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[george]

Loy Krathong Day is one of the most popular festivals of Thailand celebrated annually on the Full-Moon Day of the Twelfth Lunar Month. It takes place at a time when the weather is fine as the rainy season is over and there is a high water level all over the country.

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Loy Krathong Day November 8, 2003

[mtnthai]

Having lived here for over eleven years now I must say that my favorite Thai holiday could very well be Loy Krathong. I am a Food and Beverage Manager in the Hotel Industry here and it has always been my responsibility to organize these events where I work. I have also found it to be the most favorite among the guests that I have had the pleasure to cater to in my capacity as a hotel manager in Thailand.

When you compare the responses of guests to this national day, as opposed to Songkran, Loy Krathong wins every time hands down and most especially if the guests are middle-aged or older. Songkran has become such a bastardized tradition in most places and it is wearisome to most farang tourists, to say the least. The true spirit of Nong Nappamas and Loy Krathong has been retained and the extremely loud boisterous, sometimes fatal, air of Songkran is not present. This is not to say that there will not be the occasional bottle rocket whizzing past your face or a firecracker or two thrown hap-hazardly about. It is truly a time for families and lovers to enjoy a pleasant, peaceful and memorable time together.

I offer a few suggestions to those that may not be familiar with the holiday and these are points that I have always tried to stress to guests that are new to Thailand.

First and foremost, try to make your own Krathongs as they did in the old days rather than to buy one. It is fun, educational for the kids and helps to restore the old traditions. Some hotels offer this as an activity during the day leading up to the night’s festivities. Like our Christmas, Thai holidays are becoming too commercialized and the old ways are being forgotten or cut short, help preserve the past by living it. Further, whether you make your own Krathongs or buy them USE ALL NATURAL MATERIALS. I do not think Nong Nappamas had Styrofoam, plastic, mylar, ballons or foil available to her. In the past few years there has been a return to this “organic” tradition in allot of places and cross-sections of palms are used for the bases. The sheer amount of Krathongs that are set adrift nationwide on this evening is staggering. If you love Thailand try to keep it as unpolluted as you can. If you have ever seen the beaches of Jomtien or Pattaya Bay, the morning after Loy Krathong, I think you will understand this point quit well.

Try to find a klong, beach or riverside that is remote and peaceful. I have seen the traffic backed up from south Jomtien Beach all the way to Naklua. It is noisy, dangerous and not in the true spirit of Loy Krathong. I mean if you do like crowds and congested roadways, by all means go to these types of places. Up to you as they say in the local vernacular.

A river or a klong (if clean) may provide a slightly better experience as the tide at a beach can be working against you at times. The tide will either keep forcing the Krathong back to the beach or swamp it all together. One of the prime superstitions associated with the festival is how long the Krathong actually floats can determine certain aspects of your fate. Supposedly, the longer it is afloat, the joss sticks and candle remain lit and the further it travels the more likely it is that your wishes will come true and the longer your love will last. This is a holiday for lovers to affirm their love and make merit towards that end. That is what Nong Nappamas was doing. She was affirming he love for her master.

If you are at the waterside with your kids, keep an eye on them, it will be dark, there will be fireworks and you and your wife or lover may become distracted as it were. Also, in places like Phuket, the undertow can be deadly very close to shore.

Like all national holidays there will be some extremely inebriated partiers. They will be driving recklessly. No more to be said on that subject, I think you get my point.

Well, that’s about all I have to say about Loy Krathong. I hope it may be of some use to all the newcomers. The most important thing, as in all festivals is, have a great time with the people you care about, reflect on the past and its traditions, do not harm the environment, be conscious of others and their fun and be safe.

Happy Loy Krathong

David

[Rinrada]

Will be back in LOS for Loy Krathong and will have my wee boat with me for a sail in the pool.Hopefully celebrate later with a full southerly wind from the Offshore bar in S.23 assuming wife puts off our usual visit to see her monks at her local Sam.Prat.Wat.Honestly how many yellow buckets do they need?

Agree its a much more civilised festival than that "dirty smelly ditch water chucking excuse" that goes under the name of Songkram....Everybody Out.

This is one to look forward to and enjoy.

Happy Loy Krathong  :laugh:

[Kan Win]

Will be back in LOS for Loy Krathong and will have my wee boat with me for a sail in the pool.Hopefully celebrate later with a full southerly wind from the Offshore bar in S.23 assuming wife puts off our usual visit to see her monks at her local Sam.Prat.Wat.Honestly how many yellow buckets do they need?

Agree its a much more civilised festival than that "dirty smelly ditch water chucking excuse" that goes under the name of Songkram....Everybody Out.

This is one to look forward to and enjoy.

Happy Loy Krathong  :laugh:

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Love this one as well with the family (Thai)

But Sonkarn should be in the Guiness  Book of Records – if it is not by now -  for the World Longest Wet T-Shirt  Competition ( 3 to 4 days or more)

 :cool:  :laugh: