Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
( 0 2476 5207;
www.thairivercruise.com
;
1400B; cruise 7.45-9.45pm)
One of the larger boats; enter-
tainment here is provided by
ga
̀
·teu·i
(transgendered people; also spelt
kathoey
) per-
formers.
Festivals & Events
In addition to the national holidays, there's always something going on in Bangkok.
Many Thai holidays are based on the lunar calendar, which varies year to year, so check
the website of
TAT
(Tourism Authority of Thailand;
www.tourismthailand.org
)
or the Bangkok Informa-
tion Center (
Click here
)
for exact dates.
Chinese New Year
( Jan or Feb)
Thai-Chinese celebrate the lunar New Year with a week of housecleaning,
lion dances and fireworks. Most festivities centre on Chinatown. Dates vary.
NEW YEAR
NEW YEAR
Songkran
( mid-Apr)
The celebration of the Thai New Year has morphed into a water war with
high-powered water guns and water balloons being launched at suspecting and unsus-
pecting participants. The most intense water battles take place on Th Khao San.
Vegetarian Festival
( Sep or Oct)
A 10-day Chinese-Buddhist festival wheels out yellow-bannered streetside
vendors serving meatless meals. The greatest concentration of vendors is found in Chin-
atown. Dates vary.
FOOD
Loi Krathong
(
www.loikrathong.net/en
;
early Nov)
A beautiful national festival where, on the night of the
full moon, small lotus-shaped boats made of banana leaf and containing a lit candle are
set adrift on Mae Nam Chao Phraya.
FULL MOON
King's Birthday
(
ROYAL EVENT
5 Dec)
Locals celebrate their monarch's birthday with lots of parades and fireworks.
