Holidays in Thailand

High till Dry · #1 21-05-2007, 09:02 PM

I think I didn't see any thread with regards to Thailand's holiday.

Personally, sometimes I didn't know or forget that my travel schedule clashes with their public holiday and at times I was frustrated when I wanted to go clubbing but yet there is no alcohol served during their holy days.

Hope this is useful:

Fixed Public Holidays
1 January New Year's Day
6 April Chakri Day
1 May National Labour Day (Banks only)
5 May Coronation Day (1950)
1 July Mid Year Day (Banks only)
12 August H.M. the Queen's Birthday (also Mothers' Day)
23 October Chulalongkorn Day
5 December H.M. the King's Birthday (also Father's Day)
10 December Constitution Day
31 December New Year's Eve

Holidays falling on a Saturday or Sunday are observed on the Monday following by banks, but not by the Government. This includes the moveable holidays below. Apparently many offices also follow the same rule as banks.

Moveable Public Holidays
Songkran
Makha Bucha
Vaisakh Bucha
Asarnha Bucha (Government only)
Khao Phansa (Buddhist Lent)
Royal Ploughing Ceremony (Government only)
Chinese New Year Unofficial, Chinese (community only)
Non-holiday Observances 2nd Saturday in January Children’s Day
16 January Teachers' Day (schools close)
19 April Songkran Pattaya only (not a holiday but traffic is very bad!)
12 August Mothers' Day
24 September Mahidol Day commemorating HRH Prince Mahidol of Songkhla, the father of modern Thai medicine.
25 November Primary Education Day (on the occasion of the death of King Rama VI).
5 December Fathers' Day
25 December Christmas Day
The festival of Loy Krathong (a water festival) takes place on the full moon of the 12th Thai Lunar month (11 November in 2000 and 31 October in 2001, 19 November in 2002).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Holidays Listed by the Month
JANUARY
01 : New Year's Day
Since several decades, the westerner New Year's day is also a public holiday day in Thailand. But probably the popular New Year's day for Thai people happens in April; it is called "SONGKRAN".
Thai children Day
During this day, feasts organized by children happen. Children are highly respected in Thailand. In a bus an adult often gives his seat to a child but not to an elderly person. This day always happens on the second Saturday in January.
16: Teachers Day
This day is an occasion for pupils to make merit for their teachers. Teachers are highly worshipped in Thailand for their knowledge. Pupils do not dare to embarrass their teachers.
25 : Thai Army Day
During this day, Thai King Rama IX visits the army and watches a military parade.
FEBRUARY
Chinese New Year's Day
On the day before the Chinese New Year's Day, Thai people with Chinese roots start to make offerings to gods, their ancestors, the God of Land and the God of Luck. Offerings include steamed duck, chicken, pork heads, fresh or canned fruit, Chinese cakes (often with durian) and vegetarian food. Chinese flowers ("DOOK MAI CHIN") and golden paper are also offered.
On the Chinese New Year's day, family members visit each other and give each other money red envelopes called "ang pao". These envelopes contain money. On this day, Chinese restaurants are very busy because all families are going out.

For Chinese New Year's Day parades with big dragons happen. When the dragon pass
by stores, the owner often lit crackers to ask for luck in business. These crackers are very long (2 meters) and it takes more than one minute for the complete explosion. Protect ears !

Thailand has more than 60 millions of inhabitants. Around 6 million of them have Chinese ancestors that immigrated to Thailand last century. So Chinese New year's day is an important day.

