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Thailand - Loy Krathong Festival

Photo Gallery of Loy Krathong Festival.

(Photo by TAT-http://www.loikrathong.net/ )
One of the most popular and wonderful festivals in Thailand is this " Loy Krathong Festival ".
It's a Thai traditional event and taken place on the night of full moon in the middle of November (12th month of Thai lunar calendar) every year.
It's held in each area through the country, and this year, 2005, they have the festival on 16, November.

   
"Loy" means "to float" and "Krathong" is a lotus-shaped boat decorated with banana leaves, flowers, candles, incense sticks and so on.
On the full moon night, when the river is high over the country, people launch their Krathongs on rivers, canals or small ponds to thank to the Goddess of water (Khongkha or Ganga) and put away sins and bad luck.

Especially the Loy Krathong Festival in Sukhothai is very famous.
Same as Songkran Festival (Water Festival), Loy Krathong Festival is also the most important event for Thai people in the year.

You can listen to the "LoiKrathong song" on the LoiKrathong website below;
TAT-http://www.loikrathong.net/
(Based on their policy, LoiKrathong pictures from the website are put on this page.)

• Krathong
• Thai Dance
• Chao Phraya River
• Launch Krathongs on the river
• Loy Krathong Song

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[Loy Krathong] Krathong
" Krathong " is a lotus-shaped boat decorated with banana leaves, flowers, candles, incense sticks and so on, or in short, " lantern ". You will see some pictures from a " Krathong Contest " in Bangkok. (It looks like this kind of contest is held around the period of Loy Krathong Festival. ) In recent days, Krathongs are made from/of natural things such as flowers, potato and wood. They are too wonderful Krathongs to be launched on a river....
Krathong 1 (Copy of Royal barges, The Suphannahongse)	Krathong 1 (Close-up: the white or yellow small pieces are flowers.)	Krathong 2 (Looks like this is a copy of Royal barges, The Suphannahongse, also)	Krathong 2 (Close-up: looks this is made of thin wood.)
Krathong 1 (Copy of Royal barges, The Suphannahongse) (Close-up: the white or yellow small pieces are flowers.) About The Suphannahongse, see Royal Barges National Museum.		Krathong 2 (Looks like this is a copy of Royal barges, The Suphannahongse, also) (Close-up: looks this is made of thin wood.)
Krathong 3 (Looks this is made of  wood. The board right bottom shows the upper number is the entry number of a Krathong and the lower is the team name who made it.)	Krathong 3 (Close-up: this is just a decoration...?)	Krathong 4 (Decorated with flowers.)	Krathong 4 (Close-up: coloured by Thai flowers.)
Krathong 3 (Looks this is made of  wood. The board right bottom shows the upper number is the entry number of a Krathong and the lower is the team name who made it.) (Close-up: this is just a decoration...?)		Krathong 4 (Decorated with flowers.) (Close-up: coloured by Thai flowers.)
Krathong 5 (Made from a lot of banana leaves. This is simple but wonderful.)	Krathong 5 (Close-up: decorated with banana leaves and flowers.)	Krathong 6 (Made from Thai potato.)	Krathong 6 (Close-up: very simple and gentle to launch on the river against nature.)
Krathong 5 (Made from a lot of banana leaves. This is simple but wonderful.) (Close-up: decorated with banana leaves and flowers.)		Krathong 6 (Made from Thai potato.) (Close-up: very simple and gentle to launch on the river against nature.)

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[Loy Krathong] Thai Dance
Thai dance and music with Thai musical instruments sponsored by Sky Train company, looks like with the continuation of Thai traditional events and taking a good care of the environment as its motto. Entertainments on the Loy Krathong Festival day. Thai dance and music with Thai musical instruments sponsored by Sky Train company, looks like with the continuation of Thai traditional events and taking a good care of the environment as its motto. Not only this event but various contests are taken place.
Thai Dance 1 (Beautifully dressed Thai dance.  The player on the right is also dancing.)	Thai Dance 2 (The middle lady in blue looks a main dancer.)	Thai Dance 3 (A little close-up.)	Thai Dance 4 (Beautiful, isn't it ? Personally, the middle kid looks funny. :D )
Thai Dance 1 (Beautifully dressed Thai dance.  The player on the right is also dancing.)	Thai Dance 2 (The middle lady in blue looks a main dancer.)	Thai Dance 3 (A little close-up.)	Thai Dance 4 (Beautiful, isn't it ? Personally, the middle kid looks funny. :D )
Thai Dance 5 (Thai dance in the northeast. Dance with skin of coconut.)	Thai Dance 6 (This also is a dance of northeast area.)	Thai Dance 7 (This is a north east dance as well. Kids are dancing.)	Music with Thai musical instruments (This is also a northeast Thai dance.  The long shaped instruments are called "Can". )
Thai Dance 5 (Thai dance in the northeast. Dance with skin of coconut.)	Thai Dance 6 (This also is a dance of northeast area.)	Thai Dance 7 (This is a north east dance as well. Kids are dancing.)	Music with Thai musical instruments (This is also a northeast Thai dance.  The long shaped instruments are called "Can". )

