Authorities scramble, in vain, to curb Loy Krathong sky lanterns

[jabis]

Howcome every airforce in the world constitutes FOD (Foreign Object Damage) as a high threat, as well a costly one, but you want to ignore this human made FOD, just based on something that has not yet brought a civilian airliner down?

A single torx screwer end bit ingested by a jet engine can result in catastrophic engine failure - also you can google up dozens of FOD-failures which, while less dramatic objects in size than birds, getting ingested end really badly.

How did the torx screwdriver get in the sky?

We should ban the sale of torx screwdrivers. They are dangerous, because a negligent ground crew decided to leave one inside a jet engine.

Can you give me an example of an occasion when a sky lantern caused any damage whatsoever to any aeroplane anywhere in the world? If you can't, then we should probably just let Thai people get on with enjoying their festival, without imposing over-the-top Western style safety measures on them.

Gee, your reasoning seems so solid...

I'll give you something better( or actually worse) - a small piece of metal shrapnel on a runway caused the Concorde in Paris to go up in flames.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-1zD6_Yjig

Why would anyone ban these near the airfields? These objects climb to high altitudes, - several thousand feet reported along the flight path - and go propelled by wind, and most importantly usually consist of metal wiring keeping the balloon together... Now that metal wiring consists of more material than the aforementioned torx screwdriver lug(the end bit) that can in itself destroy a jet engine, or to go even more detail the writers example in my previous post, of a small metallic piece the size of ballpoint pen's ball, for that matter...

Those foreign objects do not belong inside aircraft jet engines, any more than birds, but can contribute a lot more destructively to the outcome.

It also has nothing to do with enjoying a festival, neither imposing anything over-the-top as you suggest, it's just common sense.

Oh and to answer more promptly - the airlines themselves have diverted and delayed flights upon certain festivity timetables, so that there would be even smaller risk of anything catastrophic happening - I suggest you take their reasoning into account as well, but as you've showed in your postings, you will propably not

[Pattaya28]

The authorities "scramble"

The people "don't care"

Usual "madness"

[Commerce]

I just got home from my local wat in Khlong sam/song border, Phatumtani - a direct flight path into Don Muang. I've never seen so many lanterns. I released the little kratong into the river, but no lantern as probably 800 others did.

Seems the warnings carry no weight, and as I sit on my balcony supping a cool beer, I can see at least 500 lanterns carried by wind in all directions.

Normally, at this time of night I hear the descent of engine noise every five mins....... now it's one every 20 or so mins.

[MaxLee]

Yo, did you notice, that on the picture there are mainly Falang,.... do they want to blame the Falang in order to save Thai peoples' face???

[modafinil]

Gee, your reasoning seems so solid...

I'll give you something better( or actually worse) - a small piece of metal shrapnel on a runway caused the Concorde in Paris to go up in flames.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-1zD6_Yjig

Why would anyone ban these near the airfields? These objects climb to high altitudes, - several thousand feet reported along the flight path - and go propelled by wind, and most importantly usually consist of metal wiring keeping the balloon together... Now that metal wiring consists of more material than the aforementioned torx screwdriver lug(the end bit) that can in itself destroy a jet engine, or to go even more detail the writers example in my previous post, of a small metallic piece the size of ballpoint pen's ball, for that matter...

Those foreign objects do not belong inside aircraft jet engines, any more than birds, but can contribute a lot more destructively to the outcome.

It also has nothing to do with enjoying a festival, neither imposing anything over-the-top as you suggest, it's just common sense.

Oh and to answer more promptly - the airlines themselves have diverted and delayed flights upon certain festivity timetables, so that there would be even smaller risk of anything catastrophic happening - I suggest you take their reasoning into account as well, but as you've showed in your postings, you will propably not

I actually agree with you to a certain extent. Sky lanterns CAN be dangerous - it's just very very unlikely that they actually WILL be dangerous.

Your reasoning is that they constitute a small danger, my reasoning is that the danger is almost nil, as shown by the complete lack of aviation accidents caused by sky lanterns.

