| In 2008, Loy Krathong will be celebrated on | | | | Thai people also use the krathongs to float away |
| November 13th. If you search on the Internet, | | | | their problems and anger and sometimes include a |
| you may find the date listed as the 12th, 24th, or | | | | bit of themselves in the krathong. Bits of hair or |
| even the 27th. From everywhere I searched, | | | | fingernails may be sent afloat to symbolize the |
| the consensus is the 13th of November. You | | | | letting go of bad things in their life. |
| may also find different spellings with different | | | | Traditional krathongs have come back in vogue |
| phonetics - like Loi Kratong. | | | | with the Thai government telling people not to |
| Loy Krathong is probably the best holiday festival | | | | use Styrofoam to float their bad luck away. |
| to attend. You can celebrate it wherever you | | | | Good to see concern for the ecology. |
| are in Thailand. The Thai people dress in | | | | Competitions for the biggest and most beautiful |
| traditional outfits and it is a party that lasts all | | | | krathongs are held nation-wide. Usually there will |
| night long. | | | | also be beauty contests and the ladies will be |
| In Thai, loy means float and krathong is a small | | | | decked out in their finest traditional Thai |
| boat or raft about the size of your hand. | | | | costumes. |
| Companies and businesses may make them larger | | | | If your vacation spot is on or near the beach - |
| but for the individual person a small float about 6 | | | | like in Pattaya or Phuket - you won't be |
| to 8 inches around is normal. | | | | fireworks. If you are in Bangkok, head for |
| They are usually made from banana leaves folded | | | | Lumpini Park or the Chao Phraya River and |
| in intricate patterns and carry flowers, candles and | | | | experience this festival. |
| incense. It is believed that floating your krathong | | | | The place to celebrate Loy Krathong is in |
| will bring you good luck and some believe it is an | | | | northern Thailand - Chiang Mai. The celebration |
| offering of respect to the goddess of the water. | | | | lasts for about one week with processions, open |
| According to legend, in the 13th century, Nang | | | | markets, stage shows and a beauty pageant. |
| Nopamas, a royal consort of King Ramkhamhaeng | | | | Hotels will be booked solid so book in advance. |
| (the founder of Sukhothai), made the first | | | | Loy Krathong is not a national holiday, but a night |
| krathong as an offering to Mae Nam. She set it | | | | when Thais pay respect to the goddess of the |
| afloat on one of the canals of the palace so that | | | | waters by floating candlelit offerings on any and all |
| it would drift past her lover, the king. This is the | | | | waterways around the kingdom. |
| origin of the belief that if two lovers set a | | | | Plan your Thai holiday in the month of November |
| krathong adrift and it stays afloat until out of | | | | to witness this spectacular Thai festival of water |
| sight, their love will last forever. | | | | and romance. |