Is today a public holiday in Thailand?

Labour Protection Act B.E. 2541, BAHTNET Rails & Substitute Holidays

In the Kingdom of Thailand, official public holidays are regulated under the Labour Protection Act B.E. 2541 (1998), administered by the Ministry of Labour, alongside annual Cabinet announcements. Thailand observes approximately 16 statutory public holidays per year, headlined by the multi-day Songkran Festival (13–15 April), royal commemorations, and Buddhist solemnities.

Government Holidays vs. Bank of Thailand Financial Holidays

Thailand maintains a dual holiday operational structure:

• Government Holidays: Applicable to civil servants, ministries, and public schools, decreed by the Royal Thai Government Cabinet.
• Financial Institutions Holidays: Gazetted independently by the Bank of Thailand (BOT) under financial sector regulations. Commercial banks close teller branches on BOT-gazetted dates, which occasionally exclude select cultural holidays observed by civil servants.

Labour Protection Act Section 29: Mandatory 13 Traditional Holidays

Under Section 29 of the Labour Protection Act B.E. 2541, employers must prescribe not less than 13 traditional holidays per calendar year with pay for employees, which must include National Labour Day (1 May).

Under Section 29, Paragraph 3, if a traditional public holiday falls on a weekly rest day, the employee is legally entitled to take a substitute holiday on the following working day.

Holiday Work Pay: Section 62 Double Pay Formula

Under Section 62 of the Labour Protection Act, when an employer requires an employee to work on a statutory traditional holiday, compensation is governed by strict statutory rules:

1. Monthly Salaried Employees: Entitled to an additional payment equal to one time their normal daily wage (effectively totaling double pay, since their monthly salary already covers the unworked holiday);
2. Hourly or Daily Workers: Entitled to not less than two times their hourly wage rate (double pay) for all hours worked on the holiday.
3. Overtime hours performed beyond standard working hours on a holiday must be paid at not less than three times the hourly wage rate (300% overtime pay) under Section 63.

Banking Clearing Rails: BOT BAHTNET vs. PromptPay 24/7

Financial infrastructure across Thailand is supervised by the Bank of Thailand:

• Wholesale Rails (BAHTNET): The Bank of Thailand Automated High-Value Transfer Network (BAHTNET) and cheque clearing pause operations on BOT financial holidays. Calculate financial processing turnaround times using our Working Days Calculator.
• Instant Retail Payments (PromptPay): Thailand's national instant payment platform, PromptPay, operates 24/7/365. Account-to-account mobile transfers via Citizen ID or phone number, as well as Thai QR code payments, process in real time throughout Songkran and national holidays.

Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET Trading Calendar)

The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) and Market for Alternative Investment (mai) halt equity, bond, and derivative trading sessions on all Bank of Thailand financial holidays and designated Monday substitute days.

Thailand Payment Rails, Exchange Cutoffs & Statutory Pay Matrix (2026–2027)

When a statutory public holiday or in-lieu bank holiday occurs in Thailand, commercial banking counters, central bank real-time gross settlement (RTGS) rails, and retail instant payment systems follow distinct operational rules:

Key 2026 vs. 2027 Holiday Date Shifts & Bridge-Day Planning in Thailand

Because fixed calendar holidays shift one weekday forward between 2026 and 2027 (and movable lunar or liturgical holidays shift by 10 to 15 days), HR teams, payroll processors, and employees in Thailand should account for the following 2026–2027 date comparisons and leave-bridge opportunities: