Launching Of Lanterns At Mae Jo University

[Meetoo]

I am utterly shocked to hear that this happened on Nov 24th essentially for Thai Nationals and was not announced anywhere, not even on the TAT website. Now their site is showing pictures of the event. I called them to ask them why it was not announced as I thought it was tonite being that today is Full Moon. I was agast when she told me there will be another one for the Foreign Tourists on November 30th and the cost is 80 USD ....!! No not Thai Baht.... USD!! Wow! Yup really good fleecing of the farangs with this one... Needless to say my guests will not be going... Oh! but you get a Lunch Box and a free carpet to sit on I think ............. ... Good job TAT..! That will surely increase the tourist business.... Unbelievable !

[meadish_sweetball]

That is a bit steep. Ah well, I can wait. Good heads-up for next year.

[heybruce]

It's definitely not for Thai's only, there were many foreigner's there. It's never advertised anywhere that I know of, I have to rely on Thai friends to tell me about it. I don't know why it is not advertised, but I suspect that in part the reason is it is a free event, so the only a modest amount of money is made, and this is spread among many food and lantern vendors and the songthaew drivers.

[Trujillo]

Look for Yeepeng Lanna on the internet and you will find the homepage for the event.

There are many other sites you can find as well. The event on the 24th was for devotees, and was not open to foreigners; call it what you will.

The upcoming event does have tickets for 80 US$ each (that's only 2,500 baht) and in the VIP section for 4-8 people at 3,000 US$. But they are already sold out.

No use grousing about this since anyone can enjoy the spectacle by just being somewhere near when the time comes and you can see everything (in the sky) for free.

By the by, the 80 dollars gets you, aside from being in the middle of the action (no walk-ins allowed) and meditation:

*This price includes : 1 KANTOKE (Lanna-style) dinner, 2 Dhammachai floating lanterns,

1 Krathongs (flower vessel for float in canal), 1 Souvenir sets (seating mat, scarf), Round-trip shuttle bus from meeting point to event venue.

[daveology]

just go to Nawarwat bridge tonight (if the weather holds)

[naboo]

The event on the 24th was for devotees, and was not open to foreigners; call it what you will.

I think you will find you are mistaken. It very much is open to foreigners.

[Ricardo]

However it was announced here on ThaiVisa, in plenty of time, and a good time enjoyed by all, until the storm hit !

We lost electricity for 19 hours, and only just got back the internet & phone-line this afternoon, also three trees down in our garden, that was a short-but-sharp squall !

They've run a farangs-at-a-price seperate-event at least the last few years, for the mug-punter tourists, I guess because they can ? !

[mania]

I think you will find you are mistaken. It very much is open to foreigners.

Correct & we had a good time.

Even got home before the big rains hit.

Glad we didn't take our bike in too far as it looked like it must have been tough to get

out after the big release.

[TommoPhysicist]

The local event is intended for locals (people living within Chiang Mai). There are already too many people attending.

If they advertised, there would be even more people going which nobody wants.

It's free to observers, but to participate you must buy and use the official Khom Loy, sold inside the event.

This year it was poorly organized, with many releasing Khom Loys before the official moment.

But still a great event to attend.

[junglechef]

My 3rd yr going to the free for all (in the no pay sense). don't know how I originally heard about it as I don't know Thai but have always found out since well in advance date, time etc. by just searching internet. another moving and amazing (this is what they mean by Amazing Thailand for all you TV posters who seem be misunderstand the saying (). It is in an area which can only hold a limited amount of ppl. so it actually seems like a good idea not to advertise it if it can't support more than already come (can you imagine the fuss here if ppl. went all the way there and couldn't get in!!) but I have no idea why it's not. Many things here are not well promoted so just another facet of living here that is just the way it is.

[Genericnic]

The event on the 24th was for devotees, and was not open to foreigners; call it what you will.

I think you will find you are mistaken. It very much is open to foreigners.

Correct naboo. I am from the US (living in LOS now) was were two of my friends who were visiting and we all had a great time there.

David

[TPI]

I thought that you were talking about Maejo Rong Kwan, in Phrae province, my mistake.