Safe But Nice Place To Loi Krathong With Kids

[WinnieTheKhwai]

This topic is both a question and advice. People can't (shouldn't) take young kids to the most crowded places on the Ping river downtown; it's too massive and resembling a war zone.

So the options are the following:

* A restaurant on the river that has a LK party. (Can be spendy)

* Ping river, but a considerable way North or South of town; say North of San Phisuea, or South or Pa Daed and further South.

* Other streams, so not the Ping river.

Any recommendations for each of those? I drove along the Ping river all the way to near Pasang Lamphun yesterday, and there are plenty good spots at the river; some places where they're building some stairs and a pier/platform to get to the water level, and there are some temples that are right on the water too.

But there are smaller streams both near town and towards Doi Saket and Sankamphaeng; any recommendations?

[Fishenough]

I was visiting a friend at the Galare guest house, on the river south of the Narawat bridge, and was surprised to find they had rooms available on the 8, 9, and 10th. Always an option, and not that guest house specifically either, but no worries of parking or transportation, just pack earplugs. Plus the added bonus of staying away from open fireworks, and the hazards involved.

When our son was 11 we found a quiet celebration at the Nong Buak Hard park. The last few years we just enjoy the mayhem.

[shepsel]

There is a nice buffet dinner going on at the Marrakech Restaurant at the very new Sheik Istana Resort on the west side of the river, about a kilometre south of the Ratilana Hotel. It is a very quiet part of town, with excellent view point. The dinner is 499 baht per person (with pre-paid reservations) and 599 baht at the door. It combines Morrocan and Thai cuisine, and the food is excellent. It is limited to 50 guests under an open but roofed terrace restaurant.

[Mestizo]

Last year the police did a good job of wiping out the drinking and the fireworks around Narawat bridge. It was super tame/ lame compared to years past. Nothing resembling a war zone at all. Really took most of the fun out of it, but I think if I were a 5 year old kid, it would be fun.

Anyone know if the police plan a repeat party-pooper performance again this year?

-Mestizo

[orang37]

May I add to WTK's excellent advice/question: wherever you go get earplugs, and keep them in until you are safe at home.

Four years ago, having walked along Thanon Nawarat west several blocks to escape the madness at the bridge, I got a tuk-tuk to take me home, and ... then ... feeling ear-safer: I took out my ear-plugs as we were, perhaps, 3 kilometers west of the bridge.

Someone in a passing truck on the opposite side of the street rear-bed threw a firecracker that exploded a few feet away from my right ear ... which "rang" for days following.

~o:37;

[dave2]

mestizo.

re .. Last year the police did a good job of wiping out the drinking and the fireworks around Narawat bridge. It was super tame/ lame compared to years past. Nothing resembling a war zone at all.

good .... lets hope these signs do the same this year and we dont see anymore hands like this !

dave2

ps .. mods ... if the hand pics too graphic its ok to delete it !

[Beetlejuice]

I have a recommendation.

Why not do as we do and celebrate Loi Krathong at home, with family and neighbors?

It`s safe for kids of all ages, the adults can have a few beers without the need to drive home afterwards and no crowds of people in your face.

[Mestizo]

mestizo.

re .. Last year the police did a good job of wiping out the drinking and the fireworks around Narawat bridge. It was super tame/ lame compared to years past. Nothing resembling a war zone at all.

good .... lets hope these signs do the same this year and we dont see anymore hands like this !

dave2

ps .. mods ... if the hand pics too graphic its ok to delete it !

Last year all it did was push the drinking fireworks out to more places. Everybody expects this around the bridge/ river. After being pushed away last year, the drunken fireworks throwers moved to all the places around the moat, lower Thapae Rd, Thapae Gate, etc. All places where unsuspecting families were not prepared for it. Places where emergency medical services were not sitting around available. Places were some level of police supervision was not being provided.

To me, it makes more sense to keep the drunken firework playing behavior roughly confined to a known, expected area and leave the rest of the town available for people who don't want to participate.

-Mestizo

[Daewoo]

We did a dinner at the rooftop restaurant above the big hotel above the bridge... Narawat hotel or something... Has a nightclub at street level... Bubbles or something...

Overlooks the chaos on the river, can see all the lanterns in the sky, but far from imminent danger (apart from having too many drinks and thinking you are young enough to hit the aforementioned nightclub)...

Someone should know where I mean and be able to provide the correct names...

[elektrified]

We did a dinner at the rooftop restaurant above the big hotel above the bridge... Narawat hotel or something... Has a nightclub at street level... Bubbles or something...

Overlooks the chaos on the river, can see all the lanterns in the sky, but far from imminent danger (apart from having too many drinks and thinking you are young enough to hit the aforementioned nightclub)...

Someone should know where I mean and be able to provide the correct names...

Pornping Hotel. Very nice up there indeed. But as I recall, for Loy Krathong it requires reserving and paying in advance for a table (which means buying a bottle of whiskey). Not all people drink whiskey and are willing to pay for something in advance that they don't want.

[shepsel]

I checked with booking at the restaurant on the roof of the Pornping Hotel--it is booked for a wedding on November 10th.

We did a dinner at the rooftop restaurant above the big hotel above the bridge... Narawat hotel or something... Has a nightclub at street level... Bubbles or something...

