Today in Thailand is celebrating Loy Krathong festival. traditional festival of Loy Krathong also known as the ‘Festival of Lights’ and the floating lantern festival is one of the most charming and visually stunning of all Thailand’s annual festivals, and is celebrated during the full moon of the 12th month of the Thai lunar calendar.
All around Thailand, people gather in the evening at lakes, rivers, canals, and beaches to participate in Loy Krathong and pay respect to the goddess of water. In Thai the word Loi means ‘float’ and Krathong means ‘container, boat or vessel’, and the festival entails the floating of a krathong decorated with candles and flowers onto the water. The Thais believe this is a way to rid oneself of bad luck and negative feelings, and to bring good luck and positive feelings.
What Thai people do during the festival?
The Loy Krathong is mainly celebrated to thank the goddess of water. The goddess of water is Mae Khongkha, they pray by sending the decorated baskets down the river. Most of the people pray and say thanks to the goddess for giving water while others pray for forgiveness for using plenty of water or contaminating it.
To decorate the basket, Thai people use local flowers, candles, and incense. The people go with their families and assemble near the river, lit the candles, and float the basket into the river.
While Loy Krathong is celebrated nationwide, some of the best places for tourists to experience the festival are Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Sukhothai. Once the first capital of Siam and today a World Heritage Site, Sukhothai offers the chance to enjoy Loy Krathong with the backdrop of majestic ancient ruins and is said to be where the festival began some 600 years ago.