Here is a list of the most popular festivals of Thailand:
1. Yee Peng Lantern Festival
One of the most spectacular festivals in Thailand, the Yi Peng festival takes place in the legendary city of Chiang Mai, which was once the capital of the Lanna kingdom. It continues to hold cultural significance for its worn-out fortifications and moats that speak of a foregone era. During Yi Peng in November, Chinese paper lanterns are released into the night sky, which is meant to symbolize letting go of the misfortunes of the past year. Thousands gather to take part and enjoy the spectacular view. Tha Phae Road and Mae Jo University are the best locations to enjoy the festival, although it's best to come ahead of time to find a good spot in the crowds. After the lanterns are released, you can enjoy the live music performances and firecrackers that light up the night sky.
Location : Chiang Mai, Thailand
Dates : 15 November, 2024
2. Loy Krathong Festival
The Loi Krathong Festival is one of the most exuberant festivals celebrated in Thailand. The celebrations are a national event in Thailand, and it is sometimes referred to as the 'festival of lights'. Loi Krathong takes place on a full moon evening of the twelfth month, according to the Thai lunar calendar. The date changes every year, but it usually occurs in October or November, according to the Western calendar. The exact date is usually announced a month in advance. The annual festival is celebrated with many rituals at the Buddhist temples in the region. Makeshift steps are constructed in several rivers or water body areas to allow people to enter the water. One can see many stalls selling food, beverages, and readymade krathongs. The festival also includes some activities, such as boat races, lantern processions, and parades.
Dates: 16 November 2024
3. Songkran (The Water Festival)
The water festival is a national holiday that marks the Thai New Year. It takes place on the 13th of April every year, although festivities stretch for at least a week. This is a festival where people clean their houses, pour water over Buddha statues, and drench each other to symbolize cleaning away sins of the past year. They also pay tribute to elderly members of the family and their ancestry. It is celebrated all across the country, although the biggest festivities can be seen in Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Bangkok. Streets are cordoned off in favor of massive parades and dance performances, and many regions crown a Miss Songkran every year. Before the water celebrations, Thai people first visit temples to thank god for the past year and pray for good fortune in the year to come.
Dates : 13 April - 15 April, 2024
4. Chinese New Year
Because of the large Chinese population here, the Chinese New Year has become one of the most famous festivals in Thailand. It takes place in January or February, depending on the lunar calendar. It is best celebrated in Yaowarat, which is the Chinatown of Bangkok. During these days, you'll see firecrackers across the sky and traditional dragon dancers take over the streets. For those who enjoy Chinese cuisine, there are plenty of Chinese banquets on offer. It is typically a long weekend of merriment and gala. Before the celebrations begin, it is customary to visit temples (especially Wat Mangkok Kamalawat on Charoen Krung Street in Bangkok) to pay respects.
Dates: 10 February 2024
5. Mother's Day and Father's Day
The people of Thailand are fiercely devoted to the ruling monarch, and they mark the birthdays of their rulers as Mother's Day and Father's Day in the country. Mother's Day is celebrated on the Queen's birthday on August 12th, while Father's Day is celebrated on December 5th. Both days are national holidays marked by festivities such as parades, music performances, traditional food stalls, and visits to the temple. On Mother's Day, mothers are invited to their children's schools, where there are songs and dances performed in their honor. On Father's Day, it is customary to wear yellow or golden attire. Both days see huge decorations across the cities of Thailand, and people often put up large Thai flags and portraits of the king and queen in their homes.
Dates: 12th May - Mother's Day , 16th June - Father's Day
6. Asalha Puja (Asalha Bucha)
Asahna Bucha, also known as Asalha Puja, is the day that marks when, over 2500 years ago, Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon at Sarnath in India. It is a public holiday in Thailand, and the exact date for this festival is decided by the waxing moon and the lunar months, which typically come up in July according to the Thai lunar calendar. It is an auspicious day and brings all the people to their nearest temples to celebrate the occasion. This day marks the beginning of the Vassa, the Buddhist lent period that lasts for three months. Like most festivals in Thailand, the people start the Asalha Puja by visiting their local 'Wat' (temple) mainly for merit-making ceremonies.
