What are the Public Holidays and Policies in Thailand?

Modified on: Thu, 23 Oct, 2025 at 2:53 PM

In Thailand, public holidays provide employees with time off to celebrate national and traditional events.

Designated Holidays: Employees are entitled to take time off on these public holidays to participate in national and cultural celebrations.
Compensatory Holiday: If a public holiday falls on a weekend, employees receive an additional day off on the next working day. This compensatory holiday ensures that employees do not miss out on their entitled leave due to the holiday occurring on a non-working day (Source: Section 29, Labour Protection Act).

Thailand will observe 15 national public holidays in 2026, covering both royal commemorations and major Buddhist festivals.

January 1–2 – New Year's Day + special holiday
February 17–19 – Chinese New Year (observed in areas with Chinese cultural communities)
March 3 – Makha Bucha Day (Buddhist festival)
April 6 – Chakri Memorial Day
April 13–15 – Songkran Festival (Thai New Year)
May 1 – Labour Day
May 4 – Coronation Day (King Vajiralongkorn)
May 31–June 1 – Visakha Bucha Day and a compensatory day
June 3 – Queen Suthida’s Birthday
July 28–29 – King Vajiralongkorn’s Birthday and Asahna Bucha
July 30 – Khao Phansa Day (start of Buddhist Lent)
August 12 – Queen Mother's Birthday
October 13 – King Bhumibol Memorial Day
October 23 – Chulalongkorn Day
December 5–7 – King Bhumibol’s Birthday observance and substitute
December 10 – Constitution Day
December 31 – New Year’s Eve

Songkran (Apr 13–15) creates a popular three-day holiday period.
Special regional observance of Chinese New Year occurs primarily in Chinese-heritage communities.

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