Loy Krathong Day

November 24th, 2007 is a Loy Krathong Day for this year.

One of the Thai loveliest festival in middle November on a Full moon day is the Loy Kra-Thong Day. It takes place at a time when the weather is fine, as the rainy season is over and the rainy season is over and there is a high water level all the country.

"Loy" means "to float" and "Kra-Thong" is a lotus-shaped vessel made of banana leaves and its stem. The Kra-Thong usually contains a candle, three joss sticks, some flowers, and coins. People light the candles and joss sticks and launch their Kra-Thong on canals, rivers, or even small ponds to give thanks and apologize to Phra Mae Khong-kha. (The Thai goddess of water.)
It is believed that a Kra-Thong carries away sins (bahp) and bad luck (choke rai) and wish will be granted if the Kra-Thong stays afloat and drift out of sight. Lovers tell the fate of love by floating their Kra-Thong together. If their Kra-Thongs drift away together, it is a good sign of love, but if the Kra-Thongs stay apart, especially at the start, it is a bad sign.

Today we'll join the festival at a private pound where we always go for walk 'coz we don't wanna got stuck on the rad.

Here's a Loy-Krathong song lyric

November full moon shine

Loy Krathong, Loy Krathong

And the water is high

In the gold river and the Klong

Loy Loy Krathong , Loy Loy Krathong

Loy Krathong is here

And everybody’s full of cheer

We're together at the Klong

Each one floats his Krathong

In the river and we pray

We can see a better day .........

Songkran festival - Thai New Year's Day

Songkran is a Thai traditional New Year which starts on April 13 every year and lasts for 3 days. Songkran festival on April 13 is Maha Songkran Day or the day to mark the end of the old year, April 14 is Wan Nao which is the day after and April 15 is Wan Thaloeng Sok which the New Year begins. At this time, people from the rural areas who are working in the city usually return home to celebrate the festival. It is one of an important festival especially for FAMILY because at present it is an elderly day on April 13 and a Family day on April 14 as well.
Songkran is a Thai word which means "move" or "change place" as it is the day when the sun changes its position in the zodiac. It is also known as the "Water Festival" as people believe that water will wash away bad luck.

The Songkran tradition is recognized as a valuable custom for the Thai community, society and religions. The value for family is to provide the opportunity for family members to gather in order to express their respects to the elders by pouring scented water onto the hands of their parents and grandparents and to present them gifts including making merits to dedicate the result to their ancestors. The elders in return wish the youngsters good luck and prosperity
The values for community is to provide the opportunity to create unity in the community such as to jointly acquire merits, to meet each other and to enjoy the entertaining events. And for the society value is to create concern upon environment with cooperation such as to clean houses, temples, public places and official buildings. Thais value the religion by means of merits acquisition, offerings alms to monks, Dhamma Practice, listening to sermon and monks-bathing.

In the afternoon, after performing a bathing rite for Buddha images and the monks, the celebrants both young and old, joyfully pouring water on each other. The most-talked about celebration takes place in the northern province of Chiang Mai where Songkran is celebrated from April 13 to 15. During this period, people from all parts of the country flock there to enjoy the water festival, to watch the Miss Songkran Contest and the beautiful parades.

As some of you might seen in TV. or any media that some people enjoy splashing or throwing water into each other. I really dunno when it was happened BUT it's NOT our tradition and it is really impolite. So, I'm glad that the Department of Culture raised this matter as a problem to be solved !