Loy Krathong

Loy Krathong is probably the most magical event in Thailand. This is the time for a reunion of family and friends. It is celebrated the full moon evening of the twelfth month in the Traditional Thai lunar calendar, therefore, the date changes every year.

Loy means "to float" and a krathong is a small basket, traditionally made from banana leaves. Usually, a krathong contains three joss-sticks, a candle and some flowers and some coins. Some even add personal hair and nails.

The Origins :

There is no solid evidence of Loy Krathong’ s origin. Some believes that the ceremony have originated in the time of King Ramkhamhaeng of Sukhothai, the first capital of Thailand, and have been started by Tao Sri Chulalak – Nang Nopphamas. The latter is referred as the chief royal consort, a virtuous lady in the court of Sukhothai king. She was skilled in the art of making beautiful krathongs and she is said to have made the first decorated krathong to float in the river.

Some other believe that we only celebrate the Mae Kongkha, the Goddess of water, to be thankful for water resources we have had during the year.

Why do we celebrate this festival ?

One of the main reasons we celebrate the festival is to pay respect to the Goddess of Water and to float away our anger, agony and sorrow. During the past year, we have been blessed with abundant water to produce essential things for ourselves yet, we pollute them. The festival is a sign of apology and appreciation we have towards the Goddess. It is also a way to pay respects to Lord Buddha.

When the krathong is launched, people have to make a wish to have fortunate lives and to forget the bad feelings/ grudges from the past. If the candle stays lid until the krathong is out of sign, it means that the owner has been blessed with luck.

What are we doing to celebrate it ?

A special event will take place on Monday, November 14th. First, you will enjoy a custom-made menu in the privacy of your villa to (re)discover the Siamese cuisine. Traditional Thai music will be played to make the event even more enjoyable.

As this festival is about sharing, we will then go together to a specific place in Kamala Beach to launch the Krathong. 

Reservation is highly recommended.