The Chinese New Year is a well-known celebration as numerous countries around the world usually join China to celebrate it. In different places in Thailand, lots of Thais celebrate the Chinese New Year in an unbelievably enthusiastic manner. Considering some notable differences between Thailand and China, you may want to inquire why most Thais celebrate the Chinese New Year.
Based on the responses of Thais on Quora and other reliable sources, there are various reasons for the lively celebration of the Chinese New Year in Thailand. Foremost, some Thais have Chinese origin; therefore, it is expected that they will celebrate the new beginning in the Chinese tradition. Other reasons include the cordial relationships between China and Thailand and the openness of Thais to other people’s cultures.
Although the Chinese New Year is celebrated in different cities and towns in Thailand, it is not a public holiday. Therefore, as some people are celebrating the Chinese New Year, others will go on with their day-to-day activities. If you want to learn more about the Chinese New Year celebration in Thailand, this article will shed more light on it.
The reasons most Thais celebrate the Chinese New Year
As suggested above, there are various reasons for celebrating the Chinese New Year in Thailand. The aforementioned reasons are explained further below:
- Many Thais have Chinese origin
According to the World Population Review, about 14% of the people of Thailand are Chinese. This means that more than 7 million Thais are Chinese descendants. It is important to realize that these people are not immigrants as their forefathers lived in Thailand several decades ago. Nevertheless, their origin is Chinese, and “Thai-Chinese” is the fashionable word that these people usually use for describing themselves. It should be noted that these people are found in different parts of the country.
Even though many of these Thai-Chinese don’t go to China, their families have influenced them to respect the Chinese culture. So, it is not surprising that lots of these individuals at usually at the forefront of celebrating the Chinese New Year in Thailand.
- The great relationship between Chinese and Thai people
Over the past years, the Chinese and Thai people have built great relationships. In fact, many Chinese have been living in the Land of Smile for several years without any issue. This has led to an exchange of cultures between these two groups of people.
As a result of this, lots of Thais see the Chinese New Year as a way to celebrate with the Chinese.
- The openness of the Thai people to foreign cultures
If you have ever lived in Thailand, you would have noticed the effect of the cultures and characteristics of other people on Thais. This is because Thais are usually open-minded individuals that are always ready to explore the cultures of other people.
As a consequence of this, the Chinese culture of celebrating the Chinese New Year has crept into the tradition of many Thais. So, it is not strange that many Thais are involved in the celebration of the Chinese New Year.
- The desire to acquire good luck
Lots of Thais are religious people that believe in doing various things to avert dangers and attract good luck. When celebrating the Chinese New Year, festivals are often involved. During the festivals, people are allowed to offer a wide range of sacred items to the gods. Many of these offerings are given to the gods so that the givers will receive good luck during the New Year.
In view of this, many Thais often join the Chinese New Year celebration to provide offerings to the gods that can bring good fortune and prosperity to them.
When and how is the Chinese New Year celebrated in Thailand?
Like in China and other places, a lunar calendar is used for calculating the Chinese New Year in Thailand. So, the Chinese New Year is celebrated in Thailand on the same day it is celebrated in China and other nations around the globe. However, unlike in China, there is no public holiday for the Chinese New Year in Thailand.
In Thailand, the Chinese New Year is usually celebrated for two or three days. On New Year’s day, the people will stay at home with their family to celebrate it. During this period, they have fun and also pay homage to their ancestors. It is not strange to see some individuals travel across different countries to celebrate the Chinese New Year with their families in Thailand.
Also, there is an association between the Chinese New Year and the red color. Therefore, tons of individuals will adorn red garments during this period. Besides, houses, stores, and so on will be decorated with red Chinese calligraphy banners, posters, and paper lanterns. Family members will also exchange red envelopes filled with trinkets and money.
During the same period, people will visit the shrines and temples in Thailand to pray. In addition, Chinese-dominated places will experience fanfare during this time. Acrobats and dragon dancers will be on the street to entertain both celebrants and non-celebrants. Furthermore, food stalls will be found in different places for people that want to eat. Lots of people will also carry trays of oranges, tangerines and so on.
A Lantern Festival is held on the last day of the celebration. This festival requires individuals to hang awesome Chinese paper lanterns around the houses. As these lanterns are illuminating the area, the whole street will turn red.
The areas that the Chinese New Year celebration is mostly held in Thailand
The Thai people celebrate the Chinese New Year in numerous places around the country. However, the celebration is usually bigger in some places than others. According to Holidify, the following locations are the biggest places for the celebration of the Chinese New Year:
- Yaowaraj, Bangkok
- Talad Noi, Bangkok
- Charoen Krung Street, Bangkok
- Phuket
- Warorot Market, Chiang Mai
Now, you have a good idea of why most Thais celebrate the Chinese New Year. Also, we have explained what you should expect when joining this amazing celebration in Thailand.