Thailand celebrates ‘Children’s Day’ with both fun and educational activities

Thai Children’s Day 2024, locally known as Wan Dek, is celebrated on Saturday Jan 13. While it is not a public holiday in Thailand, this day is marked by a range of fun and educational activities for children and is separate from World Children’s Day, which is globally observed on November 20th.

Various public services and establishments across Thailand, including zoos, wildlife parks, the Thai Red Cross Museum, Museum Siam, Government House, Parliament House, and military bases, are organizing special events. Most of these activities are offered free of charge to celebrate the day.

This year’s Thai Children’s Day includes several key events. The Children’s Discovery Museum is organizing “The Little Sea Guardian” event to educate children about marine ecosystems, which can be attended on-site or viewed via livestream. Parliament House is hosting “NASAPA Land: Guardians of the World,” which includes a variety of activities such as a DIY workshop and a tour of the Senate chambers. The Bangkok Art and Culture Center (BACC) is offering “BACC Kid’s Tours” and a greeting card workshop. The Thai Red Cross Society’s event, themed “Thai Youth with Volunteer Heart,” focuses on both fun and educational activities. The Thai-Japanese Bangkok Youth Center is celebrating with a festival that includes carnival attractions and musical performances.

An additional feature of the day is free rides on the MRT and BTS railway systems in Bangkok for children under 140 cm in height and below the age of 14. This encourages families to travel and enjoy the day’s events together.

Each year, the Prime Minister of Thailand presents a unique motto for Children’s Day. The motto for 2024, selected by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, is “Broaden horizons, foster creativity, respect diversity, and join forces in building democracy.” This tradition, which started in 1956, aims to inspire and direct the focus for the youth of Thailand. (NNT)