To greet the New Year, a range of uniquely Thai traditional and cultural celebrations are held in various parts of the country.

In Phuket, festivities on New Year's Eve include a grand party at Patong Beach, with many of the large resorts taking part in cavalcade of firework displays at midnight, by which time Soi Bangla is carpeted in red fire cracker chaff. A very noisy and happy festival.

As day breaks the new year begins with a Buddhist merit-making ritual in the early hours of the morning and is followed by afternoon and evening merry-making and folk entertainment.