Loy Krathong (Floating Lantern) Festival Nov 28th 2012

The floating lanterns in the sky

On the 28th of November Thailand had its most beautiful, fascinating and romantic festivals of the year.  Its called the Loy Krathong Festival.  It happens in every city around the country.  It's always happens on the full moon of the 12th lunar month according to the Thai calendar making this usually happen during the month of November.  The purpose of the festival is to pay respect to the water Goddess and to send bad spirits off with the krathong, ensuring good fortune for the coming year.  It is not a school or government holiday and it starts in the evening at dusk after school and work are finished.  

A Krathong

Krathongs for sale

The word "Loy" means float and "Krathong" is a handmade floating arrangement made of banana leaves and flowers.  There are two main things each individual does during the festival.  One they float these krathongs on some sort of body of water.  They light the candle and incense in the arrangement say a prayer to the water Goddess and float the "krathong."  The second thing done is to light a floating lantern into the sky.  The lanterns are made out of rice paper and bamboo.  The bamboo is dipped in kerosine and that is the part of the lantern you light.  The lantern has to be held while lit for a few minutes to get hot and full of smoke to float into the sky.  In Surin the even is held at a man-made left over moat from centuries ago. 

 

Me holding my unlit lantern

Me ready to send off my lantern.