unbelievable a thief is stealing money from the floats and everybody is watching him ,why didn't they grab him and why didn't someone call the police ?

The Thai people have lost their way. You would never see a thing like this years back.

All being caused by GREED & CORRUPTION.

Whilst I certainly don't approve of adults doing this, I first saw this some 15 years ago with children taking the nominal 1 baht off the krathongs and nobody seemed to object and suspect this has been going on for years before that.Depends on the depth of water and conditions and numbers involved.

I just cant understand why all these people are watching him steal from the floats , why didn't someone grab him and why didn't someone call the police.

I just cant understand why all these people are watching him steal from the floats , why didn't someone grab him and why didn't someone call the police.

Because it's normal and not remotely a big deal.

Yawn!..does this really surprise anyone?...welcome to Thailand

What's the problem, people put a tiny bit of money in the Kratong, 1, 2, 5 or 10 Baht for good luck and then send it on it's way....if this man is poor and hungry good luck to him too for getting a few miserable Baht to help him out , it no longer belongs to the person who pushed it out ....Thai people wouldn't begrudge him that. Thai people who play Loy Kratong have good hearts for people.

unbelievable a thief is stealing money from the floats and everybody is watching him ,why didn't they grab him and why didn't someone call the police ?

Read some of the other posts, its not a crime.

I have been with off-duty police by the sea in Pattaya sending out our Kratongs and the kids taking the money. They of course like everybody Thai here, knows that it is a normal nice thing to put money on the floats for the kids to get.

I just cant understand why all these people are watching him steal from the floats , why didn't someone grab him and why didn't someone call the police.

Stealing?

If someone puts money into a krathong and pushes it away to float off they have already thrown the money away.

It then belongs to whoever finds it or decides to just take it.

It may be somewhat crass in this case but it's hardly theft.

The Thai people have lost their way. You would never see a thing like this years back.

All being caused by GREED & CORRUPTION.

My first time in Thailand was 1988 and I saw it happen in Korat and not just one cadger. Every Loy Krathong I attended in various locations over the years it was the same routine. Eventually I stopped going as it seemed like just one more example of Thais saying one thing and doing another.

The Thai people have lost their way. You would never see a thing like this years back.

All being caused by GREED & CORRUPTION.

It's called capitalism and its spreading in Thailand more and more. The real Hunger games just starting.

My wife says this is not illegal and actually the Thai people place the money in the Kratongs and send them on their way to take away the bad luck. By taking the money the thief is also taking their bad luck.

Should send him to Saudi Arabia...

Why?

Obviously if people can afford to throw money down a river, they don't need it anyway.....

Of hes willing to get in the toxic waste water in bkk he obviously needs it more than those who floated it away...

Thai idiot ruins Loy Krathong, who do they think really ends up with the money, if this was a Farang god forbid they would have killed him, I think they are slowly loosing the spirit, like Farang does with father christmas

Well if you pay and light a candle at the Erawan shrine you can also see the monks doving it and taking it away within 10 minutes.

I'm sure that if you pay to light a candle in the Sacre Coeur church in Paris nobody will touch it untill it's totally burned down.

The Thai people have lost their way. You would never see a thing like this years back.

All being caused by GREED & CORRUPTION.

In both of the villages I lived in, the floats were intercepted by the young kids BUT this happened downstream or away from the shore.

No one had a problem with that

So you buy the lotus flower at all temple shops. Then they go back, take offerings away and resell the same flowers over and over again. Must be a Thai thing.

Saw young boys doing this at the Loi Kratong festival in Khlong Lord in BKK in 1996. There was only a few Baht in the kratongs and no one stopped them or paid much attention to them.

Can't have been very nice for the boys since that particular Klong is almost an open sewer so I guess they earned it.

Spoke to my Thai wife about this, her view is simple and lovely.

Two points of view from her

1st, Thai people put that money there to get rid of bad luck. Thai people say, if the wrong person takes the money, then that bad luck will transfer unto them, so its about Karma.

2nd Thai people don't care what has happened to that money once it has left them because as far as they are concerned and if the money helps the person in need, then they are happy that their money has gone to someone who needs it.

It's a lovely way of thinking, and it would seem that no Thai people get upset about it, but farang observing see it as a terrible act. I guess we just need to accept the Thai view on this, relax and know its just normal for Thai's..

Add a dab of Super Glue to the TOPS of the coins and watch his reaction.Priceless>

ohhhh the thainess of it all....................

Spoke to my Thai wife about this, her view is simple and lovely.

Two points of view from her

1st, Thai people put that money there to get rid of bad luck. Thai people say, if the wrong person takes the money, then that bad luck will transfer unto them, so its about Karma.

2nd Thai people don't care what has happened to that money once it has left them because as far as they are concerned and if the money helps the person in need, then they are happy that their money has gone to someone who needs it.

It's a lovely way of thinking, and it would seem that no Thai people get upset about it, but farang observing see it as a terrible act. I guess we just need to accept the Thai view on this, relax and know its just normal for Thai's..

I'd prefer them dropping the krathong vessels and give the money out directly. It'd be better for all parties. But hey, up to them, this is their country, their rules. Whatever .. ermh.. floats your boat.