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Thailand National Holidays 2010
Date	Day	Holiday
01 January	Friday	New Year's Day
28 Febuary	Sunday	Makha Bucha Day
06 April	Tuesday	Chakri Day
13 - 15 April	Tuesday - Thur	Songkran Day
01 May	Saturday	Labour Day
05 May	Wednesday	Coronation Day
28 May	Friday	Vesak Day
27 July	Tuesday	Khao Phansa
12 August	Thursday	Queen's Birthday
23 October	Saturday	Chulalongkorn Day
05 December	Sunday	HM King's Birthday
10 December	Friday	Costitution Day
31 December	Friday	New Year's Eve
* The following Monday will be a public holiday

Additional Important Days (but not a national holiday)
14 Febuary 2010 (Sunday) Chinese New Year The beginning of the Chinese lunar year is celebrated in the Chinatowns of every city throughout Thailand. Some businesses close for the day.

20 November 2010 (Saturday) Loy Kratong Not a national holiday, but an evening when Thais pay respect to the godess of the waters by floating candlelit offerings on any and all waterways around the kingdom.

Important Bangkok Festivals & Events February & March 2010


February Festivals
Chiang Mai Flower Festival
Dates : Febuary 05 - Febuary 07, 2010 Place : Nong Buak Hat Park, Bangkok Description: If you are obsessed with beautiful flowers and decorative plants, this is the festival for you. Experience these beautiful flower-decorated floats and a magnificent tapestry of floral splendor that blankets the land. There are also agricultural exhibitions, floral contents, and product sales by local groups of housewives, Due variations of climate and its mountain landscapes, the Chiang Mai Flower Festival presents a diversity of blooms and flowers. Many of them, originally imported from temperate climes such as carnations, chrysanthemum, tulips, are displayed side-by-side with tropical flowers including exotic orchids.
Trang Underwater Wedding Ceremony
Dates : Febuary 13 - Febuary 15, 2010 Place : Ko Kradan, Sikao District, Bangkok Description: Now in its 14th year, Trang’s underwater wedding ceremony, 13 to 14 February, must be one of the most unusual ways to tie the knot. This unique event is right at the top in the creative wedding category and has defied critics over the years to emerge as a firm favourite for those who want to make their Valentine day wedding extraordinary. In 2000, it was declared the largest underwater wedding ceremony by the Guinness Book of Records, while more recently it opened the ceremony to physically challenged couples. Its rise in popularity was not without obstacles, starting with the obvious objection that not everyone has the ability, or the desire, to stand on a sandy sea bed and utter their vows.
Chinese New Year Festival
Dates : Febuary 14, 2010 Place : China Town, Bangkok Description: Come to celebrate the Chinese New Year at the biggest Chinatown in Thailand, Yaowarat Road renowned as the Golden Road, the Land of the Siamese Dragon. Watch the beauty, treasure the Chinese cultural demonstrations and experience a wide range of Chinese cuisine available at famous restaurants as well as fashion shows depicting ancient Chinese attire from various regions. The goldsmith shops offer you beautiful souvenirs. Last but not least, Chinese movies are sure to fascinate you. Chinese New Year is the most important event of the traditional Chinese holidays. The festival traditionally begins on the first day of the first lunar month and this year, it falls on 14 February 2010. In Bangkok, the Samphanthawong District, is the largest China Town in Thailand. It’s also well–known as the street of goldsmith shops and various tasteful dishes.
Makha Bucha Day
Dates : Febuary 28 , 2010 Place : Various Venue , Bangkok Description: One of Thai Buddhists celebrate as a holy day in each year which commemorate events in the Buddha's lifetime having to do with the formulation of his teachings called Makha Bucha. It usually celebrated on night of the full moon of the third lunar month, which corresponds to February, The first occurred nine months after the Buddha had been expounding his doctrine for seven months only. On the night of the full moon of the third lunar month which corresponding with holy day in Bhram, Buddha stay in Veru-vana-ram temple at Radchakrik City.
March Festivals
King's Cup Elephant Polo Tournament
Dates : March 01 - March 31 , 2010 Place : Anantara Golden Triangle Resort , Bangkok Description:A blessing ceremony will be held before the opening match where monks sprinkle holy water over both players and animals to ensure a successful tournament. In addition, a parade of northern traditional-style dancers, hill-tribe villagers in traditional costume, elephant spirit men (Khru Ba Yai), colourfully decorated pachyderms and teams holding up their respective country flags will kick off the weeklong competition held on the banks of the Ruak River which divides Thailand from Burma.
Nai Khanomtom Day
Dates : March 10 - March 17 , 2010 Place : City of Ayutthaya Stadium, Ayutthaya , Bangkok Description:he Wai Kru process will also give him time to concentrate & revise what he has learned, as well as display the nature of his weapons and the high degree of his skill. The steps, movements & use of his weapons are designed to warm up the body’s muscles, survey the field of play & conceal the contestant’s style of fighting. When the traditional Sarama music sounds around the ring it is recognised by all who are present as a symbol of deference & respect. Prior to the fight, the music helps to urge the fighter on, and rouses his spirit until he is ready to face his opponent in the boxing ring in manly combat.
Pattaya International Music Festival
Dates : March 19 - March 21 , 2010 Place : Pattaya beach road , Bangkok Description: The grand Pattaya Music Festival is back in town to entertain music lovers. This is an unrivalled opportunity to enjoy a weekend of listening and dancing to beautiful music performed by more than 100 musicians. Fun awaits everyone, on March.
Mekong River International Multi-Sport ITU Asian Cup
Dates : March 26 - March 28 , 2010 Place : Along the Mekong river, Bangkok Description: Triathlon enthusiasts are a healthy and resilient bunch. They travel far and wide, against all odds, to participate in their favourite three-discipline sport. That was very apparent when just days after Bangkok’s airports reopened, following a week of down time, late last year, the Phuket Triathlon hardly missed a beat in attendance.

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Thailand Holidays

A brief overview of Thailand's national holidays:

Makha Bucha Day
Celebrated on the day of the new moon of the third lunar month. Commemorates the day nearly 3,000 years ago that Buddha taught 1,250 selected monks the doctrines of Buddhism.

Chakri Day
Celebrates the founding of the current dynasty, Rama I of which the current reigning King Bhumibol is the ninth monarch.

Songkran
The traditional Thai New Year (solar). Celebrated as a water festival Songkran is one of Thailand's biggest holidays and marketed overseas as must see.

Coronation Day
Celebrating King Bhumibol's coronation in 1949.

Visakha Bucha
The holiest Buddhist holiday. Celebrates Buddha’s birth, attained enlightenment and accession into nirvana.

Khao Phansa (Buddhist Lent)
Commemorates the beginning of Buddhist ‘lent’. Coincides with the onset on the rainy season, monks are ordained and withdraw to their temple while rain brings forth new life.

Queen's Birthday
HM the Queen's birthday. Also serves Mother's Day.

Chulalongkorn Day
Commemorates the passing of Chulalongkorn (King Rama V) one of Thailand’s most respected kings.

King's Birthday
HM the King's birthday. Also serves as Father's Day.

Constitution Day
Marks the day in 1932 when the country was granted its first constitution transforming the country from an Absolute Monarchy to Constitutional Monarchy.