Southeast Asia - Plan Your Travels According to Festivals

Thailand
January
Chiang Mai Winter Fair
Local handicrafts are put on colorful displays to lure buyers. Numerous stalls selling delectable local food can also be seen. Miss Chiang Mai beauty pageant is the highlight of Winter Fair Festival. Venue in Chiangmai - Sanam Kila and Sala Klang

February

Chiang Mai Flower Festival
For flower lovers this is the best time of the year for a visit to Chiangmai.In addition to the orchid, many flowers native to the north can be seen in all their splendor at the annual show, and they can be seen flowering all across the northern landscape at this time of the year

Bangkok China Town Festival
Yawaraj, or Chinatown, is Thailand's largest Chinese enclave and celebrates each year in true style with its own festival - lots of food and partying included.

March
Asean Barred Ground Dove Festival

Thais have long believed that doves are creatures that bring good luck to those who rear them. They are also regarded as symbols of purity and peace. Those with qualities specified by ancient texts are believed to bestow great wealth and honour upon the owner. The ASEAN Barred Ground Dove festival attracts dove-lovers from all over Thailand as well as from the neighbouring countries of Thailand to the southern city of Yala. The major highlight is a dove-cooing competition.

April

Songkran Festival

Also called Thai New year,a time for cleansing and renewal, it falls every year in April and is noted for the throwing of water. People roam the streets with containers of water or water guns, or post themselves at the side of roads with a garden hose and drench each other and passersby. Songkran was traditionally a time to visit and pay respects to elders, including family members, friends and neighbors, visiting the wat ( temple) to pray and give food to the monks, and refrain from doing bad things.

Pattaya Festival

Each April Pattaya celebrates itself with a week long festival of music, dance, beauty contests, parades, sandcastle contests and partying. This celebration is not meant to be an example of authentic Thai culture. instead, it is intended to promote Pattaya as a premier tourist destination.

May
Royal Ploughing Ceremony
This is an ancient royal rite held in Thailand to mark the traditional beginning of the rice growing season.In thai language, it is called "Phraraj Pithi Jarod Phranangkal Reak Na Kwan.

Visakha Bucha
Visakha Bucha Day is one of the most important days in Buddhism because of three important incidents in the life of The Buddha, i.e. the birth, the enlightenment and the passing away, miraculously fall on the same month and date, the Vesak full moon day. .So each year, Buddhists throughout the world gather together to perform the worship to recollect the wisdom, purity and compassion of the Buddha

Yasothon Rocket Festival

For the duration of the festival, thais launch their massive rockets into the skies in an effort to reach the greatest height.The rockets were thought to "stimulate" the rain clouds and encourage the rain gods to provide a plentiful watering for the newly-planted crops.


June

Thailand Grand Sales

The Amazing Thailand Grand Sale, Thailand's annual shopping extravaganza offers world-class shopping, a diverse selection of quality products and services, special discounts of 10 - 70 per cent and promotional offers being extended by participating department stores, shopping complexes and retail outlets along designated ‘Shopping Streets’ in Bangkok and the popular tourist destinations of Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Phuket and Hat Yai.


July
Candle Festival

It is the time where devouts donate to monks items of personal use, such as candles and where giant candles are paraded through the town, each representing a local temple, district or other institution.


August
Birthday of Her Majesty the Queen

Her Majesty Queen Sirikit's birthday on August 12 is a public holiday, celebrated nationwide as Mother's Day. Individual people and organizations raise flags and portraits of Her Majesty in Bangkok and all over the kingdom. On Her Majesty's birthday, one of the best places to join in the celebrations is on Bangkok's Ratchadamnoen Avenue and the areas around the Grand Palace, which are festooned with colorful lights, flowers and portraits for this special occasion.

September

Phuket Vegetarian Festival

It is believed that the vegetarian festival and its accompanying sacred rituals bestow good fortune upon those who religiously observe this rite. During this time, local residents of Chinese ancestry strictly observe a 10-day vegetarian or vegan diet for the purposes of spiritual cleansing and merit-making. Sacred rituals are performed at various Chinese shrines and temples and aesthetic displays such as walking barefooted over hot coals and ascending ladders with bladed rungs are performed by entranced devotees known as "Ma Song".

Phichit Boat Races

The Phichit Boat Races take place on the Nan River in Phichit, one of the most scenic regions in Thailand. The event features long boat competitions with great fervour amid enthusiastic cheers from crowds of spectators.


October

Wax Castle Festival

The annual event comprises displays and processions of intricately carved wax castles. Originally, locals created the wax castles from beeswax and offered to local temples as a means of ‘merit making’. Over the years this simple act has not exactly developed into a competition, but there’s a competitive edge as to who can create the most ornate design.

Chon Buri Buffalo Races

In the festival, water buffaloes and the jockeys will be decorated with colorful cloth bands, flower garlands and other ornaments before vying to win the race. Along side with the buffalo race are the buffalo fancy dressing contest, the healthy buffalo contest and Miss Farmer Pageant. The festival really makes the visitors sense of the indigenous culture of the region.

Illuminated Boat Procession Festival

The illuminated boat procession is celebrated in I-San, the northeastern region of Thailand.
As night falls, majestic fire boats, elaborately-adorned with flowers, incense sticks, candles and lanterns and each bearing an assortment of ritual offerings, are set alight and floated down the Mekong River.


November

Loy Krathong

"Loi" means "to float". "Krathong" is a raft about a handspan in diameter traditionally made from a section of banana tree trunk, decorated with elaborately-folded banana leaves, flowers, candles, incense sticks etc. During the night of the full moon, many people will release a small raft like this on a river.

The act of floating away the candle raft is symbolic of letting go of all one's grudges, anger and defilements, so that one can start life afresh on a better foot. People will also cut their fingernails and hair and add them to the raft as a symbol of letting go of the bad parts of oneself. Many Thai believe that floating a krathong will create good luck, and they do it to honor and thank the Goddess of Water, Phra Mae Khongkha.

Surin Elephant Roundup

The majestic Thai elephant has long been a central element in Thai culture and has held a respected place in Thai history. A symbol of power and grace, the elephant was revered by the ancient kings.The event consists of a series of shows displaying the strength and skill of the animals, such as football games and tugs of war

Phimai Festival

An annual festival held for more than a century, the traditional long-boat races draws thousands of visitors from all over.
This event is further enhanced by a light and sound presentation at Prasat Hin Phimai, local art and cultural performances, various fun-filled competitions, and sales of local products and exhibitions

December

Birthday of His Majesty the king

Buildings and homes all over the country are elaborately adorned with flags, portraits of His Majesty and bunting, predominantly in the color yellow. Around the Grand Palace and Ratchadamnoen Avenue areas of Bangkok, thousands of vividly colored marigolds decorate the streets. On the evening of the holiday itself, the streets around Ratchadamnoen and Sanam Luang are closed to traffic and thousands of people take to the streets. Spectacular fireworks displays are held and the atmosphere is joyous and festive. The best way to enjoy the atmosphere is to take a bus to the Rattanakosin area, and just stroll along the crowded but traffic-free streets for a truly memorable experience.