Jingjok
Dry days: holy days and election days
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On five big Buddhist holy days each year, including มาฆบูชา (Makha Bucha) and วิสาขบูชา (Visakha Bucha), selling เหล้า, beer and wine is banned nationwide from midnight to midnight. 7-Eleven and supermarkets will politely refuse, and many bars close. The dates follow the lunar calendar, so they move every year; Thai calendars and news sites list them. Since 2025, hotels, airport departure zones and some licensed venues in tourist areas are exempt. Election days are dry as well: sales usually stop from 6 pm the evening before polling day until midnight on the day. Rules change, so check locally, and if you're planning a party, buy the day before.
Try this today
Look up the date of the next วันพระใหญ่ and put it in your phone calendar.
The words that carry it
Learn this in “Weekend: temple, beach, Songkran” →
Your first 90 days of Thai
Culture cards in Jingjok are tied to the words that carry them, each ending in one thing to try today.
- WEEKS 1–2 · SURVIVEGreet anyone, pay, and order food and 7-Eleven exactly how you like it.
- WEEKS 3–6 · SETTLE INGet around by taxi, Grab and skytrain, find anything, and handle your landlord.
- WEEKS 7–12 · RUN YOUR LIFEPharmacy, bank, SIM and apps, how you feel, and a weekend away, all in Thai.
The first week is free.