Normal sky lanterns fly up to about 1000 feet - an average airliner takes 20 seconds to climb to that height. The plane has barely left the perimeter of the airport before it has outclimbed any sky lanterns. I don't know where you get your "several thousand feet" figure - it seems like a silly exaggeration which undermines your otherwise valid points.

Edited November 6, 2014 by modafinil

[DogNo1]

Isn't the name wrong? Shouldn't it be Roy Krathong with an "R?" How did it get to be Loy?

[jabis]

Gee, your reasoning seems so solid...

I'll give you something better( or actually worse) - a small piece of metal shrapnel on a runway caused the Concorde in Paris to go up in flames.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-1zD6_Yjig

Why would anyone ban these near the airfields? These objects climb to high altitudes, - several thousand feet reported along the flight path - and go propelled by wind, and most importantly usually consist of metal wiring keeping the balloon together... Now that metal wiring consists of more material than the aforementioned torx screwdriver lug(the end bit) that can in itself destroy a jet engine, or to go even more detail the writers example in my previous post, of a small metallic piece the size of ballpoint pen's ball, for that matter...

Those foreign objects do not belong inside aircraft jet engines, any more than birds, but can contribute a lot more destructively to the outcome.

It also has nothing to do with enjoying a festival, neither imposing anything over-the-top as you suggest, it's just common sense.

Oh and to answer more promptly - the airlines themselves have diverted and delayed flights upon certain festivity timetables, so that there would be even smaller risk of anything catastrophic happening - I suggest you take their reasoning into account as well, but as you've showed in your postings, you will propably not

I actually agree with you to a certain extent. Sky lanterns CAN be dangerous - it's just very very unlikely that they actually WILL be dangerous.

Your reasoning is that they constitute a small danger, my reasoning is that the danger is almost nil, as shown by the complete lack of aviation accidents caused by sky lanterns.

Normal sky lanterns fly up to about 1000 feet - an average airliner takes 20 seconds to climb to that height. The plane has barely left the perimeter of the airport before it has outclimbed any sky lanterns. I don't know where you get your "several thousand feet" figure - it seems like a silly exaggeration which undermines your otherwise valid points.

They have been seen in over 3000ft (~1km) up by many pilots. Also they have launched several "UFO-sightings" in countries where it is not a known tradition ( like this and this where reported cruising at ~ 3000ft both, and in the first one the witnesses said they observed the lanterns as long as they hid in the clouds. Clouds don't reside much at below 2000ft except for heavy rain clouds(nimbostratus), fog and smog.)

In many US states these lanterns are considered high altitude fireworks, where regular (professional) fireworks peak at the underlined 1000ft, lanterns usually don't.

Don't see how it could be silly exaggeration, maybe instead of several thousand feet I should've used something like 'up to a kilometer' instead, but that's how high they actually can rise. Quite simple really, as you keep producing thrust upwards, several minutes, depending on the payload ~5-15 minutes.

Some sources on the average flight ceiling:

http://www.ehow.com/facts_4925740_types-chinese-lanterns.html ( 1000meters - 3,280ft )

http://www.skylanterns2u.com/faq.html ( 800meters - 2400ft )

Edit: why the FAA in UK and CAAS in Singapore have the 5km rule in place:

Unexpected fireworks could distract and confuse pilots and cause damage to aircraft in flight. Helium-filled toy balloons and sky lanterns have the potential of causing damage to engines through ingestion. Additionally, debris from sky lanterns dropping to the ground could produce Foreign Object Debris (FOD), which could cause damage to aircraft should any remnants land on the manoeuvring areas of an airfield. The risk to aviation is increased when such activities take place in the vicinity of aerodromes, particularly during those critical phases of flight associated with taking off and landing.

I end my rant here - have a nice night all, and please enjoy Loy Kratong

Edited November 6, 2014 by jabis

[Tomtomtom69]

Isn't the name wrong? Shouldn't it be Roy Krathong with an "R?" How did it get to be Loy?