Dates: 20 July 2024
7. Visakha Bucha (Vesak)
Visakha Bucha Day is one of Thailand's most important religious festivals. It is a public holiday and falls on the full moon of the sixth lunar month, thus usually taking place in May or June. Visakha Bucha Day commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Lord Buddha. The country is swept in a peaceful wave of religious fervor, with local temples conducting various rituals and sermons. Tourists are also allowed to visit some of the temples to soak in the spiritual aura of the monks and locals.
Date: 23 May 2024
8. Boon Bang Fai (The Rocket Festival)
The rocket festival is observed in the Yasothorn province of north-east Thailand. It is one of the festivals in Thailand which is very popular amongst the farming communities, as the rockets are meant to encourage the gods to bless them with plentiful rains. Locals make elaborate rockets that are almost 20 feet in length. The rockets are first paraded around the city before being launched into the sky fuelled by sulfur and charcoal. The person whose rocket soared highest usually wins a prize of almost THB 10,000. Those people whose rockets failed to launch are playfully thrown into a mud-bath as punishment. There is plenty of live folk music here and merriment marked by drinking local rice wine.
Location : Yasothon Province, North-east Thailand
Dates : 10 May - 13th May, 2024
9. Surin Elephant Festival
This festival is a celebration of Thailand's friendly giants. Elephants have been an essential part of this country's history. They were used in battle, they aided in agriculture, and they were even used for travel. In fact, the Hindu deity of Ganesha is hugely popular here, and his statues aren't uncommon in most towns and villages. This elephant festival in northeast Thailand sees enormous parades of elephants that are lovingly fed with fruits and vegetables. These parades are followed by marching bands and elephant shows. Tourists love interacting with these friendly beasts and taking pictures, especially once they have been decorated with flowers and paste. The Surin Elephant Festival usually takes place on the third weekend of November.
Location: Surin Province, Isan, Thailand
Dates: 15th November, 2024
10. Wing Kwai (Water Buffalo Racing Festival)
This buffalo-racing festival of Thailand takes place in October in the province of Chonburi. It features a race course near Chonburi City Hall that is over 100 meters long. Dozens of jockeys take part in this festival, racing their buffalos bareback to the finish line. Other bovine-related activities include buffalo decoration and a quirky buffalo beauty contest. The province exudes a carnival-like atmosphere of merriment, along with games and food stalls. Chonburi is an hour's drive from Bangkok and Pattaya, making Wing Kwai an easily accessible festival for tourists.
Location: Chonburi Province
Dates: October, 2024
11. Phuket Vegetarian Festival
The vegetarian festival of Phuket gains its name from the abstinence of meat, garlic, onions, and other food groups for one month before the festival. It culminates in a massive celebration in October. It is considered one of the most gruesome festivals in Thailand as revelers take part in body mortification like face piercings, walking on hot coals, and laying on a bed of knives. There are also fireworks, energetic dancing, and chanting involved. Participants believe that this will convince the gods to protect you from harm. This festival sees ceremonies in Chinese temples like Jui Tui Shrine in Phuket. It is a fascinating experience to witness the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, but we wouldn't recommend it for the faint-hearted.
Location: Phuket, Thailand
Dates: 1 October - 10 October, 2024
12. Lopburi Monkey Festival
Legend has it that the Hindu deity Hanuman saved a god's daughter from a demon in Thailand, and monkeys have been gladly welcomed here ever since. They are most commonly found in ancient towns such as Lopburi, which is located 150 kilometers north of Bangkok. In Lopburi, the local people conduct a huge monkey banquet every November as a celebration of these apes. The banquet has fruits, vegetables, and seeds kept on offer for the 3,000 monkeys that live in Lopburi's temple area. It's a pretty exciting sight to see these monkeys enjoy the festivities, though you should be careful to keep your distance, or else they climb onto you, too!
Location: Lopburi, Thailand
Dates: 24 November, 2024
13. Mekong Naga Fireball Festival
The Mekong Naga Fireballs is one of the festivals in Thailand which has fascinated people from around the world. Taking place beside the Mekong River, thousands of large reddish-pink balls of light are observed to rise into the night sky without a sound or seeming human interaction. They rise to 600 feet in the air. Locals believe that this is the work of a serpent-like creature called Phaya Naga with divine powers, while scientists postulate that it is caused by the combustion of sulfur in the river's marshy environment. Regardless of whether it is a scientific phenomenon or the work of a water god, people gather at the Mekong River every October to watch this magnificent site unfold. In recent years, the mysterious red balls of light are joined by bursting of firecrackers.
