January

 

Chiang Mai Winter Fair

An annual festival that is held in Chiang Mai's city hall and which features a variety of products for sale, a Miss Chiang Mai beauty contest, and all night entertainment.

 

The Mekong Friendship Festival

Residents of China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand come together to enjoy arts and cultural performances, exhibitions, and souvenir sales.

 

Don Chedi Memorial Fair

A historic event that took place way back in 1592 at Don Chedi, when King Naresuan the Great of Ayutthaya won a elephant-back duel against the leader of an enemy force. This led to the liberation of the kingdom from foreign occupation. The fair, held at the memorial fair, commemorates the momentous event with exhibitions and outdoor entertainment.

 

Phra That Phanom Homage-Paying Fair

This seven-day event that occurs at the end of January usually attracts thousand of Buddist devotees who pay homage to the famous Phra That Phanom, a relic of the Lord Buddha.

 

February

 

Chinese New Year and Dragon & Lion Parade

A festival held every year by local residents of Chinese descent to honor the Golden deity for his benevolence. A colorful costumed procession makes its way through the streets of the provincial capital with marching bands, lion and dragon dances from five nations, and figures of venerated deities.

 

Straw Bird Fair

As straw is a plentiful by-product in rice farming, the local villagers of Chai Nat create from it, large colorful straw birds representing the more than 85 species that are found in the Chai Nat Bird Park. The straw birds are put on show in a fair that also features local handicrafts and culinary delicacies.

 

Lampang's Annual Elephant Khantoke Fair

As known, elephants are considered to be sacred animals by the Thais. In order to support food supplies and conservation projects, the yearly Khantoke for the Elephant Fair is held by the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre. The fair not only features a spectacular procession, but also includes cultural performances and local music shows.

 

March

 

Magha Puja
An important Buddhist holy day that commemorates the occasion of 1250 Buddha disciples spontaneously congregating to hear him preach. Merit-making ceremonies take place during the day at temples throughout the country, while at night, triple candlelit circumambulations are staged around temple chapels.

 

International Kite Festival

Kite-flying has been enjoyed by the Thai people since ancient times when it became the most popular traditional sport during the reign of King Rama IV.

 

Thao Suranari Fair

This annual fair is a tribute to the local heroine, Thao Suranani, who rallied townspeople against invaders during the 1800s. Celebrations customarily feature fireworks displays, colorful processions, cultural displays and exhibitions, and beauty contests.

 

April

 

Songkran Festival

A traditional Thai New Year that is an occasion for merrymaking in Bangkok as well as in other parts of the country. Thais mark the occasion with religious ceremonies as well as public festivities. Anyone who ventures out on the streets is likely to get a thorough soaking but all in a spirit of fun and goodwill at the peak of the hot season.

 

May

 

Visakha Puja
This is the holiest of all Buddhist religious days, marking the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha. As on Magha Puja, temples throughout the country are crowded with people who come to listen to sermons by revered monks. In the evening there are solemn candlelit processions around major chapels.

 

Yasothon Bun Bangfai Rocket Festival

Northeastern villagers fashion rockets of all kinds, some of them several meters long. The launching of these rockets is believed to ensure plentiful rains during the coming rice planting season.

 

Royal Ploughing Ceremony

This ancient Brahman ritual celebrates the official commencement of the rice-growing season and is staged at Sanam Luang, the large field across the Grand Palace. Colorful costumes are worn by the participants who perform various ceremonies that are believed to forecast the abundance of the next rice crop.

 

June

 

Phi Ta Khon Festival

With origins from a well-known Buddhist tale, the colourful and vibrant Phi Ta Khon procession features young men who dress up as spirits to accompany a scared Buddha image and taunt villagers. This event will be held at Amphoe Dan Sai, Loei. There will be competitions of masked dances and processions.

 

Sunthon Phu Day (June 26)

Sunthon Phu (the celebrated Rattanakosin poet) is remembered for his classical literary works by all Thai people old and young. This annual event marking the poet's birthday is held at the Sunthon Phu Memorial Park, Ban Kram, Amphoe Klaeng. Some of the major highlights of this event are cultural performances and puppet shows depicting Sunthon Phu's work, poetry recitals and folk entertainment

 

King Mongkut Play

This play adapted from the famous "The King and I" and "Anna and the King of Siam" reveals the splendid life in the Thai Royal Court through the viewpoint from the inside, with the expectation of promoting King Mongkut (Rama IV) with the right and original historical information.

 

July

 

Pattaya Marathon 2000 (July 15-16)

World-class and local runners will all gathered together to participate this international competition. Considered as being the most picturesque running routes in South East Asia, Pattaya is the scenic venue to held this event.

 

Candle Festival (July 15-16)

With the commencement of the Phansa (known in Thai as Khao Phansa), the northeastern city of Ubon Ratchathani put on a show presenting beautifully carved beeswax candles, some of them several meters tall. They are put on parade before being presented to local temples.

 

Tak Bat Dok Mai - Merit-making Festival (July 15-16)

This event is held at the beginning of the Buddhist Lent when Buddhist monks must remain in their temples to meditate and study. Devotees give offerings of flowers and incense to a procession of monks. They then present the offerings as tribute to Lord Buddha at the Shrine of the Holy Footprint which is at the Wat Phra Buddha Bat, Saraburi.

 

Asalha Puja (July 16)

The full moon day of th 8th lunar month marks the preaching of Lord Buddha's first sermon to his first five disciples after attaining Enlightenment more than 2,500 years ago. In the evening, candlelit processions take place in Buddhist temples around the country.

