Thais, Foreign Tourists Prepare to Celebrate Loy Krathong Festival

CHIANG MAI, THAILAND, November 17 (TNA) - Millions of Thai people and foreign tourists are eagerly awaiting to float krathong (the lotus-shaped container which floats on the water) Sunday night to celebrate Thailand’s annual Loy Krathong festival to send off traces of bad luck from the past year and to pay respect to water spirits. In the northern capital of Chiang Mai, people offered food to spirit house asking forgiveness from the River Goddess, part of the annual Loy Krathong and Yipeng celebrations which fall on the full moon night of the 12th lunar month. They will float krathong which are adorned with flowers and alight with candles tonight in Mae Ping River to send off any traces of bad luck from the past year. People in Sukhothai province, the country’s former capital, lined up in a procession along with beautiful krathong and candles given by Their Majesties the King and Queen and members of the Royal family to participate in the celebrations Sunday night in the city. The people paraded in the municipal area as they admired kindness given them by the revered King and Queen. Shops selling flowers, candles and joss sticks in Hat Yai district near the Thai-Malaysian border are doing brisk business early Sunday as people and tourists from Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia bought krathong and plan to float them at a canal which passes through the district. Many tourists have also rented cars and plan to visit Songkhla resort and nearby provinces. Tourism operators estimate that about 200 million baht would be generated in the area during the festival. In the Central province of Ratchaburi, people along civil servants and military officials offered dried food and alms to 101 monks from temples in the province. The alms offering tradition is part of showing respect to the late Supreme Patriarch. Natural Resources and Environment Minister Wichet Kasemthongsri is scheduled to preside over of floating of krathong celebrations in Mae Klong River Sunday night. (TNA)