Government declares August 20th a public holiday

Sunday, August 19th is an important day for the citizens of Thailand. It’s the day Thais will cast their ballots to vote on the new draft of the country’s constitution. The Monday has been declared a public holiday to encourage people who may be working outside their hometown to return and cast their vote.

Due to the short notice of the announcement, banks will remain open, but all private and public organizations will be closed. The decision was made after a proposition by the Election Commission, who believe the decision will result in a higher voter turnout.

It was discussed with the Thai Bankers Association that they would also close on the 20th, but they decided that there wasn’t sufficient time to prepare for a bank holiday.

So what does this mean for visitors that find themselves in Thailand on this day? The good news is that unlike other public holidays, the sale of alcohol will still be allowed. Business catering to tourists will have the choice to remain open or not, so its unlikely to find yourself in a situation where absolutely everything is closed in major tourist centres.