Thailand’s calendar is full of festivals, national and religious holidays, and not just one but three celebrations of the New Year. Thai people come from many different places, so there is always a reason to throw a party. Many tourists want to plan their trips around holidays and festivals in Thailand, and the Thai people are more than happy to accommodate them. It is strongly suggested that you do this activity because it is not only fun, but also real and one of a kind. Here is everything you need to know about the most important holidays and festivals in Thailand that you should not miss.
New Year’s celebrations
Even though Thailand is not mostly Christian, the night before New Year’s Eve is always a big party. On December 31, there will be events all over the country as part of the celebrations. There will be everything from loud parties on islands in the south to a big countdown at the World Trade Center in Bangkok, which will be like the one in New York City’s Times Square. Thailand is a great place to celebrate the start of a new calendar year because there is so much music, happy people come from all over the world, there are fireworks, great food, drinks, and dancing that goes on until morning.
Children’s day
On the second Saturday of every January in Thailand, there is a festival. This festival is only for the younger people in the country. In Thai culture, children are treated with a lot of love and respect. Because of this, each child has their own vacation, which is called Wan Dek in Thai. Just like at Christmas, children in Thailand get gifts from their families, and then the whole family goes out to have fun. On that day, kids can ride public transportation for free, schools have parties, and military bases are open to the public.
Chinese New Year celebrations
Since there are a lot of Chinese people living in Thailand, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the Chinese New Year is celebrated there with all the pomp and circumstance it deserves. As the holiday approaches, the Chinatown neighborhood of Bangkok is decked out in traditional Chinese decorations and turned into a party hub. There are a lot of cultural shows, such as dragon dances and fire juggling, and a lot of vendors selling delicious traditional Chinese food. The event takes place over three days, and each year the dates are different. In the year 2021, the holiday will start on the 17th of February.
Makha Bucha Day
Makha Bucha Day is one of the many Buddhist celebrations that take place in Thailand. The festival is held every year on the night of the third full moon, which in 2021 will be on February 26. It is all about the Buddha and the lessons he taught his followers. A lot of people in the country are Buddhist, so the temples are always full of people giving gifts to the important statues. Also, you can see many different candle rituals and, more importantly, you can feel the mystical and spiritual atmosphere.
Chakri Day
Every year on April 6, a festival is held to honor Thailand’s royal dynasty, which has been around for hundreds of years. Thailand’s current king is Rama XI, and he runs the country. Since it’s a national holiday, there are a lot of different ceremonies going on all over Thailand, and most people spend the day off at home.
Songkran -Thai New Year’s
The Thai New Year is a well-known holiday in Thailand that is celebrated in the middle of April. People in every part of the country are gathering in the streets to fight what can only be called “water battles.” Even though it rains so much in Bangkok that you can’t always go outside without getting wet, you can really feel the city’s happy spirit. The wet celebrations could last for up to a week, and during that time, it is highly recommended that you join in the fun and don’t worry about getting wet, since it is very unlikely that you will stay dry.
Coronation Day
Every year at the beginning of May, the whole country of Thailand has a national holiday to celebrate the coronation of the current king, Vajiralongkorn. Since today is a national holiday, you should know that most stores and places to have fun will be closed. This information is very important for you to know.
Royal Plowing Ceremony
In the middle of May, a unique and strange-looking ceremony took place in Bangkok in a plaza that had been set aside for the event. A place called Sanam Luang is full of rice that has been left out to dry. Many Thais believe that if they can get some of the rice from the fields around the Royal Palace, they will be blessed with a good harvest and good luck. People bending down to pick up rice from the ground is an interesting and unusual sight. If you want to, you can try it yourself.
Mother’s Day
In Thailand, Mother’s Day is a day to honor all mothers and the Queen Mother, Sirikit, who is seen as the mother of the Thai people and is also honored on this day. The second Sunday in August is a federal holiday in the United States, and it is a day to honor mothers everywhere. Large groups of Thai people will gather at the temples, and if you’re in Bangkok, you’ll see flags and pictures of the Queen Mother in every possible place. In honor of the special event, the lights have been strung along Khawasan street. There are a lot of places that give free meals to moms, like restaurants, tourist sites, and public transportation.
The vegetarian festival
Thai people, especially Chinese people, celebrate Tessagan Gin Jay, which is the holiday for vegetarians. This festival lasts for nine days and starts on the ninth full moon of the year, which happens in September or October. During the whole month, the participants don’t drink, gamble, or do anything sexual. They also only eat vegetarian food and wear white. This is done to clean both the body and the mind. People who don’t eat meat celebrate the day, but it also affects people who do eat meat because many restaurants and food stands switch to serving vegetarian meals. There are also stands all over the area that sell vegetarian and healthy food options. If you go to several Chinese temples, you will see worshipers singing and playing instruments, and you will feel more in the holiday spirit. The same could be said about Bangkok’s Chinatown area.
Loy Krathong
On the night of the 12th full moon, which usually happens in November, Thailand has the most magical and romantic event of the year. The main reason for the event is to thank the river spirits for the rain and water, and on a more spiritual level, it is also a way to get rid of any bad behavior or bad things that happened in the past year. A lot of Thai people all over the country are putting together a strange kind of offering, which is then sent. You can watch the show from any body of water, including the hotel pool. The most famous celebration of the festival takes place in Chiang Mai, where fire lanterns are set off into the sky as part of a beautiful show.
