By Harry Nara · Last updated
- Where
- The Chao Phraya and waterways citywide
- Tickets
- Free
- Runs
- October / November
- Held
- Lunar
The night of the twelfth full moon in the Thai lunar calendar, which usually falls in November but can land in October. Krathong are floated after dark, from roughly 6pm until late. Riverside restaurants run set menus for the evening and book out well ahead.
The image most people have in mind, thousands of glowing lanterns rising together into a night sky, is Yi Peng in Chiang Mai, a northern festival that happens to fall at the same time. Loy Krathong is the water one: small floats of banana leaf, flowers and a candle, set on a river or a canal. In Bangkok the sky lanterns are not merely discouraged. Releasing one inside the safety zone of Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang is a criminal offence carrying up to five years in prison. Come for the water version, which is beautiful, and do not bring a lantern.
What Loy Krathong actually is
The night of the twelfth full moon, when Thais float a krathong on any available water as an offering to the river and a way of setting down the past year: bad luck, grudges, a bad temper, whatever you want carried off. A krathong is a slice of banana trunk dressed with folded leaves and flowers, holding a candle and three incense sticks, and often a coin and a clipping of hair or a nail. It is quiet, personal and done in a couple of minutes, then people stand and watch the lights drift.
Where to watch Loy Krathong
- Asiatique, on the river. The largest organised event in the city, on a riverside site with a Ferris wheel behind it, staged programming and easy access to the water. Busy, commercial, and by some distance the simplest option if you have never done this before.
- Wat Arun and the temple piers opposite. The ceremonial version, with the temple lit behind the water. Smaller, more devotional, and considerably more atmospheric than the mall events. Cross by the river ferry and go early, because the piers fill.
- The khlongs of Thonburi. Across the river, the canal communities hold their own small versions with almost no visitors at all. If you would rather float a krathong among a few dozen neighbours than a few thousand strangers, this is where to go.
- Lumphini Park and the city lakes. Any water counts, and the parks are the practical choice if you are nowhere near the river. Calmer water actually shows the candles better than the Chao Phraya, which moves fast enough to carry them off quickly.
- A riverside restaurant table, if you want to sit. Places along the water run set menus for the evening and float krathong for guests from their own pier. Book several weeks ahead; these are among the most sought-after tables of the year.
Tickets and what it costs
The festival costs nothing. A krathong from a street vendor costs very little, and workshops at hotels, temples and community centres will teach you to make your own for a small fee, which is both cheaper and more meaningful than buying one ready-made. Look for krathong made from banana trunk and leaf rather than polystyrene; the city fishes out well over half a million of them the following morning and the material matters. The real expense is a riverside restaurant table, which is priced accordingly and booked long in advance.
Official information and booking: www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/3129254/suvarnabhumi-airport-urges-locals-not-to-release-sky-lanterns-during-loy-krathong
Getting there
The river is the point, so use the boats. The Chao Phraya express service and the hotel shuttles run to all the main piers, and Saphan Taksin on the BTS is the interchange between the Skytrain and the river. Roads along the waterfront jam solidly through the evening. For the Thonburi canals, cross on a ferry rather than trying to drive round. Expect the return journey to be slow whatever you do, because everybody leaves the water at roughly the same time.
Mistakes worth avoiding
Other Bangkok events
Frequently asked questions
Can you release sky lanterns in Bangkok for Loy Krathong?
No. Releasing a lantern within the aviation safety zones around Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang is an offence under Thai aviation law carrying a maximum of five years in prison and a large fine, and the airport authority warns against it publicly every year. Loy Krathong in Bangkok is a water festival.
What is the difference between Loy Krathong and Yi Peng?
Loy Krathong is nationwide and involves floating a decorated candle-lit vessel on water. Yi Peng is a northern festival, centred on Chiang Mai, in which paper lanterns are released into the sky. They fall at the same time, which is why the two are so often confused, and in Chiang Mai they overlap.
Where is the best place to float a krathong in Bangkok?
Asiatique for the largest organised event and the easiest first experience. The piers around Wat Arun for the ceremonial version with the temple lit behind the water. The Thonburi canals for a small neighbourhood version with almost no visitors. Any city park lake works if you are inland.
Does the date change?
Yes. It falls on the night of the twelfth full moon in the Thai lunar calendar, which usually lands in November but occasionally in October. It moves by a couple of weeks year to year, so confirm the date before booking rather than assuming.
What is a krathong made of?
Traditionally a slice of banana trunk, dressed with folded banana leaf and flowers, holding a candle and three incense sticks. Many people add a coin, and some add a strand of hair or a nail clipping to represent what they are letting go of. Avoid polystyrene versions; they are still sold and they do not degrade.
Can you make your own?
Yes, and it is worth it. Hotels, temples and community centres run workshops in the days beforehand for a small fee, teaching the banana-leaf folding and the flower arrangement. It costs less than buying one and it is a considerably better hour than the alternative.
Sources
- Bangkok Post, airport authority warning on sky lanterns
- The Nation, launching sky lanterns is illegal
- Loy Krathong background
Dates on this page are checked against the organiser’s own listing and confirmed through 2026. Written and maintained by Harry Nara.