Loy Krathong (, , ) is a Thai festival celebrated annually throughout Thailand and in nearby countries with significant South Western Tai cultures (Laos, Shan, Mon, Tanintharyi, Kelantan, Kedah, Perlis and Xishuangbanna). The name could be translated as "to float ritual vessel or lamp," and comes from the tradition of making krathong or buoyant, decorated baskets, which are then floated on a river. Originally limited to Bangkok elites, Loy Krathong became an “invented tradition” in post-WWII Thailand in response to nationalism and to drive tourism. Many Thais use the krathong to thank the Goddess of Water and River, Goddess Khongkha () This festival along with other Hindu/brahmanical beliefs and practices trace back to India and were first practiced during the 11th/12th century Angkorian period of the Khmer Empire, pre-dating Sukhothai.
Loy Krathong takes place on the evening of the full moon of the 12th month in the traditional Thai lunar calendar, thus the exact date of the festival changes every year. In the Western calendar this usually falls in the month of November. In Chiang Mai, the festival lasts three days, and in 2024, the dates were 15-17 November.
In Thailand, the festival is known as Loi Krathong. Outside Thailand, this festival is celebrated under different names, including Myanmar as the "Tazaungdaing festival", Sri Lanka as "Il Full Moon Poya", China as "Lantern Festival" and Cambodia as "Bon Om Touk".
Overview
A krathong is traditionally a small floating container fashioned of leaves which is made to hold a small portion of goods like a traditional Thai dish (such as hor mok) or dessert. The traditional krathong used for floating at the festival are made from a slice of a banana tree trunk or a spider lily plant. Modern krathongs are more often made of bread or Styrofoam. A bread krathong will disintegrate after a few days and can be eaten by fish. Banana stalk krathongs are also biodegradable, but Styrofoam krathongs are increasingly banned, as they pollute rivers and oceans. A krathong is decorated with elaborately folded banana leaves, three incense sticks, and a candle. A small coin is sometimes included as an offering to the river spirits. On the night of the full moon, Thais launch their krathong on a river, canal, or a pond, making a wish as they do so. The floats are thought to have been introduced to Chiang Mai in 1947 and have since been incorporated into Thai culture. Government offices, corporations, and other organizations launch large decorated krathongs. There are competitions for the best of these large krathongs. Beauty contests often accompany the festivities and fireworks also have become common.
The practice of Loy Krathong in Thailand has roots in Hinduism,Goodman J. (2004). Thailand Cultures of the World. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish. p. 116. . "Festival floats during the popular Loy Krathong, which is Kalinga(Odisha) Hindu in origin. On this occasion people rejoice in the Mother water's gifts to them."Desai, S.N. and Embree, A. T. (1980). "The Festival of Lights," Hinduism in Thai Life. Bombay, India: Popular Prakashan Private Ltd. . p.32:- "Another of festival, which seems Hindu in its underlying idea, is Loi-Krathong, the Festival of Lights. Loi Krathong seems to be similar with Odisha's Boita purnima festival." p. 108:- "Hinduism had existed in Thailand since the pre-Thai period [at least the fifth century B.C.]" derived from the Hindu festival of Diwali,Sayyaparaju V. R. and Singha B. (Ed.). (2023). BHARAT The Eternal Vishwaguru. India: Vikram Raju Sayyaparaju. p. 88. the festival of lights celebrated in India. Hindus were known to celebrate the Diwali festival to worship the divine trinity and those Hindus who were converted to Buddhism had created a rite similar to the Diwali.Yavaprapas S. and Manilerd C, Bureau of International Cooperation Ministry of Culture Thailand. (2004). Loy Krathong Festival. Bangkok: Ministry of Culture Thailand. p. 33. Hinduism has existed in the area of present-day Thailand since the Indianized "pre-Thai era" of the Mon Dvaravati Kingdom and the Khmer Empire. Thai historian Pasuk Phongpaichit and author Chris Baker write that the Nang Nopphamat manuscript was likely authored during the reign of King Rama III to provide a "pure Thai" pedigree for court rituals that were known to be of Khmer-Brahminical origin, effectively "naturalizing" the foreign heritage into a national identity.
The earliest record of Loy Krathong is a bas-relief depiction on the Bayon, a late-12th, early-13th-century temple in Cambodia built by King Jayavarman VII during the Khmer Empire. A bas-relief on the upper level depicts a queen residing on the boat to float the krathong in the river whereas six other royal concubines are depicted below, some of which are holding the krathong and dedicating at the riverbank in a similar tradition practiced in present-day Cambodia. Nothing exists to suggest Loy Krathong was a tradition in the "water-scarce" city of Sukhothai. Knowledge of Loy Krathong was limited to Bangkok elites prior to World War II. Driven by nationalism, a post-coup pop song, and then an economic initiative to attract tourists in the 1960s, Loy Krathong became an "invented tradition" in Thailand. Similarities can be observed with Kartik Purnima celebrated in the eastern state of Odisha in India. This festival is called Boita Bandana\ Dangā Bhasā, which is observed on the Kartik Purnima or full moon day of Kartik month (which corresponds to October–November) in Odia calendar. Loy Krathong festivities are usually celebrated during the period which corresponds to Kartik Purnima. Odisha being part of the ancient Kalinga which had strong maritime trade relations with Southeast Asia, the similarities in all these festivals may not be coincidental.
