By Harry Nara · Last updated
- Asalha Bucha: the evening candle processionSunday 18 July 2027
- Khao Phansa: the Rains Retreat beginsMonday 19 July 2027
- Where
- Temples across Bangkok
- Tickets
- Free
- Time of year
- July
- Dates
- Move each year with the lunar calendar
Asalha Bucha falls on Sunday 18 July 2027, on the Bank of Thailand’s list of 2027 holidays published in the Royal Gazette on 25 August 2026, and Khao Phansa, the first day of Lent, follows on Monday 19 July. Both come from the full moon of the eighth lunar month, so the dates move from year to year. Alcohol sales are restricted on both days.
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Asalha Bucha marks the Buddha’s first sermon, and Khao Phansa the next day begins Buddhist Lent, the three months monks spend in their temples through the rains. In Bangkok the first evening is the one to see: people walk three times around the main hall of their temple carrying candles, incense and lotus buds. Asalha Bucha is a public holiday, both days move with the moon, and on both alcohol is off sale in shops and ordinary restaurants, though hotel bars and licensed nightlife are exempt.
What Buddhist Lent actually is
Asalha Bucha remembers the sermon the Buddha gave to his first five disciples after his enlightenment, the moment Buddhists count as the founding of the monastic order. The Thai lunar calendar sets its date, and in most years it lands in July.
Khao Phansa follows the next day. From then until Ok Phansa, three lunar months later, monks stay in their own temples rather than travel, a rule that dates from the Buddha’s time, when walking through the rains meant trampling young rice. Families bring the monks what they will need for the season: robes, everyday supplies and, above all, tall candles to light the long retreat.
Many Thais make a Lent resolution of their own, most often to give up drinking for the three months, which is one reason the two holy days are dry by law.
Where to see it
- Any neighbourhood temple on the evening of Asalha Bucha. The wian thian, three slow circuits of the ordination hall by candlelight, starts after dark and is open to anyone; the temple near your hotel is as good a place as any, and quieter than the famous ones.
- The big riverside temples. Wat Arun and the other royal temples draw larger crowds and hold the ceremonies on a grander scale, with the river and the floodlit spires behind them.
- Ubon Ratchathani, for the candles. The great carved-candle parade for Khao Phansa is in the north-east, not in Bangkok, and it is worth the flight if the timing suits; Bangkok temples give their candles to the monks on a smaller scale.
Tickets and what it costs
Temples charge nothing for the ceremonies. Dress as for any temple, with shoulders and knees covered, and take off your shoes where others do.
The alcohol rule is the practical one. On both days, shops, convenience stores and ordinary restaurants may not sell alcohol from midnight to midnight; hotels and licensed nightlife venues, including bar-type venues in the tourist zones the government has designated, are exempt.
Official information and booking: www.bot.or.th
Getting there
The holy days fall in the rainy season, when the heaviest showers come in the afternoon and early evening. Carry an umbrella to the evening procession, and allow extra time for traffic if it pours.
For Wat Arun, take the Chao Phraya Express Boat to Tha Tien and the cross-river ferry; for a neighbourhood temple, walk or take a short taxi ride.
Mistakes worth avoiding
Planning a big night out
Shops and ordinary bars stop selling alcohol on both days. Save the celebration for another evening.
Arriving at the procession in daylight
The candle circuits begin after dark. Arrive at dusk and follow the people who know the route.
Walking the circuit the wrong way
Go clockwise, keeping the hall on your right, and keep the pace slow and quiet.
Assuming last year’s date
The holy days move with the moon by weeks. Check the year’s official holiday list.
Other Bangkok events
Frequently asked questions
When is Asalha Bucha?
It follows the lunar calendar and usually lands in July, with Khao Phansa the next day; the dates card above shows this year’s, from the official holiday list.
Can tourists join the candle procession?
Yes. Anyone may walk the three circuits with a candle, incense and a lotus bud; dress modestly and follow the people ahead of you.
Is alcohol banned in Bangkok on Asalha Bucha?
Shops, convenience stores and ordinary restaurants may not sell it on Asalha Bucha or Khao Phansa. Hotels and licensed nightlife venues are exempt.
What is Khao Phansa?
The first day of Buddhist Lent, when monks begin three months of staying in their own temples through the rainy season.
Is Asalha Bucha a public holiday in Thailand?
Yes. Government offices and banks close, while shops, malls and most attractions stay open.
Sources
- Bank of Thailand, financial institution holidays for the coming year (Thai)
- The Nation, Thailand’s holy-day alcohol rules
Dates on this page are checked against the organiser’s own listing and confirmed through 2027. Written and maintained by Harry Nara.