Songkran 2027: Thailand Dates, Where to Go and What to Know

Songkran 2027, the Thai New Year, falls on Tuesday 13 to Thursday 15 April 2027. Those three days are fixed holidays, but the water fights spill well beyond them: in 2026 they ran for 11 days across the country, from Hat Yai on 10 April to Pattaya's Wan Lai on 19 April. Pick your city by date, not just by vibe.

This guide covers the official dates, what happens in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Pattaya and Hat Yai, the April heat, the entry rules that changed in September 2026, and how to stay safe. All dollar figures use the European Central Bank rate of 5 October 2026 ($1 = about ฿33.7).

Plan your Songkran trip with Navoy and line up two cities, one for the main holiday and one for Pattaya's later Wan Lai.

When is Songkran 2027?

Songkran 2027 runs from Tuesday 13 to Thursday 15 April 2027. The Bank of Thailand's 2027 holiday announcement lists all three as holidays. As of 6 October 2026, we found no Cabinet announcement of the 2027 government holiday list, so any extra "bridge" days around Songkran are still unannounced.

The three days are the traditional Songkran days and do not move, so the dates themselves are not in doubt. What is still open is whether the Cabinet adds special holidays to stretch the break, which it decides year by year. In 2027 the holidays sit in the middle of the week, so a Thai worker who takes Monday 12 and Friday 16 April off gets a nine-day break from Saturday 10 to Sunday 18 April. Expect domestic travel to peak on those weekends.

Songkran is also on the UNESCO list: "Songkran in Thailand, traditional Thai New Year festival" was inscribed as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2023.

Where are the best places to celebrate Songkran in Thailand?

Bangkok for scale, Chiang Mai for tradition plus water fights, Phuket for a beach party, Pattaya for the late Wan Lai, and Hat Yai for night-time water play. City events start and end on different days, so the 2026 programme below is the best guide to the 2027 rhythm until local programmes are published, usually close to April.

Here is when each city's main events ran in 2026, from the Tourism Authority of Thailand and local organisers. This is the original table behind our 11-day figure: lay the city dates side by side and the celebrations cover 10 to 20 April, almost four times the three official days.

The 2027 programmes are not out yet. Treat the table as a pattern: Wan Lai in Naklua and on Pattaya Beach fell on 18 and 19 April in both 2025 and 2026, while the big city events cluster around the three national days.

Find a room before the rush: hotels in Bangkok · Chiang Mai · Phuket · Pattaya · Hat Yai

What is Songkran like in Bangkok?

Bangkok has the biggest programme, with major events from 9 to 15 April in 2026, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand. The two famous water-fight streets are Silom Road, which ran 12 to 14 April in 2026, and Khao San Road in the old town, plus large events at Benjakitti Park and Siam Square.

Silom is the office district turned water zone, easy to reach by BTS and MRT. Khao San is the backpacker version, packed and loud. Siam Square hosted the Siam Songkran Festival from 12 to 15 April 2026, and riverside venues such as ICONSIAM and Asiatique ran their own celebrations. Bangkok also empties out: many residents go home to the provinces, so roads outside the party zones can be quieter than usual.

Why do people go to Chiang Mai for Songkran?

Chiang Mai mixes temple tradition with a citywide water fight. On 13 April 2026 the Phra Buddha Sihing procession set off from Nawarat Bridge at 2:09 pm, people splash water along the old city moat, and Tha Phae Road hosted "World Songkran Tha Pae" from 5 pm to midnight.

The Chiang Mai Water Festival ran 11 to 13 April in 2026, but water play around the moat and Tha Phae Gate carries on through the holiday. It is also the hottest stop on this list: Chiang Mai's April average high is 36.7°C (98°F). Book early, because domestic visitors fill the old city as well.

What about Phuket, Pattaya and Hat Yai?

Phuket's main party is in Patong: the Phuket Water Festival ran 11 to 13 April 2026 on Patong Beach. Pattaya goes last, with Wan Lai on 18 April in Naklua and 19 April on Pattaya Beach. Hat Yai, in the south, holds the Hatyai Midnight Songkran, which ran 10 to 13 April 2026 and drew more than 500,000 visitors.

• Phuket: the 2026 festival ran 3 pm to 9 pm on Patong Beach, with a temple ceremony at Wat Mai Khao on the morning of 13 April. Bangla Road is the centre of the street action.
• Pattaya: Wan Lai is the reason to go late. In 2026 Pattaya Beach Road closed for one day only, 19 April, from noon to midnight, between Dolphin Roundabout and the Wat Chai Mongkol junction. Pair it with Bangkok and you get two Songkrans in one trip.
• Hat Yai: the city's events run into the night with EDM stages on Niphat Uthit 3 Road, close to the Malaysian border.

Search flights to Thailand for 9 to 20 April if you want both the main holiday and Wan Lai.

How hot is Thailand in April?

Very hot. April is Bangkok's hottest month, with an average daily high of 35.7°C (96°F) and an average low of 27.2°C (81°F), according to the 1991 to 2020 climate normals from the Thai Meteorological Department. Chiang Mai is hotter still, at 36.7°C (98°F) on average.

