January
Trang Tourism Festival
When: January
Where: Trang
Trang Tourism Festival features Trang’s unique products such as food, local products, Thai arts, tourism exhibitions,
sport competitions, cultural performances, local games and leisure activities. It is held on the third week of January.
February
Trang Underwater Wedding Ceremony
When: February
Where: Trang
Witness the underwater wedding ceremony in Trang, an unusal and romantic way to tie the knot.
It is held during 13 - 15 February. On 13th February, the beautiful wedding parade is made around the town.
On 14th February, there is a wedding procession in long tail boat to Koh Kradan. It is followed by communal blessing
or Rod Nam Sang (pouring the blessed water from a conch shell onto the couple’s palms) and the dive to the register under the water.
Phuket International Blues Rock Festival
When: February
Where: Phuket
Held on 25 – 26 Febraury, the festival is calling all Blues Rock music lovers with 12 top Thai
and international bands to perform on stage including popular bands from Australia and USA.
The annual event is established to support local charities to support education for young children,
the Phuket International Women’s Club and the Phuket Has Been Good To Us Foundation.
March
Chumphon Sea World Fair
When: March
Where: Chumphon
Held annually on Had Sai Ri, Chumphon Sea World features various activities to conserve and build awareness
of importance of natural environment, including exhibition, photo contest, mini marathon, fishing competition,
diving, island tour, seafood fair and many more.
Sea Turtle Release Festival
When: March
Where: Thai Muang Beach, Phangnga
Held annually in March, Sea Turtle Festival lasts 7 days with the purpose to release the turtles back to its home in
the sea after being raised and nurtured by the Fisheries Department so as to prevent them from being destroyed
or annoyed by human or any other causes. During this time, we can witness a number of first born hawksbill turtles,
green sea turtles walk down to the sea.
Dove Competition
When: March
Where: Songkhla
The dove cooing competition is a well-known local event held every year. The town called Chana in Songkhla is famous
for dove raising. Almost every house in the town has got at least one dove. It becomes a well-known event of the region.
The winning dove is judged by melody, volume and pitch.
April
Chao Mae Tomo Celebrations
When: April
Where: Narathiwat
The festival of Chinese community in Su Ngai Kolok is held on 23rd of the 3rd lunar month features drum procession,
procession of Tok Moh Goddess and deities, floral floats, a lion and dragon parade, Chinese opera
and performances of walking on hot coals.
The Turtle Release Festival
When: April
Where: Mai Khao Beach, Phuket
Held on Nai Yang Beach on 13 April annually, the festival coincides with National Fisheries Day and Songkran Day.
On this day, the turtles that have been nurtured in the centre will be released to the sea as nowadays, the turtles that are naturally
hatch are endangered and killed intentionally and unintentionally by nature and human. The centre hatches the eggs
and release the ones of over 3 months old back to their home. Also, there are sport competitions such as sea boxing,
tug-of-war and more.
June
Loi Ruea Chao Le Boat Festival
When: June
Where: Krabi
Celebrated on the full moon day during 6th and 11th lunar month for 3 days and 3 nights, the festival is held
by sea gypsies who dwell on Koh Lanta and the neighbouring areas. They gather at the seashore near
Sala Dan Village and performed ritual ceremony. They start by building a symbolic boat and place wooden statues
of themselves, nail pairings, hair and popped rice then floating the boat in the sea as a symbol to float bad luck
and bring good luck and happiness to their homeland as well as asking for forgiveness
for offence they may have made to the sea. Then a southern dance, Rong Ngeng as an integral part of
the festival is performed around the boats.
August
Rambutan Fair
When: August
Where: Surat Thani
The fair features the delicious delights of rambutan, the tropical fruit that is known planted in 1926 in Surat Thani
and become widely famous throughout the kingdom. The fair is held at Si Surat Field along Tapi River Dam
in the town centre at the beginning of August. It features an open market for fruits, local product sales,
agricultural exhibitions, monkey shows and many more.
September
Kolae Boat Racing
When: September
Where: Narathiwat
The boat race takes place on Bangnara River, Mueang, Narathiwat. The boat is fishing boat painted with colourful stories
or portraits of animals in Hindu literature, Ramayana or folklore characters such as naga, lion, monkey, mermaid, garuda.
There is also Narathiwat Local Product Fair which features the province’s specialties including batik, products made
from sedge and indigenous langsat are good souvenir to bring back home.
Chinese Moon Festival
When: September/October
Where: Songkhla
The Chinese Moon Festival is held in September or October every year in order to worship the Moon Goddess
who is believed to be born on this date. The ceremony is usually conducted by women. The Chinese residents
make offerings with Chinese delicacies including the moon cake and there are also festivities such as lion
and dragon dances, lantern processions, contests and performances.
Trang Roast Pork Festival
When: September
Where: Trang
Thai food is widely known internationally of its delicacy. Food festivals are held in most provinces at various times
throughout the year. Trang is the province which is known for delectable roast pork with special recipe
from century-old.
Trang Roast Pork has a golden yellow crispy skin, tender aromatic meat with harmonious blend of herbs and spices.
The festival also features fancy dress parade, a dancing competition, a food preparation contest using barbecued pork,
entertainment, Thai folk music and local product sales.
October
Phuket Vegetarian Festival
When: October
Where: Phuket
On 9th of 9th month annually, Phuket holds the well-known vegetarian festival to show gratitude to gods
and heavenly beings to protect the town and people. The Chinese residents are dressed in white during this period
and for 10 days, they will practice the spiritual cleansing and merit-making by having vegetarian or vegan diet.
There are also sacred rites of devotees such as walking barefoot on hot coals, ascending ladders made
of blades and sticking sharp objects through their cheeks.
Festival of the Tenth Lunar Month
When: October
Where: Nakhon Si Thammarat
The festival is celebrated during 15th day of the 10th lunar month of every year. It is believed that that during this period
the late ancestor’s spirits are allowed to visit the earth. Those who come from the underworld will have a chance
to enjoy the offerings made by their relatives including 5 confections. There are cultural performances, exhibition,
local products (OTOP) and competitions during the festival.
Chak Phra Festival
When: October
Where: Surat Thani
The festival features a parade of hauling Buddhist images during the same day of Thot Phapa, a merit-making ceremony
which monks are offered robes and other necessities at the end of Buddhist Lent. Chak Phra is held after the Thot Phapa.
It includes local people pulling elaborately decorated carriage used to house Buddha images around the city
and from the river. This symbolises the time when the Lord Buddha returned to earth. There are also boat races
and traditional entertainment in the evening.
Vegetarian Festival
When: October
Where: Trang
The Chinese-origin event is held over 10 days featuring ceremony at Chinese temples as well as parades.
Devotees perform sacred rituals including walking barefoot on hot coals, ascending ladders made of blades
and piercing their bodies for the salvation of humans. There are also dragon dances, sales of vegetarian food
and fire crackers. The residents observe vegetarian or vegan diet during these 10 days on the purpose
of spiritual cleansing.
November
Andaman Sea Festival
When: November
Where: Krabi
To celebrate the opening of the peak tourist season, Krabi holds this festival to showcase what it has to offer including
sea kayak competitions, boat races, parades, local product sales, cultural and music performances and other activities.
Phuket Travel Festival
When: November
Where: Phuket
Sometimes called Patong Carnival, Phuket Travel Fair is annually held on Patong Beach. The festival features a wide range
of merchandise, food, colourful parades, watersport competitions, Miss Visitor Contest for tourists
and many other activities in order to welcome the tourist season.
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