10 Fascinating Facts About the Loy Krathong Festival You Didn’t Know

Last Updated on April 19, 2025

Loy Krathong is a beautiful light festival in the Kingdom of Thailand, filled with luminous Krathongs in the shape of lotuses and incredible reflections in the water. This stunning celebration, commonly known as Diwali or “Festival of Lights,” has everyone pay respects to water deities, let go of all ill energy, and celebrate the water that is essential to everyone’s daily life. Although Loy Krathong is celebrated worldwide, many interesting facts about the event are not well-known. Here, we will reveal 10 fascinating and spellbinding features of the Loy Krathong Festival that you probably didn’t know existed. Here are 10 Fascinating Facts About the Loy Krathong Festival:

The Origins of Loy Krathong Date Back Over 700 Years

Many people are still determining the respectable origin of Loy Krathong, but most historians estimate it to be in the 13th Sukhothai period. According to some evidence, it existed as a deity worship, mentioning Brahma, Shiva, Vishnu, and other lords, and it slowly evolved into Buddhist art. Thus, Loy Krathong gradually has a religious meaning dedicated to the river goddess Phra Mae Khongkha, and the event is deeply associated with water and nature.

It Is Celebrated on the Full Moon of the 12th Lunar Month.

The Loy Krathong festival is celebrated on the night when the sky is full of moon in the 12th lunar month, which is usually in November but best enjoyed when flooded. The event celebrates the importance of water in our lives and the act of letting go by lighting candles, which signifies washing one’s soul and accepting new blessings under the full moon. Loy Krathong is celebrated according to the lunar calendar, so none of the celebrations of this festival are similar to one another.

“Loy Krathong” Means “To Float a Basket.”

In Loy Krathong’s tradition, participants float a basket of banana leaves decorated with flowers and candles in a river or body of water. Loei and Krathong are derived from the Thai language, where loei means float, and Krathong is a float chiefly made of a banana stem. Marshallian krathongs are adorned with flowers, candles, and incense and gently float in the rivers and lakes. This act is often a way of warding off worries, evil deeds, and misfortune; hence, it is a means of banishing negativity and ill omens.

Each Krathong Contains Symbolic Offerings

In assembling every Krathong, there are offerings to pay homage to the various parts of the face that represent both male and female aspects. After lighting, each krathong contains more than just flowers and candles; people also put in things like hair strands, nail clippings, or even coins. These items symbolize letting go of negative energy, past wrong deeds or phases in one’s life, or things one wants to eliminate. Interestingly, by including such tokens, one is purging oneself symbolically, creating space for new things. Krathongs may also contain small food offerings for the river spirits, so they can eat and help maintain the light.

A Legend Attributes Loy Krathong to Nang Noppamas

Although many Thais believe that the Loy Krathong Festival was initiated during the Sukhothai period in the fourteenth century by Nang Noppamas, the beautiful consort of a Sukhothai king, she is said to have made the first Krathong in the shape of a lotus to pay homage to the river deities. History has it that upon admiring her beauty, the king persuaded the rest of the people to follow the same pattern as her. In today’s festival, Nang Noppamas is honored for her grace and beauty, and many regions hold beauty contests in her name.

It’s Celebrated Differently Across Thailand

Since Loy Krathong is famous worldwide, Thailand’s polluted areas customarily observe the event. For instance, the Chiang Mai festival is held alongside Yi Peng, where people release sky lanterns called khom loi into the air, creating beautiful aerial light shows. However, in Sukhothai, where the Loy Krathong festival originated, the celebrations are more official: large-scale parades and demonstrations near the ruins of ancient temples.

Loy Krathong Is Not an Official Public Holiday

While Thais and foreign visitors enjoy the beauty of the event, it is essential to note that Loy Krathong per se is not an official holiday in Thailand’s calendar. Sch and offices mainly function during the day, but festivities start in the evening. Many Thais use their free time after working hours to participate in celebrations, organizing groups of family and friends who chase after nearby water masses to launch their floating lanterns. This is why it is considered quite significant, even if it has no official status in the country.

Loy Krathong Also Symbolizes a Connection to Buddhist Teachings

Loy Krathong also represents a link to Buddhism. This is the time to give thanks and make merit to the Buddha. In this process of letting go of the krathong, people also share, ask for forgiveness, and express gratitude. Ceremonial washing is seen as an opportunity to apologize for any water abuse and to pay our respect to it and nature, since people are Buddhists and regard water as a sacred gift that demands mindfulness and compassion.

Biodegradable Krathongs Are Gaining Popularity

Another issue that arose recently is the consideration of the environmental effects of using Krathong in the festival of Loy Krathong. This is why the Krathong part of the traditional Thai New Year can be made of banana leaves, bread, or any natural material, as such floats in water, feeds fish, and does not pollute water. Nonetheless, materials such as Styrofoam, which are in high use today, were once alarming in their pollution. Lately, it has become increasingly preferable to buy biodegradable krathongs, and some cities, such as Bangkok, have even promoted the ‘eco-loy krathong’ movement.

Loy Krathong Attracts Thousands of Tourists Annually

Loy Krathong has evolved over the years into one of Thailand’s uniquely colorful festivals, attracting tourists from around the world to witness its beauty and cultural features. Famous cities such as Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Sukhothai are also most frequented during this season, and people, both Thai and foreign, throng to riversides, lakesides, and canalsides to enjoy this enchanting festival. Everyone gets involved; hotels, tour operators, and local traders organize entertainment programs and activities, transforming Loy Krathong into a globally acclaimed festive activity.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Loy Krathong Festival

What is the significance of the candle on the krathong?

A candle represents light and is, therefore, most effective in driving away related vices, such as darkness. When participants light the candle, they call for blessings, hope, and positivity to fill their lives.

Why do people add coins to their krathong?

Small offerings of coins to water spirits are put in the water because the spirits are said to bestow the gift of water. Others think placing a coin will help augment luck and fortune in the new year.

Can anyone participate in Loy Krathong?

Tourists are more than welcome to participate in Loy Krathong. It is a lovely and friendly function. Anyone can make a krathong and participate in its release during the festival.

What is the difference between Loy Krathong and Yi Peng?

The first is called Loy Krathong, during which people set floating baskets adrift on a body of water. The second is Yi Peng, which is primarily performed in the northern part of the country and involves the release of sky lanterns. During their New Year festival, the people of Chiang Mai observe both floating krathongs and sky lanterns simultaneously.

Are there any restrictions on what materials can be used in a krathong?

Local governments in several cities offer incentives to the public to encourage them to use eco-friendly products, such as banana leaves, flowers, and bread, for waste disposal. Styrofoam and plastic products are frowned upon or flat-out prohibited in many places.

How long does Loy Krathong last?

The festival usually lasts only one evening, starting at sunset and ending at night. However, celebrations may last weeks in some cities, such as Chiang Mai and Sukhothai, including processions, competitions, and various cultural re-enactments.

Loy Krathong is a festival of lights by float, which brings people together in a remarkable unity of hope, reflection, and the beauty of nature. It is a time to let go of the past years and accept the new things coming into the future. This incredible celebration reflects Thailand’s social, cultural, and religious identity, as well as the genuine love of nature that Thais hold dear, offering insight into the significance of Loy Krathong. It transforms the ceremony into one of the most treasured Thai events, imbuing it with spiritual and emotional meaning for those who participate.