Overlooks the chaos on the river, can see all the lanterns in the sky, but far from imminent danger (apart from having too many drinks and thinking you are young enough to hit the aforementioned nightclub)...

Someone should know where I mean and be able to provide the correct names...

Pornping Hotel. Very nice up there indeed. But as I recall, for Loy Krathong it requires reserving and paying in advance for a table (which means buying a bottle of whiskey). Not all people drink whiskey and are willing to pay for something in advance that they don't want.

[Beetlejuice]

mestizo.

re .. Last year the police did a good job of wiping out the drinking and the fireworks around Narawat bridge. It was super tame/ lame compared to years past. Nothing resembling a war zone at all.

good .... lets hope these signs do the same this year and we dont see anymore hands like this !

dave2

ps .. mods ... if the hand pics too graphic its ok to delete it !

For those of you that are married or have a partner and also have a bit on the side, beware! That oneday you and the bit on the side may appear in one of dave2`s photos on Thai visa.

His posts should carry a warning; Watch Out, Dave2 Is About!

[hellodolly]

Last year the police did a good job of wiping out the drinking and the fireworks around Narawat bridge. It was super tame/ lame compared to years past. Nothing resembling a war zone at all. Really took most of the fun out of it, but I think if I were a 5 year old kid, it would be fun.

Anyone know if the police plan a repeat party-pooper performance again this year?

-Mestizo

They also had the iron bridge under close supervision.

Not sure about kids. I know when I was a kid I would have loved it and I am sure three of my four sons would have also.

The year before I set of a fountain of some sort in the middle of the bridge. Security stopped me from setting the second one of.

I think some times we get so old we forget what it was like as kids.

[dave2]

b juice

re ... For those of you that are married or have a partner and also have a bit on the side, beware! That oneday you and the bit on the side may appear in one of dave2`s photos on Thai visa.

His posts should carry a warning; Watch Out, Dave2 Is About!

thats a fair comment but weve had this brought up before and if the mods were not happy they would tell me

i try hard not to include people especially close ups of faces or children in my pics

go back over most of my posts and the only close ups of faces you will see are cats

of the five pics in this post and the five in the chiang moi road post how many faces / people can you see ?

so any thai visa naughty boys can rest easy coz i take care not to upset anyone ... members or mods !

enjoy cats ... dave2 : )

ps .. i know one poster whos now on a 3 month holiday for posting one pic .. ive posted hundreds and never had a holiday in five years !

[Tywais]

ps .. i know one poster whos now on a 3 month holiday for posting one pic .. ive posted hundreds and never had a holiday in five years !

Some members, such as yourself, have valuable contributions in the photos posted and are greatly appreciated. I believe the previous poster's comment was tongue in cheek.

[ARISTIDE]

The house also advertise for Loi Kratong but I dont see the river!

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I have a recommendation.

Why not do as we do and celebrate Loi Krathong at home, with family and neighbors?

It`s safe for kids of all ages, the adults can have a few beers without the need to drive home afterwards and no crowds of people in your face.

Yes, but the key element that needs taking care of is floating some krathongs somewhere. Kids make them in school and they shoat be floated somewhere. And there's no way I'm going for some sort of pool-side set up. So we'll find a quiet stream somewhere.

(And then the kids go to bed, and daddy heads downtown. )

[hellodolly]

I have a recommendation.

Why not do as we do and celebrate Loi Krathong at home, with family and neighbors?

It`s safe for kids of all ages, the adults can have a few beers without the need to drive home afterwards and no crowds of people in your face.

Yes, but the key element that needs taking care of is floating some krathongs somewhere. Kids make them in school and they shoat be floated somewhere. And there's no way I'm going for some sort of pool-side set up. So we'll find a quiet stream somewhere.

(And then the kids go to bed, and daddy heads downtown. )

I see your plan get the kids out of the way as fast as possible then go down town and enjoy it your self.

Clever plan down rite diabolical actually.:jap:

[Mestizo]

(And then the kids go to bed, and daddy heads downtown. )

I see your plan get the kids out of the way as fast as possible then go down town and enjoy it your self.

Clever plan down rite diabolical actually.:jap:

Why don't you Loi your kid on the Krathong down the river, that way you don't have to worry about this next year!

Kidding aside, if they police things down around the night flower market like they did last year, you shouldn't have any problem safely taking your kids down there. Biggest issue would probably be parking.

-Mestizo

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Parking is not an issue; I'm a Chiang Mai Parking Jedi Master.

Also my kid informed me she wants to Loy Krathong on the Ping river, and not some half-assed little stream. So I'll probably do it somewhere along the river..

Edited November 7, 2011 by WinnieTheKhwai

[Lizard2010]

Thanks for all the updates.

Unfortunately i will be unable to come this year.

My wife had had to have Major Head Surgery.

So will have to come some other time

[ShopBoy]

Which day is the peak of the event ? 8, 9 or 10 ?

The best day to go and see the mayhem at the bridge ?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

There is no peak event. People join parades, float krathongs and float hot air balloons at any time when they feel like it on one of the days, or several of the days. The full moon is closest to Thursday, so maybe you could call that the main day. But then Friday is a Friday, so more suited to a late night out.