Extra public holidays next year approved for Thailand, 21 public holidays in 2025
Long weekends intended to spur travel, spending
The cabinet has approved extra public holidays for next year and January 2026, declaring long-weekends to boost tourism and the overall economy.
Deputy Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said after the meeting on Tuesday that the cabinet approved the ministry’s proposal for additional government holidays in June and August next year and in January 2026.
The extra holidays next year are both Mondays, June 2 and Aug 11, with the Queen’s birthday holiday on June 3 and Mother’s Day on Aug 12 — creating a four-day weekend.
Another added holiday is Friday, Jan 2, 2026, stretching the New Year break to five days, from Dec 31 to Jan 4 inclusive.
There will now be 21 public holidays in 2025.
Tourism-reliant Thailand has in recent years granted additional holidays to support the travel industry and aid recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. The tourism sector accounts for about 12% of gross domestic product and nearly a fifth of the country’s jobs.
The declaration of additional holidays is also in line with the move by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s administration to designate next year as the year of tourism and sports, deputy government spokeswoman Sasikan Wattanachan said.
About 30 million tourists have visited the country so far this year, on course to meet the government’s full-year target of 36.7 million. In 2019, Thailand saw record foreign arrivals, almost 40 million, which generated US$60 billion in revenue. And then the pandemic devastated the sector.
According to the online travel platform Agoda, foreign tourists appreciate Thailand for its vibrant nightlife, beaches and national parks, and it is on course to better the pre-pandemic record next year as the recovery in global travel demand gathers momentum.
Source: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2900918/extra-public-holidays-next-year-approved
