December 3rd, 2010, 10:03
Well, my prayers are answered. Another holiday has been added to the Thai public holiday calendar, at least for 2011. There will be plenty of travels out of Bangkok to cooler climes to ponder for the extended 5-day weekend May 13-17. But if you want to stand outside in the hot sun, then whatever you want, you can find it ... .
* thaivisa.com/forum/topic/421873-thailand-live-wednesday-1-dec-2010/
Thai cabinet adds extra holiday to 2011
The Nation: 1 Dec 2010 Holidays next May By The Nation Published on December 1, 2010
May 16 next year has been announced as a public holiday, which will result in a five-day holiday from May 13-17, the Cabinet said yesterday.
In 2011, Royal Ploughing Day falls on May 13, a Friday, and Visakha Puja Day falls on May 17, a Tuesday. May 16 links two-day breaks together.
I made a quick tabulation (attachment) of the important Thai holidays Public, Buddhist and Other) coming up through 2011. If anyone can note any inaccuracies, please note them. Please add any regionalizations, for instance Songkran in Pattaya, etc. Or a comprehensive list of Thai festivals can be found at: tourismthailand.org .
On 'Buddhist' (B) holidays alcoholic drinks might not be served. If there are any national election days during 2011 then drinks might not be served on that national election day, as well. I note that some sources give May 10, not May 13, as 2011's Ploughing Day, but I list May 13 as per the Nation announcement, above.
Christmas is pretty much ignored by the Thais (thank you) but highly commercialized, all the shopping malls and stores light up and pipe annoying muzak for the occasion. Restaurants offer Christmas eve/day dinners and buffets (also U.S. Thanksgiving), and many of the boys dress up in Santa, angels and elves outfits. You can feel right at home, as you want :-) !
Other common pub crawler nights not listed include Valentine's Day and St Patrick's, both of which in my opinion should be ignored, at least by the gay community.
New Year's eve is well celebrated everywhere across Thailand. The official Thai Tourism New Year event has been announced to be at Central World.
Happy and Enjoy 2011!
Date Week Day Name Thailand - 2011
5-Dec-10 Sunday The King's Birthday His Majesty the KingтАЩs birthday is a national holiday celebrated throughout the country and is also the countryтАЩs Fathers Day
6-Dec-10 Monday The King's Birthday - Observed
10-Dec-10 Friday Constitution Day Celebrates the date in 1932 when the country was granted its first constitution.
31-Dec-10 Friday New Year's Eve The day before the Western New Year day is always marked a national holiday.
1-Jan-11 Saturday New Year's Day The beginning of the western New Year is a national holiday in Thailand, one of three тАЬnew yearтАЭ holidays celebrated every year.
3-Jan-11 Monday New Year's Day - Observed
3-Feb-11 Thursday Chinese Lunar New Year The beginning of the Chinese lunar year (Rabbit) is celebrated in the Chinatowns of every city throughout Thailand. 18-Feb-11 Friday Makha Bucha Makha Bucha celebrates the BuddhaтАЩs first sermon in to his disciples.
23-Feb-11 Phuket Pride Festival 2011 Phuket Pride Festival 2011 (10th Annual) 23-26 February 2011 (beachpatong.com/gaypatong/)
6-Apr-11 Wednesday Chakri Memorial Day Chakri Day commemorates the founding of the current dynasty by its first king, Rama I.
13-Apr-11 Wednesday Songkran (Bangkok) Songkran is the traditional Thai New Year, a very popular 3-days holiday, generally celebrated as a water festival. Be
prepared to get wet all over as revelers abound, ready to soak you as a form of celebrating this season!
14-Apr-11 Thursday Songkran Songkran Day 2
15-Apr-11 Friday Songkran Songkran Day 3
1-May-11 Sunday Labor Day International Labor Day is also celebrated as a national holiday, even though there isnтАЩt much ado about it. Some businesses may be
closed.
2-May-11 Monday Labor Day - Observed
5-May-11 Thursday Coronation Day Celebrates the day when the current king Rama IX was crowned in 1949.
13-May-11 Friday Royal Ploughing Ceremony An ancient royal rite held in Thailand to mark the traditional beginning of the rice-growing season
16-May-11 Monday Extended Holiday Extra Holiday 2011*
17-May-11 Tuesday Visakha Bucha / Vesak (Wesak) Day The holiest Buddhist holiday celebrates the birth, enlightenment and entry into nirvana of the Buddha
(most Asian countries)
15-Jul-11 Friday Asahna Puja Day Commemorates the BuddhaтАЩs first sermon in the Deer Park in Sarnath and the founding of the Buddhist sangha.
