The week-long Winter Fair at the end of December is a great festival, as is the April Songkran Water Festival. The highlight of Chiang Mai's festivals, however, is the Flower Carnival in February, which features parades, floats, music and traditional cultural events.

Chinese New Year falls in late January or early February, and is celebrated throughout Thailand. Some other of Thailand's seemingly endless list of public holidays include Chakri Day (6 April), Coronation Day (5 May), Constitution Day (10 December) and several holidays celebrating the birthdays of current and former kings and queens.

Browse by Month

January

That Phanom Festival

Jan/Feb

festival/event

A 10-day homage to the northeast's most sacred Buddhist stupa (Phra That Phanom) in Nakhon Phanom Province. Pilgrims from all over the country, as well as from Laos, attend.

Bangkok International Film Festival

Jan/Feb

festival/event

Films from around the world, with an emphasis on Asian cinema, are screened in the capital. Events end with the awarding of the festival's Golden Kinnaree in a range of categories (www.bangkok film.org).

Chiang Mai Flower Festival

Jan/Feb

festival/event

Colourful floats and parades exhibit Chiang Mai's cultivated flora.

Phra Nakhon Khiri Diamond Festival

Jan/Feb

festival/event

This week-long celebration of Phetchaburi's history and architecture focuses on Phra Nakhon Khiri Historical Park, a hill topped by a former royal palace overlooking the city. It features a sound-and-light show and presentations of Thai classical dance-drama.

Chinese New Year

Jan/Feb

festival/event

Called trùt jiin in Thai, Chinese all over Thailand celebrate their lunar New Year with a week of house-cleaning, lion dances and fireworks.

New Year's Day

1 Jan

official holiday

Magha Puja

Jan/Feb

official holiday

Held on the full moon of the third lunar month to commemorate Buddha preaching to 1250 enlightened monks who came to hear him 'without prior summons'. A public holiday throughout the country, it culminates with a candle-lit walk around the wian thian (main chapel) at every wat.

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