GOASIAPLUS November 2019
As the year approaches an end, one can definitely look out for the second largest festival in Thailand! In this issue, we share 6 main places you can be part of the Loy Krathong festivities in Thailand. Further to the East, see how you can take a one-day trip from Tokyo to Kawasaki (the origin place for phallus festival) and travel to Green Island, a lesser-known gem in Taiwan. Other topics include dark tourism in Asia, sustainable dining and Kathmandu Valley in Nepal.
As the year approaches an end, one can definitely look out for the second largest festival in Thailand! In this issue, we share 6 main places you can be part of the Loy Krathong festivities in Thailand.
Further to the East, see how you can take a one-day trip from Tokyo to Kawasaki (the origin place for phallus festival) and travel to Green Island, a lesser-known gem in Taiwan.
Other topics include dark tourism in Asia, sustainable dining and Kathmandu Valley in Nepal.
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TRAVEL<br />
Loy Krathong<br />
Celebrating light, love and luck<br />
WHEN<br />
11 Nov <strong>2019</strong><br />
LOY KRATHONG IS THE SECOND LARGEST FESTIVAL IN THAILAND AFTER SONGKRAN,<br />
THE THAI NEW YEAR. KNOWN AS THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHT, IT MARKS AN OCCASION<br />
TO CELEBRATE HOPE AND LOVE, BANISH BAD LUCK AND WELCOME GOOD FORTUNE.<br />
Text ANGELA GOH • Photos ADOBE STOCK<br />
ABOUT<br />
The festival of light is celebrated annually<br />
on the evening of the 12 th lunar month of<br />
the Thai calendar.<br />
Loy means “to float” while Krathong<br />
means a “raft”. The krathong is a small<br />
lotus-shaped vessel fashioned out of a<br />
banana stem or bark and adorned by<br />
exquisitely woven banana leaves.<br />
The festival pays homage to the<br />
river goddess, Ganga, known as Pra Mae<br />
Khongkha. Celebrants ask for forgiveness<br />
for polluting the rivers and also to thank<br />
her for providing water which sustains life,<br />
agriculture and livestock farming. It is also<br />
a time to banish misfortune, unhappiness<br />
and ill health, and make wishes for the<br />
coming year.<br />
Also regarded as a Thai festival of love,<br />
it is said that if the krathong which is set<br />
adrift by a pair of lovers remains afloat<br />
together until they drift out of sight, their<br />
love will last forever. If the krathong floated<br />
by each of the lovers drifts apart, this is not<br />
regarded as a good omen.<br />
SYMBOLISM<br />
Thais believe that launching the krathong<br />
on a river symbolically releases all<br />
negativity by letting their troubles drift<br />
away. The four components of a krathong–a<br />
candle, joss sticks, flower and coin–<br />
symbolise aspects of Buddhism.<br />
The candle represents knowledge and<br />
wisdom; the joss sticks (usually three)<br />
symbolise purity and sympathy; the flower<br />
represents respect for Buddhist monks; and<br />
the coin signifies the making of merit to<br />
gain blessings and wealth.<br />
Some worshippers leave strands of<br />
hair or nail clippings in the krathong to<br />
rid themselves of bad luck. If the candle<br />
remains burning while the krathong drifts<br />
out of sight, this portends good fortune in<br />
the year ahead.<br />
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