สวัสดีปีใหม่ (sawatdii pimaï) is Thai for Happy New Year. For those following the Gregorian calendar welcome to the year 2011. For the Buddhists welcome to the year 2554.
December 31st is a public holiday here. It makes some sence to me, when I harken back to my working days and the staff who would be lining up to go home early to get ready to go out for New years. I figure very little actual work got done anyway as they were hard to find after 11AM, and I think if I had a choice I would prefer to have December 31 and January 1st instead of December 25 and 26. Most businesses are closed today except for the shopping malls. Like idiots we decided to go to the mall today.
