Krathongs floating on the chiangmai tourism Ping River

Krathongs floating on the chiangmai tourism Ping River

The Krathong is traditionally made ​​of bamboo cutting sections with neatly folded pieces of banana leaf along the rim, giving the appearance of a lotus leaf . Everyone should be decorated with a candle, an incense stick , and some flowers , although many of them are more elaborate . Often , a few grains of sand and charms are placed in the Krathong , and some coins are often added , although they may end up spending money on more than a few guys . At home in the water, swim from Krathong to Krathong and a little ' brown hand gropes around what it can hold. These days the comfort and buoyancy of Styrofoam have largely and unfortunately , replacing traditional materials , such as a coastal sandbar and for weeks after the event. This year , 2007, the Loy Krathong festival is November 22 to 25 . In Chiang Mai , there are challenges raft down the river , on the first day , and runs for the next two days. The opening ceremony will take place at Peng Yee Tha Pae gate early on the first night , followed by a lantern parade and competition from the Night Bazaar . Beauty pageants are held at Tha Pae Gate in the second and last night , and individual krathongs parades and giant krathongs start from there , in the second and third night . Every night there will be fireworks , throwing Kome Loy, Lanna cultural performances at the municipal offices close to the river , and, of course , there's no better place than the Loy Krathong chiangmai . Here is a video taken along the Ping River and the neighborhood of the festival.

According to tradition the first Krathong was made by a beautiful young lady in the royal court of the ancient kingdom of Sukhothai some 700 years ago . His name was Naang Noppamart , and is blessed with great artistic ability . Others followed his and there was a competition on the night of the full moon of the year 11 . The king judged the competition. Noppamart Naang 's talents were paid as their Krathong was declared the winner . The king decreed that from now on this night of the year should become a Thanksgiving party and should be celebrated by the buoyancy of ships in the form and shape of lotus leaves . The legend lives on and the beauty queen selected in each of the Loy Krathong celebrations around Thailand is , to date, the Naang Noppamart pageant winner .