 

Khao Phansa - Buddhist Lent (July 17)

The festival that marks the beginning of the annual three-month Rains Retreat during which the Buddhist monks customarily stay inside their temples to meditate and study. Phansa is the most auspicious time for Buddhist ordinations since it marks a period of renewed spiritual vigor.

 

September

 

Langsat Fair
This event will be held at northern province of Uttaradit. The fair is held displaying and selling the langsat fruit together with local handicrafts.

 

Phichit Boat Races (September 2-3)
This annual event takes place on the Nan River in front of Wat Tha Luang, Phichit. It will features boats competing against each other with great fervour and excitement of the cheers of the spectators.

 

Phitsanulok Boat Races (September 16-17)
This event will take place on the Nan River too but in front of Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat Maha Worawihan, Phitsanulok. This event will also includes decorative boat and cheer squad competitions. Everyone is welcome to participate various other activities.

 

Korlae Boat Racing & Narathiwat Produce Festival(Sept 21-25)
Centered on the Bang Nara River, Narathiwat, this event highlights the boat racing and dove cooing contests.

 

Um Phra Dam Nam Festival (September 26-30)
The people of Phetchabun conduct this festival as part of the Sart Thai Festival. The Governor of the province officiates at a holy ritual whereby he dives into the river with the Buddha image in his arms, which people believe will result in happiness and fertility. After that, the Phra Buddha Maha Thammaracha is taken to the provincial hall to be bathed in lustral water by the public. The highlight of this event will be a procession bearing the sacred Phra Buddha Maha Thammaracha image around the city.

 

Trang Vegetarian Festival (September 29-October 7)
This annual event originated in the 19th century, is conducted by the local Chinese who engage in a ten-day vegetarian diet. There are ceremonies at local Chinese temples as well as procession of ascetics performing extraordinary feats. This event will be held at Kio Ong La and Chao Pho Muen Ram CHinese Shrines, Trang.

 

Phuket Vegetarian Festival (September 29-October 7)
This event is conducted by the locals of Chinese ancestry during the 9th Chinese calendar month where they indertake a ten-day vegetarian diet. There are processions of ascetic devotees performing remarkable feats such as fire-walking and climbing ladderswith knife-edged rungs.

 

October

 

Wax Castle & Boat Racing (October 11-14)
This event is held to celebrate the end of Buddhist Lent (Ok Phansa). People in the northeast mould beeswax into miniature Buddhist temples and shrines in order to gain merit, which will determine their future rebirth. Sakon Nakhon is the best place to witness these crafted models. . There is an annual festival with a grand wax castle procession, competitive boat racing as well as traditional northeastern cultural performances.

 

Chak Phra & Thot Phapa Festival (October 12-15)
These two events occur on the same day at the end of Buddhist Lent. Thot Phapa is where Buddha images on elaborately decorated carriages are pulled by the locals in land and water-borne processions. Chak Phra takes place after this whereby saffron robes are offered to monks and money is conated to temples. You can witness these events at Tapi River Bank, Surat Thani.

 

5000 Year Ban Chiang Civilisation Celebrations (October 22-24)
Ban Chiang World Heritage Site in Udon Thani is considered by UNESCO as one of the oldest archaeological site in Thailand. Major celebration that includes exotic art and cultural processions and performances, local handicraft demonstrations and displays, international and local sport events, and dazzling light and sound presentations will be held here.

 

Lanna Boat Races (October 28-29)
These long-boat races held on the Nan river are distinctively enhanced by the brightly fancy coloured Nan boats. This event also accompanies the annual Kathin season, when devotees wishing to gain merit present new robes to monks of local temples

 

November

 

River Kwae Bridge Week Fair (November 26-December 7)
During World War II, the black iron bridge was brought from Java by the Japanese Army and reassembled under Japanese supervision by Allied prisoners of war as part of the "Death Railway" that linked Thailand with Myanmar. Also made famous by the movie of the same name, the bridge on the River Kwae (or Kwai) is the setting for this week-long series of events that also possesses attractions, including archaeological and historical exhibitions, and rides on vintage trains.

 

Thai Beer Festival
The German's celebrate Oktoberfest while the Thai's have their own, the Thai Beer Fest. The festival is arranged at the World Trade Centre Plaza to enable everyone to come along and have a jolly good time. It also features sales of barbecued food, seafood and Thai culinary specialties along with music and cultural performances.

 

December

 

Trooping of the Colours (December 3)
Held in the Royal Plaze near the equestrian statue of King Chulalongkorn, their Majesties and King and Queen preside over this impressive annual event. Members of the elite Royal Guards dressed in colourful uniforms, swear allegiance to the King and march past members of the Royal Family.

 

H.M. The King's Birthday Celebrations (December 5)
H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, is well beloved and deeply respected by all Thai. The celebrations of his royal birthday provides his loyal subjects the opportunity to express their reverence for him. Buildings and homes all over the country are elaborately decorated and the area around the Grand Palace is spectacularly illuminated.

 

The 14th Phuket King's Cup Regatta (December 5-11)
This internationally popular regatta is held at the Andaman Sea off Phuket. Competitors come from all over the world to compete for trophies that are awarded in several different categories.

 

Ayutthaya World Heritage Site Celebration (December 13-19)
Ayutthaya, an ancient Siamese capital, celebrates its glorious past with displays of traditional culture and lifestyles, numerous forms of entertainment, as well as spectacular light and sund presentations amid the ruins of this ancient city