Short answer
Songkran in Bangkok is celebrated on 13 to 15 April, and in 2027 those dates fall on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The water play centres on Khao San Road, Silom Road and Siam Square. In 2026 Khao San Road allowed it from 12pm to 10pm, banned powder and high-pressure water guns, and fined splashing people who did not want it up to 60,000 baht. The Grand Palace's own schedule lists each day as open or closed, so check it before you go.
Songkran falls on 13 to 15 April
Songkran is the Thai New Year festival, and its dates are fixed. Wikipedia says it is celebrated annually on 13 April, with the holiday period extending from 14 to 15 April. The cabinet set 12 to 14 April in 1989 and later shifted it by one day to 13 to 15 April, which is still in use. In 2027 the days fall on Tuesday 13, Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 April.
The Bank of Thailand has listed those three days as bank holidays for 2027, according to The Nation on 28 August 2026, so banks will be closed. Wikipedia notes that in some years the government has stretched the break: in 2018 the holiday was extended to seven days, 9 to 16 April, to let people travel home. Check for any bridging days when the cabinet decides the 2027 calendar. Wikipedia also records that in 2024 the festival period ran from 1 to 21 April instead of the traditional three days, so organised water events can start well before 13 April and end after the 15th.
Where the water play is in Bangkok
Wikipedia names Khao San Road and Silom Road with Siam Square as the hubs of modern celebration in Bangkok, and says the roads are closed to traffic. The Nation's coverage of Songkran 2026 also names Khao San Road and Silom Road as the main water-play areas. Thairath's report of 13 April 2026 also mentions government and private events and informal water-play zones across the city.
The practical point for visitors: expect to be splashed in and around the hubs, and expect crowds. If you want the festival, go to one of them with a waterproof bag for your phone and clothes you do not mind soaking. If you want a calm day, stay away from them.
The rules that applied in 2026
The Nation reported on 13 April 2026 that water play on Khao San Road was allowed on 13 to 15 April from 12pm to 10pm, with screening at the entrances to keep out high-pressure water guns, powder and chalk powder. It listed fines of up to 60,000 baht for forcing water on people who were not taking part, 5,000 baht for applying powder without consent and up to 4,000 baht for high-pressure guns.
Alcohol was also restricted. The Nation reported on 7 April 2026 that sales must follow the legal windows of 11.00am to 2.00pm and 5.00pm to midnight, and that sales to anyone under 20 are banned. Thairath reported on 13 April that the Bangkok administration was monitoring crowds in real time. These are the 2026 rules; the 2027 rules were not published as of 29 October 2026, so check the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's announcements before you go.
What is open: temples, the Grand Palace and banks
The Grand Palace's official website says it is open daily, with tickets sold from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm at 500 baht for foreigners. It also has a schedules page that lists the status of each day. On 29 October 2026 that page showed only that day, as open all day, and no entries for April 2027, so the Songkran days are not yet confirmed. The page says the calendar may change.
Our tour details add that the palace sometimes closes early or for the whole day for royal ceremonies, and that Wat Pho is open from 8:00 am to 7:30 pm. Banks are closed on the three days. The sources we checked did not give Songkran opening hours for shops, markets or other temples, so ask your hotel on the day. Our Grand Palace dress code and hours guide has the usual hours and rules.
Heat and weather in mid-April
Songkran comes at the hottest time of the year. In the World Meteorological Organization's 1991 to 2020 normals for Bangkok, April has an average high of 35.7 degrees and a night low of 27.2 degrees, with 93.3 mm of rain on 5.4 days.
For a temple day that means sun protection, water and a hat. The Grand Palace's dress code forbids sleeveless tops, see-through, tight or torn clothes, shorts and short skirts, so pack dry, covered clothes for the temples in a bag and keep them away from the water play.
A temple day during Songkran with our tour
Our Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun tour is from $75 per person and takes about 4 hours. The group meets at about 8:30 am near the Grand Palace, and the price includes the three entrance tickets, which cost 500, 300 and 200 baht at the gate, the ferry across the river, an English-speaking guide and a bottle of water. Hotel pickup is not in the base price; ask us.
If your date falls on 13 to 15 April, we tell you on WhatsApp if the palace is closed on your date and confirm the meeting time. The tour starts in the morning, which is before the 12pm start that applied on Khao San Road in 2026, but we cannot promise what the streets will be like. For the stops see the travel guide and the tour schedule.
Who should come at Songkran, and who should not
Songkran suits travellers who want the festival: the water, the crowds and the street parties. It does not suit anyone who wants quiet streets near the hubs. If a temple day matters more to you than the festival, consider dates a week either side of 13 to 15 April, and read the best time to visit Bangkok.
One safety point from the record: Wikipedia says 70 to 80 per cent of the accidents during the long Songkran holiday period are motorcycle accidents, and gives 418 deaths for 11 to 17 April 2018. Skip scooter rental during the holiday if you can, and see the Bangkok taxi and tuk-tuk prices guide for other ways to move around.
Practical checklist
- Check the Grand Palace's official schedule page for 13 to 15 April before you plan a temple day.
- Carry a waterproof pouch for your phone and passport, and keep your temple clothes in a dry bag.
- Leave powder, chalk and high-pressure water guns at the hotel: they were banned on Khao San Road in 2026.
- Cover your shoulders and knees at the temples, even if the rest of the day is wet.
- Withdraw cash and plan transport the day before: banks are closed from 13 to 15 April 2027.
- Tell us your dates on WhatsApp and ask whether the tour meeting point or timing changes.
Questions and answers
What are the dates of Songkran in Bangkok?
13 to 15 April every year. In 2027 that is Tuesday to Thursday, and the Bank of Thailand has listed all three days as bank holidays. Check the cabinet's calendar for any bridging days.
Where can I join the water play in Bangkok?
Wikipedia names Khao San Road and Silom Road with Siam Square as the hubs. In 2026, water play on Khao San Road was allowed from 12pm to 10pm on 13 to 15 April.
What was banned at Songkran 2026?
High-pressure water guns, powder and chalk powder were banned on Khao San Road, and fines went up to 60,000 baht for splashing people who did not want it. Check the 2027 rules before you go.
Is the Grand Palace open during Songkran?
The palace publishes a day-by-day schedule on its website. As of 29 October 2026 it had no entries for April 2027. It also closes sometimes for royal ceremonies, so check before you go.
Does your Bangkok tour run on Songkran days?
We confirm on WhatsApp for each date. The tour is from $75 per person and includes the three temple tickets. We tell you if the palace is closed on your date and confirm the meeting time.
Is it safe to ride a scooter during Songkran?
Wikipedia says 70 to 80 per cent of the accidents in the long holiday period involve motorcycles. We advise against renting one during the festival.