Thai Father’s Day

             Father’s Day is celebrated worldwide, but in Thailand, this is a special occasion that takes on a different meaning. Held on December 5th, National Father’s Day commemorates His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great’s birthday and has been observed as a national holiday since 1960.

Symbolic traditions

         On this auspicious day, Thai people pay respect to their father figures, often with traditional gifts such as the symbolic canna flower (Canna indica L.) or Dok Puttharaksa, which is seen as the masculine counterpart to lilies and given to loved ones.

         On Thai Father’s Day, you’ll also notice several Thais wearing yellow. This color in Thailand is strongly identified with the late King, due to the fact that he was born on a Monday. In Thailand, different days of the week are associated with different colors: namely, yellow (Monday), pink (Tuesday), green (Wednesday), orange (Thursday), blue (Friday), purple (Saturday), and red (Sunday).

         Since this day is observed as a public holiday, it is common for families to gather for the occasion to make merit at a local temple or enjoy a family outing.

Father to the people

         Many in Thailand are proud to say they were born in the reign of King Rama IX, the longest reigning monarch of the Chakri Dynasty to date. King Bhumibol leaves a legacy of dedication and sacrifice through his many royal projects, which sought to improve the lives and livelihoods of the people, especially rural farmers, in one form or another.

         Some projects include soil management, where he pioneered techniques to tackle soil acidity, salinity, and erosion. Others put into practice his philosophy of community participation and self-determination, empowering the Thai people to improve their own quality of life.

World Soil Day

            While December 5th is a very special day for Thais, it also marks World Soil Day. In honor of King Rama IX, Thailand supported the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to declare World Soil Day on His Majesty’s birthday.

            This year, the FAO’s “Soils: Where food begins” campaign aims to raise awareness of the importance of soil to maintaining healthy ecosystems and addressing the growing challenges of soil management and fighting soil salinization. The FAO is also organizing a virtual “World Soil Day celebration” in six official languages on December 5th, with artistic performances and an award ceremony for the winners of the Glinka World Soil Prize and King Bhumibol WSD Award.

           Since the first World Soil Day in 2014, the Global Soil Partnership (GSP) has managed to harness interest from soil specialists and enthusiasts alike and interest has expanded from 42 events in 2014 to around 781 celebrations in 125 countries in 2021.

Learn more about World Soil Day at the FAO’s official website. 

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