About Loy Krathong
Loy Krathong — 'to float a krathong' — falls on the full moon of the twelfth Thai lunar month. A krathong is a small floating vessel, traditionally made from a slice of banana trunk, decorated with folded banana leaves, marigolds, three sticks of incense and a candle, sometimes with a coin or a strand of the maker's hair tucked inside. At dusk people walk to the nearest river, lake or canal and float their krathong on the water, asking forgiveness of the river goddess Phra Mae Khongkha for the year's accumulated pollutions and letting go of misfortune.
For a deeper historical treatment, see Loy Krathong — Wikipedia.
The festival coincides with Yi Peng in northern Thailand, where thousands of paper sky lanterns (khom loi) are released into the night sky over Chiang Mai. Together they make one of the most photographed Buddhist festivals in the world. The accompanying greeting tradition in cities is gentler than at Songkran — couples often float a krathong together as a small private ritual.
Traditional greetings
The phrases below are the ones most often used to mark Loy Krathong in person, by phone, and on cards. The native-script column shows the greeting as a recipient would read it; the transliteration is for those who would like to say it aloud; the English column is a literal rather than a poetic translation.
| Language | Greeting | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thai | สุขสันต์วันลอยกระทง | Suk san wan Loy Krathong | Happy Loy Krathong Day |
Design tips for printable Loy Krathong cards
Hand-printed cards for Loy Krathong reward restraint and specific reference. The notes below distil what the most thoughtful cards in the tradition tend to do — and what the most commercial ones tend to get wrong.
- A single krathong on dark water — banana leaf, marigold, candle — is enough.
- Reserve gold for the candle flame only; the rest of the card should be dark and wet.
- Yi Peng sky lanterns ascending against a deep teal night make a stunning alternative cover.
- Use uncoated, slightly textured stock that mimics banana leaf when held.
- Inside, a single line about letting go is the conventional sentiment.
A starting palette:
Five verses for Loy Krathong cards
Each verse below is short enough to copy onto a folded card by hand. They progress from formal to intimate; pick the one that best fits the relationship and the year you are writing into.
- May whatever you placed on your krathong tonight float far enough away that you do not have to carry it any more.
- From the riverbank, looking at thousands of small lights moving downstream — you are not alone in what you are letting go of.
- Suk san wan Loy Krathong. A candle, a coin, a strand of hair, and a quiet bow to the water.
- May the river take what you do not need and bring back, in time, what you do.
- Marigold on the leaf, candle on the marigold, wish on the candle — blessings for your Loy Krathong.
Related cultural holidays
Other holidays observed in the East Asia & Pacific family of traditions: