May - June:
Rocket Festivals
July 27th:
Khao Phansa Day - The Candle Festival
August 12th:
Queen Sirikit's Birthday - Mothers' Day
This is the most important event in the Buddhist Calendar and marks the birth, enlightenment, and nirvana of the Lord Buddha. It is celebrated on the full moon day in the Sixth lunar month.
As with the celebration of Makha Bucha Day, earlier in the year, the main festivities take place in the early evening. Thai Buddhists gather at the temples at sunset to "Wian Tian". Wian Tian is the act circumnavigating the Bhot (the main building of a temple complex), where Monks are ordained, three times. While doing this they chant and carry with them one burning candle and three incense sticks held along with one lotus flower between their upright folded hands. They do this as a way to show their respect to what is called the "Tripple Gem", which is the Buddha himself, his teachings and doctrines, and the monkhood he founded. As such, the first time they walk around the Bhot they think of the Buddha, on the second they think of his teachings and the third, they think of the monks who devote themselves to Buddhism.