Since it is already 2008, or 2551 on the Thai calendar, it is time to take a look at the Thai holidays so that you can plan your trip accordingly. Some people want to be in Thailand when there is a holiday and partake in the celebration and others want to avoid some holidays (i.e. Songkran) like the plague.
Traditional New Year has already come and gone (today is January 6, 2008) but there are many other days to celebrate in Thailand.
Here are a few words of caution for the unwary traveler. Many of the holidays involve celebrating with large quantities of alcohol and the traffic death toll increases dramatically. This is mainly during the celebrating of the various New Years. Many of the holidays are family-oriented requiring people to return back to the nest to celebrate with the rest of the family. Therefore, traffic on the roads can be horrendous.
Here are the main holidays for 2008. Use them as a guide for your travel plans.
Chinese New Year will be celebrated on February 8th. This is the start of the lunar year and is primarily celebrated in the various Chinatowns throughout Thailand. There will be some business closures but it is not a...