Third Day of Lunar New Year in Thailand

In Thailand, the Lunar New Year, often referred to as the Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, is not an official public holiday but is widely celebrated by the Thai-Chinese community. The third day of the Lunar New Year, known as "red mouth" (赤口), is traditionally considered a day that can bring about arguments or conflicts. As a result, some people choose to stay home to avoid disputes.

History and Traditions:

• Ancestral Worship: Thais with Chinese heritage continue to honor their ancestors with offerings and prayers.
• Avoiding Conflict: It's believed that going out could lead to quarrels; hence some people prefer staying indoors.
• House Cleaning: Some may clean their houses on this day as a symbol of sweeping away bad luck and making room for good fortune.

Activities:

• Family Time: Families who venture out might choose relaxing activities over business or confrontational settings.
• Visiting Temples: Some Thai-Chinese visit Buddhist temples to pray for good luck and peace throughout the year.
• Distributing Red Envelopes: Continuing from the first two days, red envelopes (hongbao) with money are given for good luck, mainly from elders to children.

The third day’s practices are more subdued compared to the grand celebrations on the first two days of Lunar New Year.