Phuket school holidays 2026: term dates and calendar

Thailand public holidays 2026

Schools in Phuket close on Thai national public holidays. Several of the Buddhist holy days move with the lunar calendar and are confirmed by the government each year. The headline 2026 dates are:

Songkran is the one to plan around. The official holiday runs 13 to 15 April, but Phuket effectively slows for the best part of a week, and the island fills with domestic and regional tourists. Most international schools schedule their spring break to absorb it.

Thai national school term dates

Thai government and most Thai private schools follow a two-semester academic year that is set nationally and is quite different from the Western pattern. The structure for 2026 is:

Individual Thai schools set their exact opening and closing days within this national framework, so the dates above are the pattern rather than fixed days. The longest Thai break is the hot-season holiday from March to mid-May, which is the opposite end of the year from the international school summer break.

International school term dates 2026-27

The international schools that dominate Phuket, including British International School Phuket, UWC Thailand, HeadStart and others, run a three-term British-style year from August to late June. As a representative example, British International School Phuket has published the following break dates for its 2026-27 year, which open with the autumn term in August 2026:

Other international schools sit within a few days of this pattern, with the summer holiday running from late June through July and August. Schools on an American calendar, such as those following a US semester model, instead break for Thanksgiving in November and finish the year in June. Dates vary by school, so confirm against your school's published calendar before booking travel. To understand how each programme is built, see our curriculum guides, and for country-wide context our Thailand schools guide.

Planning the year

Three practical notes for Phuket families. First, international school fees are billed by term, with the largest invoice due before the August start, so plan the biggest outflow for late summer; our Phuket international school fees guide gives the ranges. Second, the October mid-term break is a strong window for regional travel because it sits outside the European school holidays and ahead of the December peak, while flights out of Phuket over Christmas need booking by September. Third, the spring break in April coincides with Songkran and the hottest, busiest part of the island's year, so a trip off the island can be a relief rather than a holiday at home. For neighbourhoods and the school map, our Phuket city guide has the detail.

Common questions

When do schools break up in Phuket? International schools on a British calendar break up for summer in late June or early July, with a winter break from mid-December. Thai national schools close for their long breaks in October and from March.

How long is the summer holiday in Phuket? International schools take around seven to eight weeks across July and August. Thai schools have no northern summer break; their longest holiday is March to mid-May.

When does the 2026 school year start in Phuket? International schools begin the 2026-27 year in August 2026. Thai national schools start their first semester in mid-May 2026.

Does Songkran close schools in Phuket? Yes. Songkran runs 13 to 15 April 2026 and closes every school. International schools usually absorb it into their spring break.

Related guides

• Phuket international school fees
• Phuket city guide
• Dubai school holidays 2026