Thai New Year History
Category : Review
Updated by : admin
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Story by Saisunee Singhathat
Before Thai people took the first day of January as their official New Year’s Day following the western tradition, there have been many shifts in Thailand New Year’s Day, and there is a reason for each change. As the New Year is approaching once again, I would like to take this chance to recall the history of Thai New Year.
From the earliest traceable history, the Thais took the first day of the waning moon of December as the New Year’s Day, since the month was considered by that time the first month of the year. It has been presumed that the reason for this is, when the Thais resided around the area of southern China, the planting season started in December. And as most of the people were farmers, farming became so important that they took the beginning of the farming season as the New Year’s Day. In addition, December is also the start of the cool season, which was deemed in Buddhism as the beginning of year.
The practice of having the first day of the waning moon of December as the New Year’s Day has however never been proven definite.
The other assumption is the writings found in the Nang Nopphamas Script or Thao Si Chulalak Script. Thao Si Chulalak was the first concubine of the King of Sukhothai. She wrote in the script that the New Year’s Day was scheduled on the first day of the waxing moon in the fifth lunar month (around April). But it was later assumed that the script was actually deliberately written during Rattanakosin period where the New Year’s Day was on the first day of the waxing moon in the fifth lunar month.
Historians found in the record from Father De Chawasi that during the Ayutthaya Period, the New Year’s Day was changed from the first day of the waxing moon in December to the first day of the waxing moon in April. He recorded the letters during his visit to Siam as an assistant to Ambassador Monsieur De Chevalier De Chaumont approximate in 1684 – 1686 during the reign of King Narai the Great.
This change is assumed to be influenced by Brahmanism, in which the season is believed to be the best time of year; trees bear fruits and flowers blossom. As Thailand has been heavily influenced by the Indian beliefs, the country, together with its neighborhoods, adopted the practice.
Until the reign of King Rama V, the king reckoned that the New Year’s Day was uncertain as it depended on the lunar calendar. Consequently, the date was ordered to be changed from the old date to the first day of April.
Later in the reign of King Rama VI, the New Year’s Day was again changed to the first day of January to suit with the western world.
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