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Festival of lights

Diwali in Thailand 2026

Diwali 2026: Sunday, 8 November 2026

Dates and venues checked against the organisers’ own pages on .

Diwali 2026 in Thailand is on Sunday, 8 November 2026. The sun sets at 5:48 pm in Bangkok. Lakshmi Puja is performed in the evening after sunset, in the pradosh period — roughly the first two and a half hours after it; the lamps are lit as it gets dark. The biggest public celebrations are The First Light at Central Bangrak, 3–4 November, Lotus by the River at ICONSIAM, 6–8 November, with fireworks on Diwali, Threads of Faith in Phahurat, Bangkok’s Little India, 20–24 November and Music on the Avenue at EMQUARTIER, 26–29 November.

Thailand’s Diwali is the Indian community’s, above all at the Tamil Sri Maha Mariamman Temple on Silom Road, which is lit up for Deepavali, and in Phahurat, the Little India of textile shops and sweet sellers. On 30 October the Tourism Authority of Thailand joined the launch of the Amazing Thailand Grand Diwali Festival 2026: seven free celebrations from 3 to 29 November, organised by the Indian Association of Thailand and the Thai–India Trade and Tourism Association, in collaboration with the Authority and the Embassy of India. Four are in Bangkok (Central Bangrak, ICONSIAM’s Riverpark, Phahurat and EMQUARTIER), two in Pattaya and one in Phuket. Diwali 2026 is Sunday 8 November.

Diwali is not a public holiday in Thailand. Police say that setting off fireworks without permission is a criminal offence under the Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, Fireworks and Imitation Firearms Act, with up to three years in prison and a fine of up to 60,000 baht, and that parts of Bangkok impose strict bans in festival periods, so the festival’s light comes from diyas, lanterns and the organised shows.

Sunset on Diwali 2026 in Thailand

Sunday, 8 November 2026 · local time, worked out for each city centre

CitySunset
Bangkok5:48 pm

Diwali 2026 in Thailand at a glance

DateWhatWhere
3–4 NovemberThe First Light (Amazing Thailand Grand Diwali Festival)Central Bangrak, Bangkok
6–8 NovemberLotus by the River (Amazing Thailand Grand Diwali Festival)Riverpark, ICONSIAM, on the Chao Phraya, Bangkok
Sunday, 8 NovemberDiwali itselfHomes, temples and community dinners across the country
20–24 NovemberThreads of Faith (Amazing Thailand Grand Diwali Festival)Phahurat (Little India) and Khlong Ong Ang, Bangkok
26–29 NovemberMusic on the Avenue (Amazing Thailand Grand Diwali Festival)Quartier Avenue, EMQUARTIER, Bangkok

Diwali 2026 dates

  1. Friday, 6 November

    Dhanteras

  2. Saturday, 7 November

    Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali)

  3. Sunday, 8 November

    Diwali — Lakshmi Puja

  4. Monday, 9 November

    Govardhan Puja and Annakut

  5. Tuesday, 10 November

    Bhai Dooj

The biggest Diwali celebrations in Thailand

The First Light (Amazing Thailand Grand Diwali Festival)

When
Tuesday 3 November 2026, with the diya-lighting ceremony from 5pm to 6pm and live Bollywood music after it; activities continue until Wednesday 4 November
Where
Central Bangrak, Bangkok
Entry
Free

The first of the five diya-lighting ceremonies in the Amazing Thailand Grand Diwali Festival 2026, at the Central Bangrak shopping centre, followed by live Bollywood music. The festival is organised by the Indian Association of Thailand and the Thai–India Trade and Tourism Association, in collaboration with the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Embassy of India, and admission to all seven of its celebrations is free.

Tourism Authority of Thailand — Amazing Thailand Grand Diwali Festival 2026 ↗

Lotus by the River (Amazing Thailand Grand Diwali Festival)

When
Friday 6 to Sunday 8 November 2026; on Diwali itself, Sunday 8 November, the diya-lighting ceremony is from 5pm to 6pm and the riverside fireworks are at 6pm
Where
Riverpark, ICONSIAM, on the Chao Phraya, Bangkok
Entry
Free

A three-day Diwali celebration at ICONSIAM’s Riverpark that combines Indian cultural traditions with the setting on the Chao Phraya. On Diwali Day it has a diya-lighting ceremony and riverside fireworks at 6pm, as part of the Amazing Thailand Grand Diwali Festival 2026, which the Tourism Authority of Thailand supports.

Tourism Authority of Thailand — Amazing Thailand Grand Diwali Festival 2026 ↗

Threads of Faith (Amazing Thailand Grand Diwali Festival)

When
Friday 20 to Tuesday 24 November 2026; the diya-lighting ceremony is on 24 November from 5pm to 6pm
Where
Phahurat (Little India) and Khlong Ong Ang, Bangkok
Entry
Free

Bangkok’s Little India takes centre stage in the Amazing Thailand Grand Diwali Festival 2026, building on the Diwali celebrations held along Khlong Ong Ang since 2022. The diya-lighting ceremony on 24 November marks one full-moon night shared by Dev Deepavali, Loi Krathong and Gurpurab.

Tourism Authority of Thailand — Amazing Thailand Grand Diwali Festival 2026 ↗

Music on the Avenue (Amazing Thailand Grand Diwali Festival)

When
Thursday 26 to Sunday 29 November 2026; the final diya-lighting ceremony is on 29 November from 5pm to 6pm
Where
Quartier Avenue, EMQUARTIER, Bangkok
Entry
Free

The closing celebration of the Amazing Thailand Grand Diwali Festival 2026, at the EMQUARTIER shopping centre, ending with the fifth diya-lighting ceremony. Across the festival’s seven celebrations the programme has Indian cultural performances, Bollywood music, festive markets and food.