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[Loy Krathong] Chao Phraya River
This is one scenery along Chao Phraya River on the day of Loy Krathong Festival. This is one scenery along Chao Phraya River on the day of Loy Krathong Festival. You can see a great number of lovely boats decorated with a lot of lights like the pictures in this part. Some events are going on. :)
Scenery along the river 1 (A lot of people gather. They are waiting for the decorated boats.)	Scenery along the river 2 (The boats are coming ! Very fantastic with the colour of sun set.)	Scenery along the river 3 (Enjoying the decorated boats.)	Decorated boat 1 (Decorated with a lot of lights by a college.)
Scenery along the river 1 (A lot of people gather. They are waiting for the decorated boats.)	Scenery along the river 2 (The boats are coming ! Very fantastic with the colour of sun set.)	Scenery along the river 3 (Enjoying the decorated boats.)	Decorated boat 1 (Decorated with a lot of lights by a college.)
Decorated boat 2 (Close-up of the decorations.)	Decorated boat 3 (Elephants on the clouds.)	Decorated boat 4 (Decorated with famous temple names.)	Decorated boat 5 (Restaurant boat beautifully decorated.)
Decorated boat 2 (Close-up of the decorations.)	Decorated boat 3 (Elephants on the clouds.)	Decorated boat 4 (Decorated with famous temple names.)	Decorated boat 5 (Restaurant boat beautifully decorated.)
Decorated boat 6 (Two dragons at the head of the boat)	Decorated boat 7 (Sukhotai-styled ? boat. A Buddha statue in the middle.)	Decorated boat 8 (With fireworks. A little dangerous .. ?)	Decorated boat 9 (Decorated with dolphins.)
Decorated boat 6 (Two dragons at the head of the boat)	Decorated boat 7 (Sukhotai-styled ? boat. A Buddha statue in the middle.)	Decorated boat 8 (With fireworks. A little dangerous .. ?)	Decorated boat 9 (Decorated with dolphins.)
Decorated boat 10 (Heaven imaged boat with a rainbow, clouds and a waterfall.)	Decorated boat 11 (Amusement park imaged boat.)	Scenery of the river (Rama 8 bridge. Very beautiful.)	Phom Pra Sumaen (Ancient fort. Fascinating brightly lit. )
Decorated boat 10 (Heaven imaged boat with a rainbow, clouds and a waterfall.)	Decorated boat 11 (Amusement park imaged boat.)	Scenery of the river (Rama 8 bridge. Very beautiful.)	Phom Pra Sumaen (Ancient fort. Fascinating brightly lit. )

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[Loy Krathong] Launch Krathongs on the river
Krathongs like this are sold. Of course, some people launch ones that they made by themselves. It's about time to launch a krathong on the river !  Now, prepare a krathong and float it on the river. It's in a park here and a krathong has to go on a big pond, though. While sending a krathong, thank to the Goddess of water and put away sins and bad luck. (The picture left: Krathongs like this are sold. Of course, some people launch ones that they made by themselves. )
People (A park in Bangkok. Launch krathongs not only on a river but in a park is also okay. A lot of people gather in this park.)	People (A park in Bangkok. Launch krathongs not only on a river but in a park is also okay. A lot of people gather in this park.)	Launch a krathong (Krathongs are send onto a river while people thanking to the water.)	Krathong 1 (A lot of krathongs like this are floating on the water.)
People (A park in Bangkok. Launch krathongs not only on a river but in a park is also okay. A lot of people gather in this park.)		Launch a krathong (Krathongs are send onto a river while people thanking to the water.)	Krathong 1 (A lot of krathongs like this are floating on the water.)
Krathong 2 (There also are a lot of krathongs, floating on the water.)	Krathong 2 (There also are a lot of krathongs, floating on the water.)	Kids (Kids are selling krathongs.)	Toys ? (Lighted toys. I guess no relationship to the festival.)
Krathong 2 (There also are a lot of krathongs, floating on the water.)		Kids (Kids are selling krathongs.)	Toys ? (Lighted toys. I guess no relationship to the festival.)

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[Loy Krathong] Loy Krathong Song
You can listen to the song of Loy Krathong on the website of Loy Krathong. :) TAT (http://www.loikrathong.net/)
Thai language		English
วันเพ็ญเดือนสิบสอง น้ำนองเต็มตลิ่ง เราทั้งหลายชายหญิง สนุกกันจริง วันลอยกระทง ลอย ลอยกระทง ลอย ลอยกระทง ลอยกระทงกันแล้ว ขอเชิญน้องแก้วออกมารำวง รำวงวันลอยกระทง รำวงวันลอยกระทง บุญจะส่งให้เราสุขใจ บุญจะส่งให้เราสุขใจ วันเพ็ญเดือนสิบสอง น้ำนองเต็มตลิ่ง เราทั้งหลายชายหญิง สนุกกันจริง วันลอยกระทง ลอย ลอยกระทง ลอย ลอยกระทง ลอยกระทงกันแล้ว ขอเชิญน้องแก้วออกมารำวง รำวงวันลอยกระทง รำวงวันลอยกระทง บุญจะส่งให้เราสุขใจ บุญจะส่งให้เราสุขใจ  November full moon shines,  Loi Krathong, Loi Krathong,  and the water's high  in the river and local klong,    Loi Loi Krathong,  Loi Loi Krathong,  Loi Krathong is here and everybody's full of cheer,    We're together at the klong,  We're together at the klong,    Each one with this krathong,  As we push away we pray,  We can see a better day. Loikrathong's lyrics by TAT-http://www.loikrathong.net/

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