Note: There was no intercalary month (extra moon) in 1987. The extra month last occurred in 1985 and would next occur in 1988.
for any traditional Cambodian festivals in 1987, such as Pchum Ben or the Water Festival? Khmer New Year - EthnoMed khmer calendar 1987
No. The last leap month (extra 30 days) was in 1985; the next was in 1988. 1987 was a normal 12-month lunar year. Note: There was no intercalary month (extra moon) in 1987
Some important dates in the Khmer calendar for 1987 include: Khmer New Year - EthnoMed No
While modern civil administration in 1987 used the Gregorian calendar, cultural and religious life was guided by the Khmer lunar dates.
The Khmer calendar year 1987 (B.E. 2530 / K.S. 2530) sits within a complex era of Cambodia’s modern history. For anyone interested in calendars, culture, or Cambodian history, this year offers a way to connect timekeeping with social change, traditional festivals, and astronomical cycles that remain meaningful in Khmer life.
Vassa begins on the day after the full moon of Ashad (first waning moon of Sadrapet). For three lunar months, monks remain in their pagodas for intensive meditation and study. Laypeople intensify their practice by abstaining from alcohol, smoking, and meat on holy days. In 1987, many Cambodian families in rural Battambang and Siem Reap provinces made weekly offerings of candles and rice to monks—a practice that had nearly been eradicated a decade earlier.