Being soaked all day keeps you cool, but sunburn and dehydration are common. Drink water you did not get from a water gun, use a strong sunscreen that survives a soaking, and plan the hottest hours, roughly midday to mid-afternoon, for indoor time.

What are Thailand's entry rules for Songkran 2027?

Since 15 September 2026, Thailand gives citizens of 60 countries, including the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and all EU states, 30 days visa-free instead of 60. You must also file the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card online within 3 days before you arrive. A Songkran trip fits easily inside 30 days.

• 30-day visa exemption. Full details, including who is not affected, are in our guide: Thailand cut visa-free stays to 30 days.
• Extensions. Immigration can grant up to 30 more days, at the officer's discretion, for 1,900 THB (about $56).
• Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC). Mandatory and free at the official site, tdac.immigration.go.th. Sites that charge a fee are not the official service.
• Proof of funds. Immigration can ask for 20,000 THB per person (about $593) or 40,000 THB per family (about $1,187).
• Land borders. Visa-free entries by land are capped at two per calendar year (with exceptions for Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore). Worth knowing if you plan to cross from Malaysia to Hat Yai.

How dangerous is Songkran on the roads?

The water is harmless; the roads are not. During the 2026 "seven dangerous days" campaign, 10 to 16 April, Thailand's Road Safety Operation Centre recorded 1,242 crashes, 1,200 injuries and 242 deaths. That works out to about one death every 42 minutes, even though deaths were 9.7% below the three-year average.

Speeding was the leading cause, followed by cutting in at close range, and most crashes involved motorcycles. For visitors that leads to three rules:

• Don't ride a scooter during Songkran. Wet roads, water thrown at riders and drink-driving make this the worst week of the year to start.
• Use trains, the BTS and MRT in Bangkok, or booked transfers between airports and hotels.
• Never throw water at people on motorbikes, and keep away from the roadside when traffic is moving.

How do you protect your phone and stay comfortable?

Seal your phone in a waterproof pouch, carry cash and cards in a zip bag, and wear clothes you don't mind soaking. Expect to be wet from the moment you step outside in the party zones; there is no "dry" pass for tourists.

• Phone: a waterproof pouch on a lanyard. Leave expensive cameras at the hotel.
• Clothes: quick-dry, modest enough for temples (shoulders and knees covered if you visit one).
• Eyes: swim goggles or sunglasses help with water and powder.
• Respect: monks, elders, and anyone clearly not playing are off limits. The original ritual is a gentle pour of water over the hands, not a blast to the face.

Frequently asked questions

What are the dates of Songkran 2027?

Songkran 2027 is Tuesday 13 to Thursday 15 April 2027. Pattaya's Wan Lai, a local extension, fell on 18 and 19 April in both 2025 and 2026, so expect a similar date in 2027.

Is Songkran 2027 a long weekend?

Not by default. The three holidays fall Tuesday to Thursday. The Cabinet sometimes adds bridge days, but none had been announced for 2027 as of 6 October 2026.

Which city has the longest Songkran?

Chon Buri province, which includes Pattaya, stretches the season the furthest: in 2026, Wan Lai events ran from Bang Saen on 16 April to Bang Sare on 20 April, after the national holiday had ended.

Do I need a visa for Songkran?

Most Western visitors don't. Citizens of 60 countries get 30 days visa-free since 15 September 2026, and everyone must file the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card within 3 days before arrival.

Sources

• Bank of Thailand 2027 holidays, reported by The Nation, 28 August 2026 - Songkran 13 to 15 April 2027, 18 bank holidays
• Thairath, BOT Notification No. 37/2569, 26 August 2026 - published in the Royal Gazette on 25 August 2026
• Bank of Thailand, financial institutions holidays - official holiday list
• Tourism Authority of Thailand, Songkran 2026 to proceed nationwide (March 2026) - city events and dates for Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Pattaya
• Chiang Mai Citylife, 13 April 2026 schedule - Phra Buddha Sihing procession at 2:09 pm, World Songkran Tha Pae
• The Nation, Phuket Water Festival 2026 - 11 to 13 April, Patong Beach, Wat Mai Khao
• The Thaiger, Wan Lai 2026 schedule - Chon Buri dates 16 to 20 April, Pattaya Beach Road on 19 April
• Pattaya Mail, Wan Lai 18 to 19 April - Naklua and Pattaya dates
• NBT World, Hatyai Midnight Songkran 2026 - 10 to 13 April, more than 500,000 visitors
• The Nation, Songkran 2026 road toll - 1,242 crashes, 1,200 injuries, 242 deaths, 10 to 16 April 2026, three-year comparison (Road Safety Operation Centre figures)
• Thairath, end of the seven dangerous days 2026 - 242 deaths, speeding the main cause
• Thai Meteorological Department, climate normals 1991-2020 (PDF) - April mean daily maximum 35.7°C and 36.7°C
• UNESCO, Songkran in Thailand - inscription in December 2023
• Tourism Authority of Thailand, new 30-day visa exemption rules - 60 countries, 30 days from 15 September 2026, land-border cap
• Thailand Digital Arrival Card - official free arrival card
• European Central Bank reference rates - dollar conversions, 5 October 2026

All figures verified 6 October 2026. City dates are from the 2026 edition; 2027 programmes had not been published at the time of writing.

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