Your comprehensive guide to Thai holidays 2008-2009

Posted in Destinations, Events, Festival, General, Guide, News July 16, 2008

National holidays in Thailand are celebrated with great pomp and show. Whether it’s the King’s birthday or the Songkran [traditional Thai New Year], the entire county is adorned like a bride. All the shops and offices are closed down. So, it is extremely important for you to know which dates fall on Thailand’s national holidays, so that you can avoid traveling at those times. Here is a list of all the national holidays from July ‘08 to May ’09.

18th July: Buddhist Lent [Friday]

This day marks the beginning of a time when monks are supposed to retreat to their temples while new life springs forth.

12th August: Queen’s Birthday [Tuesday]

Also celebrated as Thailand’s Mother’s day.

23rd October: Chulalongkorn day [Thursday]

Celebrates the birthday of one of Thailand’s most revered kings.

13th November : Loy Kratong [Tuesday]

An evening when Thais pay respect to the goddess of the waters by floating candlelite. Not exactly a national holiday.

5th December : King’s Birthday [Friday]

Also serves as the nation’s Fathers Day.

10th December: Constitution Day [Tuesday]

Celebrates the date in 1932 when the country was granted its first constitution.

31 December 2008 : new’s year’s eve (Wednesday)

1 January 2009 : new year day (Thursday)

The beginning of the western new year is a national holiday in Thaland.

26 January 2009: Chinese New Year (Monday)

The beginning of the Chinese lunar year is celebrated in the Chinatowns of every city throughout Thailand.

9 February 2009 : Makha Bucha (Monday)

Celebrates the Buddha’s first sermon given to his disciples.

6 April 2009 : Chakri Day (Monday)

Day commeorates the founding of the current dynasty, Rama I.

13 – 15th April 2009 : Songkran (Monday)

Thai new Year

1 May 2009 : Labour Day (Friday)

5 May 2009 : Coronation Day (Tuesday)

Celebrates the day in 1949 when the current king was crowned.

8 May 2009 :Visakha Bucha (Friday)

Celebrates the birth, enlightenment and entry into nirvana of the Buddha.

The list has been prepared to the best of our knowledge. Do remember to re verify before planning your trip as the religious festivals are determined by the Buddhist lunar calendar and therefore are difficult to predict.

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Phuket Calling - How and when to get there!

Posted in Beaches, Destinations, General, Guide July 16, 2008

Though Phuket seems like a heaven on earth, getting to this island is not as difficult as the way to heaven. You can get there by air, road, rail (in a roundabout way), and of course by sea if you have your own boat.

Perhaps, the easiest and the most preferred choice is by flying to Phuket. The island has an international airport with an increasing number of scheduled and charter flights arriving from Europe and Asia, as well as a dozen daily flights from Bangkok.

By road, you can opt for a bus or car. Buses from Bangkok take approximately 14 hours. Government buses can be boarded at the Southern Bus Terminal (Sai Tai Mai) in Thonburi. Private tour companies also operate coaches and minibuses. By Car the 867km journey from Bangkok to Phuket will take 10 hours or more also giving you the opportunity to explore the beauty on the way.

There is no rail link between Bangkok and Phuket but you can get to Surat Thani and take a bus to Phuket. Trains in Thailand are slow, but cheap and very comfortable.

As for deciding the best time to visit Phuket, it would be helpful to know a bit about Phuket’s climate. Phuket has tropical monsoon climate with warmth all year round and temperatures ranging between 25 - 34°C (77 - 93°F).

The dry season in Phuket is also the cooler season. It begins in December and usually lasts until March. With the climate is at its best, characterized by gentle breezes, calm seas and clear blue skies, this season is the peak for the tourists.

The rainy season begins in June and lasts until October. This is not exactly the best time to visit Phuket as it is hot, humid and wet now with the strong winds bringing warm moist air from the Indian Ocean and plenty of rain. This also affects boat tours and ferries, often prohibiting boat trips to other islands. Stirred silt reduces visibility for divers.

But there is a brighter side to this period. Lower volume of tourists during this period means that prices plummet and hotel rates are often half that of the high season. So, this period can be ideal if you are the one on a budget or if you simply wish to avoid the crowds during the high season.
Average Rainfall in Phuket:

Average Temperatures in Phuket:

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