Her Majesty the Queens Birthday

Her Majesty the Queen’s Birthday is a Thai national holiday celebrated on 12 August yearly. It is sometimes referred to as National Mother’s Day.

As the name suggests, the holiday marks the birth of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, who is regarded as the Mother of the Thai People.

While the celebrations are marked for a day, August brings colourful decorations and portraits of Queen Sirikit in anticipation of the big day. The Queen’s birthday is celebrated in Bangkok, Thailand’s capital city, and the event is transmitted live across the country.

Visitors touring Thailand in August will notice an aura of appreciation for mothers nationwide. The most common expression of this appreciation is buying flowers for mothers.

Consequently, the marketplaces are abuzz with activity on the morning of Her Majesty the Queen’s Birthday. Locals will often search for merits for their dear matriarchs with the help of feeding monks.

Thais honour this holiday, so much so that in many locations, alcohol will not be on sale to honour mothers, both living and those departed. It is pretty common for locals to travel over the weekend to be with their families.

For visitors, this can get a little hectic, making it imperative to make prior travel arrangements. Taking part in the celebrations is an insightful way to experience the warmth of the Thai people.