Thai festivals

Thailand celebrates a large number of religious, ceremonial, royal and international holidays and festivals. Check out our Whats On Guide to see what may be happening on the dates you arrive or scroll down the list for annual celebrations. In addition there is also the monthly Full Moon, Half Moon and Black Moon parties celebrated on Samui and Koh Phangan.

Samui's people are blessed with no less than three annual opportunities to ring in a new year with their European friends on January 1st, with their Chinese friends in early February, and on April 13, which has for centuries marked the first day of the traditional Thai solar calendar. This last celebration is called Songkran, and it is one of the most joyous occasions in The Kingdom. On April 13 every year the streets of every town and village on the island are lined with giggling teenagers armed with and arsenal of water guns, buckets, barrels, dippers, hoses and all manner of delivery vehicle with which to launch their often icy-cold liquid missiles. Only police officers in uniform are immune to attack; everyone else is expected to take their punishment with good humour. It is not uncommon to enter the post office, bank or some other place of business and be greeted by a smiling clerk wearing a sopping wet shirt and tie.

• 1 January ~ New Year's Day
  Celebrations for the start of the new year.
  
  
• 10 January ~ Children's Day
  On the second Saturday in January every year, there is a special celebration for children. Many places let children go in free or half price on this day.
  
  
• 16 January ~ Teacher's Day
  On the 16th January every year, all of the schools in Thailand are closed for the day as a special tribute to the teachers.
  
  
• 11 February ~ Makha Buchaa Day
  The full moon of the third lunar month marks the occasion when 1250 of the Buddha's disciples came to hear him preach. This day is a public holiday.
  
  
• 28 February ~ Chinese New Year
  
  
• 2 April ~ HRH The Princess's Birthday
  
  
• 6 April ~ Chakri Day
  A public holiday, commemorating King Rama I who was the first of the Chakri kings.
  
  
• 13-15 April ~ Songkran Festival
  During April 13-15, everyone celebrates the traditional Thai new year. In every home, Buddha images are washed with rose scented water. People also pay respects to their elders by pouring a little water over their hands. Outside, people go a little wilder and buckets of water are thrown over everything that moves.
  
  
• 1 May ~ National Labor Day
  A holiday for some factory and office workers.
  
  
• 5 May ~ Coronation Day
  A public holiday to commemorate the coronation of the King and Queen in 1946.
  
  
• 11 May ~ Ploughing Day
  An important ceremony to mark the official start of the rice-planting season.
  
  
• 17 May ~ Visakha Bucha Day
  The full moon of the sixth lunar month is the most important date on the Buddhist religious calendar. It celebrates the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death. Every year on this day, teachers from our school take part in a candle-lit procession around the main chapel of a local temple. They carry with them flowers, three incense sticks and a lighted candle. They walk around the chapel three times in a clock-wise direction. Afterwards they listen to a sermon from a monk. This day is also a public holiday.
  
  
• 19 July ~ Khao Phansa Day
  Buddhist holiday.
  
  
• 28 July ~ HRH The Crown Prince's Birthday.
  
  
• 12 August ~ HM The Queen's Birthday
  Celebrations for the Queen's birthday. This day is also Mother's Day and a public holiday.
  
  
• 23 October ~ Chulalongkorn Day
  A public holiday, on 23rd October to commemorate King Rama V who did a lot of important things for Thailand. His many accomplishments include the abolition of slavery, the construction of the railways, the establishment of the post and telegraph services and the creation of the ministerial system.
  
  
• 3 November ~ Loy Krathong
  The most picturesque of the Thai festivals is held on the full-moon of the 12th lunar month. Little candle-lit krathongs are launched onto the water as an offering to Mother Water. People apologize for polluting the water and promise to do better in the future.
  
  
• 5 December ~ HM The King's Birthday
  Celebrations for the King's birthday. This day is also Father's Day and a public holiday.
  
  
• 10 December ~ Constitution Day
  A public holiday to commemorate the start of the constitutional monarchy in 1932.
  
  
• 31 December ~ New Year's Eve & Songkran (Thai New Year)
  Celebrations to welcome the start of the new year.
  
  

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