Chakri Memorial Day is an annual public holiday that’s observed on April 6 in Thailand. Officially called “King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke the Great Day” and “Chakri Dynasty Memorial Day”, the holiday commemorates the coronation of General Chao Phraya Chakri as Phra Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke, aka Rama I, establishing the Chakri Dynasty in 1782. One of King Rama I’s first significant actions was to declare Krung Thep — i.e. Bangkok — the Siamese capital, moving the court from the west to the east bank of the Chao Phraya River.
Chakri Day is therefore a time to commemorate Rama I’s coronation. Practically speaking, it’s a day to celebrate the contributions of all the kings from the Chakri dynasty, including the current tenth king, Maha Vajiralongkorn aka Rama X, who succeeded his father, the popular Bhumibol Adulyadej aka Rama IX, after he passed away in 2016.
On this day, Thailand’s royal family will attend traditional Buddhist ceremonies at the royal temple in Bangkok, with the king presiding over the day’s events. Specifically, he will visit the Royal Pantheon, where he will pay respects his forefathers, represented by life sized statues of the first eight Chakri kings. He will also visit the Memorial Bridge, where he will lay a wreath at the base of King Rama I’s statue.
Because Chakri Day happens the week before Songkran, many Thais see it as a day to prepare for the upcoming there-day festival. In the event that April 6th falls on a weekend, the following Monday will be reserved as a make-up holiday, much to the delight of Thais, many of whom would likely try to take advantage of an extended Songkran.
Both regular and tourist police forces remain on duty, while hospitals and shopping malls will stay open for the expected uptick in traffic. There’s no ban on alcohol sales on this day, so you’ll be able to pick up your favorite drinks at your local 7-Eleven or supermarket. Meanwhile, government employees, schoolchildren and bankers all get the day off. Full-time employees at companies should also have the day off, according to Thai labour law, but some begrudging employers may force their unfortunate staff to work from home or come into the office to work a half day. Bah, humbug.
SOURCE: OfficeHolidays.com | Assumption University of Thailand