Thailand Public Holidays & Chiang Mai Festivals 2010
Chiang Mai could perhaps be called the “City of Festivals”. There are festivals almost every month of the year. Some of the main festivals and public holidays are listed below. Please note that some of the festivals dates are based on the lunar calendar, and may possibly be changed closer to the date, so please check with us when you book.
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Coming Up Soon!! Book Your Tour Now! Chiang Mai Flower Festival 5-7 February 2010 |
Festivals & Public Holidays 2010
January
1 Jan New Year Day (Public Hoilday)
15-17 Jan Borsang Umbrella Festival (3rd weekend Jan)
Chiang Mai kicks off the new year with this very colourful festival the Borsang Umbrella Village, featuring parades of brightly decorated floats, Thai dancing, beauty contests, and of course, the beautiful handmade umbrellas that the village is famous for.
February
5-7 February Chiang Mai Flower Festival (1st weekend of February)
Wonderful floats decorated with flowers in a parade, beauty contests, traditional dancing shows…this festival is held at the end of the cool season when flowers are in bloom.
14 Feb Chinese New Year
28 Feb Makha Bucha (Full moon 3rd lunar month) - Public Holiday
This festival takes place at all temples and commemorates the Buddha’s first sermon to 1,250 disciples. There are “wientien” ceremonies under the moon when worshipers walk 3 times around the temple chedi holding lighted candles, incense and flowers.
March
13 March National Elephant Day
April
6 April Chakri Day (Public Holiday)
1-3 April Chiang Mai Arts & Culture Festival
At Three Kings Monument
13-15 Apr Songkran(Thai New Year)
Public HolidayChiang Mai is the place to be for the Songkran festival. It’s time to get wet throwing water at each other, and have a lot of fun! April is the hottest time of the year, and this festival gives everyone a good chance to cool down. It’s all great fun for kids and the young at heart.
There is more to the festival than just throwing water at each other. Traditionally, Songkran (which is Sanskrit and means “beginning of the solar year”) is the Thai New Year. On the 13th, the locals will clean their houses, and go to temples of make offering to monks and participate in ceremonies involving pouring water on Buddha images. Thais will also bath their parents’ and grandparents’ hands with scented water to show their respect and receive blessing from the seniors.
The water-throwing custom may have come from ancient belief that there will be plenty of water for the coming year.
May
1 May National Labour Day (Public Holiday)
3 May Substitution Day for National Labour Day (Public Holiday)
5 May Coronation Day (Public Holiday)
28 May Visaka Bucha Day (Public Holiday - long weekend)
This day commemorates the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha.
20-27 May Inthakhin Festival
This is a unique festival to Chiang Mai, held for 6 days, starting from waning of the moon during the sixth lunar month. This festival celebrates the city Inthakhin pillar, which is believed to be able to bring rain. The Phra Fon Saen Ha Buddha image is taken around the streets of Chiang Mai.
July
26 July Asanha Bucha Day (Public Holiday - long weekend)
27 July Buddhist Lent Day (Public Holiday - long weekend)
Start of Buddhist rain retreat
August
12 Aug HM the Queen’s Birthday (Public Holiday), also Thai Mothers’ Day
October
23 Oct Chulalongkorn Memorial Day (Public Holiday)
25 Oct Substitution day for Chulalongkorn Memorial Day (Public Holiday)
November
20-22 November Yi Peng-Loy Krathong Yi Peng Festival
One of the most beautiful and famous festivals in Thailand, Loy Krathong (known in Chiang Mai as Yi Peng) is held on the night of the full moon of the twelfth lunar month and usually falls in November.
“Loy” means to float and “Krathong” is a small vessel made from banana leaves and can float on water. A candle is placed in the krathong, along with joss sticks and coins. A wish is then made and the “krathong” sent floating down the river.
In Chiang Mai, this festival is especially spectacular as floating lanterns are also released into the night sky
See our blog entries for Chiang Mai's Loy Krathong 2008: What's happening & Report.
December
5 Dec HM the King's Birthday (Public Holiday) - celebrations all over the country.
(strong>6 Dec Substitution Day - King's Birthday (Public Holiday)
10 Dec Constitution Day (Public Holiday)
31 Dec New Year's Eve (Public Holiday)