Loi Krathong Festival

"It's like Valentine's Day for Thais," said Yan. "It's sort of a Thai Thanksgiving," said Aor. "It's like The 4th of July without any rules," said Dan as we stepped through the tightening bands of revelers. We are walking to the Ping River to honor the water goddess and ask her forgiveness for polluting her waters; welcome to Loi Krathong.

Loi Krathong (the 'h' isn't pronounced) is more like a sprawling game of paintball; though instead of dye-filled pellets, its played with flying explosives. With apparently no regulations whatsoever on fireworks, the city streets overflow with pre-teens hefting bagfulls of Roman candles, M-80's, and bottlerockets (the 4th of July part).

There is also a long, long, long, long and slow parade. Floats drag behind pickup trucks loaded with people wearing lots of makeup and big fake hairpieces, waving and wearing ceremonial clothes. Kim sings along with the "Loi, Loi Krathong" theme song as it screams through the sound systems of the floats.



As the evening wears on, the sky fills with floating lanterns. These are five foot high, three foot wide rice-paper columns with a flameball welded into the center. Once the flame burns for a few minutes, the lanterns lift gracefully into the air. Its a gorgeous and romantic spectacle. As you might expect, some lanterns catch unruly air currents and float into wooden houses, into electrical lines, trees, and even unsuspecting passersby, causing, we were surprised to notice, very little alarm among the locals.

The highlight of the festival is walking your personal krathong (a little, pretty floating boat made of banana leaves and decorated with flowers, incense and a candle) down to the Ping River, giving thanks (the Thanksgiving part) or making a wish, and watching it float away. This is usually done as a couple (the Valentine's Day part). Dan planned this part to be especially romantic and beautiful, but instead Kim nearly had a panic attack, ducking and dodging rogue fireworks zig-zaging towards her and igniting with eardrum-splitting booms. Instead of lovingly gazing into each other's eyes, giving thanks for all of our blessings while manifesting a beautiful future together, we raced to the riverbank, hastily made a wish and thrust our half-lit krathong into the river... then raced for cover.

All in all, it was a lovely and memorable holiday. So, Happy Loi Krathong everyone... may you give thanks for your blessings, and may we all manifest a bright and magnificent future!

Love
Dan&Kim

Kate and Kev posted on 2007-12-24 at 8:11 am

Hi guys, just thought we'd log on and wish you a merry christmas. We've made it down to Vang Vieng, it's beautiful here, the drive is awesome. Hope you got back from the bowling ok. Our gates were locked again and we got caught mid climb over the wall - oops. Take care and you're welcome in York anytime xxx

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katerina posted on 2007-12-20 at 1:22 pm

can you bring me back the rice paper elephant from the end of your movie? ;)

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nona and poppi posted on 2007-12-17 at 3:40 pm

just watched the video of the festival,it sure looked exciting! you both look wonderfully happy and that's what counts. miss you! love you ....nona and poppi

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Kat posted on 2007-12-17 at 12:07 pm

Oh my...... I posted a little comment back in New Zealand. This is just so exotic looking that I can hardly believe it exists from the vantage point of my snowy little office space in northboro, ma. you two rock.

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rus posted on 2007-12-16 at 7:56 am

i don't understand. you just send flaming lanterns into the air? for good luck? what about when they catch fire and come down about on some family's grass hut? what about their good luck? i wonder how many flaming lanterns they have to light to combat all the flaming lanterns that other people sent off. it all seems a confused fight of futility, to light one for good luck to avoid getting your house burned by all the other good luck lantern wishers who are wishing that their house doesn't get burned up. This is why we require government control. good luck. rus

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Dan's Dad posted on 2007-12-14 at 7:37 pm

Hi you two! What beautifully inflated hot-air lanterns...floating into the black night. What a floating spectacle of lanterns on the water. If only the rocket bombs weren't interrupting the otherwise bucolic setting with the threat of 3rd degree burns and the smell of burning flesh and hair... Kim, how are you coming along with Thai massage lessons? Daniel, I miss you. Love Dad.

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Mom posted on 2007-12-11 at 12:15 am

Happy Loi Krathong, Happy Hannuka, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and may you all give thanks for your blessings and may we all manifest a bright and magnificent future! Thank you for sharing that celebration.Nice that you happen to be there as they celebrate the Kings 80th Birthday! I love your personal Krathong as you make a wish and watch it go down the Ping river.What a spectacle!!! Hugs and Kisses. xoxoxoxoxox

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