Loy Krathong

Loy Krathong [ลอยกระทง]

On November 21th, 1999, I had a meeting with my employer.
He told me about an upcoming national festival in Thailand, "Loy Krathong".

He explained that it was a big festival, where in the evening on the full moon night in November, everybody went to the sea/lake/river/etc. to float ("Loy") a "boat ("Krathong)" made of the banana plant stem and leaves.

His Thai wife made every year herself this "Kratong (boat)". The Krathong was decorated with flowers, a candle, and 3 incense sticks. At the water (sea, lake, river), everybody would put some coins of money, some pieces of their hair and nails, etc., into the "boat" and push it into the water. Everybody would dress into the traditional Thai outfit for the occasion.

The meaning of "Loy Krathong" was that the "boat" was supposed to carry all your troubles and bad luck away and sink into the sea.
A new beginning.
"Loy Krathong" was also the end of the rainy season.

He showed me some pictures of that festival from the previous years and invited me to join them this year. He and his family went every year for the holiday to Pattaya to celebrate this festival.

I accepted the invitation, and we went to Pattaya.

On November, 22, we went all together to celebrate "Loy Krathong". The whole city was bustling of Thai and foreigners with their "boats" celebrating the "Loy Krathong" party. The shore was full of "boats" in all sizes and it was difficult to find a space to float my own "boat". Children were going into the sea to take the coins out of the "boats".

We had a good time and enjoyed the party.

3 years later, I was invited by our new team to celebrate "Loy Krathong".

I accepted it, and I went with my wife and my daughter to celebrate the party at the local lake.
Lots of people floating their "boats" and having fun.
Arrived home, I noticed that my wife was not very happy and I asked her what was wrong.

She explained to me that what we did was not celebrate "Loy Krathong", but invite the "bad spirits" to our life.

The REAL meaning of "Loy Krathong" was to float a "boat" into a RIVER and let the "boat" float away with your troubles and bad luck. Not to bring them back to us like floating a "boat" at the shore or a lake.

"Loy Krathong" should be celebrated at a river or a canal where the water is flowing. The whole meaning of "Loy Krathong" was turned into a circus by the foreigners who didn't know anything about Thai culture.

We went to a river nearby and floated a new "boat" with our wishes of good luck for the coming year and had a party with a few Thai people who were also celebrating the party in "Thai style".

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