When is Loy Krathong 2027
Loy Krathong 2027 falls on Sunday, 14 November, the night of the full moon in the twelfth month of the traditional Thai lunar calendar. Because it’s set by the lunar cycle rather than a fixed Gregorian date, Loy Krathong moves within November each year — in 2026 it falls on 25 November, a difference of eleven days, which is typical of how far a lunar-calendar festival can shift year to year.
In Chiang Mai, the associated Yi Peng lantern festival is generally held over the two nights surrounding Loy Krathong, though Yi Peng’s exact organized-event dates are announced separately each year and can vary slightly from the core Loy Krathong date.
History
Loy Krathong’s origins are debated, but the most commonly cited account traces it to the Sukhothai Kingdom (13th-14th century), where it’s said to have begun as a royal ceremony honoring the water spirits and the Buddha, timed to the end of the rainy season when rivers and canals were at their fullest. “Loy” means “to float” and “krathong” refers to the small floating vessel — traditionally made from a slice of banana tree trunk, banana leaves, flowers, incense, and a candle.
How it’s celebrated
At dusk, people gather along rivers, canals, ponds, and even hotel pools to release krathong onto the water, a gesture understood as letting go of anger, grudges, and misfortune from the past year, and as an act of respect toward the water spirit Phra Mae Khongkha. Many people place a coin, a lock of hair, or a fingernail clipping in their krathong as an offering representing the parts of themselves they wish to release.
In Chiang Mai, the coinciding Yi Peng festival adds mass sky lantern (khom loi) releases — thousands of paper lanterns lit and released into the night sky at once, an image that has become one of the most recognizable in Thai tourism.
Food and customs
Krathong-making itself is a widely practiced pre-festival activity — many communities, schools, and hotels host krathong-making workshops in the days before the festival, using biodegradable materials (styrofoam krathong, once common, are now discouraged or banned in many areas due to their environmental impact).
Best places to experience it
- Chiang Mai — the Yi Peng lantern releases make it the most visually dramatic version of the festival, though also the most crowded and requiring advance booking for organized lantern events
- Sukhothai Historical Park — a more traditional, heritage-focused celebration with light-and-sound shows amid the historic ruins
- Bangkok, Chao Phraya River — a large urban celebration with river cruises and riverside events
Frequently asked questions
Is it the same festival as Yi Peng? They’re related but distinct — Loy Krathong is celebrated nationwide with floating krathong, while Yi Peng is a specifically northern Thai (Lanna) tradition centered on sky lanterns, most prominent in Chiang Mai, and the two now typically coincide on the same nights.
Are sky lanterns released everywhere in Thailand? No — mass sky lantern releases are largely a Chiang Mai and northern Thailand tradition; most of the country’s Loy Krathong celebrations center on floating krathong rather than sky lanterns.
Is Loy Krathong a public holiday? No, it’s not an official public holiday, but it’s widely observed and celebrated nationwide.