Thailand has 21 public holidays in 2026, but government offices and banks follow different calendars. On 1 May banks are closed and immigration is open, and on 13 May and 30 July it’s the other way round. Five days off are left this year: 13 and 23 October, and 7, 10 and 31 December. 16 October is a holiday in Bangkok only. Loy Krathong on 24 November isn’t a day off. Separate from the holidays there are dry days, when alcohol isn’t sold. The next one is 26 October, Ok Phansa.
What’s left in 2026
- 13 October, Tuesday: King Rama IX Memorial Day. A day off for everyone.
- 16 October, Friday: a special holiday in Bangkok only, because the city is hosting the IMF and World Bank annual meetings. Government offices and banks in the capital are closed. In Pattaya it’s a normal working day.
- 23 October, Friday: Chulalongkorn Day (Rama V). A day off for everyone, and with Saturday and Sunday it makes three days in a row.
- 26 October, Monday: Ok Phansa, the end of Buddhist Lent. Not a day off, but a dry day: no alcohol sales.
- 24 November, Tuesday: Loy Krathong. The festival happens, but there’s no day off.
- 7 December, Monday: moved from Saturday 5 December, the birthday of Rama IX, National Day and Father’s Day.
- 10 December, Thursday: Constitution Day.
- 31 December, Thursday: New Year’s Eve, followed by 1 January 2027.
The full 2026 calendar
Unless stated otherwise, both government offices and banks are closed on these days.
- 1 January, Thursday: New Year’s Day
- 2 January, Friday: additional holiday
- 3 March, Tuesday: Makha Bucha (dry day)
- 6 April, Monday: Chakri Day
- 13–15 April, Monday–Wednesday: Songkran, Thai New Year
- 1 May, Friday: Labour Day. Banks closed, government offices open
- 4 May, Monday: Coronation Day
- 13 May, Wednesday: Royal Ploughing Ceremony Day. Government offices closed, banks open
- 31 May, Sunday: Visakha Bucha (dry day)
- 1 June, Monday: substitute holiday for Visakha Bucha
- 3 June, Wednesday: Queen Suthida’s birthday
- 28 July, Tuesday: King Rama X’s birthday
- 29 July, Wednesday: Asarnha Bucha (dry day)
- 30 July, Thursday: Khao Phansa, the start of Lent. Government offices closed, banks open (dry day)
- 12 August, Wednesday: the birthday of Queen Mother Sirikit, Mother’s Day
- 13 October, Tuesday: Rama IX Memorial Day
- 16 October, Friday: special holiday in Bangkok only
- 23 October, Friday: Chulalongkorn Day
- 7 December, Monday: moved from 5 December, Father’s Day
- 10 December, Thursday: Constitution Day
- 31 December, Thursday: New Year’s Eve
Songkran came without extra days this year: in December 2025 the government dropped additional holidays for 2026 and kept only 2 January.
What this means for visa matters
Immigration and the Department of Land Transport (DLT) are government offices, so go by their calendar, not the banks’. On 1 May the offices were open even though banks were closed, and on 13 May and 30 July it was the other way round.
The 2026–2027 New Year break covers only two working days: government offices are closed on 31 December and 1 January, and after that it’s the usual weekend. An additional day off on 2 January 2027, like this year’s, hasn’t been announced yet, but the government may add one later. It’s best to finish your visa matters by 30 December. The same goes for Songkran: offices are closed for three days, and the queues after the holiday are noticeably longer. You can file the notification of residence online without waiting for the office to reopen.
Dry days: when alcohol isn’t sold
This is a separate calendar, and it doesn’t always match the list of holidays. On five Buddhist dates alcohol sales are banned nationwide:
- 3 March: Makha Bucha
- 31 May: Visakha Bucha
- 29 July: Asarnha Bucha
- 30 July: Khao Phansa
- 26 October: Ok Phansa
Asarnha Bucha and Khao Phansa fall back to back: that’s two full days without sales, from midnight on 29 July to midnight on the 30th.
There are five exemptions, and they matter for Pattaya: international airport terminals, hotels, licensed entertainment venues, venues in tourist zones on the minister’s list, and large event venues. So a licensed club may serve you on a dry day while a shop won’t. A seller who breaks the rule faces a fine of up to 10,000 baht, up to six months in prison, or both.
On ordinary days, since 29 May 2026, alcohol is sold from 11:00 to 24:00. The afternoon break from 14:00 to 17:00 has been scrapped.
Elections, including local ones, are a separate case: sales stop from 18:00 the day before voting until 18:00 on election day, and that includes advance voting days. The dates are announced in advance, but they’re the ones that catch people out every time.
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