Loi Krathong is celebrated annually on the 12th full moon of the year - usually these dates fall in November. Loi Krathong literally stands for "floating boat made of leaves", so it is not surprising that the main event of the holiday is the launch of large and small beautifully decorated boats into the numerous reservoirs of the country. And if for most tourists this is just a beautiful and vibrant tradition, then for the Thais themselves, Loy Krathong has a much deeper meaning.
The tradition of celebrating Loy Krathong originated in the Middle Ages, in the era of the state of Sukhothai. One of the wives of King Litai, who reigned about 700 years ago, named Nang Noppamas, during the autumn festival of worship of the goddess of water, made an amazingly beautiful bowl in the shape of a lotus flower from banana tree leaves and young bamboo stalks, decorating her creation with fruits and flowers. According to legend, the king was so delighted with the sight of a beautiful man-made boat slowly floating along the river that he ordered from now on to make boats - krathongs throughout the kingdom on this holiday.
