1st January: New Year's Day.

To greet the New Year, a range of uniquely Thai traditional and cultural festivities are held in various parts of the country. As day breaks on the first day of the new year begins with the Buddhist merit-making ritual in the early hours of the morning and is followed by afternoon and evening merry-making and folk entertainment.

8th January: Children's Day

Children are considered as the most valuable resources of the nation. They are a powerful force in the development and stability of the nation. Normally, the age of children taking part in the celebrations should be less then 14 years old.

To prepare themselves to be the strength of the nation, children should be industrious in their study, make use of their time wisely, being disciplined, diligent, helpful to each other, unselfish, being aware of right and duty and responsible towards society. In addition, they should keep the country clean and conserve the natural environment and public property. If children are aware of their own future and of the nation by behaving in such a way, they will be called "Worthy Children" and the country will be prosperous.

At the same time, to stimulate children to be aware of their significant role in the country, the National Children's Day was held for the first time on the first Monday of October 1955 and continued until 1963. Then it was changed to the second Saturday of January as at this time the rainy season is over and it is a government holiday. This is still in practice today.

The government has set up an organising committee to co-ordinate with several agencies in both public and private sectors to organise the celebration simultaneously throughout the country. The objectives are to enable children to realise their importance, to be disciplined, being aware of right and duty, responsibility towards the society, be proud of their country, Religion and Monarchy, and believe in a democratic system having the King as the head of state.

Every year on this day, His Majesty the King gives an advice while the Supreme Patriarch gives a moral teaching. The Prime Minister also gives a slogan. This indicates that children are the most valuable resource of the nation. We often hear the saying that, "Children are the future of the nation, if the children are intelligent, the country will be prosperous." Therefore, children should ask themselves whether they are worthy children or not.

On this day, many interesting places such as the Dusit Zoo, the Army, Navy, and Airforce bases, Government House and Parliament House are opened for children to visit. Thus, all children look forward to National Children's Day.

16th January: Teacher's Day

In 1956 Prime Minister Field Marshal P. Pibulsongkram, who was the Honorary Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Teachers' Council at that time, addressed a gathering of teachers from throughout the country and suggested that as teachers were our benefactors and persons who gave light to our life they should have a day of their own so that their students would get an opportunity to pay respect to them. He continued, "On other auspicious days such as New Year's Day and the Songkran Festival we pay a tribute to both our living and dead relatives and make merit in dedication to their souls. Since our teachers play an important role next to our parents, I would like to propose the idea to this gathering and ask you to consider it in principle. I hope no one will object to this idea."

As a result of his remarks and the welcoming opinions expressed by the teachers through the media, which reported that a Teacher's Day should be held in order to remember their significance as the ones who make a great sacrifice and do good deeds for the benefit of the nation and the people as a whole. The Teachers' Council unanimously agreed to set up Teachers' Day in order to hold a ceremony to pay a tribute to the teachers, to promote unity among teachers and to promote better understanding between teachers and the general public.

Thus, on November 21, 1956, the Cabinet passed a resolution to announce January 16 of Every year as Teachers' Day and it was celebrated for the first time on January 16, 1957. The event has been held since then and is held nationwide. The highlights of the day include religious activities, a ceremony of paying respect to teachers and activities to strengthen unity among teachers.

To express our gratitude to the teachers, we wish them and their families happiness and a good health throughout their long life.