Loy Krathong

Hugely popular in Thailand and neighboring countries, Loy Krathong is a major annual event and occasion to celebrate.

It occurs on the full moon evening on the 12th month of the traditional Thai lunar calendar, which is November 6th this year. On this night, everyone goes to the nearest river, lake or beach to release a mobile offering hoping for luck for the year to come.

Loy Krathong is destined to give thanks and excuse the goddess of water. Thanking you for using water to grow crops and sustain life all year round and also a way to apologize for making the water dirty.

As a token of gratitude and apology, a small decorated round raft generally made up of an opane banana tree is decorated with flowers, neatly folded banana leaves, a candle and three incense sticks. Krathong is then floating in the water and carried away by the stream. Couples release one Krathong each, hoping they will float away together, a sign of eternal love.

The wind often blows away the candles though …

In the old days people also cut their nails and put some hair in Krathong, wishing it would take away the luck and sickness.

In Phuket, Loy Krathong is celebrated on all beaches, in Sapan Hin Lake in Phuket town, in Lake Karon and wherever there is water. On the beach, the new trend fun is to release flying lanterns and a pretty impressive sky can be seen that night.

Then there is a lot of eating and partying, local fun fairs in every popular place for everyone to have some fun and games