Asalha Puja is one of the most sacred Buddhist holidays in Thailand, commemorating the day the Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon, which laid the foundation of the Buddhist faith. The observance of Asalha Puja in Thailand is deeply tied to the country's religious heritage, monarchy, and Theravāda Buddhist tradition.

When is Asalha Puja?

Asalha Puja falls on the full moon of the 8th Thai lunar month, typically in July.

The following is the list of Asalha Puja from 2020 to 2039.

The History of Asalha Puja?

The origins of Asalha Puja go back more than 2,500 years, to a full moon day in the Asalha lunar month. On this day, after achieving enlightenment, the Buddha gave his first sermon, the Discourse on the Turning of the Wheel of Dhamma, to five ascetics in the Deer Park at Sarnath, India.

This sermon introduced the Four Noble Truths, the Middle Way, and the Noble Eightfold Path.

Asalha Puja has been observed in Thai culture since the Sukhothai period (13th – 15th centuries), and became more established during the Ayutthaya and Rattanakosin eras.

It was practiced primarily within temple communities, where monks and laypeople would mark the full moon of the eighth lunar month with merit-making and sermons.

In the mid-19th century, King Rama IV (Mongkut), a former monk and respected Buddhist scholar, began aligning the Thai lunar calendar with key events in the Buddha's life. He promoted public Buddhist observances to strengthen national religious identity.

Under his reign, festivals such as Asalha Puja, Makha Bucha, and Visakha Bucha became more structured and widely practiced.

In 1958, Thailand's Supreme Sangha Council and the government formally declared Asalha Puja a national public holiday. It was placed in the official calendar to emphasize its religious significance and reinforce the role of Buddhism in Thai society. Since then, it has been observed nationwide with temple visits, sermons, candlelight processions, and charitable acts.