Every visit to Thailand is cause for celebration. Those making the trip this November and December will have extra reasons to get into party mode, with loads of festivals and events lined up for the winter holiday season.
This month, one of the major highlights in the festival calendar is the Sukhothai Light and Sound Show, timed to coincide with the annual Loy Krathong Festival. Held from 18-27 November, the show will take place every day from 7pm to 7.45pm, with an extra show on 27 November at 8.30pm.
Loy Krathong is an unmissable event for visitors to Thailand, and a beautiful spectacle to behold. At this time of year, residents around the country (but especially in the northern city of Chiang Mai) make intricate, decorated baskets, which are then lit up with candles and floated away on rivers. Floating fire lanterns are also released into the sky, creating a magical and unforgettable scene, all reflected on the water.
Loy Krathong takes place on the evening of the full moon of the 12th month in the traditional Thai lunar calendar, so the exact date of the festival changes every year – but in the Western calendar, it’s almost always in November and lasts for around 2-3 days.
In other illuminating news for the tourism sector, Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin recently announced plans to expand the country’s annual winter festival, adding to the billing and rebranding it as the Thailand Winter Festivals.
The year is set to end on a high, with the 2023 Loy Krathong Festival, Vijit Chao Phraya 2023, Amazing Thailand Passport Privileges, Amazing Thailand Marathon Bangkok 2023, and Amazing Thailand Countdown 2024.
Each of these individual events is under the umbrella of the ‘Colourful Bangkok Winter Festival’ – a major celebration co-hosted by Tourism Authority Thailand (TAT), the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), and the Culture Ministry. At least 11 more events are set to be announced in the coming weeks.
Organisers have said these eye-catching events will showcase the capital’s vibrant lifestyle and identity through creative tourism. For visitors to Bangkok, Chiang Mai and many other Thai cities this holiday season, it’s sure to be a memorable trip.
