Thailand Holidays Labor Day

Thailand Holidays Labor Day in Thailand A Time For Dance And Music

April 4, 2017 By Richard

Thailand Holidays Labor Day in Thailand A Time For Dance And Music

Author: Josh@asiabackpackers.com

Discover Thailand with Thailand Discovery

Thailand Holidays Labor Day. While the world may use this day for political flag waving, here in Thailand it is a time of dance, music and an elephant or two.

Elephants at Labor Day in Thailand

Thailand Holidays Labor Day

When: 1st May Annually

Where: Across the Kingdom

May Day, Labor Day, or International Workers’ Day, is a public holiday in many countries throughout the worldwide; 80 in total. (The United States, celebrates Labor Day on the first Monday of September).

Usually occurring around May 1st, the date varies across countries and is traditionally associated the start of spring in the northern hemisphere, it was much later in 1886 that the day was associated with a worldwide call for an 8-hour working day, as well as the celebration of workers.

 

Thailand Holidays Labor Day

Labor Day in Thailand

Here in Thailand it is a public holiday taken by private companies and banks, though not usually by all government offices and never by the shops or malls. Public sector workers have two further holidays in May; 5th May – Thailand’s Coronation Day and the ancient Royal Ploughing Ceremony in mid May, with the actual date determined by the king’s own Brahmin astrologers.  These two events in turn aren’t normally, celebrated by the private or banking sector.

 

While the Kingdom unfortunately, (dependent on how you feel about trade unions), has only 1.6 percent of its workers are members of a Trade Union, out of a work force of 37 million. (Ministry of Labour 2015).

 

The Celebrations

That said this day does not go unrecognized and is celebrated across the country in most of the larger cities. The day time festivities normally consist of parades featuring marching bands, sometimes lead by magnificently dress elephants, along with its fare share of beautiful Thai women, dressed in traditional local attire. The parades will also include local businesses and state agencies mingled with numerous other percussion bands playing traditional lively music, associated with the local culture.

 

Labor Day in Thailand

Thailand Holidays Labor Day

Once the cacophony of sound and colour has finished the real fun can begin, with all manner of events, from traditional cultural shows, to cooking competitions and traditional Thai fun fairs, plus live music concerts that go onto late in the night.

 

What-ever side of the political spectrum you stand and possibly due, to the lack of open and purely political affiliation, of the majority of Thai people that attend these events, the day is normally one of blazing colour, ear shattering noise and above all simple fun.

 

Where is this Day also celebrated

States and dependencies coloured by observance of International Workers’ Day or a different variant of May Day or Labour Day:

 

Thailand Holidays Labor Day

Labor holiday on or near 1 May

 

Another public holiday on 1 May, such as May Day

 

No public holiday on 1 May, but Labour Day on a different date

 

No public holiday on 1 May and no Labour Day.

Picture and Key curtsy of Wiki

Thailand Holidays Labor Day

[wp-review id=”26417″]