Thailand Public Holidays 2027: How HR Should Set the 13 Company Holidays

Thailand has more than 20 government holidays in 2027 (B.E. 2570) once substitute days are counted, but private companies do not have to observe all of them. Under Section 29 of the Labour Protection Act, employers must announce at least 13 traditional holidays a year, including National Labour Day on 1 May. If a holiday falls on a weekly day off, employees get a substitute day on the next working day.

Every year-end, your HR team gets the same question from employees planning trips and managers planning shifts: which days will the company close next year? The government calendar can still change mid-year, and each business has different peak seasons. This guide lists the 2027 holidays, explains the legal rules, and gives a simple process and notice template for choosing your 13 days.

💡 What are traditional holidays in Thailand?
Traditional holidays are paid days off that an employer announces in advance under Section 29 of the Labour Protection Act. There must be at least 13 per year, including National Labour Day. They are separate from weekly days off and annual leave.

Thailand public holidays 2027 (government calendar)

Date	Day	Holiday
1 Jan	Fri	New Year’s Day
21 Feb	Sun	Makha Bucha Day
22 Feb	Mon	Substitute for Makha Bucha
6 Apr	Tue	Chakri Memorial Day
13–15 Apr	Tue–Thu	Songkran Festival
1 May	Sat	National Labour Day
3 May	Mon	Substitute for Labour Day
4 May	Tue	Coronation Day
20 May	Thu	Visakha Bucha Day
3 Jun	Thu	H.M. Queen Suthida’s Birthday
18 Jul	Sun	Asarnha Bucha Day
19 Jul	Mon	Buddhist Lent Day
20 Jul	Tue	Substitute for Asarnha Bucha
28 Jul	Wed	H.M. King’s Birthday
12 Aug	Thu	Mother’s Day
13 Oct	Wed	King Bhumibol Memorial Day
23 Oct	Sat	Chulalongkorn Day
25 Oct	Mon	Substitute for Chulalongkorn Day
5 Dec	Sun	Father’s Day
6 Dec	Mon	Substitute for Father’s Day
10 Dec	Fri	Constitution Day
31 Dec	Fri	New Year’s Eve

Key facts:

• Five government holidays in 2027 fall on a weekend, which creates five substitute days (2570 holiday calendar, myhora.com).
• 2027 has several long weekends, including 1–3 Jan, 20–22 Feb, 1–4 May, 17–20 Jul and 4–6 Dec.
• The legal minimum is 13 days, but employers may announce more (Labour Protection Act B.E. 2541, Section 29).

Special holidays added by the Cabinet during the year apply to government agencies. Whether a private company follows them is a policy decision, so it helps to write that policy down in advance.

What Thai labour law requires

Section 29 sets three rules. Employers must announce at least 13 traditional holidays in advance, including National Labour Day. The days should be chosen from official holidays, religious holidays or local customs. And if a traditional holiday falls on a weekly day off, employees get a substitute day off on the next working day.

The third rule is where mistakes happen. In 2027, Labour Day falls on a Saturday. A company with a Saturday–Sunday weekend must give Monday 3 May off. A company that works Saturdays and rests on Sundays does not need a substitute day.

Traditional holidays are paid days for all employees, including daily-rated staff. If payroll is not set up correctly, daily workers are often underpaid for these days.

How to choose your 13 days

1. Lock in the must-haves: National Labour Day (required by law) plus the days employees expect, such as New Year and Songkran.
2. Check your peak seasons: retail peaks at year-end and Songkran, and factories may need continuous operation.
3. Build long weekends: Monday substitute days give employees real rest and reduce scattered leave requests.
4. Match your weekly rest days: set substitute days clearly where holidays overlap your weekend.
5. Set a policy for special Cabinet holidays: follow them, ignore them, or decide case by case.

Offices usually follow most of the government calendar. Factories often group holidays into long New Year and Songkran breaks for maintenance. Retail and service businesses often work on public holidays and provide another day off or holiday pay.

Holiday pay rates

Case	Monthly employees	Daily or hourly employees
Work on a holiday (normal hours)	At least 1x extra hourly rate	At least 2x hourly rate
Overtime on a holiday	At least 3x hourly rate	At least 3x hourly rate

(Labour Protection Act, Sections 62 and 63.) Pinno Payroll Automation applies these holiday and overtime rates automatically.

Company holiday notice template

[Company Name] Co., Ltd.: Announcement of Traditional Holidays for 2027

The company announces [13] traditional holidays for 2027:

1. Friday 1 January 2027: New Year’s Day
2. Monday 22 February 2027: Substitute for Makha Bucha Day
3. Tuesday 13 – Thursday 15 April 2027: Songkran Festival (3 days)
4. Monday 3 May 2027: Substitute for National Labour Day
5. [Other days chosen by the company]

If employees are required to work on these days, the company will pay holiday rates as required by law.

Announced on 2026

Set up the holiday calendar in your HR system

Announcing holidays is only half the job. If the calendar is not in your HR system, leave that spans a holiday gets counted wrongly, employees may be marked absent, and holiday pay may be missed. Set up separate calendars by employee group (office, factory, branch), and let your time, leave and payroll modules share the same calendar. See how this works in Pinno Time Management, and read our guide to online leave management.

Thailand’s 2027 calendar gives you more than 13 days to choose from. Your HR team’s job is to pick a legal, business-friendly set, announce it before the year starts, and set it up in your systems. Check three things twice: Labour Day, holidays that fall on your weekly rest days, and pay for work on holidays.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Do private companies in Thailand have to close on every public holiday?
A: No. Employers must announce at least 13 traditional holidays per year, including National Labour Day, chosen from official, religious or local holidays. Companies may give more than 13 days, but not fewer.

Q: Do companies have to follow special holidays announced by the Cabinet?
A: Special Cabinet holidays apply to government agencies. Private companies are not required to follow them unless their own policy or holiday announcement includes them.

Q: What happens if a traditional holiday falls on a weekly day off?
A: Employees must receive a substitute day off on the next working day. For example, Labour Day 2027 falls on a Saturday, so companies with a Saturday–Sunday weekend must give Monday 3 May off.

Q: Can a company swap a traditional holiday for another day?
A: Yes, where the nature of the work requires it. The employer and employee can agree on another day off, or the employer can pay the legal holiday rate. Put the agreement in writing and record it in your time system.

Q: When should HR announce next year’s holidays?
A: Before the new year starts, ideally between November and December, so employees and managers can plan. Keep a record of the announcement.

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