe the Five Precepts or the Eight Precepts.
In the evening of the Asalaha Bucha Day the believers join the Candle Light Procession, the “Wian Tian” (เวียนเทียน), where people will walk three times around a Temple in a clockwise direction, carrying a lighted candle, Joss sticks and flowers which will later be given as an offering to pay homage to the Lord Buddha. “Wian” (เวียน) means to circle and “Tian”(เทียน) is a candle.
Back to TopKhao Phansa
Public Holiday
Khao Phansa Day is a Buddhist holiday observed in Thailand on the first day following the full moon occurring in the eighth month of the Thai lunar calendar.
Khao Phansa (also called “the Rains Retreat” because it occurs at the beginning of Thai rainy season) marks the first day of “Buddhist Lent,” a time when observant Buddhists fast from such things as meat, alcohol, and tobacco and Buddhist monks take this opportunity to retreat inside their temples for a three-month period of study and meditation .
Back to TopKing Rama X Birthday
Public Holiday
Date: July 28
This is the birthday of His Majesty The King of Thailand Maha Vajiralongkorn. The King was born 28 July 1952.
He is the only son of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit. In 1972, at the age of 20, he was made crown prince by his father.
The coronation took place from 4–6 May 2019.
Back to TopMother’s Day
Public Holiday
Date: August 12
Thailand’s national Mother’s Day takes place on the same day as the birthday of Queen Sirikit.
Mother’s Day was first introduced to Thailand on 15th April, 1950. In 1976, Mother’s Day was changed to 12th August to commemorate the birthday of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit.
Back to TopCommemoration of the Passing of King Rama IX
Public Holiday
Date: October 13
This day is held in remembrance of Thailand’s previous King, His Majesty Bhumibol Adulyadej.
King Rama IX reigned Thailand since 9 June 1946 until his death on 13 October 2016, making him the longest-reigning monarch ever in Thailand’s history.
Back to TopChulalongkorn Day
Public Holiday
Date: October, 23
This day is held in remembrance of King Rama V.
King Chulalongkorn, or King Rama V, was the fifth monarch from the Chakri dynasty. He is known as the country’s modernising monarch, the abolition of slavery in Thailand is considered among his greatest achievements.
King Rama V is also credited with having introduced other social and political reforms, including the creation of the country’s modern administrative structure into provinces and districts. Under King Chulalongkorn’s reign Thailand switched from the lunar calendar to the Gregorian calendar used in the west – though the country continues to use the Buddhist year, which is 543 years ahead of the western year.
Back to TopLoy Krathong
Date: November 22
Loy Krathong is possibly the second most well-known Buddhist holiday and popular after the new year Songkran holiday.
The name could be translated as “to float a basket,” and comes from the tradition of making krathong or buoyant, decorated baskets, which are then floated on a river.
Thai people float a krathong because they have long been closely involved with rivers for ages as Thailand is an agriculture based country. This means rivers are like their own blood veins. And to show respect to the river, basically the goddess of the river called Pra Mae Khongkha, Thai people decided to make a Krathong to worship and ask for forgiveness. The Thais now also see it as a time to wave goodbye to misfortune, wash away sins of the past year, and make wishes for the coming year.
Back to TopFather’s Day
Public Holiday
Date: December, 5
Father’s Day honoring the memory of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), who was born on December 5, 1927.
Back to TopConstitution Day
Public Holiday
Date: December, 10
This day commemorates the first constitution of Thailand, which came into effect in 1932. It marks the transformation of Thailand from an absolute monarchy to a consitutional monarchy.
Back to TopChristmas
Date: December, 25
Christmas isn’t a traditional festival in Thailand that’s why it is not a public holiday. Being about 85 percent Buddhist and 14 percent Islamic, the remaining 1 percent covers other religions in Thailand that makes Christmas a working day in Thailand.
Thai people love to offer gifts to each other during Christmas. Christmas trees can be seen in many shopping malls all over the country.
Back to TopNew Years’ Eve
Date: December, 31
New Years’ Eve in Thailand is almost as full of fun as the New Year Day on the 1st of January.
The streets are full of tourists, shopping malls and bars are decorated with New Year trees, colorful lights and decorations.
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