Festivals

Most of Thailand’s annual events, especially religious holidays, are determined by the lunar calendar, so exact dates may change from year to year. Most big shops remain open during public holidays, although some small retail outlets close over Chinese New Year. Many other festivals are held in the provinces to mark the harvest. Below are the most significant:

Songkran (April) The Thai New Year, or Songkran, is celebrated over several days in mid-April, and is a time for local people to pay homage to Buddha images, clean their homes and sprinkle water on their elders in a show of respect.

This has developed in recent years into good-natured but sometimes unwelcome full-body soakings from buckets and hoses, especially in tourist areas and in Chiang Mai, where there are colourful parades and religious ceremonies.

Royal Ploughing Ceremony (May) Held in Bangkok’s Sanam Luang, and presided over by the king and queen, this ancient Brahmin festival marks the beginning of the rice-planting season. Sacred cows are guided to choose from a selection of edibles, and based on their preferences, weather and harvest predictions are made for the coming year.

Visakha Bucha (May) This festival celebrates the birth, enlightenment and passing of Lord Buddha. After dark, almost every temple in the kingdom is filled with processions of people carrying candles.

Yasothon Rocket Festival (May) This rainmaking festival in the poor north-eastern province of Yasothon sees villagers compete to construct and launch large bamboo rockets. The highest trajectory wins a prize and fame.

Asalaha Bucha Day (July) This holiday commemorates the Buddha’s first sermon, and marks the beginning of Buddhist Rains Retreat (Khao Pansa), a period of three months during which monks must remain in their temples and strictly observe their religious duties. It is also the time when young Thai men enter the monkhood.

Awk Pansa (October) This holiday marks the end of the Buddhist Rains Retreat (Khao Pansa). Local people make merit by presenting robes and other items to monks at temples throughout the country.

Vegetarian Festival, Phuket (October) This ancient Chinese festival lasts 10 days, and is most famous for people of Chinese ancestry, who in a trance-like state pierce their bodies with various objects apparently feeling no pain. These strange sights are complemented by music and dance, beauty pageants, fairs and food stalls.

Loy Krathong (November) This festival pays homage to the river spirits are placated by floating krathongson rivers, canals and lakes on the night of the full moon. These delightful boats are made of banana leaves, and decorated with incense and candles. The most beautiful sights are at the Bang Sai Arts & Crafts Centre near Ayutthaya and in the ruins of Sukhothai, the first Thai capital, where the festival is supposed to have originated.