Thai Public Holidays & Buddhist Era
Thailand dates official documents in the Buddhist Era (พุทธศักราช, B.E.). B.E. = Western + 543, so 2026 is B.E. 2569.
Buddhist Era Converter
| Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Western | ||
| B.E. | B.E. = Western + 543 |
Thai Public Holidays
| Date | Weekday | Holiday | Thai | B.E. |
|---|
How It Works
Reading Thai dates
Thailand counts years from the traditional date of the Buddha's passing. The Thai reckoning puts B.E. 543 years ahead of the Western year, and months and days are unchanged. Thai ID cards, government forms, newspapers, contracts and product labels are commonly dated this way — a label reading 2569 means 2026. Note that Sri Lanka and Myanmar count the Buddhist Era slightly differently and may be one year out; this page uses the Thai convention.
Buddhist holidays follow a different lunar calendar
Makha Bucha, Visakha Bucha and Asarnha Bucha are set by the Thai lunar calendar, which is a genuinely different system from the Chinese lunisolar calendar used elsewhere on this site — so they cannot be derived from our lunar engine and are taken from official announcements instead. Their Western dates change each year and are confirmed by the Thai cabinet.
Songkran
Songkran (สงกรานต์), the Thai New Year, is fixed to 13–15 April and is the biggest festival of the year. Transport and accommodation are stretched to the limit nationwide; book well ahead or travel outside the window.
Substitution days
A Thai public holiday falling on a Saturday or Sunday is compensated on the next working day. This page computes those substitution days from that rule.
Khao Phansa and other observances
Khao Phansa (the start of Buddhist Lent) immediately follows Asarnha Bucha and is a public holiday in most years, though its application to banks and government offices varies — check the current year's announcement. Loy Krathong, despite being Thailand's most photographed festival, is not a public holiday.
Alcohol sale bans
Worth knowing as a visitor: alcohol sales are banned nationwide on the major Buddhist holidays (Makha Bucha, Visakha Bucha, Asarnha Bucha and Khao Phansa). Restaurants and convenience stores will not serve it, and some venues close entirely.
2026 figures follow Thailand's official announcement; 2027 is provisional until the Thai cabinet confirms the Buddhist holiday dates. Unofficial reference tool — rely on Thai government announcements.