Tourism Authority of Thailand — Amazing Thailand Grand Diwali Festival 2026 ↗

Diwali events in Thailand1 listed

Diwali in Bangkok →

Where to celebrate Diwali in Thailand, city by city

Diwali in Bangkok

On Diwali itself, Sunday 8 November 2026, families go to the Tamil Sri Maha Mariamman Temple on Silom Road, which is lit up for Deepavali, and ICONSIAM’s Riverpark hosts Lotus by the River, with a diya-lighting ceremony from 5pm to 6pm and riverside fireworks at 6pm. Phahurat, Bangkok’s Little India, sells the clothes and sweets and has its own programme, Threads of Faith, from 20 to 24 November. These are part of the free Amazing Thailand Grand Diwali Festival 2026, supported by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, which also has The First Light at Central Bangrak on 3–4 November and Music on the Avenue at EMQUARTIER from 26 to 29 November.

New Indian events near Thailand, by email

Once a week, and only when something new is on within 10 km of where you live — garba nights, Diwali melas, meetups, concerts. Free, and one click switches it off.

Diwali is better with people near you

The Namaste Community app finds everything around you in Thailand and in every other country — free.

  • Groups near youJoin the Indian community groups in your city — chat, plans and people who get it.
  • Events near youEvery Diwali mela, festival and meetup, ranked by distance, with RSVP and reminders.
  • Buy and sellSarees, kurtas, furniture, kitchen things — from people a few streets away.
  • Rent near youRooms and flats from the community, with the person behind the listing one tap away.
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What Diwali is

The biggest night of the Indian year: lamps, sweets, new clothes and fireworks. Abroad it is celebrated over the surrounding weekends, with one large public event in most big cities.

Diwali marks the return of Rama to Ayodhya and the victory of light over darkness; for many families it is also the day of Lakshmi Puja and the start of a new business year. Homes are cleaned and lit with diyas, sweets are exchanged, and the evening ends with fireworks.

Diwali dates and how it is celebrated around the world →

If it is your first one in Thailand

  • Book restaurant tables two weeks ahead — the Diwali weekend fills every Indian restaurant in town.
  • Check local fireworks rules before buying any; most European towns restrict them to New Year.
  • Sweets (mithai) can be ordered from Indian grocers a week ahead; many deliver nationwide.
  • The big city events sell tickets in advance and sell out; children under a certain age are usually free.

Questions people ask

When is Diwali 2026 in Thailand?
Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday, 8 November 2026. It is not a public holiday in Thailand, so the community celebrates on the weekends around it — 1 event is listed on this page, each with its own date.
What time is sunset on Diwali 2026 in Thailand?
On Sunday, 8 November 2026, the sun sets at 5:48 pm in Bangkok. The times are worked out for each city centre with a flat horizon, as every published table gives them; behind buildings or hills it appears a few minutes later. Lakshmi Puja is performed in the evening after sunset, in the pradosh period — roughly the first two and a half hours after it; the lamps are lit as it gets dark.
Where can I celebrate Diwali in Thailand?
Thailand’s Diwali is the Indian community’s, above all at the Tamil Sri Maha Mariamman Temple on Silom Road, which is lit up for Deepavali, and in Phahurat, the Little India of textile shops and sweet sellers. On 30 October the Tourism Authority of Thailand joined the launch of the Amazing Thailand Grand Diwali Festival 2026: seven free celebrations from 3 to 29 November, organised by the Indian Association of Thailand and the Thai–India Trade and Tourism Association, in collaboration with the Authority and the Embassy of India. Four are in Bangkok (Central Bangrak, ICONSIAM’s Riverpark, Phahurat and EMQUARTIER), two in Pattaya and one in Phuket. Diwali 2026 is Sunday 8 November. This year’s listings so far are in Bangkok.
Can non-Indians go to Diwali events in Thailand?
Yes. Almost every community event is open to everyone and runs in English; temple and gurdwara celebrations welcome visitors too — dress modestly, and cover your head in a gurdwara.
Is Diwali a public holiday in Thailand in 2026?
No. Diwali is not on Thailand’s list of public holidays, and in 2026 it falls on Sunday 8 November.
What date is Diwali in Bangkok in 2026?
Sunday 8 November 2026, with Dhanteras on Friday 6 November, according to Drik Panchang’s calendar for Bangkok; the Lakshmi Puja is performed after sunset.
Can I set off fireworks for Diwali in Thailand?
No, not without permission. Thai police say that setting off fireworks without permission is a criminal offence under the Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, Fireworks and Imitation Firearms Act, carrying up to three years in prison, a fine of up to 60,000 baht, or both, and that parts of Bangkok impose strict bans in festival periods. Watch the organised shows instead, such as the riverside fireworks at ICONSIAM’s Riverpark at 6pm on Sunday 8 November, part of the Amazing Thailand Grand Diwali Festival, which the Tourism Authority of Thailand supports.
Where can I pray at Diwali in Bangkok?
At the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple on Silom Road, Bangkok’s main Tamil Hindu temple, which is brightly lit for Deepavali. Temple timings for 2026 had not been published by 30 October. The Amazing Thailand Grand Diwali Festival, which the Tourism Authority of Thailand supports, adds free diya-lighting ceremonies in Bangkok, each from 5pm to 6pm: at Central Bangrak on 3 November, ICONSIAM’s Riverpark on 8 November, Phahurat on 24 November and EMQUARTIER on 29 November.

Organising something?

Post it from the app under Events, wherever you are. It is free, a moderator checks it, and it appears here and to every member nearby. Running several a year? Email [email protected] for a listing invite.