13 biggest Chinese New Year celebrations in Thailand

The exact date of the Chinese New Year 2018 is 16th February. There will be many celebrations throughout Thailand and will be held from 13 to 23 February. In this article, I list the festivities supported by the Tourist Authority of Thailand.

Chinese New Year an important date in Thailand

Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor said, “With millions of Thais of Chinese descent, Chinese New Year has always been a time to celebrate with the family and togetherness across Thailand. This year, locals and international visitors are invited to join in 13 major official celebrations nationwide, each of which is home to large, established Chinese communities,with spectacular food and cultural performances taking centre stage.

Chinese New Year 2018 in Thailand

In Bangkok (15-17 February)

Highlights of the celebrations include a New Year greeting ceremony held with high-level ministers on 15 February, to further strengthen the strong relationship between Thailand and China. The ceremony will take place at the China Cultural Centre, and will be led by H.E. Mr. Weerasak Kowsurat, Minister of Tourism and Sports, and H.E. Mr. Yang Zhijin, Deputy Minister of Culture from the People’s Republic of China.

An official opening ceremony of the Chinese New Year celebrations in Yaowarat – the historic home to Bangkok’s Chinese community – on 16 February, will be presided over by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, and will feature Thailand-China cultural exchange performances by 135 performers from nine provinces in China, including Fujian, Hainan, Inner Mongolia, Shandong, Heilongjiang, Zhejiang, Hunan, Shanxi and Hubei. Highlights include traditional Chinese dances and music, martial arts, acrobatic performances and Chinese opera puppets. The cultural exchange performances will then tour to Chiang Mai, Udon Thani, Songkhla (Hat Yai) and Phuket.

Locals and international visitors can also enjoy a celebration of food culture. Fresh from cooking at the recent G20 Summit in Hangzhou, a renowned Zhejiang province chef from the World Federation of China Catering Industry will be on hand to create Southern Chinese delicacies that are fused with flavours familiar to Thai palates. A cooking demonstration will also be held to mark the beginning of the Chinese New Year, when families traditionally gather to enjoy food and being together.

Chinese New Year celebrations all around Thailand

Here is the list of official Chinese New Year celebrations supported by TAT :

• Photharam Chinatown Chinese New Year, Ratchaburi, on 5-14 February
• Pak Nam Pho Chinese New Year, Nakhon Sawan, on 9-20 February
• Chinese New Year, Phetchaburi, on 15-17 February
• 16th Chiang Mai Chinatown Chinese New Year, on 16-17 February
• Suphan Buri Chinese New Year, on 16-17 February
• Chinese New Year, Trang, on 16-18 February
• Chinese New Year, Nakhon Ratchasima, on 16-18 February
• Udon Thani Chinese New Year, on 16-18 February
• Chinese New Year, Songkhla (Hat Yai), on 16-19 February
• Chinese New Year, Chon Buri (Pattaya), on 16-25 February
• Ancient Capital Miracle Chinese New Year, Ayutthaya, on 17-22 February
• Phuket Chinese New Year and Old Town Festival, on 21-23 February

I do not have the schedule of each celebration but I should be able to give you more details a few days before the event at least for the one in Chinatown Bangkok. I will then write an article here or post the information on MikeThailandee Twitter account.

Don’t hesitate to contact local TAT offices ti get more details.

Note that in Phuket, the festivities in the old city, will be held a few days after the CNY official date.