Vesak in Thailand

How Thailand celebrates

In Thailand, Visakha Bucha is a national public holiday centred on merit-making and the evening wian tian — a candlelit procession three times around the temple's main shrine — alongside almsgiving, sermons and the release of caged birds and fish. Thailand fixes the date by its own lunar calendar (the full moon of the sixth lunar month), which can fall a day either side of the Sri Lankan Vesak Poya date this countdown follows: in 2026 Visakha Bucha fell on 31 May, with the holiday observed on 1 June.

What people eat

Vegetarian temple fare and simple merit-making meals; many observe the day abstaining from meat and alcohol.