Thai Festivals Teachers Will Meet at School
Thai Festivals Teachers Actually Hit:
Dates, Closures, Manners
What we tell our teachers in Ban Lum and across the north: which festivals close school, what to wear, and what not to do. One rule first: your school's calendar PDF beats any date on a blog, including this one.
The Lunar Calendar: How Dates and Days Off Work
Why dates move every year, and why your school PDF wins.
Shifting Event Dates
Many Thai festivals follow the lunar calendar, so Loi Krathong, Makha Bucha and Asalha Bucha move every year. Don't book flights off a blog date. Check the official calendar for the year, then your school's own PDF.
School Days Off
Not every festival is a day off. Songkran sits in the long hot-season break. Loi Krathong and most regional festivals are usually school days unless the memo says otherwise. The school calendar PDF beats any blog date, including ours. More in the Thai school calendar.
Merit-Making (Boon)
Most festivals start at the temple: early-morning merit-making (tam boon) and food for the monks, then markets and music. If colleagues invite you along, go, dress for the temple, and copy what they do.
Songkran: Water, Blessings & Days Off
Thai New Year, officially 13–15 April. School is out, but everyone else is on the move too. See our Songkran safety guide and Songkran festival guide.
13 to 15 April (วันสงกรานต์)
The official holiday is 13–15 April nationwide: washing away the old year's bad luck. Some cities run longer; Chiang Mai, Bangkok and Pattaya (whose Wan Lai usually comes a few days later) can stretch it over several days. Schools are already in the hot-season break.
Rod Nam Dum Hua (รดน้ำดำหัว)
Before the water fights, families pour scented water gently over the hands of elders and monks as a sign of respect. If your school or village holds a ceremony, join in: pour gently, over the hands, and wai.
Bring a Waterproof Pouch
You will be soaked the moment you step outside. Keep phone, cash and keys in a waterproof pouch round your neck, wear quick-drying clothes, and leave your passport, laptop and documents at home.
Travel Early or Stay Put
The roads are at their busiest as people head home. Don't ride a motorbike long distance on wet roads. Book trains or licensed buses weeks ahead, or stay local and enjoy it.
Loi Krathong vs. Yi Peng: River Rafts & Sky Lanterns
Both fall around the full moon of the twelfth lunar month, usually November. They are not the same thing. More in our Loi Krathong guide.
Loi Krathong (ลอยกระทง) : River Rafts
Nationwide (also spelled Loy Krathong). People float banana-leaf rafts (krathongs) with a candle, incense and flowers on rivers, canals and ponds to thank the water goddess Phra Mae Khongkha. Pick one made of banana trunk, bread or leaves, not styrofoam. It is often a school day, so check the memo.
Yi Peng (ยี่เป็ง) : Sky Lanterns
The northern (Lanna) lantern festival, centred on Chiang Mai. People release paper lanterns (khom loy) into the night sky. In recent years releases have been limited to set zones and times, so check local rules before you light one.
Sukhothai Light & Sound Festival
Sukhothai is often called the birthplace of Loi Krathong, and it is on our doorstep in Ban Lum. The Historical Park usually runs several evenings of Thai dance, light-and-sound shows and krathongs on the old temple ponds. Book rooms early.
Making Krathongs with Students
Many Thai schools spend an afternoon making krathongs with the kids: banana trunk, folded banana leaves, marigolds, incense and candles. Join in; it is one of the best afternoons of the term. Keep an eye on the pins and candles with little ones.
Regional Festivals: Rockets, Candles & Rituals
Local festivals worth knowing. Months are typical and can move with the lunar calendar. Any school closures are local, so ask your school.
Boon Bang Fai Rocket Festival (บุญบั้งไฟ)
Held in Yasothon and across Isan before rice planting. Villages build big home-made rockets and fire them into the sky to ask the rain god Phaya Thaen for rain. Watch from a safe distance.
Khao Phansa Candle Festival (แห่เทียนพรรษา)
Marks the start of Buddhist Lent (Khao Phansa). Local artisans carve huge beeswax sculptures that are paraded through Ubon Ratchathani with folk dancers.
Vegetarian Festival (เทศกาลกินเจ)
A nine-day festival in the ninth lunar month. People eat vegan (gin jay) and many wear white. In Phuket Old Town, spirit mediums (mah song) lead street processions that can be intense to watch.
Lopburi Monkey Banquet Festival
Held at the Khmer ruins of Phra Prang Sam Yod. The town lays out tables of fruit and sticky rice for the local macaques. Keep bags zipped and sunglasses in your pocket; the monkeys grab.
Teacher Etiquette: Temples, Water & Invites
Simple rules. These are customs, not laws, but people notice.
Modest Temple Dress
Cover shoulders and knees; no sleeveless tops, low-cut tops or short shorts. Take your shoes off before you enter a temple hall (slip-ons help).
Water Play Boundaries
Don't splash monks, elders, pregnant women or anyone on a moving motorbike. No ice water, dirty canal water or high-pressure hoses. Towel off before you walk into an air-conditioned shop.
Say Yes to Staff Invites
If your Thai co-teachers (phee liang) invite you to a temple ceremony, a staff lunch or a parade, say yes. It builds goodwill fast, and it is how you get to know your town.
Festival-Day App Toolkit
Apps that help on festival days: reading signs, messages, money and getting around.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main festivals teachers will meet in Thailand?
When is Songkran?
What is the difference between Loi Krathong and Yi Peng?
Are schools closed for every Thai festival?
What should teachers wear to temples and at Songkran?
Written by Matthew John
Co-Founder & Operations Manager : 20 Years in ThailandI'm Matthew, co-founder of Kids English Thailand. I've lived in Thailand for 20 years and work from our office in Ban Lum, Sukhothai. Since 2009 we have placed over 1,500 teachers in Thai schools, and I share what helps them settle into their towns.
