HSL.
Sign in

Buddhist Era Converter - BE to CE and Back, Sri Lanka and Thailand

Turn a Gregorian (CE) year into a Buddhist Era (BE) year and back, or find the BE year of a full date. Two conventions are shown side by side.

Maintained by Hirantha Sandaruwan Lakshan. Updated 13 October 2026.

About this tool

In Thailand, BE is CE + 543 and the year changes on 1 January. In Sri Lanka the Buddhist year number is taken to go up at Vesak, so one Gregorian year holds two Buddhist years; that is a convention, and we found no official rule for the exact day. On 13 October 2026 the year is BE 2570 by the Sri Lankan count and BE 2569 by the Thai count.

How it works

The simple rule is BE = CE + 543, and CE = BE - 543. It is exact for the Thai civil calendar, which has started its year on 1 January since 1941 (BE 2484 began on 1 January 1941). From 1912 to 1940 the Thai year began on 1 April, so a January to March date in those years is CE + 542. Thailand did not use the Buddhist Era officially before 1912, so for earlier dates the tool applies the same rules only as a convention.

In Sri Lanka the Buddhist year is counted from Vesak, the full moon Poya of May. A Daily Mirror feature on Vesak calls it the start of the Buddhist new year, and gives 2543 BE for 2000 AD (CE + 543). Government notices number the State Vesak Festival as the festival of Buddhist year 2569 in 2025 and 2570 in 2026. Counting from there, a date from 1 January to the day before Vesak is CE + 543, and a date from Vesak Poya Day to 31 December is CE + 544.

What we could not confirm: we found no Act or official notice that fixes the exact day the Sri Lankan year number changes. This tool counts Vesak Poya Day itself as the first day of the new year, which fits the festival numbering, but treat it as a convention. The festival week begins a few days earlier (in 2025 it began on 10 May and Vesak Poya Day was 12 May), so a certificate or calendar may label those days differently.

The full-date mode uses Vesak Poya Days from the Central Bank of Sri Lanka's holiday lists for 2023 to 2027. For any other year it shows both possible BE years and says why. 2026 is a special case. The Poya calendar lists Friday 1 May as Vesak, but on 22 April 2026 the Government announced that, at the request of the Chief Prelates, Vesak Full Moon Poya Day would be observed on Saturday 30 May (the Cabinet declared Vesak Week for 27 May to 2 June). A date from 1 to 29 May 2026 can therefore be BE 2569 or BE 2570 depending on which date you use.

Worked examples

13 October 2026

Thailand: BE 2569 (2026 + 543). Sri Lanka: BE 2570, because Vesak 2026 has already passed (2026 + 544).

15 January 2026

Both counts give BE 2569. They agree from 1 January until Vesak, and differ from Vesak to 31 December.

BE 2570 back to CE

Thailand: BE 2570 is the whole of 2027. Sri Lanka: BE 2570 runs from Vesak 2026 to the day before Vesak 2027, so it covers late 2026 and early 2027.

Vesak Poya Day and the Sri Lankan Buddhist year

Vesak Poya DayBefore itFrom it
Friday 5 May 2023BE 2566BE 2567
Thursday 23 May 2024BE 2567BE 2568
Monday 12 May 2025BE 2568BE 2569
2026: Friday 1 May in the Poya calendar, Saturday 30 May as announcedBE 2569BE 2570
Wednesday 19 May 2027BE 2570BE 2571

Frequently asked questions

What is the Buddhist year now?

On 13 October 2026 it is BE 2570 by the Sri Lankan Vesak count and BE 2569 by the Thai calendar count. Sri Lanka's count went up at Vesak 2026. Thailand's goes up on 1 January 2027.

Why do Sri Lanka and Thailand give different years?

They change the year number on different days. Thailand changes it on 1 January, so BE has been CE + 543 since 1941. Sri Lanka changes it at Vesak, so BE is CE + 543 early in the year and CE + 544 after Vesak.

Is the Buddhist Era always CE + 543?

Only in the Thai civil calendar, and in Sri Lanka before Vesak. After Vesak the Sri Lankan count is CE + 544. Other Buddhist countries start their year on other days and are not covered here.

On which day does the Sri Lankan Buddhist year change?

At Vesak. This tool uses Vesak Poya Day itself as the first day of the new year. We found no official notice that defines the exact day, so treat a date within a day or two of Vesak with care.

Why is the 2026 date unclear?

The Poya calendar listed Friday 1 May 2026 as Vesak, and 30 May as Adhi Poson. On 22 April 2026 the Government announced that Vesak would be observed on Saturday 30 May, at the request of the Chief Prelates, with Vesak Week from 27 May to 2 June. A date from 1 to 29 May 2026 can be read either way, so the tool shows both years.

What if I need a Vesak date outside 2023 to 2027?

The tool then shows both possible years: CE + 543 for a date before that year's Vesak and CE + 544 from Vesak Poya Day. Look up that year's Vesak Poya Day in the Poya calendar to choose between them.

Does it work for dates before 1941 in Thailand?

Yes, with one change. From 1912 to 1940 the Thai year began on 1 April, so a January to March date in those years uses CE + 542 and the rest of the year uses CE + 543. Thailand did not use the Buddhist Era officially before 1912, so treat results for earlier dates as a convention only.

Sources & references

Updated Oct 13, 2026