Thailand primarily uses the Thai solar calendar, which is 543 years ahead of the Gregorian calendar** used by most of the world today. That means while much of the world considers it the year , in Thailand, it’s .

However, Thailand has adopted ISO 8601 standards, so official dates are still written in the familiar D/M/YYYY format—making it easier for everyone to stay on the same page.

The current Thai year is:

Thai Year Conversion

Converting between the Thai solar calendar and the Gregorian calendar is super simple—just add or subtract 543.

• Gregorian → Thai: Thai year = Gregorian year + 543
• Thai → Gregorian: Gregorian year = Thai year - 543

Below is a reference table showing years from 2010–2015, the current year, and six years into the future.

Year Conversion Table

Thai New Year

Did you know that while the Thai solar and Gregorian calendars both kick off on January 1st, the Thai New Year has its own special celebration? Known as Songkran, it’s held every year from April 13th to April 15th with water fights, ceremonies, and family gatherings.

In 2018, the Thai government extended the celebration to five days (April 12th–16th), giving everyone more time to travel home and enjoy the festivities. It’s a time for family, fun, and a fresh start—truly a holiday like no other.

Public Holidays in Thailand ()

Here’s a quick list of some key dates for Thai public holidays.

January
January 01: New Year’s Day Holiday
January 02: New Year Special Holiday

February
February 17: Chinese Lunar New Year (government holiday, not public holiday)
February 18: Second Day Of Chinese New Year
February 19: Third Day Of Chinese New Year

March
March 3: Makha Bucha Day

April
April 06: Chakri Day
April 13–15: Songkran Thai New Year Water Festival

May
May 01: Labour Day
May 04: Coronation Day
May 31: Visakha Bucha Day

June
June 01: Substitution holiday for Visakha Bucha Day
June 03: Birthday of HM Queen Suthida

July
July 28: Birthday of HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn (Rama X)
July 29: Asalha Bucha

August
August 12: Birthday of HM Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother (Mother’s Day)

October
October 13: Anniversary of the Death of King Bhumibol
October 23: Chulalongkorn Day (Rama V Day)

December
December 05: King Bhumibol Birthday Commemoration Day (Father’s Day & National Day)
December 07: King Bhumibol Birthday Observed
December 10: Constitution Day
December 31: New Year’s Eve

Video: Thai National Anthem