THAI PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
January
1st January: New Year's Day. To greet the New Year, a range of uniquely Thai traditional and
cultural festivities are held in various parts of the country. As day breaks on the first day of the
new year begins with the Buddhist merit-making ritual in the early hours of the morning and is
followed by afternoon and evening merry-making and folk entertainment.
Children's Day : the second Saturday of January.
February
Chinese New Year's Day.
Magha Bucha Day. This important Buddhist holy day marks the auspicious occasion when
1,250 of Lord Buddha's adherents spontaneously congregated to hear him give a sermon.
Merit-making ceremonies are held during the day at temples throughout the country, while at
night, triple candlelit circumambulations are staged around major temples.
April
6th April: Chakri Memorial Day, a public holiday on 8th April to commemorate King Rama I
who was the first of the Chakri Kings. 13th-15th April: Songkran Festival Days. The traditional
Thai New Year is an occasion for celebration throughout the country. This occasion is marked
with religious ceremonies as well as public festivities. Water throwing among the people in a
spirit of fun and goodwill is the main activity of this festival.
May
1st May: National Labour Day
5th May: Coronation Day, a public holiday on 6th May to commemorate the coronation of the
king. Royal Ploughing Ceremony. King Bhumibol oversees the ancient Ploughing Ceremony to
mark the beginning of the rice-planting season. This ceremony began in India, but it has been
practiced in Thailand for hundreds of years. The ceremony is very important for Thai farmers,
because it predicts how much rain will fall and how well the crops will grow. Thousands of
farmers come to the Grand Palace to watch.
Wisakha Bucha Day, this is the holiest of all the auspicious Buddhist religious days, marking the
birth, enlightenment, and death of Lord Buddha. All over the country, people go to temples to
listen to sermons by revered monks and make merit. Shortly after sunset, candlelit
circumambulations take place around major temples.
July
Asarnha Bucha Day, The full-moon day of the eighth lunar month marks the preaching of Lord
Buddha's first sermon to his first five disciples after attaining Enlightenment more than 2,500
years ago. In the evening, candlelit processions take place in Buddhist temples around the
country.
Buddist Lent, This day marks the commencement of the Buddhist Lent or Phansa during which
monks must reside inside their temples to study and meditate. This is also the most auspicious
time for Buddhist ordinations since it marks a period of renewed spiritual vigour.
August
12th August: The Queen's Birthday Celebration (Mother's Day), To display their loyalty and to
honour Her Majesty Queen Sirikit on the occasion of her royal birthday, the Thai people decorate their houses and public buildings. Around Bangkok, Ratchadamnoen Avenue, the area around the Grand Palace and other well-known locations are bedecked with coloured lights and magnificent adornments.
October
23rd October: Chulalongkorn Memorial Day, a public holiday to commemorate King Rama V
who started to do a lot of things like a first hospital, railways, post office, abolished etc.
November
Loy Krathong, a festival on the full moon of November. Krathong is a little cup shaped like a
lotus flower, each with a candle and incense stick inside. Loy Krathong mean "floatingKrathongs." This is an offering to mother of water to ask her to forgive us for polluting thewater.
On Loy Krathong day, I went to my grandmother's home to Loy Krathong with my family. My
brother and I bought Krathongs to float on the river. Before we floated it we prayed and asked
mother of the water to forgive us for polluting the water.
December
5th December: The King's Birthday Celebrations (Father's Day), King Bhumibol Adulyadej,
the world's longest reigning monarch, is well beloved and deeply respected by all Thais old and
young. The occasion of his royal birthday provides his loyal subjects the opportunity to express
their reverence for him. All over the country, buildings and homes are elaborately decorated
and the area around the Grand Palace is spectacularly illuminated.
10th December: Constitution Day, a public holiday on the 10th December to commemorate
the start of the constitution monarchy in 1932.
