April 13^th  to 15^th – it the festival period for the whole nation. Songkran is the Lunar New Year as per Thai Calendar.  Buddha images are washed on the day and great processions are held.  Monks and elders are shown special respect by one and all in the community. In very many ways it has got the similarity with Deewali celebrations in India.  People move around and as a mark of respect water shall be sprinkled may be even to the extent that coloured water shall be showered in gaiety.

May 15^th – Sree Budhdha’s birthday.  Candle lit processions are held in local Wats ( Buddhist temples ).

6^th and 11^th Lunar months – on the full moon day, in Ko Lanta, there is the religious rite of Setting Adrift of Chao Le Boats.  The function is worth watching.

Asanha Puja in July -  this festival is on the Full Moon day.

August 12^th – Queen’s Birthday.  This is celebrated as Thailand’s Mothers’ Day.

Loi Krathong in November. – One of the most beautiful and moving sights are related to this annual festival.  This day marks your venture to cast off all your troubles and tribulations with the hope having a new prosperous future. The good luck for the forthcoming year is wished by discarding some symbols of the badluck such as a piece of your finger nail and some tufts of hair in folded banana leaves and floating them off in the ocean or running water.

Andaman Sea Festival – this marks the beginning of the tourist season. Water sports and cultural competitions are held on this occasion.

     Official Holidays

• January 1 - New Year’s Day
• February (full moon day) - Makka Bucha
• April 6 - Chakri Day
• April 13 - Songkran, Thai New Year
• May 1 - Labor Day
• May 5 - Coronation Day
• May 7 - Ploughing Ceremony
• May (full moon day) - Visakha Bucha
• July (full moon day) - Asanha Bucha commemorates the first sermon of Buddha
• August 12 - Queen’s Birthday
• October 23 - Chulalongkorn Day
• December 5 - King’s Birthday
• December 10 - Constitution Day
• December 31 - New Year’s Eve