When is New Year’s Day in Thailand?

The date of the “new year” in Thailand has moved around a few times over the years. It started as a movable festival called Songkran that followed the dates of the lunar months. In 1889, it was fixed to be held on the 1st of April. This continued until 1941 when 1st of January became the “new year” and a public holiday. This was done to be in-line with much of the rest of the world. However, Thais continued to celebrate their traditional new year on 1st of April. In 1948, the government officially fixed the 13th of April as Songkran Day and made it a public holiday. In 1989, the government proclaimed the 12th to 14th of April public holidays in order to allow people to return to their hometowns for making merit. In 1997, the government changed the dates of Songkran festival to be from the 13th to the 15th of April.

The following is a translation of the announcement of the Thai government dated 1940 when the “new year” was first changed to 1st of January:

Traditionally, the first waning moon day of the first lunar month was accepted by the Thai people as New Year’s Day, in correspondence with the Buddhist Doctrine which regarded winter as the beginning of the year. Later on, it was changed by the Brahman Doctrine that adopted the first waxing moon day of the fifth month as New Year’s Day. Afterwards, the government followed a Solar Calendar and has accepted the first of April as the first day of the year, since B.E. 2432 (1889 A.D.).

As other countries world-wide adopted the first of January as New Year’s Day which was not related to their religions and political ideologies, but to astronomy; it is therefore appropriate for Thailand to have adopted the solar calendar as other countries have done, because the first of January is closest to the first waning moon day and also when winter time begins. The acceptance of the first of January as New Year’s Day would also be related to Thai ancient tradition which was related to Buddhist belief and would be shown as an equivalent standard to other nations.

Hence, the Royal announcement set up the calendar year act of B.E. 2483 (1940 A.D.) by the suggestion approval of the parliament on 17th of September B.E. 2483 (1940 A.D.) and promulgated on 17th of October B.E. 2483 (1940 A.D.), and finally the government accepted the first day of January as New Year’s Day. Therefore, there was the Royal announcement to the members of the Royal Family, Religious sectors and Thai people to accept the first of January as the first day of the year. Since its beginning in 2484 (1941 A.D.), New Year’s Day is believed to have made the country and people of Thailand “prosperous and joyful”.

So, the year now changes on the 1st of January. Today saw the start of the year 2552 B.E. For many Westerners, this may seem strange, but the Buddhist Era in Thailand is 543 years ahead of the Christian Era. So, 2552 B.E. is the same as 2009 A.D. I will tell you more about dates and time in Thailand later here at www.ThaiCultureBlogs.com.

Main Source: Ministry of Culture
Photographs: Richard Barrow (Taken at Paknam in Samut Prakan on New Year’s Day, 1st January 2009.)