Location: Mekong River
Dates: October 2024
14. Ubon Ratchathani Candle Festival
This elaborate festival takes place in Ubon Ratchathani in southeast Thailand. It is held in July on the days of Asanha Puja (which commemorates Buddha's first sermon) and Wan Khao Pansa (which marks the beginning of Buddhist Lent). During the Candle Festival, large wax sculptures are created to be paraded on massive floats. In recent years, these wax sculptures are created through the influence of traditional and modern art aesthetics, while the candles represent different districts of Thailand. Some elaborate candles are carved with scenes of Hindu and Buddhist mythology. Regular-sized candles are placed all around temples to dispel gloom, while custom dictates that people donate food and clothing to monks. The parades include lots of dancing and traditional music performances while proceeding towards the temple premises.
Location: Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand
Dates: 19th to 21st July 2024
15. Phi Ta Khon (Ghost Festival)
Called the 'Ghost Festival' of Thailand because of its embrace of the macabre, Phi Ta Khon takes place in the small town of Dan Sai. It is a three-day celebration marked by colorful masks. These masks are painted in gaudy, eye-catching colors, along with large phallic noses. It typically takes place in the 6th full moon of the Lunar calendar, which occurs in June or July. As the legend goes, Phi Ta Khon is meant to be a party so fun that both the living and dead want to attend. Locals believe that the loud noises will awaken the spirit of the Mun River, which protects their town. There are massive parades, beauty pageants, and music performances on the first two days of the festival, followed by a more somber day of Buddhist ceremonies. As Dan Sai is a small town, traveling there can be tricky, and accommodations fill up quickly, so it's a good idea to make bookings beforehand.
Location : Dan Sai, Loei Province, Isan, Thailand (450 km north of Bangkok)
Dates: Date yet not announced
16. Royal Ploughing Ceremony
The Royal Ploughing Ceremony, also known as the Farmer's Day or simply the Ploughing Festival, officially marks the beginning of the rice-growing season. This annual ceremony is held in many Asian countries, such as Cambodia and Thailand. Also known as 'Kan Phuetchamongkhon' in Thailand, the festival is believed to strengthen the ties between the monarch, the government, and the farmers. It is observed on an auspicious day in early May, with the exact date being determined by monks every year. The royal plowing ceremony, which is both Buddhist and Hindu in origin, consists of aspects of both religions and has two parts. Cultivating Ceremony is the Buddhist part of the farmer's festival and takes place at the Wat Phra Kaew or the 'Temple of the Emerald Buddha' in the Grand Palace Complex in Bangkok. The Ploughing Ceremony takes place a day after the cultivating ceremony, and the site for the celebration of the ploughing ceremony is, as per tradition, the Sanam Luang ceremonial ground in front of the Grand Palace.
Location: Grand Palace, Bangkok
Date: 10 May 2024
17. Khao Phansa Day
Khao Phansa or ‘Vassa’ is a day that marks the beginning of the 3-month monastic retreat by the monks during the rainy season. According to the Thai lunar calendar, it is observed on the day after the first full moon in the eighth month. This day is a national holiday in Thailand. This is the time when monks retreat to their temples and devote three months to meditation and study. On this auspicious day, many Thais fast and avoid alcohol, tobacco, gambling, and meat. It is also a vibrant, colorful festival where travelers would come across beautiful and elaborately carved candles, which turn out to be the center of the celebrations.
Date: 17 October 2024
18. Poy Sang Long Festival
Translated as the 'Festival of the Crystal Sons', Poy Sang Long is an exclusive ceremony meant for young to adolescent boys between the age of seven and fourteen years of age. It is a popular traditional practice among the Shan people in Myanmar and Thailand, where Shan immigrants have introduced their cultural norms among the people of their sect. Poy Sang Long festival is majorly concerned with the young boys taking their monastic vows to initiate their monastery life. In Thailand, the vibrant festival is celebrated for three days.
Date: Mid-March to Mid-April 2024
Along with beautiful beach getaways and energetic city life, Thailand is full of culture and festivities that welcomes all. All of these festivals in Thailand are great occasions to immerse yourself in the local culture and enjoy the country's rich cultural heritage and traditions.