National Workday Holidays 2008 |
Traditional |
Workday |
Name/Brief description |
Govt |
Banks |
Co. |
January 1 |
Tue 1 |
New Year's Day |
closed |
closed |
closed |
February 7, 2008
(lunar calendar) |
Thu |
Chinese New Year
- This is NOT a holiday in Thailand, but many Chinese people will take the day off, and probably Friday the 8th, too. |
open |
open |
open |
February 21, 2008
(lunar calendar) |
Thu |
Magha Puja Day
- Commemorates when 1,250 of Buddha's disciples spontaneously gathered to hear the Buddha preach. Merit-making ceremonies at temples, candlelight processions at night. |
closed |
closed |
closed |
April 6
all years |
Sun 6
Mon 7 |
Chakri Day
- Commemorates the founding of the current royal lineage in 1782 |
closed |
closed |
closed |
April 13-15,
3 workdays
all years |
Sun 13
Mon 14
Tue 15 |
Songkran
- Thai Buddhist New Year, usually a longer holiday than the official one day. Most known to farangs by the fun-loving water-throwing on each other in the streets. |
closed |
closed |
closed |
May 1
all years |
Thu 1 |
Labor Day |
closed |
closed |
closed |
May 5
all years |
Mon 5 |
Coronation Day
- The anniversary of the King's coronation. |
closed |
closed |
closed |
May 9
all years |
Fri 9 |
Royal Ploughing Day
- Royal ceremonies comprising of the royal plough that is Buddhist ritual as in Sukhothai Age. |
closed |
open |
open |
May 19, 2008
(lunar calendar) |
Mon 19 |
Visakha Puja Day
- Commemorates the birth, Enlightenment and death of the Buddha.
This is the holiest of holydays. |
closed |
closed |
closed |
July 1 |
Tue 1 |
mid-year accounting
- mid-year closing day |
open |
closed |
some |
July 17, 2008
(lunar calendar) |
Thu 17 |
Asalha Puja Day
- Commemorates the Buddha's first sermon to his first five disciples. |
closed |
closed |
closed |
July 18, 2008
(lunar calendar) |
Fri 18 |
Khao Phansaa
(Buddhist Lent)
- The start of a 3 month period of the rainy season when monks stay inside the wats, and the preferred day for young men to enter the monkhood or their traditional short period as a monk. |
closed |
closed |
closed |
August 12
all years |
Tue 12 |
HM the Queen's Birthday
National Mother's Day
- National Mother's Day in Thailand coincides with the birthday of Queen Sirikit |
closed |
closed |
closed |
October 23
all years |
Thu 23 |
Chulalongkorn Day
- Commemorates the death of King Chulalongkorn (1868-1910), the most revered past king. |
closed |
closed |
closed |
December 5
all years |
Fri 5 |
HM the King's Birthday
National Father's Day
- National Father's Day in Thailand coincides with the birthday of King Bhumibol |
closed |
closed |
closed |
December 10
all years |
Wed 10 |
Constitution Day |
closed |
closed |
closed |
December 31
all years |
Wed 31 |
New Years Eve
- Good luck getting anything done on New Years Eve, though many companies have staff come in. |
closed |
closed |
closed |
