Chakri Day

The people of Thailand observe Chakri Memorial Day on 6 April to celebrate the founding of the still-reigning Chakri royal dynasty back in 1782. It is also a day to remember all of the contributions of all the Chakri kings throughout the history of Thailand. In 2027, Chakri Day falls on Tuesday 6 April. The holiday will be on Thursday 6 April in 2028. If 6 April happens to come on a weekend, then the holiday will be kept on the following Monday instead. Note that the date of the holiday is the day of the coronation ceremony of Rama I. It was soon after the founding of the Chakri dynasty that its first king, Rama I, made Bangkok Thailand’s capital city. Thus, the holiday can be seen to have special significance to residents of Bangkok. Today, Rama X, the tenth Chakri king, still reigns. He and the whole royal family oversee special services at the Royal Chapel on Chakri Day. They also visit the Royal Pantheon to honour the memory of earlier Chakri kings, and lay a wreath by the statue of Rama I. Only a few days after Chakri Day comes the popular three-day-long festival of Songkran, so this is a very festive time of year in Thailand.