Has anyone experienced this at Mae Jo if so could you please share some details on costs and logistics.

 

I know people used to set the lanterns off at Thapae but I heard this was now banned.

 

Thanks 

It used to be a regular local festival (never advertised anywhere), usually on the first Saturday after 'Yi Peng', with tens of thousands of people attending.

Then they crept in an expensive 'tourist experience', usually on the second Saturday after 'Yi Peng', hardly anyone attended.

I've been to 5 or six of the real events over the past ten years.

Stopped now as the General doesn't like it.

 

This is what you missed.

 

So the event isn't on Friday 23rd November this year at Mae Jo?

 

 

I don't know about this year but a generalisation is that this event started out as one of the best, fell victim to its own popularity, especially after TAT started featuring some wonderful pictures in its Amazing Thailand campaign, and couldn't seem to find a way out.  The whole Yi Ping festival seems to have been suppressed by the current Powers That Be but maybe if things change it will start again.

 

 

 

 

Your photos Greenside? Excellent especially the second.

Last few years there as just been the paid event on the night of the full moon. Not sure what night that falls on this year. I live just around the corner from the temple and get to see it from my garden. I think it works out at about $100 USD per person for the paid event.

Looks like its sold out:  https://yeepenglanternfestival.com/

Yes I wasn't really interested in the $100 dollar events more the ones which are free. Anyone know if they still set them off at Thapae or near the iron bridge and what days? 23rd November or just 22nd?

Last year, just prior to Loy Krathong, the city advertised just which days, times, and locations the Khom Loys (Hot Air Lanterns) could be launched.  I expect them to do the same this year.

Yes I wasn't really interested in the $100 dollar events more the ones which are free. Anyone know if they still set them off at Thapae or near the iron bridge and what days? 23rd November or just 22nd?

Loy Krathong falls on 23rd Nov, but in CM the festival lasts 3 days starting on 21st Nov. Yi Peng falls on 22nd Nov which is the full moon night.

I never heard of any mass release of lanterns in Thapae or Kad Luang area. The road on west bank of the river, between Charoen Mueang bridge and northside pedestrian bridge, will be closed to traffic in the evenings. You can get a lantern from the many street vendors for about 30 baht to set it free on the spot.

I suspect this is not the same as the Mai Jo event.  I'm guessing here, but I have the feeling that this company maybe organised the paid event on their behalf and have now proceeded to turn it into an ongoing tourist attraction which has nothing much to do with the original community spirit.

 

Mahseer: Yes, my pictures.  Thanks, here's another...

 

 

I do miss the non-commercial Mae Jo festival. Always got some good images there. Seeing Greenside's photos had me going back and looking at mine. Found this one, which is my favorite. When taking pictures, always look behind you. ????

 

David

 

So is the Mae Jo event no longer held? I am heading to CNX tomorrow for a month. I saw the lanterns fly at Mae Jo in 2013 and wanted to go back this year. Not the the tourist crap they had that year too at a different date. I'd be bummed if there is no Mae Jo event anymore?

I understand it's a very commercial affair with tickets sold. 

 

I just want to go somewhere where you can let them off near the river ping or somewhere. Anyone got an update on this ?

Here's a very informative link with lots of info and suggestions on where to go to enjoy Loy Krathong this year.

https://www.pm-tours.com/pm-tours-blog/yee-peng-and-loy-krathong-2018-a-spectacle-of-lights-in-chiang-mai

On 9/28/2018 at 1:23 AM, Genericnic said:

I do miss the non-commercial Mae Jo festival. Always got some good images there. Seeing Greenside's photos had me going back and looking at mine. Found this one, which is my favorite. When taking pictures, always look behind you. ????

 

David

 

That is one of the most beautiful pictures I've ever seen.

Thanks photojohn. Seems like a good bit of info. Too bad it's all commercialized. I wonder what the locals do at Mae Jo then if anything. In 2013 it was hard to get that info and back then there was a paid event as well. Victim of its own success I guess.

I am so glad I had the chance to go to several of the magnificent lantern releases at Mae Jo when they were still free and uncommercialzed. All you had to do was spend 100 baht for a Kom Loy and you entered the venue and were in a magical surrounding replete with many colorful garbed monks and huge throngs of folks all there to marvel at the festivities. Unfortunately, like most things in Thailand, money takes precedence and the powers to be saw an opportunity to turn the once free festivities into a lucrative enterprise.