Etymology According to the 1999 Royal Institute Dictionary, loi () means 'to float', while krathong () has various meanings, one of which is 'a small vessel made of leaves which can be floated on water during the Loy Krathong festival.' Others believe krathong to be a derivate of the Malay word kantong (). Other sources say it comes from Khmer.Bilmes, L. (1998). The /ka-/ and /kra-/ prefixes in Thai. Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area, 21 (2), 73-96.
Khmer - Malay\Java\Cham loanword កន្ទោង kɑntouŋ: noun; small container made of banana leaves (used esp. for steaming cakes or as a container for religious offerings such as food, tobacco, or betel).
History
Legend in Sukhothai Kingdom Period Loy Krathong is once said to have begun in the Sukhothai Kingdom by a court lady named Nopphamat. However, it is now known that the Nopphamat tale comes from a poem written in the early-Bangkok period. The Cambodian practice of moon-worship and floating lanterns demonstrates a long-practiced tradition before Thai adoption and is depicted on a Bayon bas-relief. According to King Rama IV, writing in 1863, it was a Hindu festival that was adapted by Thai Buddhists in Thailand to honour the Buddha, Prince Siddhartha Gautama. The candle venerates the Buddha with light, while the krathong's floating away symbolises letting go of all one's hatred, anger, and defilements. People sometimes cut their fingernails or hair and place the clippings on the krathong as a symbol of letting go of past transgressions and negative thoughts. Many Thais use the krathong to thank the Goddess of Water, the Hindu Goddess Ganga, Phra Mae Khongkha ().
On Loy Krathong's origins, Thai historian Pasuk Phongpaichit and author Chris Baker write in A History of Ayutthaya: Siam in the Early Modern World that: "The story of Nang Nopphamat, the supposed lady of the Sukhothai court who invented the krathong, is a literary fiction of the Bangkok period... designed to provide a 'pure Thai' pedigree for a festival that was actually a complex mix of Khmer Brahminism and local water rites inherited from the Ayutthaya period." (p. 82)
Ayutthaya Kingdom and Lavo Kingdom Period Simon de la Loubère led an embassy to Siam (modern Thailand) in 1687 (the "La Loubère-Céberet mission"). Upon his return, La Loubère wrote a description of his travels, as had been requested by Louis XIV, published under the title Du Royaume de Siam. Loy Krathong festival was mentioned in his book in the sixth chapter of part two called Concerning the Shows, and other Diverſion of the Siameſes: Religious Shows: An Illumination on the Waters, and another on the Land, and in the Palace.
Rattanakosin Kingdom Period The beauty contests that accompany the festival are known as "Nopphamat Queen Contests" has been promoted since the reign of King Rama III. Since the country became peaceful after getting involved with many wars, King Rama III ordered the palace officers and people to revive and promote the important festivals of the kingdom, such as Loy Krathong. According to legend written on the poem, Nang Nopphamat (; alternatively spelled as "Noppamas" or "Nopamas") was a consort of the 13th century Sukhothai King Sri Indraditya (who is also known as Phra Ruang) and she reputedly was the first to float a decorated raft. However, this tale may have been invented in the early-19th century. There is no evidence that a Nang Nopphamat ever existed. Instead, it is a fact that a woman of this name was the leading character of a novel released at the end of the reign of King Rama III, around 1850 CE. Her character was written as guidance for all women who wished to become civil servants. Kelantan in Malaysia celebrates Loy Krathong similarly, especially in the Tumpat area. The ministry in charge of tourism in Malaysia recognizes it as an attraction for tourists.
Lanna Kingdom Period and later Northern Part of Thailand
Loy Krathong coincides with the Lanna (northern Thai) festival known as Yi Peng (). Yi means 'two' and peng means a 'full moon day'. Yi Peng refers to the full moon day in the second month according to the Lanna lunar calendar (the twelfth month of the Thai lunar calendar). The festival is meant as a time to make merit.
Swarms of sky lanterns (; ), literally: 'floating lanterns', are launched into the air. Khom loi are made from a thin fabric, such as rice paper, stretched over a bamboo or wire frame, to which a candle or fuel cell is attached. When the fuel cell is lit, the resulting hot air is trapped inside the lantern and creates enough lift for the khom loi to float into the sky. During the festival, some people also decorate their houses, gardens, and temples with khom fai (), intricately shaped paper lanterns which take on different forms. Khom thue () are lanterns which are carried around hanging from a stick, khom khwaen () are the hanging lanterns, and khom pariwat (), which are placed at temples and which revolve due to the heat of the candle inside. The most elaborate Yi Peng celebrations can be seen in Chiang Mai, the ancient capital of the former Lanna kingdom, where now both Loy Krathong and Yi Peng are celebrated at the same time resulting in lights floating on the waters, lights hanging from trees/buildings or standing on walls, and lights floating in the sky. The tradition of Yi Peng was also adopted by certain parts of Laos during the 16th century.
Lesser known tradition A lesser-known aspect of Loy Krathong is the tradition where personal items such as finger or toenail clippings are sometimes placed on the krathong before it is floated away. This practice symbolizes letting go of old negativity and inviting new growth and positive energy for the year ahead. This gesture of release adds a personal element to the festival. The floating away of these personal tokens is meant to carry away one's bad luck and misfortunes with the flowing water, creating space for fresh blessings and happiness in the coming year. .
Aftermath