Loi Krathong

This festival takes place on the night of the full moon in the eleventh lunar month. This year that was 2 November. Boats made of banana leaves with incense and candles are floated on rivers and lakes to ask forgiveness from the river spirits. The children spent several hours making elaborately decorated (and watertight) boats. Fortunately for us there were 2  boats spare, to which we added, as is customary, a piece of our hair and a piece of fingernail, and as is not customary, NZ flags.

As well as floating our boats, there  were a lot of  candle lanterns lit and floated into the sky, and  all of the normal fun of the fair;  bouncy castles, sideshows, sticky food,  sweet drinks, transgender cabaret and boxing on a slippery pole over the river. Hope the river spirits didn't mind all that as well.