Thailand Festivals and Events

A look at any calendar of festivals in Thailand will show it packed with all manner of events, from the local to the national, celebrating important occasions relating to the kingdom’s great cultural heritage, history, religious and traditional beliefs.

They come in many guises: religious, reflecting the deep-seated Thai devotion to Buddhism and commemorating major events in the life of the Buddha; royal, honouring Their Majesties the King and Queen, and their royal ancestry; agricultural, seeking good fortune in the planting and harvesting of rice, such as the Ploughing Ceremony or Rocket Festival.

Visitors are welcome to watch and even participate, especially in the boisterous social gatherings that inevitably follow these festivals. International travellers enjoy such interactive cultural events, and many can be seen at the more popular events like the Ghost Festival (Phi Ta Khon) in Loei, the Vegetarian Festival in Phuket or the Elephant Round-up in Surin. Four of the biggest and most widely celebrated festivals are below.

Songkran
Thai New Year Celebrations
Songkran is a time of homecoming, when Thai families gather together to celebrate the Thai New Year, to honour the elderly, to participate in Buddhist rituals and to splash watery blessings on each other. Celebrated from April 13-15, Songkran marks the transition from old to new, with lots of spring cleaning and wearing new clothes.

Early morning on April 13, people gather at Sanam Luang in Bangkok to offer food, flowers and necessities to Buddhist monks, receiving blessings for their deeds.

This scene is repeated in every city and town in Thailand, followed by a parade of Buddha images for further blessings. After the formalities, the water throwing begins. While water splashing symbolises blessing and purification, for the young at heart it’s just great fun. Water by the bucketful is thrown in all directions; everyone gets wet — and in the hot April weather, everyone enjoys it!

In Bangkok, festivities begin with the parading of the Phra Buddha Sihing on the grounds outside the Grand Palace. In the Wisutkasat area, once the merit-making rituals have been completed, it is followed by a Miss Songkran beauty contest and entertainment. The Khao San Road, Bang Lumphu area is also one of the hot spots in the city to experience the water-splashing activities.

At the city resort of Pattaya, Songkran is celebrated with the Pattaya Festival Procession Contest featuring lots of fun activities along the beachfront including the Miss Pattaya Jumbo Queen contest. At the ancient capital of Ayutthaya, the Thai New Year festivities feature the ancient customs and traditions of Songkran that have been observed through the centuries. Khon Kaen is another interesting place to be at this time with its floral float processions and north-eastern folk entertainment Songkran is also a time for the lovely ceremony called Rot Nam Dam Hua, in which younger people bathe the hands of their elders in scented water and ask forgiveness for any misdeeds. The elders respond with blessings and advice to their juniors, and delicious sweets are then shared. This is very much in keeping with the Thai tradition of respect for age and position, and it strengthens the bond between the generations. The watery fun attracts overseas visitors in droves, all eager to experience the excitement and holiday atmosphere of this immensely popular festival.

WELCOMING THE NEW YEAR IN GRAND STYLE
What better way to welcome in the New Year on December 31 than a gigantic Bangkok Countdown party at the city’s famed Ratchaprasong shopping street. There are also plenty of bargains to be had at the Thailand Grand Sale in many of the area’s department stores and shopping malls. On sale are clothes, accessories, Thai handicrafts, Thai silks, electrical appliances, sports products, brand name products, local textiles and more. Service industries such as hotels, restaurants, amusement parks, tour operators and car rentals will also be participating in the Grand Sale.

Huge stages at Central World Plaza and the National Stadium pulsate throughout the night with non-stop entertainment from Thailand’s top comedy and musical stars. The streets are closed to traffic and ablaze with lights and illuminated decorations, creating a carnival atmosphere.

The grand countdown at midnight welcomes in the New Year amid a fireworks extravaganza, followed by partying and entertainment until very late … and into another year of marvellous Thai festivals.