Next: 14 to 16 Apr 2027
Choul Chnam Thmey
The Khmer new year: sand mounds at the pagoda, a bath for the Buddha, games of angkunh and Bonn Chol Chnam.
When is Choul Chnam Thmey in 2027?
Choul Chnam Thmey 2027 runs from 14 to 16 April 2027. Other years: 2026, 14 to 16 April 2026; 2028, 14 to 16 April 2028.
About Choul Chnam Thmey
Choul Chnam Thmey, "entering the new year", is celebrated over three days from about 14 April, at the end of the harvest and before the rains. Each day has a name: Moha Songkran, the arrival of the new angel, Virak Wanabat, a day of giving to relatives and the poor, and Vearak Loeung Sak, the day of the Buddha bath, when people wash the statues and their elders' feet. Families clean their homes, set up an altar with offerings, and go to the pagoda to build mounds of sand, topped with flags, to honour Buddha's relics. Young people play traditional games, including angkunh, a seed-throwing game, and bos angkunh, along with tug of war and Khmer chess.
Choul Chnam Thmey dates: 2026, 2027, 2028
| Year | Choul Chnam Thmey date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 14 to 16 April 2026 |
| 2027 | 14 to 16 April 2027 |
| 2028 | 14 to 16 April 2028 |
What is eaten
- num ansom
- nom banh chok
- fruit
Also part of it, and being written: Angkunh (The traditional seed-tossing game.), Songkran (The wider festival family.), Pagoda (The temple at the centre of the days.).
More marked on Choul Chnam Thmey
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background: "Khmer New Year" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.