Loy Krathong: Thailand's Festival of Lights
Once a year, rivers and canals across Thailand fill with small floating lanterns, each one carrying a wish, an apology, or a quiet thank you. This is Loy Krathong, one of the most beautiful festivals in the Thai calendar.
What Is Loy Krathong?
Loy Krathong takes place on the night of the full moon in the twelfth month of the traditional Thai lunar calendar, usually falling in November. The name translates roughly to "floating a basket", which is exactly what happens.
People make or buy a krathong, a small floating vessel traditionally crafted from banana leaves, decorated with flowers, incense and a candle. As night falls, these krathongs are set afloat on rivers, canals and ponds, and the water fills with hundreds of small flickering lights drifting along the current.
Why People Float a Krathong
The tradition carries a few meanings, often blended together rather than separated out:
Giving thanks to the water spirits and rivers that support daily life
Letting go of anger, grudges or bad luck from the past year
Making a wish for the year ahead
Asking forgiveness from the water for any pollution or disrespect shown to it
As the krathong drifts away, it's said to carry that wish, apology or bad feeling along with it. Some people add a strand of hair or a fingernail clipping to the krathong, symbolically letting go of the old year.
A Festival Rooted in Community
Loy Krathong isn't a quiet, solitary tradition. It's a festival, full of music, food stalls, fireworks and gatherings by the water. Families and friends often make their krathongs together beforehand, and the act of releasing them is usually shared, standing by the riverside as a group, watching the lights drift off together.
In parts of Northern Thailand, Loy Krathong overlaps with Yi Peng, when thousands of paper lanterns are released into the night sky at the same time, creating one of the most striking sights in Thai culture.
Bringing a Little of That Spirit to St Albans
We won't have a river of floating candles outside our door, but the spirit behind Loy Krathong, gratitude, letting go, and gathering with people you care about, is something worth marking wherever you are.
If you're celebrating Loy Krathong this year, or simply want an excuse to bring people together over good food, it's the perfect reason to order a proper spread. Share a few dishes, take your time over the meal, and treat it the way it would be treated in Thailand: as a moment to enjoy together.
Good dishes for a gathering like this include:
Green Curry or Panang Curry, for the table to share
Papaya Salad, for a fresh, sharp starter
Pad Thai, a comforting crowd-pleaser
Celebrate With Us at Kat's Oriental Cuisine, St Albans
Wherever you are this Loy Krathong, we hope you get a moment to let go of the old and welcome in the new, ideally with good food and good company.
Browse the menu or explore the Dish Guide to put together your own spread, and message us if you'd like recommendations.
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