Trying to figure out what the big deal this weekend was here in Chiang Mai Buddhism-wise this is the best I could come up with:

http://chiangmaibest.com/wisaka-bucha-visakha-vesak/

This post is from last year but it seems to point to May 2 as the date for this year.

Surprised I can't find out more about this holiday.

Grin

Edit: BOT site says Wisake Bucha is on June 1, 2015:

https://www.bot.or.th/English/FinancialInstitutions/FIholiday/Pages/2015.aspx

So what is going on now? Is it just some small group celebrating something?

Vesak or Visakah Puja ("Buddha Day")

Traditionally, Buddha's Birthday is known as Vesak or Visakah Puja (Buddha's Birthday Celebrations). Vesak is the major Buddhist festival of the year as it celebrates the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha on the one day, the first full moon day in May, except in a leap year when the festival is held in June. This celebration is called Vesak being the name of the month in the Indian calendar.

http://www.buddhanet.net/festival.htm

No Buddhist holiday this week and next. If there were, bars would be closed. Try https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_holidays_in_Thailand

This is the pinned list of holidays - http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/782233-public-holidays-2015/

Labor Day

I'm still not sure what is going on with the extended family. They spent all day listening to monks expounding at a temple yesterday. Today they are all going to Doi Suthep.

I asked my wife what was going on yesterday when they got back and she said it was a day for Buddha. I asked if it was an official Buddhist holiday and she wasn't sure. I asked how she knew it was a day for Buddha. She said her mother said that it was. I asked her if there was a name for the holiday and she said to ask our son. I asked our son if there was a name for the holiday and he replied with a laugh that it was Saturday.

Jokes on me.

cha-Grin-ned