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JANUARY |
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1 |
New Years Day |
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29 |
Lion Dance Festival |
Most colorful lion and dragon dances are staged by the Chinese
community in Nakhon Sawan City and in Chinatown, Bangkok. |
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FEBRUARY |
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4,5,6 |
Chiang Mai Flower
Festival |
This festival is held to promote the growing of flowers and
decorative plants in Chiang Mai, featuring a parade of colorful
petalled floats and beauty contests. |
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13 |
Magha Puja Day |
One of the holiest Buddhist holy days, Magha Puja Day marks the
occasion when 1,250 saint-disciples of the Buddha spontaneously
gathered to hear his preaching. |
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MARCH |
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APRIL |
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6 |
Chakri Day |
The day to commemorate the founding of
the present Chakri Dynasty in 1782. |
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13-15 |
Songkran Festival |
The traditional Thai New Year. Celebrated throughout the country
with rituals of merit making, honouring elders and parades of
dancers and music troupes. Water splashing makes a fun, cooling and
interesting festival! The largest celebrations are in Chiang Mai and
at Phra Pradaeng near Bangkok. |
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MAY |
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1 |
National Labour Day |
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5 |
Coronation Day |
Celebrating the day when the current
King Bhumibol was crowned as the 9th King of the Chakri Dynasty in
1950. |
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11 |
Plowing Day |
Presided over by the King, this ancient
Brahmanic ceremony is held at Sanam Luang in Bangkok to mark the
beginning of the planting season and to bless the farmers with
bumper harvests in the year. |
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12-14 |
Rocket Festival |
Called "ngan bun bang fai" in
Thai, it is a unique festival of the Northeast, most elaborately
celebrated in Yasothon province. Bamboo rockets are launched aas an
annual plea to the gods for plenty of rainfall in the rainy season. |
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12 |
Visakha Puja Day |
One of the most important Buddhist holy
days. On this day in different years, the Buddha was born, attained
Enlightenment and entered Nirvana. |
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JUNE |
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JULY |
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10 |
Asalha Puja Day |
On this day Buddha gave his first
sermon to his first five disciples after his Enlightenment. |
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10-11 |
Candle Festival |
Many provinces in the Northeast
celebrate Khao Phansa Day by arranging processions of folk dances
and floats to the monasteries, carrying huge, intricately carved
candles to be lit continuously throughout the Rain Retreat period.
Large celebrations take place in Ubon Ratchathani Province. |
| |
11 |
Khao Phansa Day |
The first day of the three month period
of Rain Retreat when monks meditate and study the Buddha's doctrine
and laymen renew their commitment to follow the precepts of
Buddhism. Monks are required to stay at their resident temples
throughout the Rain Retreat period. |
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AUGUST |
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12 |
The Queens Birthday |
Her Majesty the Queen's birthday. |
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SEPTEMBER |
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4-10 |
King's Cup
Elephant Polo |
Annually takes place in Hua Hin. As
well as the exciting tournament, you will be fascinated by the
elephants' intelligence in a variety of performances. |
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OCTOBER |
| |
22-30 |
Vegetarian Festival |
During this period people of Chinese
origin in Phuket and Trang provinces make merit by abstaining from
food and oil from animals, holding processions of god statues along
the streets and observing traditional magical rites as a sacrifice
to their gods. |
| |
|
Boat Races |
Normally after the end of Rain Retreat
on the full-moon day of the 11th Thai lunar month. Taking place in
many provinces such as Phrae, Ayutthaya, Nakhon Phanom and Surat
Thani, traditional boat races are held to celebrate the Buddha's
return to earth after spending one season preaching in heaven. |
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23 |
Chulalongkorn Day |
Commemorates the death of King
Chulalongkorn the Great (Rama V) who passed away in 1910. |
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NOVEMBER |
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5 |
Loi Krathong or
Festival of Light. |
This is the most romantic festival of
Thailand. In the evening people gather at the waterside to float
kra-thongs, lotus-shaped vessels decorated with flowers and lit
candles, as a thanksgiving and worship to the Goddess of Water.
Magnificent celebrations are held in Sukhothai and Chiang Mai. |
| |
2nd Week |
Surin Elephant Round-up |
Surin is famous for its elephant
round-up. The show features elephant football, elephant race and
hunt and elephants in ancient battle. |
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24- 7 Dec |
The River Kwai Bridge Week |
Held to commemorate the horrible ordeal
suffered in the construction of the Death Railway to be used by the
Japanese army as a route of supply from Thailand to Burma in World
War II |
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25 |
Vajiravudh Day |
Held to commemorate the death of King
Vajiravudh (Rama VI) |
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DECEMBER |
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5 |
The King's Birthday |
Huge crowds gather at Sanam Luang on
the Ratchadamnoen Road in Bangkok on the evenings of the 4th and 5th
to celebrate jubilantly. |
| |
10 |
Constitution Day |
To commemorate the day on which
Thailand's first Constitution was promulgated by King Prajadhipok (Rama
VII) in 1932. |
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31 |
New Year's Eve |
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