Loi Krathong Festival, Thailand

The Loi Krathong Festival in Thailand (or the Lantern Festival to Singaporeans) is held every year. This year it's from Oct 31 to Nov 2. The Thais still hold dear to their cultural practices, and this is a good thing. They say the grandest show is in Chiengmai.

Kids with their offerings gathered excitedly by the river in Satun.

The little floats of flowers "sail" away to symbolise that their sins have been got rid of, and a new start is being made.

The festival is also to honour the goddess of the rivers and waterways. I noticed how seriously they regarded the festival.

Each float, topped with joss sticks, costs from 20 to 40 baht, depending on how elaborate it is. Little boys waded into the shallow river to help push the floats further in the middle of the river to catch the current. The greedy ones grabbed floats which got stuck by the side of the river to look for coins inside.

An elaborate float.


It was fascinating to see the little floats twinkling in the darkness, floating away.