Bangkok's Loy Krathong celebration not called off

[webfact]

Bangkok's Loy Krathong celebration not called off
By English News



BANGKOK, Oct 30 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will not call off this year’s three-day celebration of Loy Krathong festival at Asiatique The Riverfront in the capital Bangkok, though the event will be celebrated quietly to show respect to the Supreme Patriarch.

TAT Deputy Director of Tourism Products, Wilaiwan Tawichsri, said Wednesday that this year’s event will take place at Asiatique The Riverfront from November 15-17 without entertainment activities as the nation is still in mourning for the death of His Holiness Somdej Phra Nyanasamvara, the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand.

Loy Krathong day this year falls on November 17, which is a Sunday.

This year’s highlights include cultural shows, relevant exhibitions on how each province celebrates the festival as well as displays of 10 illuminated barges and fireworks without loud noises.

TAT will also sponsor the event in Chiang Mai, Sukhothai, Tak, Samutsongkram and Suphan Buri in a bid to preserve the Thai tradition, though Ayutthaya province has already called off this year’s event.

Ambassadors and diplomats from 25 of 30 countries which received invitations from the TAT have confirmed their participation in the event.

Last year some 200,000 tourists participated in the Loy Krathong festival in Bangkok and up to 600,000 tourists celebrated the festival nationwide.

The number of people participating in this year’s event is expected to increase 10 per cent year-on-year as the celebration days have been extended from one day to three days, and that the festival has been heavily promoted worldwide to attract more tourists to the country. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-10-30

[BeforeTigers]

Has it occurred to anyone that you don't need the government's permission to celebrate your culture?

[Greer]

I imagine that many of the local celebrations will continue anyway, but perhaps not as noisily as otherwise.

I wonder if the cancellation of the cancellation was due to so many ambassadors and diplomats having already accepted invitations?

[Thaddeus]

I wonder if the cancellation of the cancellation was due to so many ambassadors and diplomats having already accepted invitations?

Probably more like someone at TAT realised they had made a major boo boo (never will admit it though)

And as BeforeTigers said, they would not be able to stop it anyway, Loy Kratong has been celebrated and the date calculated this way for countless years, it is not within the remit of the Government or its agencies to change these traditions.

[millwall_fan]

Sad thought the death of his Holiness the Supreme Patriarch assuredly is, one wonders whether his passing at the ripe old age of 100 after a 10 year illness, is really sufficient reason for my 6 year son's school to be required to cancel his Hallowe'en party.

One wonders if the cancellation of the cancellation of Loy Kratong is due to the fact that the authorities know a cancellation would be widely flouted causing certain politicians to lose face.

Edited October 30, 2013 by millwall_fan

[Credo]

I really wonder who is in charge of things. First it was 15 days, then it was 30 days. Loy Krathong was cancelled, then it wasn't cancelled. Does anybody thing about what they are doing.

The only ones that seem to be able to make a decision and stick to it is the military, and I don't think the circumstances around all this stuff is of much concern to the military.

[millwall_fan]

The problem here is political. Everyone is very anxious not to be seen as anything other than 100% pro religion (despite the fact that it was decided several years ago NOT to make Buddhism the state religion) as that would give the opposition bullets to fire (one hopes only metaphorical ones). Thus everyone is falling over each other to appear to be the most righteous and nationalistic as possible.

[smokinfun]

Damn, work is keeping me until Nov. 21 - I hoping that I'd gotten very lucky or maybe fate for it to change. Then there would have been two - the regular Loy Kratong on traditional full moon and then another a week later. Oh well, bad Karma for me.

[upena]

It will be the same as it is every year.

[fareastguy]

It will be the same as it is every year.

I quite agree, once a bottle of "chiang" is thrown down the hatch the party will continue as always.. loud music & lewd girls!

Thai style knees up!

[JulesMad]

I think we all know that money is far more important than the death of his Holiness the Supreme Patriarch, especially for TAT.

TAT is deeply disrespected by me (liars and thiefs)

[cronus]

TAT f¨$äüö$ idi$¨üä$ö.,