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| Loy Krathong - November 26, 2004 | | The annual Lay Krathong holiday marks the end of rainy season and is celebrated on the first full moon in November. People make little boats called krathongs, which are made of a slice of banana tree trunk, covered in folded banana leaves. Flowers, incense and a candle are added, and then you cut a lock of your hair, a fingernail clipping and a couple of coins. After sunset, you sail the boat off into the sea and make a wish. Your wish comes true if the krathong floats away and sinks rather than returning to shore. Apparently the magic is particularly potent for lovers who send a krathong off together, and Loy Krathong is considered the one of the most romantic Thai holidays. Given a a lack of romance in my life, you might guess the wish that accompanied my krathong. No word yet on whether mine sank successfully or returned to shore. | | Date Created: Nov 27, 2004, 02:11 PM |
Nang, Pilak and Joi, who work at the hotel, build their krathongs.
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A krathong starts with a slice of banana tree trunk and is covered with folded banana leaves.
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Joi helps Benson with his krathong.
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To work their magic, krathongs have to float levelly.
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A krathong can have such flowers as frangipani.
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Or it can have orchids and amaranth.
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Try as I did, I didn't have the expertise in building the perfect krathong.
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Ohm serves a special barbecue at Komma Bar on the night of Loy Krathong.
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Part of the Loy Krathong tradition is to send paper balloons, each of which has a torch hanging below it, out to sea.
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Fa lights the candle on Pilak's krathong
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Nang is nearly ready to launch hers.
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From the floating pier, people launch their krathongs, a wish possibly coming true with each.
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Several days after the holiday, Fa shows a new krathong she has made while on a daylong tour that culminates every day in tourists making krathongs and launching them from kayaks in a sea cave at night.
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I try on a krathong that resembles a crown.
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On a kayak tour of Koh Hong, tourists lauch krathongs on a daily basis.
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