Loi Krathong festival in Bangkok it will be on November 6th at 19:00 in Nagaraphirom Park near Tha Thien Pier if you want to show to taxi driver in Thai here it is สวนนาคราภิรมย์
The word ลอย /loi/ means ‘to float’ and Krathong กระทง /grà-tong/ is a small lotus-shaped floating receptacle.It could be made from anything; traditionally it is made of banana leaves and banana trunks. Today the banana trunk core is sometimes replaced by styrofoam, paper, ice-cream cones, bread (baked into the form of a traditional krathong or a cute floating turtle). The banana trunk and bread krathongs are obviously eco-friendly, so better choices for you and your family.
The raft is decorated with flowers, a candle and an incense stick. People often leave a one-Baht coin, a lock of the hair and nail clippings in the Krathong.
Thai people believe that the purpose of the Loi Krathong festival are:
– To ask for forgiveness “Pra Mae Khongkha พระแม่คงคา” (The goddess of water) for any misdeeds against her – we use and drink water, moreover we often throw in rubbish and pollute the water.
– To worship the foot-print of the Buddha on Nammathanati River beach in India.
– To fly away misfortune and bad things.
How to float Krathong
Before floating the Krathong down the river or in the pond , the candle and the joss stick are lit and people make wishes or ask for good luck and forgiveness from Pra Mae Khongkha, then put the Krathong in the water and watch it float away.
Some people believe that if the Krathong capsizes, it means bad luck. Some young people believe that if a couple float Krathong together it could cause them to break up
FUN LOY KRATHONG FACTS
– According to a 2010 article in Manager Online, a survey by a certain condom company indicates that Loy Krathong is the festival, second to Valentine’s Day, where teenagers lose their virginity.
– Strands of hair, nail clippings or even bits of clothes that one doesn’t use anymore are often put into krathong according to the belief that it will get rid of the bad stuff from the past.
– Coins are added to krathong to bring wealth and as a way of making merit.
– For the romantic at heart and young couples, Loi Krathong is the time to make a wish for happiness together and success in love.
