Thailand public holidays and festivals: dates and closures

Dates below are the usual pattern. Thai public holidays are confirmed by cabinet decision each year and Buddhist dates follow the lunar calendar, so confirm the current year's list before you book.

First, fix your travel window and check it against the holiday list. If your dates include Songkran (13–15 April) or the 31 December–2 January block, book domestic flights, overnight buses and island ferries two to four weeks ahead; seats and beds sell out and prices rise. If your dates are flexible, the quietest weeks are usually mid-January to early February and mid-June to early July, outside school holidays and festival peaks.

Second, decide whether you want to be in a festival city or away from it. Songkran is a nationwide water festival: Chiang Mai and Bangkok are the busiest, with roads closed and water fights on most streets. If you want the party, stay central and expect to get wet; if you do not, book a quieter beach or a northern town and check whether your hotel runs its own event.

Third, plan around closures rather than transport. Banks, government offices and embassies shut on public holidays, so do visa errands, driving-licence paperwork or a new SIM before the holiday, not on it. Museums and smaller family-run shops may also close for the day or the whole week around Songkran. Malls, chain convenience stores, hotels and tourist restaurants generally stay open.

Fourth, check the alcohol rules. Sales are restricted on some Buddhist holidays and on election days, and bars may close or stop serving. This changes what you can do that evening, so check the date before planning a night out.

Fifth, build in slack. Long weekends create traffic jams out of Bangkok and full buses on the main routes; a domestic flight that is normally cheap can double. One spare day per week absorbs the worst of it.

Songkran is not a single day everywhere. Some towns start on 12 or 13 April and run to 15 or 16; Pattaya often extends the water play for several days beyond the official dates. Check locally before you book a quiet hotel expecting quiet.

Royal and religious holidays carry expectations beyond closures. Dress modestly at temples and government sites, and follow local advice on behaviour during mourning periods. See thailand etiquette for the practical version.

Loy Krathong and Yi Peng (the lantern festival in the north) are not national public holidays, so offices stay open, but accommodation in Chiang Mai fills weeks ahead and some flights sell out. If that is your reason for travelling, book early and expect premium rates.

New Year's Eve and the days around it are the second big travel crunch after Songkran. Trains and buses out of Bangkok fill days ahead, and island ferries add services but still sell out.

If you are driving, expect heavier traffic and more police checkpoints around long weekends; see driving in thailand for the paperwork you need to carry.

Travelling with children over a festival week is doable but plan shorter days and book family rooms early; Thailand family travel covers the practical side.