17 minutes ago, watgate said:

All you had to do was spend 100 baht for a Kom Loy and you entered the venue

There was never any requirement to spend money to enter the real event.

The powers that be always had a rip-off tourist event the week after.

All that's changed is the NCPH banning lanterns and fireworks.

If you wanted to release a Kom Loy at the now discontinued free event at Mae Jo you had to purchase a Kom Loy inside the venue. You couldn't buy one outside and bring it in to the event. The good ole days when you could attend an amazing spectacle for free unlike now where you have to shell out big bucks.

13 minutes ago, watgate said:

If you wanted to release a Kom Loy at the now discontinued free event at Mae Jo you had to purchase a Kom Loy inside

Nobody forced you to release a lantern. I entered every year for free and just watched from the side and took photos.

I did release a few from the canal bank outside though.

So any news on any gatherings in town or outside?

Since the old event was free and was so spectacular I thought it was only fair to purchase a Kom Loy inside the venue to benefit the Buddhist organization for holding such a fabulous and breathtaking event. I guess there were always some cheap charlies who would attend for free and then buy a kom loy outside the venue at a cheaper price. I figured the least I could do was show some appreciation for the free event by giving the Dharma Society some  business. Also, by releasing a kom loy outside the venue you missed a lot of the great experience of releasing a kom loy with your loved ones, inside the venue, surrounded by the multitudes all doing the same. It was truly a magical and surreal experience and one that is forever etched in ones mind.

On 9/27/2018 at 8:49 PM, Greenside said:

 

God that's scary.

 

Ok guys and gals where is good to go which is free to watch and set off my lantern?

5 minutes ago, stament said:

Ok guys and gals where is good to go which is free to watch and set off my lantern?

 

Thapae Gate, or as close as you can get to it along the moat before it gets too crowded. 

 

Or near the river, like Wat Chaimonkhol temple. (Also extremely crowded)

Remember the original event - the release of the lanterns was only the very last part of it. It was a Buddhist event held by the local temple which was really beautiful. A few hundred people attended and at the end of the ceremony the abbot asked everybody to release the lanterns people had brought along all together.
Then it became so popular that thousands attended - still even though there was hardly any parking but people did not mind walking quite a distance - they did an amazing job organizing the event with the help of locals and hundreds of students from Mae Jo.
They where guiding people to the event, checked lanterns that people brought along and would not allow the ones with metal wiring in. Space was divided with torches allowing 4 people with lanterns around every torch.
The event was something really special organized by a local temple for the locals - until year after year more and more people showed up to the point where the masses not only had no idea what it was about - just focused on the “mass release of the lanterns” which was originally just the end of the real event - and then some greedy people thought they could make a lot of money with it and destroyed it all - the locals where appalled when they heard the 100 $ a ticket story.
Sad really a victim of it’s own success and in the end greed finished it off.



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On 11/15/2018 at 5:52 AM, WinnieTheKhwai said:

 

Thapae Gate, or as close as you can get to it along the moat before it gets too crowded. 

 

Or near the river, like Wat Chaimonkhol temple. (Also extremely crowded)

So should we be looking to get there around 6 or do you think that will be too late?

16 hours ago, boonrawdcnx said:

Remember the original event - the release of the lanterns was only the very last part of it. It was a Buddhist event held by the local temple which was really beautiful. A few hundred people attended and at the end of the ceremony the abbot asked everybody to release the lanterns people had brought along all together.
Then it became so popular that thousands attended - still even though there was hardly any parking but people did not mind walking quite a distance - they did an amazing job organizing the event with the help of locals and hundreds of students from Mae Jo.
They where guiding people to the event, checked lanterns that people brought along and would not allow the ones with metal wiring in. Space was divided with torches allowing 4 people with lanterns around every torch.
The event was something really special organized by a local temple for the locals - until year after year more and more people showed up to the point where the masses not only had no idea what it was about - just focused on the “mass release of the lanterns” which was originally just the end of the real event - and then some greedy people thought they could make a lot of money with it and destroyed it all - the locals where appalled when they heard the 100 $ a ticket story.
Sad really a victim of it’s own success and in the end greed finished it off.



Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

Money #1 Thailand....U Pay Now.....falang price +Vat

Lanterns are being set free on Friday 23rd or is it Thurs 22nd in the old town.