Ministry of Culture to organize Loy Kratong Festival

BANGKOK, 11 November 2015 (NNT) – The Ministry of Culture and several other agencies will jointly organize Loy Kratong festival on November 25.

Culture Minister Weera Rojpotchanarat said those agencies which will organize the yearly floats festival include the Department of Environmental Quality Promotion, the Ministry of the Interior, the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning, the Royal Thai Police and Public Relations Department and the Ministry of Culture.

The festival will focus on the preserving of the Thai culture, rivers, canals and Thainess while people will be suggested to use biodegradable objects used as materials for the making of Kratong floats, preserve the Thai culture, dress decently and refrain from drinking alcoholic beverages, playing with fireworks or releasing lanterns in risk areas.

There will be more buses, trains and flights provided for the festival-goers. Such plans for the organizing of Loy Kratong are yet to be submitted to the cabinet for approval on November 17.

Meanwhile, the Public Relations Department will also organize Loy Kratong Festival which members of the public are invited to join from November 23 until November 25 with a focus on creating Thai values.

A Music in the Garden Concert and traditional and cultural shows including a Loy Kratong parade with over 500 people will be performed on November 25.


-- NNT 2015-11-11

Sounds fun...

Gobsmacked

Thailand. November. Loy Kratong festival.

Who would have thought!

I understand they are planning something for December 31st, but no details released yet!

One has to be very concerned about the aims of any "ministry of culture" - it is usually based on a totally false set of premises

Paying organizers is just feeding cronyism with sanctioned corruption.

What kind of Loy Kratong festival will it be with no alcohol, fire works or sky lanterns? ( Yes i know that it will be a safer one but?? ) Boring !

....the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning.............................Would that be one of the inactive posts we read about daily ?

Happen to notice Air Asia flights into Chiang Mai after 5pm are cancelled Nov 24-26. They're not taking chances, ban or no ban

I love Loy Krathong...the rivers do look lovely in the evening. I do, however, find it amusing how one watches one's wishes floating down the river for about 50m before being snatched up by the luck thieves in their little boats.

The 'preserving of Thainess' will just be holding the country back, unless corruption, lying, illogicality and hypocrisy are positives.

Minister of Culture. This sounds like a''made for someone special'' title and position. How much office space is dedicated to this ministry? How many gophers, are working for the head of this group? must require several deputy ministers as well their support staff to keep up with promoting, arranging, and dispersing the budget alloted to this group.

I have watched the Thai public, moo bans, villages and cities try to control this annual event for several years, (unsuccessfully would be a good assesment of their attempts) and about the only government officals I have noticed were those in police escorted motorcade going to a 5 star hotel for food, drink , etc

What kind of Loy Kratong festival will it be with no alcohol, fire works or sky lanterns? ( Yes i know that it will be a safer one but?? ) Boring !

Fully agree! What is left for you to do? Go down to your local canal, buy a Krathong for 20 baht, light the candle and put it in the water. Right rime to go home the mozzis are biting. Bore, bore. I remember a few years back fireworks, sparklers, parties next to the canal, lanterns with children watching them float into the sky with amazement. A great night out. Again it's the anti this and anti that that win the day and have ruined a good night out. Let's hope they leave New Year alone. Bloody, do gooder's.

"The festival will focus on the preserving of the Thai culture, rivers, canals and Thainess while people will be suggested to use biodegradable objects used as materials for the making of Kratong floats, preserve the Thai culture, dress decently and refrain from drinking alcoholic beverages, playing with fireworks or releasing lanterns in risk areas."

This whole paragraph seems to be contradicting itself.....

What kind of Loy Kratong festival will it be with no alcohol, fire works or sky lanterns? ( Yes i know that it will be a safer one but?? ) Boring !

Fully agree! What is left for you to do? Go down to your local canal, buy a Krathong for 20 baht, light the candle and put it in the water. Right rime to go home the mozzis are biting. Bore, bore. I remember a few years back fireworks, sparklers, parties next to the canal, lanterns with children watching them float into the sky with amazement. A great night out. Again it's the anti this and anti that that win the day and have ruined a good night out. Let's hope they leave New Year alone. Bloody, do gooder's.

I wouldn't hold your breath over New Year old chap. I should imagine that doctor fellow with the steel rimmed spectacles and the images of kittens etched into his office furniture is as we speak summoning up reserves of zealotry to put the kybosh on people enjoying themselves at New Year!