Khmer Calendar 1987 -

Each year in the Khmer calendar is associated with a sacred animal. 1987 was the Year of the Fire Cat (sometimes called Rabbit or Hare in other Southeast Asian systems). The Cat is the 4th animal in the 12-year cycle. Those born in the Year of the Cat (e.g., 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987) are said to be gentle, polite, artistic, and lucky in love. However, 1987 was specifically the Fire Cat—meaning the elemental attribute of Fire added ambition, intensity, and a tendency toward quick temper.

Notable Khmer born in the Year of the Cat: Norodom Sihanouk (born 1922 – Cat? Actually, 1922 is Dog; Sihanouk was 1922 – Dog. Correction: Sihanouk was born Oct 31, 1922 – Year of the Dog. The Cat year includes many artists and diplomats.)

The Khmer year equivalent to 1987 in the Gregorian calendar is the year 2531 (ត្រីវស្សា) in the Khmer calendar. khmer calendar 1987

Bon Om Tuk marks the reversal of the Tonlé Sap River’s flow. In 1987, it fell on the full moon of Katdok (around October 27–28). In pre-war Phnom Penh, it was a massive celebration with boat races, fireworks, and a royal banquet. In 1987, the festival was modestly observed in Phnom Penh under Vietnamese-backed authorities, but in the refugee camps on the Thai border, it was a spectacular display of Khmer identity: longboats carved by hand, singing contests, and illuminated floats.

In Khmer astrology (Hora), 1987 is dominated by the Rabbit (or Cat, depending on the region). The "Fire" element signifies energy, passion, and action. For Cambodians, the Rabbit year is considered gentle but cunning. In 1987, monks would have chanted specific Sautr to ward off the volatility of the Fire element, hoping for a harvest that was abundant but not destructive. Each year in the Khmer calendar is associated

In the Khmer zodiac (12-year cycle, similar to Chinese), 1987 was the Year of the Fire Rabbit (ថោះ រោង). Those born in 1987 (after the April New Year) are considered Rabbits – known for being gentle, artistic, and cautious.


To convert any specific 1987 Gregorian date to Khmer lunar: To convert any specific 1987 Gregorian date to

In 1987, Cambodia was slowly emerging from a decade of turmoil following the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime (1979) and the subsequent Vietnamese occupation. While politics dominated headlines, the daily lives of Cambodians—both inside the country and in diaspora communities in France, the US, and Australia—continued to be guided by an ancient, sophisticated lunisolar system: the Khmer calendar.

The year 1987 in the Gregorian system corresponds primarily to Buddhist Era (BE) 2530 (from January 1 to April 13, 1987) and BE 2531 (from April 14 to December 31, 1987). For the Khmer, the most significant turning point was not January 1, but Chaul Chnam Thmey—the Khmer New Year—which fell on April 13, 14, and 15, 1987 (BE 2531).

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.