Thailand observes a mix of secular and Buddhist holidays that can affect opening hours, alcohol sales and boat schedules — and 2026 has a fuller-than-usual calendar of long weekends worth knowing about if your trip overlaps with one.
Alcohol sale restrictions
On five specific Buddhist holy days each year — Makha Bucha, Visakha Bucha, Asarnha Bucha, the start of Buddhist Lent (Khao Phansa), and the end of Buddhist Lent (Ok Phansa) — alcohol sales are banned nationwide for the full day, at every shop, bar and restaurant regardless of tourist-area status. This can catch visitors off guard if a beach bar suddenly can't serve beer; in 2026, Visakha Bucha (31 May) and Asarnha Bucha (29 July) are the ones most likely to land during a typical holiday-season trip.
Major holidays affecting travel in 2026
- Songkran (13–15 April) — the country's biggest holiday period, officially a three-day public holiday that combines with the surrounding weekend into a longer break for many locals. Many locally-run businesses close for several days even as tourist-facing venues stay open for the water festival crowds.
- New Year (1–2 January) — a government-declared bridge holiday extends the standard New Year's Day into a longer break, making late December into early January one of the island's busiest and most expensive tourist windows.
- Chinese New Year — not a nationwide public holiday, but still one of Phuket's busiest tourist periods given the large numbers of Chinese, Hong Kong and Singaporean visitors travelling then — worth booking well ahead for.
Typical daily hours
Government offices and banks generally run standard weekday business hours and close on public holidays — worth sorting visa extensions, bank errands or embassy visits before a holiday cluster rather than during one. Tourist-area shops, restaurants and markets often stay open into the evening and don't necessarily observe a fixed weekly closing day, though some smaller family-run restaurants do close briefly around Songkran specifically.