Festivals, both commemorative and celebrative, form an important part of Thai life. Generally, Thai festivals are connected either with Buddhism, the annual cycle of rice farming or commemorations honouring past kings. Some occur on fixed dates. Others are determined by the lunar calendar.
Chronologically, Thailand”s major holidays and events are as follows:
Makha Bucha, the year's first important Buddhist celebration, is a national holiday. Makha Bucha falls on the full-moon day of the third lunar month, usually early February, and marks the miraculous occasion when 1,250 disciples
gathered spontaneously to hear the Buddha preach.
February also sees the Phra Buddha Bat Festival at the Shrine
of the Buddha‘s Footprint, north of Saraburi.
In Chiang Mai, the annual Flower Festival features floral floats, beauty contests and lavish displays of the province's temperate and tropical flowers.
Chakri Day, April 6 is a national holiday to commemorate the founding, inl782,of the present Chakridynasty. Thailand's present monarch, H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, is the ninth Chakri king.
April l2-14 are national holidays to mark Songkran and Family Day. Formerly the Thai New Year, Songkran is celebrated
with special elan in Chiang Mai where it becomes a three day carousel of meritaking, socializing and goodnatured water throwing.
Late April, or early May, the official rice—planting season commences with Bangkok's Ploughing Ceremony presided over by His Majesty the King.
Coronation Day, May 5 is a national holiday to celebrate King Bhumibol's coronation in 1950. Wisakha Bucha, a national holiday on the fullmoon day of the sixth lunar month, usually in May, is the holiest of all celebrating Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death.
Each May, prior to thc annual monsoons, villagcrs in Thailand's northcast construct gigantic rockcts to firc into thc skics to "cnsurc" bountiful rains. Thc Skyrockct Fcstival is thc traditional pcriod for lctting off
stcam bcforc ricc cultivation bcgins in carncst.
Asalaha Bucha, anothcr national holiday on thc fullmoon day of the eighth lunar month, usually in July, marks thc Buddha's first scrmon to his first five disciples and introduces Khao Phansa, the commencerment of the annual three — month Rains Retreat when all Buddhist monks vow to stay insidc thcir monasteries to study and mcditate.
Ubon Ratchathani, in the northeast, celebrates the commencement
of Phansa with a lovely Candle Festival.
Phansa is the traditional period for temporary ordinations.
During the three—month period,there are many processions as friends and relatives accompany tonsured, white—robed ordination candidates to local temples for their ordinations.
Phansa sees a temporary hiatus in festivities because of the rains.
The most important public event occurs on August 12, H.M. the Queen's Birthday, a national holiday when government buildings are decorated with coloured lights.
Awk Phansa, usually in October, marks the end of the Rain Retreat and introduces the Kathin period when, throughout Thailand, the Buddhist laity present monks with new robes and other items deemed necessary for material upkeep during the forthcoming monastic year.
The Kathin period also marks the official end of the Rainy Season
which is celebrated with many country fairs.
Chulalongkorn Day, October 23, honours Thailand's most beloved ing, and is a national holiday when Thais from all walks of life lay wreaths at his equestrian statue at the Royal Plaza, Bangkok.
Each year, usually late October or early November, a Tourism Festival is staged in Bangkok's Amphorn Gardens. For a few days the festival hosts cultural troupes
from all over Thailand and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors.
November marks the beginning of the Cool Season, coincides with low farming activity, and is the time for innumerable temple fairs. The most popular are Bangkok's Golden Mount Fair and the Phra Pathom Chedi Fair in Nakhon Pathom.
Loy Krathcng, Thailar1d‘s loveliest festival, also falls in
November. Each year, under the full moon, Thais float away small lotus-shaped banana leaf boats ccntaining a lighted candle, glcwing incense, a flower and a small coin
to honour, it is believed, the water spirits and to wash away the past year's sins onto rivers, canals, lakes and streams.
Ancther spectacle is provided in Surin in the northeast on the third Saturday of each Ncvember when some 200 elephants participate in the annual Elephant
Rcund-up.
Kanchaburi's River Kwai Bridge Week, usually late November to early December, features a light and sound spectacle, a recreation of the bcmbing event at
the world—fam0us bridge.
On December 3, the elite Royal Guards swear a new allegiance to His Majesty King
Bhumibol in Bangkok's Royal Plaza. This precedes H.M. the King's Birthday, December 5, a national holiday when festivities occur throughout the kingdom.
December l0, Constitution Day, is another national holiday.
Finally New Year's Eve, the year's last national holiday, is
mostly devoted to private celebrations as people usher out the old year and welcome in the new.
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