Loy Krathong, who understands it?

[kalbo123]

Tonight is the main Loy Krathong night, I asked the lady where I buy my lanterns every year why she does not sell them this year.

She said "cannot" government won't let us.  So this year no lanterns.

That is strange because I read a few days ago that all flights after 7pm tonight are cancelled,

So why cancel flights, if there are no lanterns?

 

 

[Sandy Freckle]

We spied at least 3 lanterns rising quite high up, early last night..., from the Ping off in a N/W direction. My partner says bolony..., as she purchased some from a temple shop(as in stuff for a temple) last week..., me, I don't know, in this instance I'll go with the flow and enjoy the ride etc.

 

[mamborobert]

There will be lanterns no problem.  The numbers may be the issue.  There was an announcement by the local government a week ago limiting the number and places where lanterns could be sold (with a fine if not permitted to sell) and a stipulation on lantern size and fuel limit.

[Dipterocarp]

Understand the mood this year. Last night I walked across the new pedestrian bridge, crossed Nawarat, back down Chang Klan, all the way down Loy Kroh. Kept looking up/Moon. No lanterns. Not as much as a single firecracker. A sedate and respectful Loy Kratong. 

 

I never seen Night Bazaar so slow. Empty Restaurants. The drinkers seemed out in force on LK. If there are any tourists spending hope they were at Sunday Walking should be a busy night.

[CMBob]

There was a raft of people at Thaphae Gate last night for the small opening ceremonies.  A few candle dancers, a couple of speeches, a few seconds of sparkling fireworks behind the stage, and that was about it.  And the mayor and another big wig or two didn't even stay for all of that.

The Sunday walking market street (Ratchadamnern) was absolutely jammed with hordes of people. 

[CNXBKKMAN]

I have seen one lantern so far. Last night about 01:00 rising up from Chang Phuak area. 

[mamborobert]

The latest schedule....Subjecct to chaneg without notice....

 

Laterns are ok to go from 7.00pm to 1.00am...Tuesday and Wednesday only...so should (cough cough) be nothing tonight.

 

There are a LOT of candle ceremonies remembering teh King.  A big one outside Central Festival toinight apparently.

 

 

 

[CMBob]

1 hour ago, mamborobert said:

The latest schedule....Subjecct to chaneg without notice....

 

Laterns are ok to go from 7.00pm to 1.00am...Tuesday and Wednesday only...so should (cough cough) be nothing tonight.

 

Hmmm....think you got that partly wrong....it's tonight (Monday) and tomorrow (Tuesday) only....14th and 15th. 

[mamborobert]

10 minutes ago, CMBob said:

 

Hmmm....think you got that partly wrong....it's tonight (Monday) and tomorrow (Tuesday) only....14th and 15th. 

 

Yes, my apologies, you are quite correct.  Never that good with dates and metrics once retired :)

 

 

[Dmaxdan]

Our village (south of Chiang Mai) was informed via the speaker system that anyone caught launching lanterns by the police or the army will be fined 60,000 baht. Candles are fine though.


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[williamgeorgeallen]

no lanterns. that is why festive spending is expected to be down 15% might be even less as people will have more time to buy and consume beverages without wasting time sending up the lanterns.

[kalbo123]

Reading all the answers above I think the government did a good job informing the people what is possible and what not.

 

-My partner says bolony..., as she purchased some from a temple shop.

-There will be lanterns no problem.

-Not as much as a single firecracker. A sedate and respectful Loy Kratong. 

-I have seen one lantern so far.

-Our village (south of Chiang Mai) was informed via the speaker system that anyone caught launching lanterns by the police or the army will be fined 60,000 baht. Candles are fine though.
-no lanterns.

 

 

Anyway let's see tonight, have a good Loy Krathong.

 

 

[swissbie]

Why worry that much about the lanterns? Loy Krathong is mainly about the floating of the krathongs, no restrictions on that.

[DSJPC]

I do!

[thaibeachlovers]

Phew. Good I clicked on this as I didn't realise it was on tonight. I had noticed the decorations on the moat, but there's zero publicity about it that I have seen. No Krathongs on sale that I saw.

No parade tonight apparently.

I for one will be ecstatic that fireworks are banned. I haven't gone out on Loy Krathong for 3 years in Lamphun because of the idiots throwing large fireworks at people.

[Beats56]

I don't know. Tgf went by the big park where it usually is and nothing has been set up. I really like all the food but looks like out of luck this year.

[balo]

5 minutes ago I spotted at least 30 lanterns in the air from my balcony , so it looks to be business as usual here in Chiang Mai .  

[MESmith]

1 hour ago, balo said:

5 minutes ago I spotted at least 30 lanterns in the air from my balcony , so it looks to be business as usual here in Chiang Mai .  

 

30!  Sounds like LK is cancelled!

 

Dead as a dodo out where I live.  

[Shiver]

Since it's once again Loy Kratung I thought I'd ask GF what it's all about (again) and see if I could get an answer this year.

 

Me: "Why do people celebrate Loy Kratung?"

GF: "It's to take all bad luck away"

Me: "That's not very nice.  What about the person that has to clean up the lake before the morning getting all that bad luck?"

