When and where
Next edition: The date for next year is not confirmed yet; the festival is usually held in September / October.
When: Around the new moon of the 10th month (September/October)
Rule: Lunar calendar. 2026: 28 September-12 October.
Dates can change. Check the current date shortly before your trip with the local organisers or the tourist office.
About Sart Duan Sip (Tenth Month Festival)
Sart Duan Sip is the ancestor-honouring festival of southern Thailand. Families prepare offerings with special dishes, such as 'Ba Sa' and 'Khanom La', give them to monks and believe the spirits of the dead return to eat. It is a family and community festival celebrated in Nakhon Si Thammarat with processions and markets. It touches on deep traditions of respect for the dead.
Getting there
Nakhon Si Thammarat has an airport; bus or train from Surat Thani.
Highlights
- Ancestor offerings Families bring special dishes to the temple.
- Khanom La Traditional sweets for the ritual.
- City fair Processions and markets in town.
Tips for Sart Duan Sip (Tenth Month Festival)
- Come in the morning for temple rituals.
- Taste the sweets.
- Check local dates.
More photos of Sart Duan Sip (Tenth Month Festival)
Parade group with two costumed 'pretas' returning from hell at the Sart Duen Sip festival (2025) Photo: AjarnRichard · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons 
People kneeling with offerings in a decorated area during the Sat Duan Sip festival in southern Thailand Photo: SouthernTHKnown · CC0 1.0 · Wikimedia Commons 
A temple fair scene with stalls and offerings during Sat Duan Sip in southern Thailand Photo: SouthernTHKnown · CC0 1.0 · Wikimedia Commons 
Visitors walking through temple grounds with offering stalls during Sat Duan Sip in southern Thailand Photo: SouthernTHKnown · CC0 1.0 · Wikimedia Commons 
Costumed figures gathered in front of a building at Wat Thung Luang in Surat Thani during Sat Duan Sip (2 October 2024) Photo: Tiwa1353 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Sart Duan Sip (Tenth Month Festival) on the map
Pinch to zoom; tap a point for more info. Open circles: approximate location.
The location on the map is approximate.
The map shows Nakhon Si Thammarat, the heart of the festival.
Frequently asked questions about Sart Duan Sip (Tenth Month Festival)
When is Sart Duan Sip (Tenth Month Festival) in 2026?
Sart Duan Sip falls in 2026 on 28 September – 12 October, at Nakhon Si Thammarat town. Rule: Around the new moon of the 10th month (September/October). An official or clearly documented source confirms this date.
Where is the best place to see Sart Duan Sip (Tenth Month Festival)?
Watch it best at Nakhon Si Thammarat town. Families bring special dishes to the temple. Nakhon Si Thammarat has an airport; bus or train from Surat Thani. Traditional sweets for the ritual. Highlight: City fair – Processions and markets in town. Sart Duan Sip is the ancestor-honouring festival of southern Thailand.
Is Sart Duan Sip (Tenth Month Festival) free to attend?
Yes, watching is free. The venue is Nakhon Si Thammarat town. Come in the morning for temple rituals. Taste the sweets. Highlight: Ancestor offerings – Families bring special dishes to the temple. Highlight: Khanom La – Traditional sweets for the ritual.
Festivals near Nakhon Si Thammarat town
- Hae Pha Khun That (Nakhon Si Thammarat) 2 km as the crow flies
- Trang Love Festival (Underwater Wedding) 105 km as the crow flies
- Chak Phra Festival (Surat Thani) 105 km as the crow flies
- Koh Samui Buffalo Fighting 120 km as the crow flies
- Full Moon Party (Koh Phangan) 140 km as the crow flies
Also in September / October
- Akha Swing Festival
- Nan Boat Races
- Phichit Long Boat Races
- Koh Samui Buffalo Fighting
- Chonburi Buffalo Races
- Chak Phra Festival (Surat Thani)