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American-Thai Holidays
 
 
Holidays in the United States

The United States does not have national holidays.  The federal government  recognizes national holidays that pertain to its own employees.  The annual federal holidays are widely observed by state and local governments.  Most official holidays are observed on the Monday closest to the actual date of the holiday, except for New Year's Day, Independence Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.  There are also U.S. state holidays particular to individual U.S. states.

Most American holidays recognize events or people from U.S. history, although two are shared in common with many other countries: Christmas Day and New Year's Day.  The holiday season, commonly said to run between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, which encompasses the Winter solstice: Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa.  Summer is traditionally considered to run from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

 
Holidays in Thailand

Thailand celebrate many holidays and is well-known for its festivals which take place all the year round.  Most of the festivals are influenced by Buddhist religion and to commemorate the Chakri Dynasty.

A.D. 2009

B.E. 2552

JANUARY 

มกราคม

New Year's Day

January 1

 

Martin Luther King Jr.'s Day

January 19

(3rd Monday in January, to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a Civil Rights leader,

traditionally January 15)

วันขึ้นปีใหม่ (๑ มกราคม)

(Wan Kheun Pee Mai)

New Year's Day January 1

 

วันเด็กแห่งชาติ (Wan Dek)

Children's Day January 10

(second Saturday in January)

 

วันครู (Wan Krue) (๑๖ มกราคม)

Teacher's DayJanuary 16

FEBRUARY 

กุมภาพันธ์

Valentine's Day

February 14

(traditional celebration of love

and romance, including the

exchange of cards, candy,

flowers, and other gifts)

 

Presidents Day

February 16

(third Monday in February --

honors George Washington,

born February 22, and in

recognition of other American

presidents, e.g., Abraham

Lincoln, born February 12)

วันมาฆบูชา ขึ้น ๑๕ ค่ำ เดือน ๓

Magha Puja Day – February 9

(the 15th day of the waxing moon

of the third lunar month) 

MARCH 

มีนาคม

St. Patrick's DayMarch 17

(a celebration of Irish heritage

and culture, based on the

Catholic feast of St. Patrick.

Primary activity is simply the

wearing of green clothing --

"wearing o' the green" although

drinking beer dyed green is also popular)

 

APRIL 

เมษายน

Easter Sunday – April 12

(celebrates the Christian belief

in the resurrection of Jesus) 

วันจักรี (๖ เมษายน)

Chakri Memorial DayApril 6

(commemorates King Rama I,

founder of the Chakri dynasty)

 

วันสงกรานต์ (๑๓ เมษายน)

Songkran Day April 13

(Thai New Year's Day) 

MAY 

พฤษภาคม

Mother's Day May 11

(second Sunday in May)

 

Memorial Day May 25

(last Monday in May - to honor

the nation's war dead; unofficially marks the beginning of summer, traditionally May 30)

วันแรงงานแห่งชาติ

National Labor Day – May 1

 

วันฉัตรมงคล (๕ พฤษภาคม)

Coronation Day – May 5

(commemorates the coronation of the reigning king, Bhumibol Adulyadej, in 1950)

 

วันวิสาขบูชา ขึ้น ๑๕ ค่ำ เดือน ๖

Visakha Puja Day – May 8

(the fifteenth day of the waxing

moon of the sixth lunar month) 

 

วันพืชมงคล (๑๐ พฤษภาคม) 

(Wan Peud Mongkon or

Farmer's Day)

Royal Ploughing Ceremony 

– May 10 

(commemorates the farmers

who are the backbones of Thai

economy)

JUNE 

มิถุนายน

Father's Day June 15

(third Sunday in June) 

 

JULY 

กรกฎาคม

Independence DayJuly 4

(celebrates Declaration of

Independence, usually called

the Fourth of July)

วันอาสาฬหบูชา

ขึ้น ๑๕ ค่ำ เดือน ๘

Asarnha Puja Day July 7

(the fifteenth day of the waxing

moon of the eighth lunar month)

 

วันเข้าพรรษา (Wan Khao Punsa)

แรม ๑ ค่ำ เดือน ๘

Buddhist-Lent Day – July 18

(the first day after the waxing

moon of lunar month 8 or 8/8)

AUGUST 

สิงหาคม

 

วันแม่แห่งชาติ (๑๒ สิงหาคม)

Thai Mother's Day August 12

H.M. The Queen's Birthday 

SEPTEMBER 

กันยายน

Labor Day September 7

(celebrate achievements of

workers and the labor

movement; unofficially marks

the end of summer and the

return to school for students

in most parts of the United

States.)

OCTOBER 

ตุลาคม

Columbus DayOctober 12

(honors Christopher Columbus

- traditional discoverer of the

Americas. In some areas it is

also a celebration of Italian

culture and heritage -- traditionally October 12)

 

Halloween Day October 31

(celebrates All Hallow's Eve,

decorations include jack

o'lanterns, costume wearing

parties, and candy such as

candy corn are also part of

the holiday. Kids go trick-or-

treating to neighbors who give away candy.)

วันออกพรรษา (Wan Ok-Pansa)

ขึ้น ๑๕ ค่ำ เดือน ๑๑

End of Buddhist Lent Day – October 4

 

วันปิยมหาราช (๒๓ ตุลาคม) 

(Wan Piyamaharaj)

Chulalongkorn Day October 23

(commemorates King Chulalongkorn, Rama V, the

anniversary of his death)

NOVEMBER 

พฤศจิกายน

Veterans Day

November 11

(honors all veterans of the

United States armed forces)

 

Thanksgiving Day

November 26

(4th Thursday in November --

traditionally celebrates giving

thanks for the autumn harvest, and customarily includes the consumption of a turkey dinner)

วันลอยกระทง

ขึ้น ๑๕ ค่ำ เดือน ๑๒

Loi Krathong Day November 2

(the fifteenth day of the waxing

moon of the twelveth lunar month)

DECEMBER 

ธันวาคม

Christmas Day

December 25

(celebrates the Nativity of

Jesus which is traditionally

observed on December 25.

Secular aspects of this holiday

include giving gifts and

decorating a Christmas tree.)

วันพ่อแห่งชาติ (๕ ธันวาคม)

National Day & Father's Day –December 5

H.M. The King's Birthday

 

วันรัฐธรรมนูญ (๑๐ ธันวาคม)

Constitution Day – December 10

(commemorates the change to

constitutional monarchy in 1932) 

 

 

                                                       

 

*** From 12/5/08 ***