What is the date of Mother's Day in Thailand?

Mother’s Day in Thailand is celebrated on August 12. The date honors Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother, whose birthday was August 12, 1932, and links the family celebration to a major national figure.

Thailand’s observance is called National Mother’s Day, or Wan Mae Haeng Chat. It became associated with the Queen Mother during the 1980s, when Prime Minister Prem Tinsulanonda promoted the royal family and national traditions. Schools and communities commonly hold ceremonies, and people may wear blue, the color associated with Queen Sirikit.

This date is easy to confuse with the second Sunday in May, used in the United States and many other countries. Thailand’s holiday is fixed on the Gregorian calendar, so it remains August 12 each year. The same date is also connected with the Queen Mother’s Birthday public holiday, making it both a family celebration and a national observance.