If you were lucky and everything went well Visit Thailand during the month of November, you have a great opportunity to participate in a colorful and magical festival - the Louie Karting Festival, or in its full name: the Thai Festival of Lights. This is an important and big event in Thai culture, the second after The Thai New Year festival - Songkran. Every year the entire country, including parts of neighboring Myanmar and Laos, is covered in colorful lights and crowds of revelers crowd the rivers for the national festival.
The meaning of the holiday
There are many stories about the true origin of the holiday. The popular belief is that the holiday came to symbolize Thailand being a country whose economy is largely based on agriculture. The many rivers that cross the country lengthwise and widthwise are an image of the veins and arteries of the Thai nation - in which agriculture flows, as an integral part of life. Another theory is that the Thais used to treat the river as one of the gods and therefore, similar to the tradition practiced in Buddhist temples, they brought an offering to him in order to receive his blessing.
The word Krathong in Thai means a bunch of bananas decorated with flowers, leaves, candles and incense. The word Loy in Thai means "floating", and indeed the Thais usually prepare a kind of offerings loaded with good things and float them along the rivers. According to tradition, the floating offerings contain a mix of things that symbolize different things, which carry a strong meaning. The candles are a symbol of wisdom, the flowers are a symbol of respect for the Buddhist monks and the Buddha, the incense is a symbol of purity and sympathy. Some add coins to the offering to win a blessing of wealth. In addition, it is customary to add ends of hair, cut nails and pieces of old clothes to the package to symbolically get rid of the past.
Beyond that, the Lui Kartong Festival is considered the Thai Father's Day. Thai couples treat the holiday just like Valentine's Day and usually go on romantic dates and make wishes about their future together.
The Thai light pastille - when and where?
The festival is held regularly every year during the month of November, but on varying dates, according to the cycle of the moon (on a full moon night). The exact date is usually given about a month in advance. As mentioned, the festival is celebrated all over the country, and wherever you travel you can see the local residents gathering next to the illuminated rivers. All activities are open to the public free of charge. It is worth noting that there are several centers with larger and more special celebrations, which you should consider going to for the holiday:
Sukhothai
The city, which is right in the center of the country, is less known for travel and tourism purposes, but is considered the most attractive and festive place to spend the Festival of Lights. According to the myth, the city is the birthplace of the Thai Festival of Lights, which is why it is celebrated there with extreme festivity - in Sukhothai the festival lasts for 5 days and in addition to the decorations of lights and religious ceremonies, magnificent parades, music and light shows and beauty contests are held. The events are all centered in the old city - in the city's historical park (which is also an attraction in itself). Note that this is an area with relatively few accommodations, so you should take care of the accommodation arrangements before you arrive.
Chiang Mai
in Chiang Mai There is a slightly different tradition. The Festival of Lights meets another festival called Yi Peng, the Lantern Festival. For a few days around the holiday, the largest city in the north is completely decorated with floating candles. This is alongside fireworks shows, colorful parades and many performance stages for the benefit of the general public. The main ceremony, where the candles are blown to the sky, was held at the Lanna Duthanka Buddhist Center, at Mae Jo University. To get a good spot among the crowd, you should arrive early (around 4 pm). Remember that this is a religious ceremony, so it is acceptable to dress modestly and keep the peace.
Bangkok
As the Thai capital, Bangkok excels in extensive and impressive celebrations of the colorful festival. Along the rivers that cross the city, the public parks and surroundings the temples, you will see crowds of residents - families, loving couples and young groups, who gather to celebrate the holiday. It is customary that the tourists also join the festival and float on the surface of the water colorful offerings they have prepared. If you want to take part in the tradition, all you have to do is purchase a ready-made guide (in hotels, shops or street stalls) or if you are a craft lover, even make one yourself.
Many travelers choose to take a night cruise along the river in the city. Such activities usually include a buffet and free drinks for an optimal experience. Another way to enjoy the festival of lights in Bangkok is Book a hotel room with a river view, so you will gain a particularly spectacular night view.
