Thais enjoy a public holiday, Thursday, 6 April, just a week ahead of the popular Songkran festival, 13 to 15 April.

Both are public holidays for government, banks and commercial sectors.

The country celebrates Chakri Memorial Day, Thursday, 6 April, to honour the 10 kings who have ruled Thailand under the present Chakri Dynasty.

The first king in the Chakri Dynasty, Rama I, founded the capital in Bangkok.

The annual Songkran festival, or the traditional New Year celebrations, get underway a week later, Thursday 13 April to Saturday 15 April, plus a substitution holiday for workers, Monday 17 April, due to the final day of the Songkran festival falling on a Saturday.

Songkran prompts a massive exodus of Bangkok residents who return to their rural homes to spend the holiday with their families and friends. Sadly the beautiful festival has over the years degenerated into a water war with the original cultural aspects lost. It is also a week of tragedy for many Thai families due to traffic accidents that leave more than 3,000 people seriously injured and more than 500 people killed on the roads during the festival week.