What? Loi Krathong is a festival held on the full moon of the twelve month, which is usually November. I know, I know, I know November is the eleventh month, but this is Thailand and it doesn't matter. Settle down and read on! Please!
Wikipedia quotes Loi as to 'float' and Krathong as a 'raft'. So the main part of the festivity is to float your boat, actually this is not far from the modern day interpretation, well at least from what I read.
This year the Loi Krathong day is today; 12 November.
The tradition dates back to the mid 1800's as a mark of respect to honour Buddha with light as he guides the devotees and floating away the raft to represent the letting go of one's grudges, anger and attitude with a view to starting out afresh. Similar I suppose to making New Year's resolutions in the west. The raft is made from banana leaves and is about the size of a large plate. In its centre are fresh flowers surrounding a candle. It is traditional to add finger nail clippings and crop of hair as a representation of letting go of the bad parts of oneself. It is also part of the never ending list of Thai superstitions about creating good luck. Many people go to great lengths to create the Krathong and take enormous pride from displaying their handicraft work. At the call of darkness on the appropriate day the village will congregate at the temple by the banks of the river and light the candles. With reverence and great care the rafts are then released onto the water and no doubt a few of Buddha's scriptures are recited. There may follow a few fireworks and a chat, but generally people then go home.
As you will have no doubt figured out by now I like to indulge in the cultural side of Thai life and I was spurred on exactly twelve months ago by Dave who is a close friend who also has serious ties in Thailand. He actually made a couple of rafts and brought them round to my house in Diggle one Saturday night with a plan to set them free on the local canal. It was all rather surreal and oddly out of character with the surroundings, but it was all right and a bit of fun. But to be honest it was all over a bit too quick. Well at least we went to the pub and thought we had done something a bit different, albeit a little bit eccentric, maybe.
Well it seems the people of Thailand are wondering what to do with their time after their rafts have disappeared round the bend of the river. According to today's Bangkok Post the activities after the Krathong disappeared are aimed at turning the night into romance, eating, drinking and doing what comes naturally. In a reader poll the respondents confided that about 14% of them plan to spend time with their partner, 11% will go out drinking and 5% will have sex. I assume the remaining 70% will go home and tuck themselves up into bed ready for more 'cut rice' in the morning! But there is a serious side to this and the issue is about consumption of alcohol and what happens next and it is giving the authorities some concern.
In the space of one sentence this rather amusing poll turned into a statement that the festivities will change much of Thailand's youth into party animals, and I quote, (they will) 'celebrate the festival with friends in ''improper clothing'' such as tank tops and short pants which make them susceptible to sexual harassment'. Just like every other day of the week then?
But there is more, and the Government minister supposedly in charge of these affairs is concerned that 'young people would have unprotected sex on the night that could land them in trouble from the risk of HIV infection to unwanted pregnancies'. Just like any other night of the week then?
Silly me I thought Thailand was immune from such debauchery.
Wikipedia quotes Loi as to 'float' and Krathong as a 'raft'. So the main part of the festivity is to float your boat, actually this is not far from the modern day interpretation, well at least from what I read.
This year the Loi Krathong day is today; 12 November.
The tradition dates back to the mid 1800's as a mark of respect to honour Buddha with light as he guides the devotees and floating away the raft to represent the letting go of one's grudges, anger and attitude with a view to starting out afresh. Similar I suppose to making New Year's resolutions in the west. The raft is made from banana leaves and is about the size of a large plate. In its centre are fresh flowers surrounding a candle. It is traditional to add finger nail clippings and crop of hair as a representation of letting go of the bad parts of oneself. It is also part of the never ending list of Thai superstitions about creating good luck. Many people go to great lengths to create the Krathong and take enormous pride from displaying their handicraft work. At the call of darkness on the appropriate day the village will congregate at the temple by the banks of the river and light the candles. With reverence and great care the rafts are then released onto the water and no doubt a few of Buddha's scriptures are recited. There may follow a few fireworks and a chat, but generally people then go home.
As you will have no doubt figured out by now I like to indulge in the cultural side of Thai life and I was spurred on exactly twelve months ago by Dave who is a close friend who also has serious ties in Thailand. He actually made a couple of rafts and brought them round to my house in Diggle one Saturday night with a plan to set them free on the local canal. It was all rather surreal and oddly out of character with the surroundings, but it was all right and a bit of fun. But to be honest it was all over a bit too quick. Well at least we went to the pub and thought we had done something a bit different, albeit a little bit eccentric, maybe.
Well it seems the people of Thailand are wondering what to do with their time after their rafts have disappeared round the bend of the river. According to today's Bangkok Post the activities after the Krathong disappeared are aimed at turning the night into romance, eating, drinking and doing what comes naturally. In a reader poll the respondents confided that about 14% of them plan to spend time with their partner, 11% will go out drinking and 5% will have sex. I assume the remaining 70% will go home and tuck themselves up into bed ready for more 'cut rice' in the morning! But there is a serious side to this and the issue is about consumption of alcohol and what happens next and it is giving the authorities some concern.
In the space of one sentence this rather amusing poll turned into a statement that the festivities will change much of Thailand's youth into party animals, and I quote, (they will) 'celebrate the festival with friends in ''improper clothing'' such as tank tops and short pants which make them susceptible to sexual harassment'. Just like every other day of the week then?
But there is more, and the Government minister supposedly in charge of these affairs is concerned that 'young people would have unprotected sex on the night that could land them in trouble from the risk of HIV infection to unwanted pregnancies'. Just like any other night of the week then?
Silly me I thought Thailand was immune from such debauchery.
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