Loy Krathong festival
The Loy Krathong festival is held annually in November; this year on November 10. Literally, that name means 'to float a krathong'.
The festival pays tribute to Phra Mae Khongkha, the Goddess of Water, to thank her and ask for forgiveness for using her domain. Launching a krathong is said to bring good luck and is a symbolic gesture to get rid of the bad things in life and start with a clean slate.
According to tradition, the festival goes back to the Sukothai era. One of the king's wives, named Nang Noppamas, is said to have invented the festival.
Traditionally, a krathong is made from a slice of a banana tree that is decorated with flowers, folded leaves, a candle and incense sticks. To get rid of the bad things in life, pieces of nail, hair and coins are added.
Modern krathongs are made from styrofoam – the city of Bangkok collected 2010 in 118.757. But because it takes more than 50 years for such a krathong to decompose, the use of environmentally friendly and compostable krathongs is promoted. In recent years, krathongs were introduced, made from bread, water hyacinth and coconut husk.
In 2010, 9,7 billion baht was spent on the party; in 2009 an average of 1.272 baht per person. More than 2006 million krathongs were launched in Bangkok in 2007 and 1, and 2010 in 946.000. According to a survey of 2.411 people, 44,3 percent think teenagers have sexual intercourse during the party.
(Source: Guru, Bangkok Post, November 4-10, 2011)
From my own experience I can add that places where krathongs are launched are always teeming with boys who help and earn a nice pocket money by collecting the coins. Large floating lanterns are also released. Residents living near Suvarnabhumi were asked last year not to do so in order not to hinder air traffic.
How do you make a krathong?
- Take a banana tree trunk and cut a slice from it. This is the bottom of the krathong.
- Attach the leaves of a jackfruit tree with small needles to the bottom - with the tips of the leaves pointing upwards.
- Cut off the lower parts of the leaves that protrude from the bottom.
- Wrap a strip of pandanus leaves around the side of the base to keep the krathong looking neat.
- Stick half a toothpick in the blossom of purple globe amaranth.
- Stick the flowers in the bottom of the krathong and leave a small space in the middle for a tea light.
- Insert three incense sticks into the krathong.
- Ready for the launch. Place some coins in the krathong. Make a wish.
Here in Pattaya every year it is a beautiful sight to see the many people on the beach, who launch their krathongs. Many staff in bars and restaurants are dressed in beautiful traditional Thai attire that day.
Unfortunately, it will not be a party for hundreds of thousands of Thais this year, because they have lost all their possessions due to the flood and really have nothing to celebrate. Loy Krathong marks the end of the rainy season, but for large parts of the country the flooding will last for a long time.
As mentioned, the party will not be celebrated in full this year. All festivities for Loy Krahtong have already been canceled in some parts of Thailand. I myself tend to think that the whole of Thailand should not celebrate out of respect for the many victims.
But the 'Krathong' is a sacrifice for 'Mae Khongkha', the 'Mother of Water'. The Thais believe that when the 'Krathong' floats away, sins and misfortune will also go away. The further the 'Krathong' drifts away and the longer the candle burns, the more prosperity and happiness in the future. That is precisely why I think that celebrating Loy Krathong can indeed be meaningful for many Thais. Instead of praying for oneself, one can invoke the goddess to make the misery of the excess water forgotten as soon as possible and to bring (a little) luck and prosperity to the victims.
I have been participating for years myself and it remains a beautiful spectacle and very photogenic. Many krathongs are taken out of the water after the couples have already left, shaken dry and decorated a bit and simply sold to the next couple for the same price. Good trade.