Stories tagged with loi
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Yee Peng Festival set to light up Chiang Mai
Each year thousands flock to Chiang Mai to enjoy a unique Loi Kratong festival. This popular Thai celebration, in which sins of the past year are released, is especially popular in the North and takes on it’s own character, known locally as the Yee Peng Festival.
First time visitors will be enchanted by the tradition of floating ‘kratongs’, with their candles and pretty flower arrangements, down waterways and rivers, and the night sky is dotted with hundreds of glowing ‘Khoms’. These are saa paper balloons with small burning baskets beneath and make a pretty sight when left off en-masse.
By releasing these, troubles and sins of the past year are said to be released, not surprisingly there are thousands dispensed of, and the clean up the following day can be a problem. The festival is also accompanied by fireworks and firecrackers which can be engaging or annoying depending which way you view them.
The River banks of the Ping river are the best places to witness the floating (or loi) of the kratongs which are sold by vendors all over the busy areas, such as near Wororat Market. Khoms (balloons) are also widely available and are released at parties, restaurants, bars and other venues across the city over several days of the festival. However, Saturday 24th is the official day and will include parties at entertainment venues and near water courses (canals included) across the city. It’s a highlight of the events calendar in Chiang Mai and worth participating in if you are in Chiang Mai.
Posted by: Andrew on 20 Nov 2007, 04:42