We went to Koh Lanta to visit friends for the Loy Krathong festival. Last night on the beach while people were setting of those sky lanterns one one of them instead of heading out to sea was blown back and down onto the roof of a beach bar and the whole thing was a mass of flame in moments.

Luckily no one was hurt but the bar is a write off. Shame really as every one has been working hard getting their places ready for the season that is just about starting, don't know if the owner has the money to start over again.

So any bar and restaurant owners watch out for those flying lanterns.

I really dislike the practice of the "lucky ballons." The unburnt fuel ends up in the ocean, and I have seen remnants of them washed up ashore littering the beach. It's sad Thai people have no concern for littering whatsover.

TIT

TIT!!! agreed

TIT!!! agreed

Hmm, I am pretty sure that when I lived in Europe there were news articles about apartments/house burning down every New Year's Eve as a result of fireworks .

TIT!!! agreed

Hmm, I am pretty sure that when I lived in Europe there were news articles about apartments/house burning down every New Year's Eve as a result of fireworks .

Topical, but in 48 hours, plus the 7 time difference, the UK will be celebrating Guy Fawkes night with a large proportion praying for a reincarnation of Mr Fawkes to come back and get it right this time.

I assume the bar roof was palm thatch, dry as tinder and the whole lot went up in seconds. Very lucky nobody got hurt.

Not on Koh Lanta, (on Koh Chang, Loy Krathong 2007) but another example of what happens when paper lanterns dont drift out over the sea and instead come down on dry grassland.

have to say, i'm amazed there's not more fires considering how many lanterns are released.

I've nearly had a couple of market stalls alight myself.

But it's all good.......If we were back in europe all this would be "BANNED" by now. Lucky for us, we're not...

Well, it had to happen...

I've seen those things come down on some dead branches and light a tree and a fence on fire, but it was only a matter of time before this happened...

I really dislike the practice of the "lucky ballons." The unburnt fuel ends up in the ocean, and I have seen remnants of them washed up ashore littering the beach. It's sad Thai people have no concern for littering whatsover.

I started a post on these types of lanterns on the General Forum. I focused on their environmental problems (plastic strips, baling wire, etc) but it goes without saying the potential for starting fires is real. Sorry to hear of the beach place going up in flames. What a bitter disappointment and loss for the owners.

If we are to talk about environmental problems, it would be better to get rid of 7-11's plastic bag obsession first, rather than "lucky lanterns" for a few days of the year.

I heard on the radio that Phuket are to ban all plastic bags from the island. Good Luck with it, it's a great idea and hopefully everywhere else will follow.

I have seen great patches of forest destroyed because of these luck or unlucky lanterns, the practice is now taking off in the UK, there will be a accident soon .

These lucky lanterns were not very common in Thailand some 10-15 years ago, although implemented by Thais. But the tourists started to find it a great fun and started to buy them for 10 to 40 Baht a piece, depending on area and size.