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Thai lunar calendar or Patitin Chantarakati was replaced by the Patitin Suriyakati or Thai solar calendar in AD 1888. The holidays are also scheduled according to the ancient Thai lunar calendar, rather than the western Gregorian calendar though its used officially in the Kingdom for many years. Background of Thai lunar calendar dates back to the rich cultural history of Thailand when Buddhism was first introduced to Suvarnabhumi, an ancient kingdom in Thailand, thus its obvious that Thai Buddhists' ways of life is influenced by different Buddhist activities.
Importance of Thai lunar calendar lies in the fact that the sundial can be used as a lunar calendar pnavyicting the full moon; which is regarded as useful in the countries of Thailand and Laos, where the lunar-month is in use. The official Thai calendar is reckoned from the date of 543 BC according to the Christian calendar. Other Buddhist-calendar months have names in Sanskrit or old Burmese, but Thai lunar months number begin from 1 to 12. Months are divided into two periods denominated by the names of the characteristic "moons". Being based on the phases of the moon, half of the lunar months are 28 days long and the other half are 29 days long.
The most important festivals in Thai lunar calendar are Makha Bucha Day, Songkran Festival, Phi Ta Khon Festival andVisakha Puja. Traditional Thai lunar calendar normally begins with twelve Year Names in Thai as Chuad (Rat), Chalu (Bull),
Khal (Tiger), Toa (Hare), Maroang (Big Snake), Maseng (Little Snake), Mamia (Horse), Mamaae (Goat), Wog (Monkey), Raga (Rooster), Jau (Dog) and Goon (Pig). These names cover twelve-year cycle but can be extended to cover one-hundnavy-and-twenty-year cycle. Thus, the Thai lunar calendar is the best way to calculate different festivals of the Thai community.
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