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Thailand
Tourist Information : Festivals & Events 2012 |
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| Thai
people celebrate New Year nationwide. However, grand-scale
celebrations take place in many areas in Bangkok
and major provinces like Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and
Phuket. In Bangkok, you can enjoy the exhilarating
countdown events on the night of December 31 at
Ratchaprasong area (Central World Plaza), Rama VIII
Bridge, the National Stadium, Silom and Sanam Luang.
|
Chiang
Mai Flower Festival
(Taking place for 3 days from the First Friday of
February = 3-5 Feb) |
| This
festival is held to promote the growing of flowers
and decorative plants in Chiang Mai, featuring
a parade of colourful petalled floats and beauty
contests.
|
Chinese New Year Festival
(23 Jan) |
 Most
colourful lion and dragon dances are staged by
the Chinese community in Nakhon Sawan City and
in Chinatown, Bangkok. |
*Magha
Puja Day
(on the
full-moon day of the 3rd Thai lunar month = 7 Mar) |
| 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. This day is now considered Day of Love in Buddhism. |
| The
day to commemorate the founding of the present Chakri
Dynasty in 1782. |
| *Songkran
Festival
(13 - 15 Apr)
|
 The
traditional Thai New Year, joyfully celebrated
throughout the country with rituals of merit making,
honouring elders, and parades of dancers and music
troupes.Water
splashing, an amusing way to make you cool in
the hot season makes the festival most interesting.
It is celebrated in a grand way in Chiang Mai,
Khaosan Road in Bangkok, Pattaya and at Phra Pradaeng near Bangkok. |
| *National
Labour Day
(1 May) |
| To
celebrate the Labour Day, a great number of Thai
labourers gather at Sanam Luang to join the festivities
held by the government which include pop concerts,
cultural shows, dances and a variety of fun activities
and entertainment. |
| The
day when the reigning King Bhumibol was crowned
as the 9th king of the Chakri Dynasty in 1950. |
| *Ploughing
Ceremony (9 May) |
 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.
|
| Rocket
Festival (5-6 May) |
 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 as an annual plea to gods
for plenty of rainfall in the rainy season. |
*Visakha
Puja Day
(on
the full-moon day of the 6th Thai lunar month =
4 Jun) |
| It
is one of the most important Buddhist holy days.
On this day in different years, the Buddha was born,
attained Enlightenment and entered Nirvana. |
*Asalha
Puja Day
(on
the full-moon day of the 8th Thai lunar month =
2 Aug) |
| On
this day the Buddha gave his first sermon to his
first five disciples after his Enlightenment. |
*Khao
Phansa Day
(1st
day of 8th waning moon = 3 Aug)
|
| 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.
|
 People
in 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. Grand celebrations
take place in Ubon Ratchathani province. |
| *HM
the Queen's Birthday (12
Aug) |
 To
celebrate the Queen's birthday and the Mother's
Day, a grand celebration is held at Sanam Luang
in front of the Grand Palace. There are free concerts
and performances given by many popular Thai artists
and a variety of entertainment. Buildings along
Ratchadamnoen Road and other main roads are decorated
with thousands of colourful lights, flags and portraits
of the Queen. |
| Vegetarian Festival
(14-23 Oct) |
| 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. Vegetarian food is available in all areas of the country.
|
| Boat Races
(normally
after the end of Rain Retreat on the full-moon
day of the 11th Thai lunar month = around September) |
Courtesy
of TAT |
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. |
| The events attract thousands of local and foreign spectators along the riversides each year. |
| *
Chulalongkorn Day (23
Oct) |
| Held
to commemorate the death of King Chulalongkorn the
Great (Rama V) who passed away in 1910. |
Loi
Krathong or Festival of Light
(on the full-moon day of the 12th Thai lunar
month = 28 Nov) |
| Loi
Krathong is the most romantic festival of this country.
In the evening, people gather at the waterside to
float krathongs, lotus-shaped
vessels lovely 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.
|
Surin
Elephant Round-up
(The
2nd weekend of Nov) |
 A
northeastern province, Surin is famous for its
world-famous elephant round-up. The show features
elephant football, elephant race and hunt and
elephants in ancient battle. |
| The River Kwai Bridge
Week (28 Nov
- 9 Dec) |
Courtesy of TAT
|
It
is held in Kanchanaburi province 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. The festival features a historical
exhibition, fun fair, bazaar and exciting light
& sound presentation. |
| *HM the King's Birthday
(5 Dec) |
|
| Huge crowds gather
at Sanam Luang and on Ratchadamnoen Road in Bangkok
on the evenings of the 4th and 5th to celebrate
jubilantly. |
| *Constitution Day
(10 Dec) |
| It
is to commemorate the day on which Thailand's first
Constitution was promulgated by King Prajadhipok
(Rama VII) in 1932. |
* New Year's Eve
(31 Dec)
*A
public holiday
Schedules are subject to change without notice.
For more information, please check with TAT, tel.
0 2250 5500 (150 lines).
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