Thailand Events Calendar 2026: Month-by-Month Guide to Festivals, Holidays & Celebrations
Thailand packs more festivals into a single year than most countries manage in a decade. This month-by-month calendar covers every major event in 2026 — Buddhist holidays, cultural festivals, music events, and local celebrations worth planning a trip around.
Dates for lunar-dependent festivals (Makha Bucha, Visakha Bucha, Loy Krathong, etc.) shift each year. The dates below are confirmed for 2026. Events marked with a link have detailed guides with tickets, travel tips, and what to expect.
January 2026
1 January — New Year’s Day (Public Holiday)
3 January — Full Moon Party, Koh Phangan — monthly beach party at Haad Rin Beach
Mid January – 2 March — Concert in the Park, Bangkok — outdoor concerts at Chulalongkorn University Centenary Park, most Sundays, free admission
February 2026
6–8 February — Chiang Mai Flower Festival — parade floats, flower decorations, and beauty contests at Suan Buak Hat Park
12 February — Makha Bucha Day (Public Holiday) — Buddhist holiday commemorating 1,250 disciples gathering to hear the Buddha teach. Candlelit wien thien processions at temples nationwide.
13–15 February — Burapa Bike Week, Pattaya — Southeast Asia’s biggest motorcycle gathering
13–15 February — Trang Underwater Wedding — Valentine’s themed events at Trang Town and Koh Kradan
14 February — Valentine’s Day
17 February — Chinese New Year — Bangkok’s Yaowarat (Chinatown), Phuket Old Town, and Hat Yai. Dragon dances, firecrackers, street food. Year of the Fire Horse.
Mid/Late February — Phuket International Blues Rock Festival
March 2026
13 March — National Thai Elephant Day
17 March — National Muay Thai Day — Ayutthaya hosts the Martial Arts Festival and Wai Khru Ceremony
20 March – mid April — Poy Sang Long Festival — Shan Buddhist ordination ceremony in Mae Hong Son and Chiang Mai
April 2026
6 April — Chakri Day (Public Holiday)
11–12 April — Phuket Bike Week
13–15 April — Songkran Festival (Public Holiday) — Thai New Year. Nationwide water fights, temple ceremonies, and family reunions. Biggest celebrations in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Pattaya.
13–15 April — S2O Songkran Music Festival, Live Park, Bangkok — EDM meets Songkran water fights. International DJs, water cannons, 30,000 capacity.
Mid April — Wan Lai Festival, Chonburi Province (including Pattaya)
May 2026
1 May — Labour Day (Public Holiday)
4 May — Coronation Day (Public Holiday)
11 May — Royal Ploughing Ceremony, Sanam Luang, Bangkok — ancient Brahmin ritual predicting the year’s harvest
12 May — Visakha Bucha Day (Public Holiday) — Buddhism’s most sacred day: the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and death commemorated on one full moon night
16–17 May — Bun Bang Fai Rocket Festival, Yasothon — homemade bamboo rockets fired skyward to summon rain. Isan’s wildest festival.
24–31 May — Koh Samui Yacht Regatta
June 2026
3 June — Birthday of HM Queen Suthida (Public Holiday)
July 2026
6–13 July — Chiang Mai Inthakin City Pillar Festival
10 July — Asanha Bucha Day (Public Holiday) — commemorates the Buddha’s first sermon and the founding of the Buddhist Sangha
11 July — Khao Phansa — start of Buddhist Lent. Ubon Ratchathani’s spectacular Candle Festival parade.
27–29 July — Phi Ta Khon Ghost Festival, Dan Sai, Loei — ghost mask parades, spirit rituals, Isan celebrations. Free entry.
28 July — Birthday of HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn (Public Holiday)
August 2026
12 August — Queen Mother’s Birthday & Mother’s Day (Public Holiday) — the country turns blue. Jasmine garlands, candlelit ceremonies, merit-making.
26–27 August — Hua Hin Jazz Festival
19 August – 6 September — Por Tor Hungry Ghost Festival, Phuket
September 2026
24 September — Mahidol Day — commemorating Prince Mahidol, father of modern Thai medicine
28 September — Thai National Flag Day
October 2026
6 October — Awk Phansa — end of Buddhist Lent. Naga Fireballs, Nong Khai — mysterious glowing orbs rise from the Mekong River on this one night.
10–18 October — Phuket Vegetarian Festival — nine days of street processions, ritual body piercing, and vegetarian food. Also celebrated in Trang, Krabi, Bangkok, and Chiang Mai.
13 October — HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej Memorial Day (Public Holiday)
19 October — Buffalo Racing Festival, Chonburi — 100+ year tradition of buffalo races, beauty contests, and Isan food. 80km from Bangkok.
23 October — Chulalongkorn Day (Public Holiday)
November 2026
24–25 November — Yi Peng Lantern Festival, Chiang Mai — sky lantern releases coinciding with Loy Krathong
25 November — Loy Krathong — floating krathong baskets on rivers and canals nationwide
25 November — Chiang Rai Lantern Festival — a quieter alternative to Yi Peng, with fewer crowds and a more intimate atmosphere
29 November — Monkey Buffet Festival, Lopburi — 4,000kg feast for 600+ macaques at Prang Sam Yod temple
December 2026
5 December — National Day & Father’s Day (Public Holiday) — honouring the late King Bhumibol. Yellow decorations, candlelit ceremonies nationwide.
10 December — Constitution Day (Public Holiday)
11–13 December — Tomorrowland Thailand, Pattaya — Asia’s first Tomorrowland edition at Wisdom Valley. 6 stages, 50,000+ daily capacity. From 12,500 THB.
17–20 December — Wonderfruit Festival, The Fields at Siam Country Club, near Pattaya — 4 days of music, art, wellness, and sustainability. Thailand’s answer to Burning Man.
31 December — New Year’s Eve — countdown events in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond
The Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan takes place monthly — see our guide for the complete 2026 schedule.
See also: Thailand Festivals Guide — in-depth guides to the major events worth planning a trip around.