Thailand’s ‘Floating Lantern Festival’ was colored.

Thailand’s traditional festival, Loy Krathong (Floating Lantern) Festival, was a spectacle of colorful sights.

In Thailand, the Loy Krathong (Floating Lantern) Festival, celebrated on the last full moon night according to the lunar calendar, took place on November 15 this year. Thais flocked to rivers, canals, and streams across the country, releasing ‘krathongs’—lanterns made of leaves, flowers, candles, and incense—into the water accompanied by prayers. Especially in the capital city, Bangkok, and Chiang Mai, foreign tourists also showed great interest in the celebrations held in festival areas set up along the waterfronts, where participants of all ages donned traditional Thai attire. The festival featured traditional music and dance performances, as well as fireworks and light shows, which received loud applause.

Bread, chips, and ice lanterns were released into the water

On the other hand, this year’s festival also faced criticism for occasionally polluting the waters, as Thais released not only traditional designs made from banana and coconut leaves but also bread, chips, and even ice lanterns into the water.