webfact Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 LOY KRATHONG FESTIVALPlea for an environment-friendly Loy KrathongJanjira PongraiThe NationBANGKOK: -- INSTEAD OF USING plastic or synthetic foam vessels to celebrate the Loy Krathong festival, environmentalists are urging people to use more biodegradable materials.They suggest making krathong from environment-friendly vegetables from the backyard garden, like bitter gourd, papaya and pumpkins, to reduce pollution.The move comes after the Department of Environment Quality Promotion found the number of vessels made from plastic or synthetic foam had increased substantially in the past few years, causing environmental pollution.According to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), the number of vessels floated in the river to celebrate last year's Loy Krathong festival was 916,354. Of this amount, 693,976 were made from banana leaves, 131,338 from plastic and 91,040 from other natural materials.The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry has suggested people use vegetables and plants like bitter gourd, papaya, pumpkin, banana blossom, roselle or the vegetable hummingbird tree as alternative materials for the vessels.Loy Krathong Day is celebrated each year on the full-moon day of the 12th lunar month. Thai people pay their respects to the river goddess Ganga and apologise for having used, or done anything bad to, the river. They put flowers, candles and joss sticks into a small vessel and float it down the river to pay homage to Buddha and Ganga.Evolution of floats2008Total floats: 929,329Made with banana leaf: 759,918With styrofoam: 117,997Other natural materials: 51,4142009Total floats: 882,418Made with banana leaf: 717,847With styrofoam: 112,854Other natural materials: 51,1712010Total floats: 946,838Made with banana leaf: 767,533With styrofoam: 118,575Other natural |materials: 60,7302011Total floats: 322,779Made with banana leaf: 237,718With styrofoam: 57,837Other natural materials: 27,2242012Total floats: 916,354Made with banana leaf: 693,976With styrofoam: 131,338Other natural materials: 91,040Source: Department of Environment Quality Promotion-- The Nation 2013-11-12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post noitom Posted November 12, 2013 Popular Post Share Posted November 12, 2013 Thais should be volunteering aid and support for their ASEAN brothers in the Philippines. No news of any rich Thais stepping up to offer assistance, financial aid, food, military support. Self centered, self absorbed Thais don't eve bother to pay attention to a global tragedy in their own backyard as long as it is not directly impacting Thailand. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willyumiii Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 (edited) In my area, I see most are made not of banana leaves, but a slice of the banana tree's trunk. A 2-3" thick slice floats very well ,and is biodegradable. I assumed this was a common practice in all of Thailand, but see no mention of it in your article. Attached is a photo of a loy kathrong floats being constructed form a banana tree trunk slice. P.S. What the heck does Loy Kathrong have to do with the Philippines? Are we a little off topic Noitom?? Edited November 12, 2013 by willyumiii 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thailion Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 2012Total floats: 916,354 Made with banana leaf: 693,976 With styrofoam: 131,338 Other natural materials: 91,040 Source: Department of Environment Quality Promotion Seriously....who counts these?? Or is it a number plucked from the backside?? Then there are the millions of firework debris, spent khom loys, beer cans/bottles and all other rubbish that gets dumped in the river during this festival. In saying that I still enjoy this festival to say sorry for abusing the water by...of course...abusing it some more! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pomthai Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 (edited) I reckon backside numbers. There's no way these are counted. These are just spewed numbers in a half hearted effort to convince a moron some other moron counted them and therefore justify the huge amount of public funds wasted on alleged counting them. Just no way it happened. IMHO of course. Edited November 12, 2013 by Pomthai Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginjag Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Will there be a national Loy Krathong this year, ?? Will it be toppled ?? Pattaya rarely celebrates Loy Krathong, they celebrate LOY KRATHOY. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginjag Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Majority of rural Thais use "friendly" materials Banana trunk slices-base---leaves for the top, with flowers. candles are not so friendly.25-30 bht does the job anyway. The ones USUALLY guilty are the Hi SO type who have very large Poly St., base and plastics, because of the size unfriendly materials are used IN GENERAL. Target the rich as they more often than not the culprits, and in my experience vast amount of them try to out do each other to show off their large Krathongs. Like my business is bigger than yours. Believe it or not this occurs. but in general people do enjoy the festival. One sad side is this threat to AIRCRAFT with these lanterns, the other black side to it is some materials used are VERY suspect. Enjoy the festival. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mok199 Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 thais would starve to death with out plastic bags and foam bowls.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fullstop Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 The plea will fall on deaf ears. It's just not gonna happen. Fact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 In my area, I see most are made not of banana leaves, but a slice of the banana tree's trunk. A 2-3" thick slice floats very well ,and is biodegradable. Same here. Last year most people walked down to the local lake carrying home-made Krathongs, totally biodegradable. Easy to do out in the sticks though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sensei Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Thais should be volunteering aid and support for their ASEAN brothers in the Philippines. No news of any rich Thais stepping up to offer assistance, financial aid, food, military support. Self centered, self absorbed Thais don't eve bother to pay attention to a global tragedy in their own backyard as long as it is not directly impacting Thailand. Your response doesn't have anything to do with the original post but you are making perfect sense here. Thank you, Sensei, a Filipino Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesMad Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 These numbers are ridiculous You really believe someone is counting them??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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