16-Jul-11 Saturday Buddhist Lent Day (Wan Khao Phansa) This day marks the beginning of the Buddhist тАШlentтАЩ period, a time when monks are supposed to retreat
to their temples while new life springs forth.
12-Aug-11 Friday The Queen's Birthday Her Majesty the QueenтАЩs birthday is a national holiday, also celebrated as ThailandтАЩs MothersтАЩ Day as well.
14-Aug-11 Sunday Waguang Full Moon (Myanmar) Taung Byone Festival, Myanmar
12-Sep-11 Monday Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival Mooncake promotions herald this Chinese festival, during which Chinatown fills with stalls.
12-Oct-11 Wednesday End of Buddhist Lent Day (Wan Awk Phansa) This day marks the end of the Buddhist тАШlentтАЩ period or the Rains Retreat.
13-Oct-11 Thursday Thod Kathin Presentation of MonkтАЩs Robes after Rains Retreat.
23-Oct-11 Sunday Chulalongkorn Day Celebration of the death anniversary of ThailandтАЩs one of the most revered kings, Rama V.
24-Oct-11 Monday Chulalongkorn Day - Observed
26-Oct-11 Wednesday Diwali 2011 (India) Increasingly a pub crawler's night (mostly straight) in Bangkok.
10-Nov-11 Thursday Loy Kratong While it is not marked a national holiday, it is a major celebration in the evening when Thais pay respect to the goddess of the
waters by floating candlelit offerings on any and all waterways around the kingdom.
20-Nov-11 Sunday International Transgender Day of Remembrance (check date) International Transgender Day of Remembrance (transgenderdor.org)
1-Dec-11 Thursday World Aids Day 2011 Annual Pattaya Gay Festival usually culminates around this event (pattayapride.com)
5-Dec-11 Monday The King's Birthday His Majesty the KingтАЩs birthday is a national holiday celebrated throughout the country and is also the countryтАЩs Fathers' Day
10-Dec-11 Saturday Constitution Day Celebrates the date in 1932 when the country was granted its first constitution.
12-Dec-11 Monday Constitution Day - Observed
31-Dec-11 Saturday New Year's Eve The day before the Western New Year day is always marked a national holiday.
1-Jan-12 Sunday New Year's Day New YearsтАЩ Day 2012
2-Jan-12 Monday New Year's Day - Observed New YearsтАЩ Day 2012 Substitution
* thaivisa.com/forum/topic/421873-thailand-live-wednesday-1-dec-2010/
Thai cabinet adds extra holiday to 2011
The Nation: 1 Dec 2010 Holidays next May By The Nation Published on December 1, 2010
May 16 next year has been announced as a public holiday, which will result in a five-day holiday from May 13-17, the Cabinet said yesterday.
In 2011, Royal Ploughing Day falls on May 13, a Friday, and Visakha Puja Day falls on May 17, a Tuesday. May 16 links two-day breaks together.
I made a quick tabulation (attachment) of the important Thai holidays Public, Buddhist and Other) coming up through 2011. If anyone can note any inaccuracies, please note them. Please add any regionalizations, for instance Songkran in Pattaya, etc. Or a comprehensive list of Thai festivals can be found at: tourismthailand.org .
On 'Buddhist' (B) holidays alcoholic drinks might not be served. If there are any national election days during 2011 then drinks might not be served on that national election day, as well. I note that some sources give May 10, not May 13, as 2011's Ploughing Day, but I list May 13 as per the Nation announcement, above.
Christmas is pretty much ignored by the Thais (thank you) but highly commercialized, all the shopping malls and stores light up and pipe annoying muzak for the occasion. Restaurants offer Christmas eve/day dinners and buffets (also U.S. Thanksgiving), and many of the boys dress up in Santa, angels and elves outfits. You can feel right at home, as you want :-) !
Other common pub crawler nights not listed include Valentine's Day and St Patrick's, both of which in my opinion should be ignored, at least by the gay community.
New Year's eve is well celebrated everywhere across Thailand. The official Thai Tourism New Year event has been announced to be at Central World.
Happy and Enjoy 2011!
Date Week Day Name Thailand - 2011
5-Dec-10 Sunday The King's Birthday His Majesty the KingтАЩs birthday is a national holiday celebrated throughout the country and is also the countryтАЩs Fathers Day
6-Dec-10 Monday The King's Birthday - Observed
10-Dec-10 Friday Constitution Day Celebrates the date in 1932 when the country was granted its first constitution.
