Songkran festivities to last five days this year
Thailand is gearing up for a five-day Songkran festival this year, now that the Cabinet has approved April 12 as an additional holiday.
The move, proposed by the Cabinet Secretariat, aims to invigorate tourism during the festive season, spanning from April 12 to 16.
Songkran is marked on April 13, which is also considered National Elderly Day. Over the years, April 14 and 15 were added to the holiday as National Family Day and Thai New Year Day to give people more time with their families.
Songkran, the traditional Thai New Year, earned global recognition from UNESCO in December last year as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
In light of this, the government announced plans for the “Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2024” campaign slated for all of April this year. This campaign is expected to generate a revenue of up to 35 billion baht.
The Cabinet’s decision on Tuesday prompted an update to the remaining public holiday schedule for the year, which now includes:
- February 26: Substitution for Makha Bucha Day
- April 8: Substitution for Chakri Memorial Day
- April 12: Extra holiday for Songkran
- April 13-15: Songkran Day
- April 16: Substitution for Songkran Day
- May 1: National Labour Day
- May 6: Substitution for Coronation Day
- May 22: Visakha Bucha day
- June 3: HM Queen Suthida’s birthday
- July 22: Substitution for Asarnha Bucha Day
- July 29: HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn's birthday
- August 12: HM Queen Mother's birthday
- October 14: King IX the Great’s memorial day
- October 23: Chulalongkorn Memorial Day
- December 5: King IX the Great’s birthday
- December 10: Constitution Day
- December 30: Extra holiday for New Year
- December 31: New Year's Eve