GF: "No, it goes into the water"

Me: "So do all the fish die with so much bad luck?"

GF: "No, there is no plastic.  

        ....but they can die from sticky rice and bread"

 

So that's alright then, clarification achieved after all these years.  Next interview with be about Father Christmas and if he will deliver to Mangers.

[Sandy Freckle]

We enjoyed the night from the rooftop of partners apartment..., I thought it was pretty special..., a steady stream from along the Ping until 10 or 11.., steady but narrow stream from Mae Jo area..., also steady from Chiang Mai uni area..., and sporadic random rising lanterns from all over. Our group let a few go too...., and some lanterns as well !!
There may not have been the numbers of last, or indeed previous years but nevertheless In my opinion it was an awesome sight with the full moon rising and a perfectly clear sky. A couple of extinguished lanterns landed nearby..., they looked like big silent squid tubes as they were silently gliding back to earth.

[dingdongrb]

19 hours ago, CNXBKKMAN said:

I have seen one lantern so far. Last night about 01:00 rising up from Chang Phuak area. 

 

 

Hmmmmm.... must of been the same one I saw....  I went outside to have a smoke about that time and saw a single lantern.....  mind you, the only one I've seen so far.

[JaseTheBass]

According to local news reports the lovely law abiding Thai people observed yesterday's ban on lanterns but those nasty foreign devils showed their lack of respect and set them off a day early.

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[JaseTheBass]

Since it's once again Loy Kratung I thought I'd ask GF what it's all about (again) and see if I could get an answer this year.
 
Me: "Why do people celebrate Loy Kratung?"
GF: "It's to take all bad luck away"
Me: "That's not very nice.  What about the person that has to clean up the lake before the morning getting all that bad luck?"
GF: "No, it goes into the water"
Me: "So do all the fish die with so much bad luck?"
GF: "No, there is no plastic.  
        ....but they can die from sticky rice and bread"
 
So that's alright then, clarification achieved after all these years.  Next interview with be about Father Christmas and if he will deliver to Mangers.

This is why it must be done in running water and not a lake or a pond, so all the debris becomes someone else's problem and they can hit the Chang without a care in the world.

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[dru2]

15 hours ago, swissbie said:

Why worry that much about the lanterns? Loy Krathong is mainly about the floating of the krathongs, no restrictions on that.

In Central, Southern and Northeast Thaland, true. But in the old Lan Na KIngdom of the north and in neighbouring Shan State it's traditionally been khom loi or floating lanterns for Yee Peng.

[Ace of Pop]

It was a time for spotty oiks to rev the balls of their mopeds tings,crash on the bend outside and generally behave like YobsNice Thais went to the Wat,clogged the river up with floating tings and stopped air traffic with balloons.All in All a most constructive day by my place


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[thaibeachlovers]

15 hours ago, MESmith said:

 

30!  Sounds like LK is cancelled!

 

Dead as a dodo out where I live.  

Actually, loads of lanterns last night.

Unfortunately, zero in the way of krathongs on the moat. I asked and was told that it was on the river. Huh, so rather than put them in the moat where they can be cleaned up and disposed of properly, they are put in the river to pollute downstream.

No publicity that I saw as to where on the river the main event was taking place, in fact zero publicity about any of it that I saw. Apart from a very few decorations on the moat it would be easy to miss it entirely. Not even publicity about the parade tonight, the route or time.

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎14‎.‎11‎.‎2016 at 10:57 AM, Dipterocarp said:

Understand the mood this year. Last night I walked across the new pedestrian bridge, crossed Nawarat, back down Chang Klan, all the way down Loy Kroh. Kept looking up/Moon. No lanterns. Not as much as a single firecracker. A sedate and respectful Loy Kratong. 

 

I never seen Night Bazaar so slow. Empty Restaurants. The drinkers seemed out in force on LK. If there are any tourists spending hope they were at Sunday Walking should be a busy night.

error.

[Shiver]

10 hours ago, JaseTheBass said:

 

This is why it must be done in running water and not a lake or a pond, so all the debris becomes someone else's problem and they can hit the Chang without a care in the world.

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I did not know that, and it makes a lot more sense if you are into the concept, but then it does beg the question of why so many Thai people go to lakes to do their ceremony.  Surely most would be aware of such an important detail?

If it went into a river or stream then the vortex action of it meandering would restructure the water and lose the 'memory' of what was in it previously.  I was curious yet very skeptical of that concept until I tried drinking some bottled water before and then after it had been through that process (same bottle).  It's night and day difference in taste.

 

[JaseTheBass]

 
I did not know that, and it makes a lot more sense if you are into the concept, but then it does beg the question of why so many Thai people go to lakes to do their ceremony.  Surely most would be aware of such an important detail?

If it went into a river or stream then the vortex action of it meandering would restructure the water and lose the 'memory' of what was in it previously.  I was curious yet very skeptical of that concept until I tried drinking some bottled water before and then after it had been through that process (same bottle).  It's night and day difference in taste.
 

Thais seem to have very little grasp of why they do most things.

[dave2]

loy kratong last night in chiang mai :)

 

here ya go 

 

dave2