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When planning your trip, you should be aware of the major national holidays celebrated throughout the country. However, although businesses and government offices are closed on public holidays, tourist attractions and shops are almost never closed. The main impact on the tourist of these holidays is the increased competition for travel and accommodation from Thais who use long weekends to get away from the big city.

The list below shows all of the public holidays as well as some of the more important nationwide celebrations that aren't national holidays. Many of the most important holidays on the Thai calendar are based on the lunar calendar and therefore will occur on different days from year to year. The dates for these holidays in 2008 are calculated estimates and may be subject to correction. There are almost always festivals or other events arranged around these dates:


01 January 2008 (Tuesday) New Year's Day / วันขื้นปีใหม่
National Holiday
Since several decades, the westerner New Year's day is also a public holiday in Thailand. But the popular New Year's day for Thai people happens in April; it is called "SONGKRAN". The reference point is Lord Buddha's birth 543 before Jesus Christ.

12 January 2008 (Saturday) Children’s Day
Celebrated on the second Saturday in January, this day is marked by feasts organized by children.

16 January 2008 (Wednesday) Teachers Day / วันครู
This day is an occasion for pupils to make merit for their teachers. Teachers are highly worshipped in Thailand for their knownledge. Pupils do not dare to embarrass their teachers.

Thai Army Day 2008 (Friday) / วันกองทัพไทย
During this day, Thai King Rama IX visits the army and watches a military parad.

07 February 2008 (Thursday) Chinese New Year's Day / วันตรุษจีน
Thailand has more than 60 millions of inhabitants. Around 6 millions of them have Chinese ancestors that immigrated to Thailand last century. So Chinese New year's day is an important public holiday.

14 February 2008 (Thursday) Valentine’s Day วันวาเลนไทน์
A very popular day in Thailand for sending flowers and small gifts, and for marriage registrations

21 February 2008 (Thursday) Makabucha day / วันมาฆาบูชา
National Holiday
It came from the day when 1250 disciples from the Lord Buddha gathered to listen for the Dharma speech after Buddha's enlightment.

06 April 2008 (Sunday) Chakri Day / วันที่ระลึกมหาจักรีบรมราชวงศ์
National Holiday
This public holiday 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.

13-14-15 April 2008 (Sunday - Monday - Tuesday) Songkran / วันสงกรานต์
National Holiday
The "SONGKRAN" festival happens in the hot season in half of april. This festival happens in all Buddhist "THEREVADA" countries like Thailand, Laos, 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".

01 May 2008 (Thursday) National Labour Day / วันแรงงานแห่งชาติ
National Holiday
The first day of May is a public holiday commemorating the workers.

05 May 2008 (Monday) Coronation Day / วันฉัตรมงคล
National Holiday
This public holiday is a day to commemorate the coronation of King Rama IX.

09 May 2008 (Friday) Royal Ploughing / วันพืชมงคล
Government Holiday
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 symbolises the beginning of the sowing period. Brahmin priests bless seeds and make symbolic furrows using a plough pulled by buffalos. 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. This is a public holiday.

19 May 2008 (Monday) Visakabucha day / วันวิสาขบูชา
National Holiday
This day is a Buddhist public holiday. This day commemorates the birth, the enlightment 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.

26 June 2008 (Thursday) Sunthorn Phu Day Sunthorn Phu Day สุนทรภู่
Thailand’s highest-regarded poet is honored by poetry recitals, plays, and puppet shows throughout the country

01 July 2008 (Tuesday) Mid-Year Day
Bank Holiday

17 July 2008 (Thursday) Asalabucha day / วันอาสาฬหบูชา
This day, which is a Buddhist public holiday, 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.

18 Jylu 2008 (Friday) Buddhist Lent day / วันเข้าพรรษา
National Holiday
This day is a Buddhist public holiday. 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. Thai people buy big candles and offer them to temples.

12 August 2008 (Tuesday) H.M. The Queen's Birthday / วันเฉลิมพระชนมพรรษา สมเด็จพระนางเจ้าฯ พระบรมราชินีนาถ
National Holiday
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 images of H.M. The Queen.

22 September 2008 (Monday) Mid-Autumn Festival เทศกาลไหว้พระจันทร์
Also known as the Moon Cake Festival, this Chinese holiday is celebrated with a special kind of sweet cake filled with sesame seeds, ground lotus seeds, and eggs

14 October 2008 (Tuesday) End of Buddhist Lent day / วันปวารณา ออกพรรษา
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" - ทอดกฐิน) 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 October 2008 (Thursday) Chulalongkorn Day วันปิยมหาราช
National Holiday
This is a public holiday day to commemorate the Rama V 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 Laos, Cambodia and the northern provinces of Malaysia. During his reign, Thailand became a modern country.

13 November 2008 (Thursday) Loi Krathong Day / วันลอยกระทง
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 styrofoam 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".

03 December 2008 (Wednesday) Trooping of the Colors
During this day, Thai Royal guards parade past the members of the royal family and pledge allegiance to H.M. the King. They are dressed in colorful uniforms, reminding the time when coloured flags served as rallying points during the battle.

05 December 2008 (Friday) H.M. The King Birthday / วันเฉลิมพระชนมพรรษา พระบาทสมเด็จพระเจ้าอยู่หัว
National Holiday
This public holiday is the day of all the fathers of Thailand. Especially the King Rama IX, 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 and the King.

10 December 2008 (Wednesday) Constitution Day / วันพระราชทานรัฐธรรมบูญ
National Holiday
Since 1932 Thailand is a democracy. Before 1932, 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 army is far from direct power (1992). The king has still some power, but just a moral power over Thai people, who worship 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.

25 December 2008 (Thursday) Christmas Day วันคริสต์มาส
While not an official public holiday in Thailand, it is widely celebrated by the Thai people (who love any excuse to have fun) as well as foreign workers and tourists

31 December 2008 (Wednesday) New Year's Eve / วันสิ้นปี
National Holiday
This public holiday is the last day of the year. The New Year holiday and "SONGKRAN" period have always high accident tolls. During New year holiday 2002, 501 people were killed in traffic accidents. Many were found to have been caused by reckless and drunk motorcyclists.