At around this time every year on the night of the full moon, Thais celebrate the festival of Loy Kratong, literally meaning ‘Float Lantern’. Little ‘boats’ made of banana tree trunk decorated with flowers and banana leaves and topped off with 3 incense sticks and a candle are floated on rivers, lakes, canals and the sea as a way of thanking the Goddess of Water for letting us use this precious resource and even apologising for sometimes polluting it.
The build up to Loy Kratong starts many days before. 
In the middle of one of the biggest shopping malls in Hua Hin, a competition was held with hundreds of schoolgirls vying for the prize for making the best float!
But if you don’t care to make your own, there are plenty of local vendors selling them by every waterside.
After a suitable prayer offering or two, off they go, creating the most magical and almost mystical sight.
In many ways, I felt that that should have been it. But wherever there’s a crowd, Thais like to party. So directly adjoining this ethereal scene and in the grounds of the local temple, it was party time,
complete with dancing girls plus any member of the public who wanted to get on the stage for a charity donation of around £2.50. It was all splendidly noisy, chaotic and seemingly largely unscripted but clearly enjoyed by a very happy crowd
with not a drop of alcohol in sight but, of course, plenty of food on offer including some of my least favourite snacks!
I can see no joy in devouring locusts, beetles and all manor of squirming bugs but that’s no problem as I’m certainly not a contender for I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here’!
If the on stage melee is not to your taste then, next door and clearly competing for the ‘who can make the loudest noise’ award, a giant movie screen had been erected
blasting out a decibel defying noise, showing a few cartoons followed by some quite violent action movie. Just great for the kids and all within a few metres of the tranquil serenity of the river with all its delightful floats!
The entertainment ended on a more traditional note, however, with a display of Thai dancing which I felt was much more in keeping with the spirit of Loy Kratong. But then again, I’m not Thai so what do I know?
It’s now only 3 days until my visa expires and immigration authorities don’t take too kindly to visitors outstaying their welcome. So it’s almost time to move on for a few days.
Phileas.
thelasthurrahsite 