Happy Loy Krathong

Every year, on the 12th month of the Buddhist lunar calendar, a full-moon night, people in Thailand participate in an event called Loy Krathong.

Krathongs are little floating baskets decorated with flowers, incense, and candles and put onto the river to float away. The ceremony is called Loy Kratong.

The beliefs
The common belief is that people float Krathong to express their gratitude to the Goddess Ganga, the symbol of the water. Some may apologize to the river for the garbage they threw into it. Some hope to float away from bad luck, suffering, sadness, or diseases. And some pray for blessings.

Many people put coins into their Krathong as offerings to the Goddess. Later in the night, the Krathong will be fished out from the water along with the coins as payment for cleaning up the water.

Loy Krathong ceremony
On Loy Krathong day, many temples and riversides hold Loy Krathong events. They may have various activities for people to participate in, such as the Krathong contest, Miss Noppamas contest (beauty pageant), various stage performances, and fireworks.

Loy Krathong while being eco-friendly
There are usually tons of garbage and Krathongs after the ceremony, both in the event areas and, especially, in the water sources, you can reduce the amount of waste generated by applying these ideas from Mali:

• Float one Krathong for one group
• Reduce the size of Krathong
• Choose Krathong made of ice or natural material 
• If you want to float Krathong made of bread, check the water situation to be sure that there are enough fish in that water to consume it
• Loy Krathong online

In any case, the best way is to float Krathong in a closed water source, not in the river, to prevent garbage and Krathongs from getting stuck in the drains or flowing into the sea. By doing this, you can reduce the impact on the environment and help maintain the ecosystem.

Loy Krathong can be exciting for young children. It’s a night of celebration and fireworks — a beautiful tradition with a beautiful story of nature and gratitude. If you are taking Your Child out, make sure you keep a close eye on the little one, as the festival is held so close to the water and is usually very crowded.