Makabucha day
This day is a religious public holiday. It came from the day when 1250 disciples from the Lord Buddha gathered to listen for the Dharma speech after Buddha's enlightenment. Merit making ceremonies take place at temples, while at night candlelit processions walk three times around the temple (one time for the Lord Buddha, one time for the Sangha - Buddhist monk community, one time for the Dharma - Buddhist teachings).
MARCH
No public holidays during this month.
APRIL
06 : Chakri day
This day commemorates the Chakri dynasty. The current King is the ninth King of the Chakri dynasty. A Royal ceremony is performed by the King to pay respects to King Rama I the Great, the founder of the Chakri Dynasty. As Chakri day happens on a Saturday, the following Monday 8th is also a public holiday.
13-14-15 : Songkran
The "SONGKRAN" festival happens in the hot season in half of April. This festival happens in all Buddhist "THEREVADA" countries like Thailand, Lao, Cambodia and Burma. Songkran is the ancient New Year's Day. Now the official New Year's Day happens the 1st January. But the most popular feast is still "SONGKRAN". As Songkran festival happens during a week end, the Tuesday 16th is also a public holiday.
MAY
01 : National Labour day
The first day of May is a public holiday commemorating the workers.
05 : Coronation day
This public holiday is a day to commemorate the coronation of King Rama IX. As Coronation day happens on a Sunday, the Monday 6th is also a public holiday.
09 : Royal Ploughing
Royal ploughing is done every year by Brahmanic priests. This event happens in the front of the temple "WAT PHRA KAEW" on the big field called "SANAM LUANG". This ceremony symbolizes the beginning of the sowing period. Brahmin priests bless seeds and make symbolic furrows using a plough pulled by buffaloes. Once the ceremony is over, all the watching people run to the furrows in order to get the blessed seeds. Those ones are supposed to bring good harvests.
Visakabucha day
This day is a religious event. This event commemorates the birth, the enlightenment and the death (entry into the nirvana) of Buddha. Temples through the country are crowded with people listening to sermons about Dharma (Buddha's teaching) and in the evening there is a candlelit procession around the main building of the temple containing the Buddha statues. As Visakabucha day happens on a Sunday, the following Monday is also a public holiday.
JUNE
No public holidays during this month.
JULY
Asalabucha day
This day, which is a religious event, happens one day just before the Buddhist Lent day. This day commemorates the first sermon of Buddha to his five first disciples. One of them asked for being a monk. So this day is sacred because it deals with Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. There are also candlelit processions.
Buddhist Lent day
This day is a religious event. It is the beginning of the Buddhist rain retreat which last three months. During this period monks are not allowed to sleep outside their temple. During these three months there are no important feasts in Thailand. Even traditional Thai marriage are not happening during this period because there are no monks at the ceremony.
AUGUST
12 : H.M. The Queen's Birthday
This public holiday is the day of all the mothers of Thailand. Especially the Queen, the mother of all Thai people. On this day all the buildings of Thailand are covered up with symbols of the Royalty, of the King and the Queen. As the H.M The Queen's Birthday is a Sunday, the Monday 13 is also a public holiday.
During this day, mothers go to Thai schools. Children say little speech about their love to their mother. Then every child stand in front of his mother and greet her feet ("WAI") and say their love towards their mother.

SEPTEMBER
No public holidays during this month.
OCTOBER
End of Buddhist Lent day
This day is a religious event. The three months rain retreat is over for monks. Monks are allowed to go out of temples. Robes offering ceremonies ("THOT KATHIN") happen everywhere in Thailand. Thai people choose temples everywhere in Thailand and bring there clothes, food for the monks. "THOT KATHIN" ceremonies last one month.
23 : Rama V 's day
This is a public holiday day to commemorate the Rama 5 or Chulalongkorn wise reign over Thailand. Thanks to him, Thailand did not become a French or English colony even if Thailand lost his leadership over Lao, Cambodia and the northern provinces of Malaysia. During his reign, Thailand became a modern country.
NOVEMBER
Loi Krathong day
Loi Krathong is a religious event which happens every year on the full moon of the 12th lunar month (first full moon day of November). All Thai people buy or make a "KRATHONG". It is made of floating disks of banana stems surrounded by banana leaves, with flowers and a candle in the middle. Then in the evening, Thai people go to places where there is a river, a pound to launch their "KRATHONG". In ancient times, this ceremony was to excuse one-self to the spirit of the
river and to let float one's sins away. Little boys are allowed to take the coin when the candle of the krathong is out. An old proverb says that "When a boy and a girl are launching a krathong together they will be lovers this life or next life".
DECEMBER
05 : H.M. The King Birthday
This public holiday is the day of all the fathers of Thailand. Especially the king Rama 9, the father of all Thai people. This day is the birthday of the current Thai King. All the buildings of Thailand are covered up with symbols of the monarchy, the King.
Each year in the evening of the 5th December, a free huge concert is organized in "SANAM LUANG", big garden in front of the "WAT PHRA KAEW" in Bangkok. It is a great honor for singers to be invited to play one song in the concert dedicated to the King. Some of them sing songs composed by the King himself. Every kind of Thai music is played such as Mor Lam, Thai country music, pop, Disco Dance and also every kind of singers from very old one to teenagers in order to give satisfaction to the crowd.

High till Dry · #2 21-05-2007, 09:04 PM

10 : Constitution Day
Since 1932 Thailand is a democracy. Before this famous year, Thailand was called Siam and was under the total rule of the King. Now Thailand is a democracy. Some say that Thailand is even a better democracy since the army is far from direct power (1992). The king has still some power, but just a moral power over the thai people which worships him for all its kindness and goodness. Thailand is like England: a King with no real power, a government and no president. This public
holiday is the day to commemorate the Thai constitution.
31 : New Year's Eve
This public holiday is the last day of the year.