August is anchored by one of Thailand’s warmest national holidays — a day that honors both the late Queen Mother and every mother in the country at once — and, later in the month, a very different kind of tradition entirely: Phuket’s Hokkien-Chinese community honoring its ancestors during the Hungry Ghost Festival.
This guide lists the most important Thailand events in August 2027, including confirmed dates, locations and practical information for travelers.
Thailand Events in August 2027 at a Glance
| Date | Event | Location | Type | Tourist Relevance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 12 | H.M. Queen Mother’s Birthday / Thai Mother’s Day | Nationwide | Public Holiday | Medium |
| Mid-to-late August (estimated, exact dates TBA) | Por Tor (Hungry Ghost) Festival | Phuket Town./td> | Cultural / Religious Festival | Medium |
August 12: H.M. Queen Mother’s Birthday and Thai Mother’s Day
When: August 12, 2027 (Thursday), fixed date, official national public holiday
Where: Nationwide
Type: National public holiday, dual royal and family observance
August 12 marks the birthday of the late Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother, and since 1976 has doubled as Thailand’s official Mother’s Day — moved to this date specifically to honor her as a symbolic mother of the nation. It’s genuinely both at once: formal royal ceremonies and portraits displayed in public spaces alongside deeply personal family traditions.
Children across the country present their mothers with jasmine flowers, chosen for their small white blooms and enduring fragrance as a symbol of pure, unconditional love. Schools hold ceremonies where children kneel before their mothers as a mark of respect, and many people wear light blue — the color of Friday in Thai tradition, the day Queen Sirikit was born. Temples hold merit-making ceremonies, and government buildings and public spaces are decorated with royal portraits and blue-and-white bunting.
Tourist tip: If you’re in Bangkok, central public spaces and government buildings are worth a walk-through for the decorations, and it’s a good day to try a Thai restaurant for a family-style meal — many locals mark the day with exactly that.
Por Tor: The Hungry Ghost Festival
When: Estimated mid-to-late August into early September 2027; exact dates follow the Chinese lunar calendar and hadn’t been officially set by Phuket authorities at the time of writing. As a reference point, the main Ghost Festival day across the Chinese-influenced world falls around August 16, 2027, with Phuket’s Por Tor observance running roughly from the 13th day to the last day of the seventh lunar month — a window that stretched from August 25 to September 10 in 2026.
Where: Phuket Town, especially the Bang Niew shrine area
Type: Chinese-Thai ancestor-honoring festival
Por Tor traces back to Phuket’s Hokkien-Chinese tin-mining history, when many laborers died on the island far from their families. The festival honors deceased ancestors — and specifically those without living descendants to remember them — through elaborate altars piled with offerings: roast duck, fruit, whisky, and distinctive red “turtle cakes” (ang ku) shaped like tortoise shells, a symbol of longevity.
In the evenings, families and shrine committees burn incense and paper money in large metal drums outside temples and shophouses across Phuket Old Town, and public ceremonies take place at Chinese shrines, particularly around the Bang Niew area. It’s a quieter, more contemplative event than Phuket’s famous October Vegetarian Festival, but a genuinely fascinating window into the island’s Hokkien heritage.
Tourist tip: Because the exact 2027 dates weren’t confirmed at the time of writing, check with Phuket Town’s tourism office or local shrine committees closer to your travel dates — the window can run for several weeks, but the most active ceremony days are usually concentrated within it.
What Is August Like for Travelers in Thailand?
August remains solidly in rainy season nationwide, with conditions similar to June and July: regular but often short bursts of rain, high humidity, and lush, green landscapes. The Andaman coast (Phuket, Krabi, Khao Lak) tends to see the heaviest rainfall of the year around this time, while the Gulf side (Koh Samui, Koh Phangan) is somewhat drier.
It’s still very much low season for beach tourism, with the accompanying lower prices and thinner crowds, though the Mother’s Day long weekend brings a noticeable bump in domestic travel around August 12. School summer holidays in several source markets also mean August can see more international family travel than the quieter rainy months around it, despite the weather.
Where to Stay in Thailand in August
Bangkok
A good base for Mother’s Day city-center atmosphere and decorations around government buildings and public plazas.
See our guide to where to stay in Bangkok, or compare properties directly in our best hotels in Bangkok guide.
Phuket
For Por Tor, staying in or near Phuket Old Town puts you within walking distance of the Bang Niew shrine area and the incense-and-paper-money ceremonies each evening.
See our full Phuket travel guide, compare areas in our where to stay in Phuket guide, or browse properties in our best hotels in Phuket guide.
August Events in Thailand: What Should Tourists Prioritize?
- Queen Mother’s Birthday / Mother’s Day (August 12) — a genuinely moving day to witness in any Thai city, worth timing a visit to public spaces or a local restaurant around
- Por Tor (Hungry Ghost Festival) — a worthwhile detour if you’re already in Phuket and the lunar-calendar dates line up, offering a very different side of the island than its beaches
Bottom Line
August isn’t a blockbuster month for Thailand tourism, but it offers two genuinely distinct cultural windows: the warmth of Mother’s Day celebrations nationwide, and Phuket’s quieter, ancestor-honoring Por Tor festival for anyone curious about the island’s Chinese heritage beyond its beaches.
Expect rain, low-season prices, and — with this article — the completion of a full year’s worth of Thailand’s events calendar, from January through December.
Sources
- Office Holidays — H.M. Queen Mother’s Birthday in Thailand 2027 (August 12 date)
- Beevago — Thai Mother’s Day 2027 (traditions and Queen Sirikit connection)
- Phuket101 — Por Tor Festival 2026 (2026 date window and lunar-calendar mechanics)
- Chinese Calendar Online — Ghost Festival 2027 Date (August 16 reference point)
Planning a wider Southeast Asia trip?
Vietnam With Me — practical Vietnam travel guides
Cambodia With Me — practical Cambodia travel guides
Indonesia With Me — Indonesia travel guides
Singapore With Me — Singapore travel guides