Nope, in this case it's right. It's actually Loy Krathong, which in Thai is written as ลอยกระทง. In some cases, bastardisation of the language has occurred whereby some Thais lazily and incorrectly pronounce words like "rong raem" as "long laem", which is still intelligible though not a strictly speaking accurate pronounciation, but in the case of Loy Krathong you can't do that. Having said that in northern Thai and Lao, "rong raem" actually becomes "hong haem" since there is no "r" sound in those dialects.

[recycled]

Do these people ever listen to anything?

No.

Just do anything they want, whenever they want, how they want.

Disregard others lives, disregard collateral damage.

Long live Thailand.

Fully agree, but it gives you a fair indication that most aren't listening to the General/PM. So much for the BS figures of his 94% popularity reading.

[WhamBam]

Thousands launched from Pattaya tonight. What a great night down along beach road.

[chooka]

Thainess!

and how many Thais do you see in the OP pic

The photo shows the nasty farangs causing the problems and destroying Thai culture.

[chooka]

The authorities "scramble"

The people "don't care"

Usual "madness"

exactly the same with the burning season in Chiangmai every year, people just bare thier naked ramps at authority and do as they please.

[englishoak]

Yo, did you notice, that on the picture there are mainly Falang,.... do they want to blame the Falang in order to save Thai peoples' face???

Did you notice the farang are using water lanterns as it should be on LK ? cant see many getting into fight paths somehow

[rwhoov]

"A single lantern can bring down a plane."

The secret of Malaysia flight 370 is finally revealed.

[jobin]

Hours of lit lanterns filling the sky last night in Chiang Mai. Very lovely, in fact. Some were loaded with sparklers and sprinkled star dust as they rose in the nearly clear sky. Frankly, i was amazed at the number of these things. Certainly they originated in China as they have had the 'fire lamps'

火 灯

from long, long ago.

[Basil B]

Seems as usual the police and authorities are targeting those who buy a launch them, not the people who manufacture, import or sell them.

[ZABA]

Thainess!

and how many Thais do you see in the OP pic

And how many Sky Lanterns do you see?

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

Thainess!

and how many Thais do you see in the OP pic

And how many sky lanterns do you see???

[mercman24]

so the way i read it if your lantern brought down a plane ,a, how would they prove it was you,b. D.N.A not very good at that are they ? and c. are you going to go running to the cops, "yes officer it was me, very sorry" ,no, you would leave in a hurry, (sorry wrong case) lol !!

[Chwooly]

Will the executions be public? If so, at which stadium?

I saw the death penalty announcement as a desperate one in a nation where no one seems to care about the law, safety, or anything that does not directly concern oneself. But what percentage of the population would you say has actually seen the news or read the newspaper, and how many of them had the comprehension skills to know what this is all about?

And what other countries citizens are so concerned about the law, safety or anything that are not directly related to themselves?

[wabothai]

Stop the f.....g flights for a night you morons.

[mercman24]

did you see the horrendous mess left by the floating lanterns on the river, on the tv this morning, mind boggling,

[jabis]

Not that I told some of you so, oh yeah but I did

PHUKET: Flight grounded in Chiang Mai by New Year lantern

http://www.thephuketnews.com/flight-grounded-in-chiang-mai-by-new-year-lantern-50407.php

Images courtesy of Bearly de Grizzly in facebook

[Chao Lao Beach]

After the Bangkok Airways A320 Jet sucked in one yesterday, I wonder who is facing the death penalty !!!!

[willyumiii]

Thainess!

Loks like mostly farangs in the photo....what's so Thai about that?

[willyumiii]

I am worried about the potential damage to my lanterns!

My lanterns are beyond my control once I release them.

Your jets however have a pilot and navigation system.

I believe it is the responsibility of your pilots to avoid my lanterns.

If you are really worried about saving lives...how about one or two nights a year with no commercial passenger flights????

I believe the tradition has been around much longer than your jets or your dollars.