WAR MEMORIAL
River Kwai Bridge
Week marks the
infamous rail link,
part of the Death
Railway built mainly
by Allied prisoners of
war under horrendous
conditions. It becomes
the focal point of
memorial events, such
as a light-and-sound
show and historical
and archaeological
exhibits.
26 November –
5 December
FLIPPER-FEST
They’re not well
known, but the
waters off Tha Kham
in Surat Thani – the
southern province
which includes
Samui and Phangan
– are home to a huge
number of native
dolphins, including
Irrawaddy and
Bottlenose. Locals
hold the Tha Kham
Dolphin Festival for
four months.
Starts
1 November
HOT RODS
Hua Hin Vintage Car
Parade is a yearly
three-day rally that
sees around 40 of
the kingdom’s best
vintage vehicles –
mainly dating from
the 1930s and ’40s
– embark on a scenic
225km journey from
Bangkok to Hua
Hin, with stops in
Nakhon Pathom and
Phetchaburi on the
way down
.
17–19 December
PACHYDERM
PARADISE
Since 1960, the Surin
Elephant Festival has
celebrated the key
role the animals have
played in Thailand.
Back in the day, young
mahouts would be
matched up with
an elephant of the
same age and the two
would form a lifelong
bond. Don’t miss the
elephant breakfast and
tugs-of-war.
15–16 November
LOPBURI
SUNFLOWER
FESTIVAL
Boasting about
480km
2
of fields,
Lopburi is rightly
recognised as
Thailand’s sunflower
capital. The Lopburi
Sunflower Festival is
held to celebrate this
magnificent flower
and it includes an
eye-popping decorated
float procession.
1 November –
31 January
B A N G K O K
S A M U I
B A N G K O K
S U R I N
L O P B U R I
THE MAIN EVENT
(from left) Hua
Hin's vintage car
parade; River Kwai;
the Surin ele-event
96
FAHTHAI
THEGUIDE
thailand
ELEPHANTS, SUNFLOWERS & DOLPHINS: QUIRKY THAI FESTIVALS
THAILAND COUNTRY CODE
+66
EXCHANGE RATE
THB32 = US$1
PATTAYA FREQUENCY
1 flight per day from Phuket, 1 flight from Samui
Five Thai festivals to get to
over the holiday season
Freediving
is enjoying a
renaissance.
Take a two-
day course
on Koh Tao to
learn to hold
your breath
for three
minutes while
descending
up to 20m
into the big
blue.
apnea-
total.com
DIVE IN
C U LT U R E
CULTURE VULTURE
Thailand is rich in
cultural events,
such as the vibrant
Sunflower Festival
Festive
season
