Loi Krathong - Sky Lanterns

[connda]

I recently read that Sky Lanterns where banned as of 2022 in Chiang Mai during Loi Krathong.  The combination of the Krathongs on the river and the lanterns in the sky WERE the Loi Krathong festival. Did the powers that be manage to destroy a culturally iconic festival in Chiang Mai.  Do they actually enforce that ban?

Personally I don't care - I lived in Chiang Mai back in the day and have fond memories.  But if the powers who need to control the commoners managed to ban one of the things that made the festival so unique and special?  Then I won't be suggesting to any potential foreign tourists to bother going to Chiang Mai during the now deprecated festival.  Enforced? Not enforced?  Same as it was 10 years ago?  Different?  just wondering.

[novacova]

There were a little few lanterns last year in cm, not many though and didn’t hear of any enforcement. Most in the area were released in the banthi area I believe, we didn’t go but could see the streams of lanterns coming out of that area. 

[CMBob]

Not sure where you read that the release of lanterns (khom loy) was banned in 2022 or other years but that's simply incorrect.  I believe they say the sky lanterns are only supposed to be released at certain times for a night or two.  And, at least in the past, the authorities said no lanterns were supposed to be released on the west side (flight path from the airport) although I still saw some being released there. Last year, there were a fair number of flights cancelled on one or two evenings during the Loy Krathong/Yi Peng festival (to avoid a plane ingesting a lantern, of course).

But compared to long ago.....only based on my perception.....there are fewer lanterns in the sky during Loy Krathong during the last several years. 

While the sky lanterns certainly are part of the festival, there's a lot more to it than just the lanterns.

[connda]

11 hours ago, CMBob said:

Not sure where you read that the release of lanterns (khom loy) was banned in 2022 or other years but that's simply incorrect.  I believe they say the sky lanterns are only supposed to be released at certain times for a night or two.  And, at least in the past, the authorities said no lanterns were supposed to be released on the west side (flight path from the airport) although I still saw some being released there. Last year, there were a fair number of flights cancelled on one or two evenings during the Loy Krathong/Yi Peng festival (to avoid a plane ingesting a lantern, of course).

But compared to long ago.....only based on my perception.....there are fewer lanterns in the sky during Loy Krathong during the last several years. 

While the sky lanterns certainly are part of the festival, there's a lot more to it than just the lanterns.

"Yi Peng is a part of Loy Krathong celebrated with the release of thousands of sky lanterns into the night sky.

In 2022 authorities banned the release of sky lanterns in Chiang Mai.

Now, only a few privately organized events, such as the Chiang Mai CAD and the event near Mae Jo University, offer locals and tourists opportunities to enjoy traditional performances, witness the lighting of lanterns, and release their own lanterns into the sky."
--Loy Krathong Festival 2024 in Chiang Mai - Asia Highlights, Dec. 7, 2023

 

Just repeating what I read.  I lived in Chiang Mai until about 2014.  Yi Peng was simply amazing.  I have dreams of it and each year when participating on the streets, I felt the same awe.  It's an amazing sight.  And those lanterns were released en-mass outside of the "Paid To Play" venues especially around the Narawat Bridge area. 
So if there is a decrease in the release of lanterns then I can only assume that the sale of the lanterns is being suppressed and some kind of enforcement is in affect.  As far as the airport goes, they know the festival's schedule and shut down air traffic during the times for the official release of lanterns. 
Those days are gone for me and I'm left with memories as I live in rural Lamphun and have no desire to drive into the cities - been there, done that.  But I still recommend the festival to people in the US.  But if the authorities have killed Yi Peng On The Streets for the average citizens, then I simply won't recommend it any longer as the iconic Yi Peng nights were magical.  Leave it to government to mess up the magic.

[BritManToo]

Nothing last year, fireworks very sparse as well.

Nothing at MaeJo uni dhamma centre either.

Most of the local kom Loy factories shut down.

Loy kratong is dead and gone, killed by Prayut.

Edited August 26 by BritManToo

[connda]

21 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Nothing last year, fireworks very sparse as well.

Nothing at MaeJo uni dhamma centre either.

Most of the local kom Loy factories shut down.

Loy kratong is dead and gone, killed by Prayut.

 

Very sad.  A passing of an era as well as a culturally iconic event. 
Well - I got to experience it when I lived there.  I'm left with memories. 

 

[BakedPanda]

I launched multiple last year in the city as well did hundreds if not thousands of other people. But yeah not as busy as it once was.

[freedomseeker]

The event is still very much alive. Even there was a fire outbreak most likely because of the sky lanterns. It is stupid to release within the city

 

https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40033278

 

 

[Nick Carter icp]

1 hour ago, connda said:

 

Very sad.  A passing of an era as well as a culturally iconic event. 
Well - I got to experience it when I lived there.  I'm left with memories. 

 

 

   Its nice not to see lanterns  stuck in trees the next day and for the next few weeks, months years and lanterns not strewn across the countryside and just left there for ever . 

[JimTripper]

I hope somebody shows up to fly a lantern. It's pretty bad out there now.

[Roo Island]

Went to the beach the next day and it was strewn with the remains of lanterns. Along with reports of many fires.

 

CAD in Chiang Mai is absolutely incredible.

[digbeth]

small sky lantern aren't part of the festivals 30-40 years ago and is a very modern invention, so ban them 

[Tropicalevo]

24 minutes ago, digbeth said:

small sky lantern aren't part of the festivals 30-40 years ago and is a very modern invention, so ban them 

As well as being dangerous.

Lanterns and fireworks are banned here on Koh Samui, but then again...........

[sandyf]

On 8/25/2024 at 10:18 PM, CMBob said:

But compared to long ago.....only based on my perception.....there are fewer lanterns in the sky during Loy Krathong during the last several years.

I would agree with you, the number of lanterns being released has reduced quite significantly in recent years. I think people in general have come to realise how dangerous they can be.

I saw a family with some on the beach one year at New Year. The father had lit it and stepped back allowing 2 young girls to hold on to it. They let it go but it only went up a few feet and came  down again. Girls didn't move and father had a panic to get them out of the way. It just burst into flames on touching the ground.

[CMBob]

Back between 2000 and at least 2010, there were simply thousands of them in the air every night of the Loy Krathong/Yi Peng celebrations.  For several years when I came here on vacation, I would stay at the Duangtawan Hotel, usually on a high floor, and I was astounded at the hundreds (if not thousands) of the sky lantern remnants that were on the roofs of many of the buildings along Chang Klan in the morning.

Then one year, I was standing on the corner of Thaphae Road by the Governor's residence and watched an elderly foreign couple light a lantern on the opposite corner.  They were standing right below a transformer on a power pole and I was hoping they wouldn't release it right there.  But they did, it immediately hit the transformer, the transformer exploded (a big noise and lots of sparks), and the lights as far as you could see down Thaphae Road went out.  Scared the bejeebees out of the old couple who were showered with sparks and then sorta slinked away after seeing what they did (I was glad they weren't hurt).  I then walked to Thaphae Gate in the dark....lol.