July Public Holidays

There are no public holidays in June, so when July rolls around, we're hit with a double whammy: two holidays in a row! In an attempt to stimulate the economy, the government also made Monday a public holiday, so many people will have a five day weekend.

Asalha (this translation has several variations) Bucha Day, วันอาสาฬหบูชา, falls on the full moon day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, usually July. It celebrates the Buddha's first sermon to his first five disciples. During this sermon, one of the disciples asked to be ordained as the first monk. This day is celebrated as the beginning of Dhamma (Buddha's teachings) and Sangha (the brotherhood of monks).


Khao Phansa, วันเข้าพรรษา or Buddhist Lent, follows Asalha Bucha Day. During Lent, monks are not permitted to sleep outside the temple, wat. Lent lasts three months during the rainy season, and monks are to use this time to study and preach. Since they are even more limited with resources during this time, it is important that Buddhists donate essentials to the temples. A lot of grocery stores sell prepackaged kits like these:

Candles are one of the most significant pieces in a donation. Monks use these candles to read at night and to light up the wat, and there is a candle procession on the first day of Lent. Because of this significance, candlemaking is a serious craft here.

For more info on candlemaking, visit here.

Holidays also remind us that our favorite vendors do in fact take days off. Now I have to go hunt for some real coffee in order to make it through a couple hours of Thai classes today.