"Adventure!"
by - Yoshihide, Tokyo, Japan
Public Holidays in Thailand
King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s Birthday
Fathers’ Day, Thailand
Date: 5 December
Type: National Holiday
All schools and government offices close. Some shopping areas remain open.
This is the day that the Thai people commemorate the birth of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. King Adulyadej is highly regarded by the Thai people and the celebration of his birthday is a very special holiday.
The day is also observed as National Fathers Day. It is a family day, all pubs and night clubs are closed and it is illegal to sell alcohol.
The King is immensely popular in Thailand, and is revered as a semi-divine figure by the Thai people.
Thais always speak about the royal family with utmost respect and never say anything offensive about or against them. As a guest in Thailand it is considered extremely disrespectful to do anything offensive in front of or to a statue of the royal family.
Although King Adulyadej is a constitutional monarch, he has made several decisive interventions in Thai politics when there was bloodshed or when Thailand was in turmoil. He is credited with facilitating Thailand’s transition to Democracy in the 1990s, despite earlier periods of his reign when he supported some military regimes, including Sarit Dhanarajata and more recently, the Council for Democratic Reform. He has also used his considerable influence to stop coups, including attempts in 1981 and 1985.
Reported to be one of the richest monarchs in the world, with a personal net worth of $35 billion, King Adulyadej has used part of his great wealth to fund over 3,000 royal development projects, particularly in rural areas of the country. He is immensely popular in Thailand, and is revered as a semi-divine figure by the Thai people.
More info about the holiday:
Father’s Day in Thailand on ThailandLife.com
Father’s Day in Thailand on Wikipedia.org
Western New Years
Date: 1 January
Type: National Holiday
Nearly all Thais are off of work and/or school for the day. Shopping areas typically remain open.
People who work in the city often travel home to see their families, celebrating the beginning of the year. Some people have family reunions and ask for blessings from their ancestors.
Many of the Thai people who leave the busy streets of the city for the Western New Year go to the north of the country to celebrate in the mountains.
Chinese New Year
Date: First day of the Chinese calender year, which is a lunisolar year. The new year usually falls in late January or early February.
Upcoming Chinese New Year dates – 14 Feb 2010, 3 Feb 2011, 23 Jan 2012
Type: National Observance
No government, business or school closures.
Thai people of Chinese heritage celebrate the Chinese New Year with many elaborate ceremonies.
Thai people of Chinese heritage celebrate the Chinese New Year with elaborate ceremonies. They pay respect to their ancestors, ask for their blessings and prepare Chinese food (mostly roasted duck and roasted chicken) as offerings to them. Other offerings include pieces of gold, paper gold, paper money and clothes. During this time firecrackers can be heard across Thailand as people make their offerings. Towards the close of the ceremony, all of the paper offerings are burned, followed by the lighting of more firecrackers.
In Bangkok’s China Town, or Yawarat, various events take place on the Chinese New Year including a “Lion Dance”, a “Procession Of The Golden Dragon” and vendors sell a variety of special chinese foods.
Click on this link for more information on Chinese New Year.
Magha Puja
Date: 3rd full moon of the Thai lunar year. In the western calendar this usually falls in February.
Type: National Holiday
Schools and government offices close. Most stores or shopping areas remain open.
Magha Puja is considered one of the most important Buddhist celebrations in Southeast Asia. It celebrates the Buddha’s Ovadha Patimokkha discourse.
Magha Puja marks the four great events that took place on this day during the Buddha’s lifetime. It is the day on which the Buddha gave his Ovadha Patimokkha discourse.
The four great events that took place were:
1) The moon was full in the third month of the Thai lunar calendar.
2 )1,250 Buddhist monks from different areas, and without any previous agreement between them, came to pay homage to the Buddha at Veluwan Temple in Rajgaha City, Magaha State, Northern India.
3) All of the monks were Arahants (enlightened monks) who had attained the Apinyas (Six Higher Knowledges).
4) All of them were Ehi Bhikkhu, meaning that they had each been ordained by the Buddha himself.
In the evening of that day the Buddha gave his Ovadha Patimokkha discourse to the monks. The teaching is summarized into three parts: to do good; to abstain from bad action; and to purify the mind.
Follow this link for more info on Magha Puja.
Valentine’s Day
Date: 14 February
Type: National Observance
Banks, offices and schools remain open.
Although Valentines Day is not a traditional holiday in Thailand, there are a lot of Thai’s who enjoy observing this western celebration with their love ones. Many do so by exchanging cards, presents and roses.
Song-Kran (The Water Festival)
Thai New Year
Dates: 13 April – 15 April
Type: National Holiday
All schools and government offices close. Some shopping areas remain open.
Song-Kran is the new year festival in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Burma. Most Thais return to their hometown to spend the new year with family.
The term Song-Kran refers to the shift in the astrological calendar from Pisces to Aries. It is known as the Water Festival because of the tradition of splashing water on everyone you see. As this is the hottest time of year in Thailand, visiting during Song-Kran provides a great relief from the heat. Just be ready to get drenched!
Despite the cooky nature of these water wars, the game of pouring water onto others comes from an ancient tradition of pouring a little water on monks and older people as a sign of respect.
It is believed that pouring water on someone at the new year guarantees that the coming year will be a good one for them.
A period of transition, Song-Kran is also a time for new beginnings. The word Song-Kran, derived from Sanskrit, means ‘a move over’ or ‘a change’, marking the time when the sun leaves Pisces and shifts into the Aries zodiac for the beginning of a new solar year.
