Thai holidays in 2023. Thailand has many holidays throughout 2023, though some are just general observances while others are public holidays where government offices (like immigration) and other businesses are closed. | Thaiger.

Thai holidays in 2023

By 

Neill Fronde 

Saturday, December 31, 2022 09:15

PHOTO: Holidays in Thailand, 2023.

Check your calendars! As we head into 2023, it's handy to know about the upcoming Thai holidays for the year. Thailand has many holidays throughout 2023, though some are just general observances while others are public holidays where government offices (like immigration) and other businesses are closed.  Here's a quick snapshot of the major holidays next year.

DATE	DAY	NAME	TYPE
				1 Jan	Sunday	New Year's Day	National holiday
2 Jan	Monday	Day off for New Year's Day	National holiday
14 Jan	Saturday	National Children's Day	Observance
16 Jan	Monday	Teachers' Day	Observance
22-24 Jan	Sunday	Lunar (Chinese) New Year	Observance
14 Feb	Tuesday	Valentine's Day	Observance
6 Mar	Monday	Makha Bucha	National holiday
6 Apr	Thursday	Chakri Day	National holiday
13-16 Apr	Thursday	Songkran	National holiday
1 May	Monday	Labour Day	Bank holiday
4 May	Thursday	Coronation Day	National holiday
11 May	Thursday	Royal Ploughing Ceremony Day (Tentative Date)	Government Holiday
3 Jun	Saturday	Visakha Bucha	National holiday
3 Jun	Saturday	Queen Suthida's Birthday	National holiday
5 Jun	Monday	Day off for Visakha Bucha	National holiday
5 Jun	Monday	Day off for Queen Suthida's Birthday	National holiday
28 Jul	Friday	King Vajiralongkorn's Birthday	National holiday
1 Aug	Tuesday	Buddhist Lent Day	National holiday
2 Aug	Wednesday	Khao Phansa Day
12 Aug	Saturday	The Queen's Birthday	National holiday
14 Aug	Monday	Day off for The Queen's Birthday	National holiday
13 Oct	Friday	Anniversary of the Death of King Bhumibol	National holiday
23 Oct	Monday	Chulalongkorn Day	National holiday
31 Oct	Tuesday	Halloween	Observance
27 Nov	Monday	Chiang Mai's Yi Peng Lantern Festival	Observance
28 Nov	Tuesday	Loy Krathong	Observance
5 Dec	Tuesday	King Bhumibol's Birthday/Father's Day	National holiday
10 Dec	Sunday	Constitution Day	National holiday
11 Dec	Monday	Substitute Holiday for Constitution Day	National holiday
24 Dec	Sunday	Christmas Eve	Observance
25 Dec	Monday	Christmas Day	Observance
31 Dec	Sunday	New Year's Eve	National holiday

Thai holidays that fall on a weekend are generally observed with a day off the following Monday, such as Queen Suthida's birthday, which falls on a Saturday, the same day as the Buddha Day Visakha Bucha.

Speaking of Buddha Days, there are several important Buddha Day holidays throughout the year. On these holiday days, banks and businesses stay open, but government offices close. What tends to affect tourists and expats most though is that the sale and consumption of alcohol are forbidden on these days. Buddha Days coincide with the Full Moon, so the famous party in Koh Phangan is delayed a day so that drinking is allowed.

Makha Bucha falls on March 6 in 2023 and is the commemoration of a sermon Buddha gave where 1,250 disciples gathered spontaneously. Visakha Bucha is on June 3 and is the most important Buddha day. It marks the day Buddha was born, the day he reached enlightenment 35 years later, and then, 45 years later, the day he died and entered Nirvana. Finally, Asahna Bucha Day and Khao Phansa Day, also known as Buddhist Lent, falls on August 1 and 2 in 2023.

The Buddha Day of Visakha Bucha Day or Wan Pra Yai

Many Thai holidays exist around the Royal Family in Thailand, marking the days of the births, deaths, and coronations of family members. In Thailand, Mother's Day is celebrated on Her Majesty Queen Sirikit's birthday, August 12, and Father's Day on the birthday of the late, beloved King Bhumibol Adulyadej on December 5.

Some western holidays are unofficially or semi-officially observed in Thailand. Christmas, Halloween, and Valentine's Day have grown in popularity in the kingdom, as has New Year's Eve on December 31. Of course, locals and expats also rejoice in the festival of Songkran, April 13 to 16, the celebration of the Thai New Year. The sights of Thailand's national water fight have become iconic worldwide as happy celebrants splash water and sometimes flour or talcum powder with glee.

Another world-famous Thai holiday comes November 27 and 28. Loy Krathong, on the 28th, is a festival where people gather along Thailand's riverbanks to float banana trunks (Krathong), typically shaped like a lotus and decorated with flowers, incense, candles, personal items, and craft-store buys. For some people, however, it's a day to pray and give gratitude to the water goddess, Phra Mae Khongkha, as well as to ask for forgiveness for using too much water or for polluting the water as they float their banana trunks into the rivers.

PHOTO: Releasing Krathong during Loy Krathong festival. (via salineechot/freepik)

Loy Krathong is often confused with the Yi Peng Lantern Festival which coincides, this year on the 27th. The iconic site of thousands of floating lanterns, drifting together into the sky with candlelights flickering may be one of the most famous holiday sights to come out of Thailand.