Makha Bucha Day is a Buddhist holiday, which takes place annually on the night of the full moon during the third lunar month of the year and this year it falls on Monday, February 22.
Makha Bucha Day marks the anniversary of the Buddha’s first major sermon. On the full moon of the third lunar month, seven months after the lord Buddha began his teachings when 1,250 monks came together, with no prior arrangement to hear Buddha preach, Buddha ordained these monks and passed to them the basic principles of Buddhism: To eschew all evil, to do only what is good, and to cleanse the mind, along with other teachings which marked a key event in the development of the religion.
It is a three days weekend for many across the country and in Phuket, most government offices will be shut down. The Phuket Immigration Office, the Land Transport Department and the Employment Office, all in Phuket Town, will be closed, as well as District Offices and main banks. Some local consulates will be open for emergency calls while others will be closed.
Post Offices on the island will be open until noon on Monday. However, banks in shopping malls will remain open as normal.
Many Thais will start the day by giving alms to monks in the morning of Makha Bucha and in the evening, people will fill the temples to listen to sermons and partake in the candle light ceremony known as wien tein where they walk clockwise three times around the temple holding flowers, incense and a lit candle.
Popular temples to visit on Makha Bucha are Wat Chalong, Wat Phra Thong, Wat Khao Rang, Phuket Big Buddha, Wat Mai Luang Pu Supha, and Wat Srisoonthorn.
According to an announcement made by the Prime Minister’s office on January 22, 2015, there are five religious days that prohibit the sale of alcohol. The five days are as follows; Makha Bucha, Visakha Bucha, Arsarnraha Bucha, Khao Pansa and Wan Org Pansa days. This announcement bans the sale of alcohol everywhere except duty free shops at International airports.