On the Third Lunar Moon in November (Nov 5th this year), Bangkok celebrates the festival known as Loy Krathong. If you break it down, it essentially means “float lotus shaped vessel” Usually, the Krathong is made out of banana leaves, flowers, with a candle and incense in the middle.

The traditional line is the Krathong are a tribute to the Goddess of Water. Its believed by lighting the Krathong and floating it away down a river, pond, lake that one’s bad luck and sins will be carried away. Therefore, starting giving you a chance to start over for a new year.

OH – and there’s a lot of fireworks and stuff. :)

(picture credit: Google, and the dude Google riped the image off)

And that’s your basic lesson on the festival,

Now on what Loy Krathong actually means to the younger Thai generation, I would have to say Loy Krathong has become Thai’s version of Valentine’s day (of course before Valentine’s day got mainstream here.) I’m sure most can imagine how romantic the idea of going on a date, and lighting a bunch of candles along with thousands of others along a river bank, and watching a parade of incandescent flame float away into the horizon, you can see it right?

According to Public Health Ministry, there is a 10% increase in young Thai girls losing their virginity on Loy Krathong night. So, I guess after promptly wishing and washing away their sins, they feel the urge to start the accruing new sins for their fresh start. Sounds about right to me. Just kidding. Sort of.

I can see the Thai paper headlines, “Bangkok teens go buck wild, at sight of 3rd lunar moon”

Of course to be consistent with the elders pursuit in saving the youth from the darkside, the Thai Police annually steps up their patrols at โรงแรมม่านรูด or “curtain hotels” in Bangkok. (If you don’t know what curtain hotels are, I’ll save that for another time) In order to ensure, no funny business is going on because we all know losing one virginity should never happen until your 30, because that’s when all those old farts lost theirs. (smirk)

Anyhow, I’ll be heading over to Royal Navy Yards to wash myself of my impurities, and promptly spending my new life with my best friends from the past life Johnny B. and Durex at my favorite fly-by hotel on Petchaburi road “Jim Plee.”

I Keed, I Keed. Sort of.

Happy Loy Krathong!