ลอยกระทง

November 28 was Loy Kratong (ลอยกระทง also known as lantern festival), a good luck festival where you float boats in the river. Apparently, it's a really big date night. You're supposed to float a banana-leaf boat with your sweetie, and if it floats, you're meant to be... if it sinks, maybe it's time to re-evaluate your relationship. 

Our Kratong (Banana leaf boat)

Loy Kratong happened to fall during project time, right when we had to schedule our trip to Na Samai to conduct interviews and research on our project about agro-chemical use. We tried to plan so that we would be back in Khon Kaen for the festivities but it just didn't work out. Instead, we got to experience a legitimate, village-style Loy Kratong, complete with a beauty contest / talent show for both ladies and lady boys. 

It was a really lovely night and I'm so glad I got to experience it with our enthusiastic paw and the villagers of Na Samai. 

There wasn't really a current in the lake thing so all of the boats just floated and clumped up to one side. Still beautiful though.

Loy Kratong is also known for it's lanterns. Apparently in more popular places like Chiang Mai they fill the sky like stars,  and also present a potential fire hazard.

Here is a janky home-made kratong. Apparently they used to be more often made of styrofoam, but it was discouraged because it was so polluting for the river.