Vesak - Buddhist New Year - Visakha Bucha

Widely known as Vesak or Wesak, Visakha Bucha Day is the Buddhist New Year. Visakha Bucha Day falls on the full moon of the 6th Lunar Month which in 2011 is the 17th May. Vesak commemorates the three most important events in the life of the Lord Buddha, namely his Birth, Enlightenment and Passing which all occurred on the same date in the same month.

Visakha Bucha (sometimes written as Visakha Puja) is a National Holiday in Thailand and most Thai people will make a visit to a Temple and give offerings to the Monks to make merit whilst making a special effort to uphold the Five Precepts. For this reason, the sale of alcohol will be banned at many Bars and Clubs throughout the Country. In the evening, at many of the larger Temples in Thailand, Thai people will gather for the Buddhist Ceremony of Wian Tian when the people will walk around the Temple 3 times carrying a candle, flowers and incense sticks.