Holidays & Events

The annual sound and light show in Sukothai.

 
Part of the government's tourism promotion strategy is to insure that there's something happening just about all the time, somewhere in the country. The major events and festivals are listed in the tourism authority's own site, Explore Thailand.

Other than official events, you'll find galleries, concerts and other attractions happening just about all the time in Bangkok. Your best source for these are one of several listing magazines sold in most bookstores around tourist areas.

When planning your trip, you should be aware of the public holidays celebrated throughout the country. In addition to public holidays, numerous festivals occur around the country throughout the year. See our article on temple fairs as well as our list of some of the biggest and most interesting festivals.

Event Resources

Explore Thailand

Official site of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (government tourist board). Has a good listing of festivals and events throughout Thailand.

Jim Thompson House

The official web site of the Jim Thompson House Museum. Lots of beautiful pictures and information about special events.

Trade Shows & Exhibitions

Bangkok has three major purpose built convention centers. Most international trade events will be held in one of these three places. However, almost all hotels in Bangkok, as well as many in the main tourist destinations, have large ballrooms suitable for smaller events. All the convention centers have web listings of upcoming events:

BITEC

The Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Center (BITEC) is one of the largest trade venues in Thailand. Their web site lists upcoming events.

Queen Sirikit National Convention Center

Centrally located convention center. Their web site also lists upcoming events.

Impact Arena

Located near the airport, Impact Arena is mostly used for major concerts, but also plays home to the occasional exhibition.