Every year towards the end of the rainy season in Thailand, many cities organize festivals with traditional long boat races. In this article, I list the dates of the main events that will take place this year 2019 in Thailand.

Traditional boat races

If it is towards the end of the rainy season that most of the races are organized, it is because it is the moment of the year when the level of the water of the rivers is the highest. Most of the festivals take place in September and October, but there are also some in November (in Phimai for example, which is coupled with a sound and light show in the Khmer temple of the city) and a few in July and August.

The traditional long wooden boat races go back more than 4 centuries ago in Thailand.

The long boats in competition can measure up to 30 meters and are made of wood finished with decorated long prows.

The races are rowing competitions with boats that must go on an average distance of 500 meters. Every rond oppose two ships. Last year I attended Phichit, Phitsanulok and Nan boat races (kaeng rua in Thai language).

Where to see these boat races?

There are a lot of races organized in Thailand especially in September and October but some already take place in July and August.

Here are the dates of the main traditional long boat race festivals in Thailand in 2019.

• Samut Prakan near bangkok): 13-14th July 2019
• Pathum Thani: 27-28th July 2019
• Nonthaburi (near Bangkok): August 31st and September 1st, 2019
• Nan: 6th to 15th September 2019 but go on the 14th and 15th
• Phichit: 7th and 8th September 2019
  On Nan River in front of Wat Tha Luang Temple
• Bueng Khan: 14th and 15th September 2019
• Phitsanulok: 21-22th September 2019
  On Nan River in front of Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat (Wat Yai)
• Saraburi: 28-29th September 2019
• Nakhon Phanom: 8-14 October 2019
• Nong Khai: 9th and 10th October 2019
• Surat Thani Chak Phra Festival and Boat Races: 10-18th October 2019
• Chumphon: 10-18th October 2019
• Buriram (in Satuk district not in Buriram city) : 2-3rd November 2019
• Phimai Festival : 6-10 th November 2019
  On the Mun River. There are also boat races that take place on the weekend with a nice show light & sound show every night in the Khmer temple of the city.
• Nakhon Si Thammarat: from December 30th, 2019 to January 1st, 2020

You can find all the dates of these festivals and many more in the “Events and Festivals“ section of the website.