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Loy Krathong Festival

Loy Krathong Festival falls on the full moon of the 12th lunar month, which is usually in November. This festival is performed to reduce bad luck and to apologize to the river goddess. However, in some places, Loy Krathong is celebrated to worship Lord Buddha’s footprint on the bank of the Nanta Maha Natee River. While others, say it is to worship the Buddhist Saint Phra Uppa Khut or Lord Buddha’s chief disciple.

Loy Krathong FestivalIn Thailand, the Loy Krathong Festival is held throughout the country, especially in areas close to rivers and canals, or in areas rich in water resources.

This year the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is joining hands with educational institutions and the Thai Boat Association (TBA) to organize an illuminated boat procession and to place lights on ancient structures along the Chao Phraya River. Both of these activities will add color to the river during the Loy Krathong Festival.

As for the public, Thais will, in a time-honored tradition, bring their homemade krathongs or floral floats and join in the festival by floating their krathongs on the river.

Different areas have their own distinctive local ways to celebrate Loy Krathong, such as the Yi Peng Festival in Chiang Mai Province. The uniqueness of this festival is to float candle-lit lanterns into the sky, to worship the Chula Manee Stupa in heaven.

Making these floating lantern requires great artistic as well as technical effort and experience. Craftsmen use tracing paper or the local sa paper (made from paper mulberry and local plants) to create air bags in different shapes based on their imagination.

Making floating lanterns is believed to take away bad luck and sorrow from individuals and from the household and is often referred to as, “floating away bad luck.”

The Sai or Line Loy Krathong Festival in Tak Province reflects cooperation among local villagers divided into groups. Each group brings thousands of coconut husks and turns them into long lines of lanterns. Each coconut husk contains a piece of dried coconut meat soaked with oil or burnt charcoal as the lamp wick. When all the different groups have brought their lanterns together, they begin to sing and dance with the celebration turning the atmosphere into a joyful atmosphere.

The section of Ping River that flows past Tak Provincial Township is only waist deep and features a series of curves causing the river to zigzag. When the husk lanterns float along this stretch, they flow in an illuminated zigzag line creating an impressive scene.

Loy Krathong Festival in Sukhothai Province consists of floral parades and processions, which include: Phnom Mark or betel nuts, Phnom Dokmai or flowers and a float or lantern procession. Charming ladies, including Naang Noppamas or the queen of Loy Krathong, also join in the parade.

These flowers and betel nuts are brought to pay homage to the statute of King Ramkhamhaeng located in the old city area of Sukhothai. After the ceremony to pay homage to King Ramkhamhaeng, locals as well as tourists gather in the old city center. Then, the floating of Krathongs in different reservoirs begins. The light shining from these Krathongs or lanterns, coupled with the cool weather, will warm visitors with its beauty and tranquility.

Apart from the Loy Krathong Festival, the Lai Rua Fai or The Floating of Illuminated Boats Festival in northeastern Thailand especially in the areas along the Mekong River, is a festival to see. Based on the same faith, it is held on the full moon of the 11th lunar month in October.

Villagers in the areas compete to make rua fai or illuminated boats made from banana trunks or bamboo trees, 10-12 meters in length. Inside these boats, packs of sticky rice, candies and other local goods are placed as an offering. The exterior of the boats are decorated with flowers, candles, joss sticks, lanterns and burning torches.

Each year, rua fai or illuminated boats are made in different shapes, including models based on important places or based on animals as described in the Ramayana Epic. When these illuminated boats float by, the river is turned into a beautiful night scene, brightly lit by thousands of lanterns making an impressive picture for those who have a chance to enjoy it.

 
 
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