October School Break Thailand 2026: Dates, Pay, and Teacher Checklist
October School Break Thailand 2026: Dates, Pay, and a Teacher Checklist
Semester 1 is winding down. Here is the October 2026 mid-year break for Thai government schools, with the dates, exams, camps, and a short checklist for foreign teachers.
Most Thai government schools are about to close for the mid-year break. From here in Ban Lum, Sukhothai, after 20 years of Thai school terms, I can tell you the last week before the break is always busier than anyone expects. If you teach in an OBEC public school or a bilingual school on the May–March calendar, this is your window. International schools work differently, and we cover that below.
Your school's calendar PDF wins. The dates below are the typical 2026 OBEC pattern, not a Ministry order for every campus. If your school's PDF says something different, go with the PDF.
Expected public-school dates for 2026
| Window | What usually happens |
|---|---|
| Late September to about 8 October | Semester 1 exams, grade sheets, and the last teaching days |
| 9–30 October 2026 | Mid-year (Term 1) holiday, called ปิดเทอม |
| Tuesday 13 October | King Bhumibol Memorial Day (public holiday) |
| Friday 23 October | Chulalongkorn Day (public holiday) |
| Around 31 October 2026 | Semester 2 begins (confirm the first teaching day with your school) |
For most government schools, the break is expected to run from 9 to 30 October 2026. Two public holidays fall inside it: King Bhumibol Memorial Day on Tuesday 13 October and Chulalongkorn Day on Friday 23 October.
For the whole year, including both semesters, exam weeks and every public holiday, see our Thai School Calendar guide.
What we tell our teachers to do
1. Finish the admin before you leave campus
Submit grades and exam papers, and finish the classroom inventory. Hand keys, registers and any camp money to the person named on the noticeboard. Thai schools remember who disappeared on the last exam morning, so leave only when your paperwork is signed off.
2. Check your contract for pay
Your contract decides what you are paid in October, not the staff room. Monthly-salary teachers are usually paid through the break, but some one-semester or hourly contracts end when Term 1 ends. Read the payment line and ask your school or agency in writing if it isn't clear.
3. Camps are work if you're rostered
Many schools run a short English camp in the first or last week of the break. If we or your school have rostered you for one, those are working days, not holiday. If you aren't available, say so early so someone else can be scheduled.
4. Travel, but do the paperwork first
Short trips to Laos or Cambodia are common and fine. Before you go, make sure your Non-B visa and work permit are in order, and file your 90-day report (TM47) if it falls due in October. The TDAC is for re-entering Thailand, not for leaving, so fill it in for the trip home. If you plan to ride a motorbike over the break, read our motorcycle licence guide first.
5. Plan errands around 13 and 23 October
Banks and many government offices close on both public holidays. Do visa or TM47 errands on other working days, or in the first week of November.
Last-week-of-term checklist
- Exam papers and scores submitted
- Classroom locked and materials labelled
- October pay and any camp days confirmed in writing
- Non-B, work permit and 90-day report dates checked
- School LINE group notifications left on, because principals message during the break
- Return trip booked so you're back the afternoon before Semester 2 starts
International vs government schools: don't mix them up
International schools mostly follow an August–June year, so their October break is a half-term, not three weeks. Don't book a long trip from an international calendar. If you move between school types next year, the whole shape of your year changes, which is why our school calendar guide stays up all year.
After the break
Semester 2 is the long, hot stretch through to March, with Sports Day, Christmas activities in a Buddhist school, and exams in late February. Rest in October and don't spend the whole break rewriting lessons. The next long break comes in April with Songkran.
If you're arriving in November for Semester 2, start with the packing checklist and our Non-B visa and work permit guides.
October break FAQs
When is the October school break in Thailand in 2026?
For most Thai government (OBEC) and bilingual schools on the May–March calendar, the mid-year break is expected to run about 9–30 October 2026. That is the typical pattern, not a Ministry order, so your own school's calendar PDF always wins.
Do international schools get the same October break?
Usually not. Most international schools run an August–June year and take a short October half-term of four or five days, plus the 13 and 23 October public holidays. Don't plan a three-week trip from an international school calendar.
Are foreign teachers paid during the October break?
Your contract decides. Monthly-salary teachers are usually paid through October, but some one-semester or hourly contracts end when Term 1 ends. Check the payment line in your own contract rather than relying on staff-room talk.
Can I travel outside Thailand during the October break?
Yes, and many teachers take short trips to Laos or Cambodia. Your Non-B visa and work permit still apply, so sort those and any 90-day report (TM47) due in October before you go. The TDAC is for re-entering Thailand, not for leaving.
Which public holidays fall in the October 2026 break?
King Bhumibol Memorial Day on Tuesday 13 October and Chulalongkorn Day on Friday 23 October. Banks and many government offices close on those days, so plan visa and TM47 errands for other dates.
Related guides
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