This past week was the Loy Krathong and Yi Peng Festival. Loi Krathong: a festival held on the full moon of the 12th month every year.
Traditionally, people make baskets out of banana tree trunks, leaves, and flowers. Then a candle is lit along with incense and you send the basket down the river. It symbolizes letting your problems, misfortune, and hatred from the previous year float away. And idk about you guys but I really think 2019 (or in Thailand – 2562 BE: Buddhist Era) was high-key Rough with a capital R.
Some people also believe sending Krathongs down the river symbolizes thanking the Goddess of Water for providing us with water. Obvi I’m not Buddhist or Hindu so I just like to say that I’m thanking God for water. I was told Thai Christians practice this holiday for that reason/ with the same mentality, but Thai Muslims do not (correct me if I’m wrong, this was through word of mouth). I’m not sure why, but world religions really are fascinating and I’d love to look into it more.
Yi Peng: The Lantern Festival that corresponds with Loy Krathong. ALSO – they are the lanterns lit for our long lost Princess, Rapunzel. “Hey, Siri! Play ‘I See the Light’ from Disney’s Tangled.” Lanterns reflect “making merit” and wishing and asking for good fortune for the upcoming year. It’s a really beautiful celebration because the sky is just full of wishes.
This celebration has been going on for over 6000 years but unfortunately there’s a lot of controversy around it. The lanterns are supposed to be biodegradable but sometimes people lie and make them out of plastic. Krathongs are environmentally friendly and are even sometimes made out of fish food. The controversy also comes because these lanterns do fall like A LOT and cause fires. Heck, I caught one from falling on top of a guy’s head who was driving a motorbike!
Some people (western people) believe that they should stop the festival all together – and I do care about the environment I swear, but I just don’t think it’s appropriate to harp on people about an old cultural tradition. Idk thoughts? ‘TIS complicated.
All in all, it was beautiful and I’m feeling very thankful
