King Bhumibol’s Birthday
King Bhumibol’s Birthday is a public holiday that’s observed on December 5 and honors the birthday of the late King of Thailand. King Bhumibol is one of the longest-reigning monarchs in Thailand’s history and reigned from June 1946 through October 2016.
This is a holiday on which people will display the flags and decorations of the late King and the streets will be decorated with marigolds. It’s also a day on which other festivities occur, most notably the fireworks display that comes at the end of this holiday. Because this is a public holiday, most banks and government offices are closed on this day.
The History Of King Bhumibol’s Birthday
For over 70-years, King Bhumibol reigned in Thailand. His reign stretched from June 9, 1946, until he died on October 13, 2016. His 70-years as Thailand’s King is the longest reign of any monarch in that country. He was born on December 5, 1927, so that is the date that was chosen for this holiday commemorating his life and his reign.
Facts About Thailand
Thailand is a beautiful country with a rich history and culture, so we naturally wanted to find out some facts about it that we could share with everyone. Below are the facts that we’ve learned about this country and we’ll now share them before moving on with this holiday article.
- Thailand is home to the smallest mammal in the world: Kitti’s Hog-Nosed Bat.
- Bangkok is the largest city in Thailand.
- Thailand has approximately 35,000 temples.
- There are 5,000 elephants in Thailand. 100 years ago, there used to be 100,000 of them.
Observing King Bhumibol’s Birthday
Since this king was born on a Monday, and yellow is a color that represents Mondays in Thailand, many marigold and gold-themed decorations are used on this holiday. The flag of Thailand is also hoisted on this holiday all over the country, and people use decorations that feature the likeness of King Bhumibol.