31-Dec-10 Friday New Year's Eve The day before the Western New Year day is always marked a national holiday.
1-Jan-11 Saturday New Year's Day The beginning of the western New Year is a national holiday in Thailand, one of three тАЬnew yearтАЭ holidays celebrated every year.
3-Jan-11 Monday New Year's Day - Observed
3-Feb-11 Thursday Chinese Lunar New Year The beginning of the Chinese lunar year (Rabbit) is celebrated in the Chinatowns of every city throughout Thailand. 18-Feb-11 Friday Makha Bucha Makha Bucha celebrates the BuddhaтАЩs first sermon in to his disciples.
23-Feb-11 Phuket Pride Festival 2011 Phuket Pride Festival 2011 (10th Annual) 23-26 February 2011 (beachpatong.com/gaypatong/)
6-Apr-11 Wednesday Chakri Memorial Day Chakri Day commemorates the founding of the current dynasty by its first king, Rama I.
13-Apr-11 Wednesday Songkran (Bangkok) Songkran is the traditional Thai New Year, a very popular 3-days holiday, generally celebrated as a water festival. Be
prepared to get wet all over as revelers abound, ready to soak you as a form of celebrating this season!
14-Apr-11 Thursday Songkran Songkran Day 2
15-Apr-11 Friday Songkran Songkran Day 3
1-May-11 Sunday Labor Day International Labor Day is also celebrated as a national holiday, even though there isnтАЩt much ado about it. Some businesses may be
closed.
2-May-11 Monday Labor Day - Observed
5-May-11 Thursday Coronation Day Celebrates the day when the current king Rama IX was crowned in 1949.
13-May-11 Friday Royal Ploughing Ceremony An ancient royal rite held in Thailand to mark the traditional beginning of the rice-growing season
16-May-11 Monday Extended Holiday Extra Holiday 2011*
17-May-11 Tuesday Visakha Bucha / Vesak (Wesak) Day The holiest Buddhist holiday celebrates the birth, enlightenment and entry into nirvana of the Buddha
(most Asian countries)
15-Jul-11 Friday Asahna Puja Day Commemorates the BuddhaтАЩs first sermon in the Deer Park in Sarnath and the founding of the Buddhist sangha.
16-Jul-11 Saturday Buddhist Lent Day (Wan Khao Phansa) This day marks the beginning of the Buddhist тАШlentтАЩ period, a time when monks are supposed to retreat
to their temples while new life springs forth.
12-Aug-11 Friday The Queen's Birthday Her Majesty the QueenтАЩs birthday is a national holiday, also celebrated as ThailandтАЩs MothersтАЩ Day as well.
14-Aug-11 Sunday Waguang Full Moon (Myanmar) Taung Byone Festival, Myanmar
12-Sep-11 Monday Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival Mooncake promotions herald this Chinese festival, during which Chinatown fills with stalls.
12-Oct-11 Wednesday End of Buddhist Lent Day (Wan Awk Phansa) This day marks the end of the Buddhist тАШlentтАЩ period or the Rains Retreat.
13-Oct-11 Thursday Thod Kathin Presentation of MonkтАЩs Robes after Rains Retreat.
23-Oct-11 Sunday Chulalongkorn Day Celebration of the death anniversary of ThailandтАЩs one of the most revered kings, Rama V.
24-Oct-11 Monday Chulalongkorn Day - Observed
26-Oct-11 Wednesday Diwali 2011 (India) Increasingly a pub crawler's night (mostly straight) in Bangkok.
10-Nov-11 Thursday Loy Kratong While it is not marked a national holiday, it is a major celebration in the evening when Thais pay respect to the goddess of the
waters by floating candlelit offerings on any and all waterways around the kingdom.
20-Nov-11 Sunday International Transgender Day of Remembrance (check date) International Transgender Day of Remembrance (transgenderdor.org)
1-Dec-11 Thursday World Aids Day 2011 Annual Pattaya Gay Festival usually culminates around this event (pattayapride.com)
5-Dec-11 Monday The King's Birthday His Majesty the KingтАЩs birthday is a national holiday celebrated throughout the country and is also the countryтАЩs Fathers' Day
10-Dec-11 Saturday Constitution Day Celebrates the date in 1932 when the country was granted its first constitution.
12-Dec-11 Monday Constitution Day - Observed
31-Dec-11 Saturday New Year's Eve The day before the Western New Year day is always marked a national holiday.
1-Jan-12 Sunday New Year's Day New YearsтАЩ Day 2012
2-Jan-12 Monday New Year's Day - Observed New YearsтАЩ Day 2012 Substitution