Thailand Long Weekends 2027
Thailand’s 2027 calendar carries nine breaks of three days or more, and most of them come from the same mechanism: the in-lieu day (วันหยุดชดเชย), granted when a public holiday falls on a weekend. Five are built that way — Makha Bucha (Feb 20–22), Labour Day (May 1–3), a four-day Asarnha Bucha and Khao Phansa block (Jul 17–20), Chulalongkorn Memorial Day (Oct 23–25) and King Bhumibol’s Birthday / Father’s Day (Dec 4–6). Four need no help at all: New Year’s Day, Constitution Day and New Year’s Eve each fall on a Friday, and Songkran stacks three holidays into a Tuesday-to-Thursday block. What is not yet visible is the Cabinet’s favourite tool: special bridge holidays, which it adds most years to stretch these into four- and five-day runs.
Thailand long weekends in 2027
New Year's Day
3 daysJan 1 – 3
Makha Bucha
3 daysFeb 20 – 22
Songkran Festival (Thai New Year)
3 daysApr 13 – 15
Labour Day
3 daysMay 1 – 3
Asarnha Bucha & Buddhist Lent
4 daysJul 17 – 20
Weekend, Asarnha Bucha (Sun), Khao Phansa (Mon) and the in-lieu Tue.
Chulalongkorn Memorial Day
3 daysOct 23 – 25
King Bhumibol's Birthday / Father's Day
3 daysDec 4 – 6
Constitution Day
3 daysDec 10 – 12
New Year's Eve
3 daysDec 31, 2027 – Jan 2, 2028
In-lieu days and the Cabinet’s bridge holidays
Thailand grants an in-lieu day on the next working day when a public holiday lands on a Saturday or Sunday. In 2027 that rule does most of the work: Makha Bucha on Sunday February 21 gives Monday February 22, Labour Day on Saturday May 1 gives Monday May 3, Chulalongkorn Day on Saturday October 23 gives Monday October 25, and King Bhumibol’s Birthday on Sunday December 5 gives Monday December 6. The July block is the standout — Asarnha Bucha on Sunday July 18 and Khao Phansa on Monday July 19 push an in-lieu day to Tuesday July 20, producing four days off from Saturday July 17.
The Thai Cabinet also has discretion to declare special holidays (วันหยุดพิเศษ) purely to build a long weekend, typically announced a few months ahead as part of the annual holiday resolution — it did exactly that with January 2, 2026. Three 2027 dates on the provisional list are already Fridays and need no help: New Year’s Day on January 1, Constitution Day on December 10 and New Year’s Eve on December 31, each giving its own three-day weekend. Watch the Cabinet resolution for bridges around Songkran and Chakri Day, which is where the biggest gains usually appear.
Songkran, Buddhist holy days and what they mean on the ground
Songkran, Thai New Year, runs April 13–15, which in 2027 is Tuesday to Thursday — three holidays back to back, so it is a solid three days off, but it touches neither weekend. In practice it is the biggest travel period of the Thai year: cities empty as people return to their home provinces, the water festival takes over Bangkok and Chiang Mai, and a single leave day on Monday April 12 or Friday April 16 turns it into a six-day break. Chakri Day on Tuesday April 6 sits a week earlier, so leave on Monday April 5 gives another four days.
The Buddhist holy days deserve a practical warning. On Makha Bucha (Feb 21), Visakha Bucha (May 20) and Asarnha Bucha (Jul 18) the nationwide sale of alcohol is prohibited for the whole day — convenience stores, supermarkets, restaurants and bars all stop serving. These dates follow the lunar calendar and are astronomical estimates until the Cabinet publishes the official 2027 list; the fixed-date holidays (New Year, Chakri Day, Songkran, Labour Day, Coronation Day, the royal birthdays, Chulalongkorn Day, December 5 and Constitution Day) are certain.
Official sources & data
- Financial Institutions' Holidays — where the official B.E. 2570 (2027) list is publishedVisit sourceBank of Thailand
- Notification of the Bank of Thailand No. 31/2568 Re: Financial institutions and specialized financial institutions' holidays and additional special holiday for B.E. 2569 (2026)Visit sourceBank of Thailand
- BOT Notifications and Circulars (FIPCS)Visit sourceBank of Thailand
Frequently asked questions
How many long weekends does Thailand have in 2027?+
Nine. Five come from in-lieu days: Makha Bucha (Feb 20–22), Labour Day (May 1–3), Asarnha Bucha and Khao Phansa (Jul 17–20, four days), Chulalongkorn Day (Oct 23–25) and December 5 (Dec 4–6). The other four need no in-lieu day: New Year (Jan 1–3), Songkran (Apr 13–15, a Tue–Thu block), Constitution Day (Dec 10–12) and New Year’s Eve (Dec 31 – Jan 2). The Cabinet may declare extra bridge days on top.
What is the longest break in Thailand in 2027?+
The July Buddhist Lent block, four days from Saturday July 17 to Tuesday July 20: the weekend, Asarnha Bucha on Sunday July 18, Khao Phansa on Monday July 19 and the in-lieu day on Tuesday July 20.
Is Songkran 2027 a long weekend?+
Not in the weekend sense. Songkran runs April 13–15, three holidays back to back, but in 2027 they fall Tuesday to Thursday, so the block reaches neither weekend. One leave day on Monday April 12 or Friday April 16 turns it into a six-day break; taking both gives eight days from April 10 to 18. It remains the busiest domestic travel period of the Thai year regardless.
What is an in-lieu holiday in Thailand?+
When a public holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, Thailand grants a substitute day off on the next working day so the holiday is not lost. Five of the nine 2027 breaks listed here are created this way, and the July block gets a Tuesday because the Monday was already Khao Phansa.
Are the Thailand 2027 holiday dates confirmed?+
Partly. The fixed-date holidays are certain, but the Buddhist holy days — Makha Bucha, Visakha Bucha, Asarnha Bucha and Khao Phansa — follow the lunar calendar and are shown here as astronomical estimates until the Cabinet publishes the official 2027 list. Any special bridge holidays will also be announced in that resolution.
Can I buy alcohol on Thai Buddhist holidays?+
No. On Makha Bucha (Feb 21, 2027), Visakha Bucha (May 20) and Asarnha Bucha (Jul 18) the sale of alcohol is banned nationwide for the entire day, including convenience stores, supermarkets, restaurants and bars. Hotel minibars are the usual exception. These dates are provisional until the official list is published.