Chiang Mai Old Town Celebrates Cultural Traditions with Festivals of Light

The Loy Krathong lantern festival is celebrated in all provinces and cities of Thailand, but Chiang Mai province in the North is considered the most enchanting destination to admire the shimmering colors of light.

The “phang pateet” lamp lighting ceremony symbolizes the opening of the light of life. (Photo: VNA)

Loy Krathong is a traditional lantern festival in the Kingdom of the Golden Temple and is the second biggest festival of the year after the traditional Songkran New Year of the Thai people.

Held annually on the full moon day of the 12th month of the Thai calendar (usually in November of the Gregorian calendar), on this occasion, people across Thailand will go to rivers, canals, and lakes to release Krathong - a traditional floating raft made from banana leaves or banana tree trunks, with fruits, food, incense, candles, and coins displayed on it - to express gratitude to the Water God and pray for good things in life.

Although Loy Krathong is celebrated in all provinces and cities of Thailand, Chiang Mai province in the north of the country is considered the most enchanting destination to admire the shimmering colors of lights and immerse yourself in the unique cultural space of this festival.

The “Tam Phang Pateet Song Fa Haksa Mueang” lighting ceremony is the highlight of the Loy Krathong festival in Chiang Mai, where small clay lanterns, or “phang pateet,” are lit to honor the Water Goddess Mae Khongkha and pay homage to the traditions of Lanna culture.

According to Ms. Saowakhon Sriboonruang, from Chiang Mai Urban Conservation Network, the “phang pateet” lamp lighting ceremony symbolizes the opening of the light of life, spreading warmth like a lamp and reflecting the community’s gratitude and appreciation for the city and its cultural heritage.

This is a meaningful tradition that brings people together to celebrate, honor and preserve their cultural identity.

Besides the Loy Krathong festival, Chiang Mai is also famous for the Yi Peng sky lantern festival. This year, Chiang Mai’s Yi Peng festival is held under the theme “Enchanting Mae Raming: The Art of Light and Culture,” and will run from November 14-17.

The event aims to preserve the rich Lanna cultural heritage, stimulate the economy and revive tourism after recent floods.

Highlights at this year's event include the grand lantern competition for the King's Cup, a Lanna-style parade, a light and sound show on the Ping River, fireworks to honour the King, the Yi Peng competition and a lighting show that decorates the city of Chiang Mai, creating a beautiful night atmosphere.

To ensure safety, the Tourism Authority of Thailand Chiang Mai Office has called on people participating in the Yi Peng Festival in 2024 to only release sky lanterns on November 15-16 from 7pm the previous day to 1am the next morning in designated areas.

The grandiose staging of the Loy Krathong and Yi Peng festivals is part of the Winter Festival campaign launched by the Government of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

Through this campaign, Thailand aims to achieve revenue of 300 billion baht (8.5 billion USD) in the last two months of the year, thereby contributing to boosting tourism revenue to exceed 2,780 billion baht (79 billion USD) in the whole year of 2024.

In addition, the Thai government is also proposing solutions to support tourism in the northern provinces, especially Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, after these localities were severely affected by floods that have occurred since last October.

Under the initiative of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Thailand, 10,000 tourists coming to the Northern region of Thailand in the second half of this year will be supported with 400 baht (equivalent to 12 USD) for each trip./.