To mark this ‘pi mai’ (new year) and get it off to an auspicious start, Thais like to clean. Everything from Buddha statues in the streets, to temples and houses get a renewing wash; meanwhile anything old or unused (items believed to bring bad luck) are thrown out . The Thai people perform bathing rites for monks, and engage in pious activities like giving alms, Dhamma practice and listening to sermons to rinse the spirit clean and to wash away the previous year’s bad actions. They sprinkle water on parents and elders, and shower them with gifts. Thais believe that bad luck or evil is washed away by water, the person purified, and the pouring of a small amount of holy water on another person’s hand or shoulder, confers respect and goodwill. Elders in return wish the youngsters good luck and prosperity.
April is a very hot month across Thailand and in every city, town and village the new year is rung in with “water wars”.
It is quite a sight to witness hundreds of people dowsing each other in water. Children, adults and older Thais all participate in the revelry of the new year, throwing handfuls, buckets full and balloons full of water on anyone and everyone they see. If you have the opportunity to participate in this wild and wonderful celebration be sure you’re ready to get drenched!
This holiday is also a popular one for drinking and many of the revelers you see may be well inebriated as they aim their sights, and water, at you!
Because of the level of excitement around the new year celebration the rate of individuals involved in car accidents, many of which are fatal, is steadily increasing.
If you are in Thailand for Song-Kran we strongly recommend walking or using public transportation throughout the festival.
It is said that the death rate during Song-Kran has overcome every other holiday in Thailand.
Read more about Song-Kran, the Thai New Year.
Vesak Puja
Date: 6th full moon of the Thai lunar year. Usually in May.
Type: National Holiday
All schools and government offices close. Some shopping areas remain open.
This holiday commemorates the life of the Buddha. Buddhists celebrate his birth, enlightenment, and passing.
The Celebration of Vesak also includes making extra effort to bring happiness to the less-fortunate, such as the aged, the handicapped and the sick. On this day Buddhists distribute gifts in the form of money to various charitable homes throughout the country.
Click on this link to read additional information about Vesak Puja.
Asalha Puja
Date: 8th full moon of the Thai lunar year. Usually in July.
Type: National Holiday
All schools and government offices close. Some shopping areas remain open.
On this day Buddhists commemorate the Buddha’s first discourse.
The Buddha attained enlightenment at Bodha-Gaya on the full moon of Visakha. Two months later at the Deer Park near Benares he delivered the first of his discourses to his five disciples: Kondanna, Vappa, Bhaddhiya, Mahanama, and Assaji. This epoch-making event marked the establishment of the Buddhist religion.
The day is observed by donating offerings to temples and listening to sermons. It is a is Theravada Buddhist festival, a tradition that was founded in India. Theraveda is relatively conservative and is generally considered to be closest to early Buddhism. For many centuries it has been the predominant religion in Sri Lanka. The Theravāda school is ultimately derived from the “Vibahajjavada” (or ‘doctrine of analysis’) grouping which was a continuation of the older “Sthavira” (or ‘teaching of the Elders’) group at the time of the Third Buddhist Council.
Here is more information on Asalha Puja.
Queen Sirikit’s Birthday
Mothers’ Day, Thailand
Date: 12 August
Type: National Holiday
All schools and government offices close. Some shopping areas remain open.
This is the day that the Thai people commemorate the birth of Queen Sirikit. Queen Sirikit, like her husband King Adulyadej, is highly regarded by the Thai people and the celebration of her birthday is also a very special holiday.
The day is also observed as “National Mothers Day”. It is a family day, all pubs and night clubs are closed and it is illegal to sell alcohol.
Learn more about Queen Sirikit here.
Loy Krathong (The Fire Festival)
Date: 12th full moon of the Thai lunar year. Usually in November.
Type: National Observance
Banks, offices and schools remain open.
During Loy Krathong, or the candle-boat festival, Thais float small boats made of banana tree trunks, bearing candles and other decorations, on rivers throughout the country.
The celebration also includes displays of fireworks and beauty contests.
According to the writings of H.M. King Rama IV in 1863, the originally Brahmanical festival (referring to “Bramans”, the highest Hindu caste) was adapted by Buddhists in Thailand as a ceremony to honour the original Buddha, Siddhartha Guatama.
People often release a small boat called a ” krathong”, which is about a handspan in diameter and is made from a section of banana tree trunk decorated with flowers, candles, incense sticks and elaborately-folded banana leaves.
During the night of the full moon people release a Krathong on a river or lake. In Bangkok the festival takes place along the Chao Phraya River. In Chiang Mai it is on the Ping river. The act of releasing the raft is symbolic of letting go of one’s grudges and anger, so that one can begin anew. Many Thais believe that floating a krathong creates good luck and they do it to honor and thank the Goddess of Water, Phra Mae Khongkha. Governmental offices, corporations and other organizations build much larger and more elaborate krathongs, which are often judged in contests.
In addition to the krathongs, fireworks and beauty contests also take place during the festival.
The beauty contests that accompany the festival are known as Noppamas Queen Contests. According to legend, Noppamas, who was a consort of the Sukothai King Loethai, was the first to float decorated krathongs.
Sukothai King Loethai was King Pho Khun Ramkhamhaeng’s successor, he ruled in 1298 – 1347.
Learn more about Loy Krathong.
Chirstmas
Date: 25 December
Type: National Observance
Some schools and stores close, depending on the owner’s religion. Government offices remain open.
While the majority of the people who observe Christmas in Thailand are the country’s Christians, many other Thais also celebrate the holiday. These non-Christians do so just for the fun of it.
The Thai people who celebrate Christmas often make presents and buy gifts for their love ones.
The holiday is widely observed commercially in Thailand and many shopping areas have sales on Christmas Day.
For more information on public holidays in Thailand
Visit the Thailand Holidays page on the Phuket Directory.
Want to know more about
Flight of the Gibbon Adventure Tours?
Go to our Home Page and discover the adventure of a lifetime.
Or Get more details and make your reservation now
