Everything you need to know about Loy Krathong 2021

By Rinrawee Weerasrinara | Fri 19 Nov 2021

Chiang Mai Municipality has confirmed that the Loy Krathong festival 2021 will be held on the 19th and 20th of November, with the emphasis on live streaming activities. Lanna candles and lanterns have been lit in and around the moat since earlier this month and the city appears ready to show off to visitors.

This year, Loy Krathong – or Yi Peng – in Chiang Mai will be promoted under the banner of ‘City of Happiness’ featuring both on-site and live streamed activities on a variety of social media platforms.

Visitors will experience the traditional beauty of the ‘Yi Peng Lantern Festival’, as the whole city of Chiang Mai (Old City area) will be lit up with over ten thousand lanterns. The areas which have been decorated and prepped for the festivities are the five gates and four corners of Chiang Mai Old City, Three Kings Monument, Iron Bridge, Nawarat Bridge, and Nakornping Bridge.

To celebrate the 725th year of Chiang Mai city, a lofty 7.25 metre tall “Lanna Spinning Lantern” or Kom Phad (โคมผัด) has been stationed at Tha Pae Gate along with hundreds of lanterns as decorations.

Although the annual Krathong Parade is now cancelled for the second year, stationary krathong floats will be available for visiting at Tha Pae Gate, Three Kings Monument, Chang Phueak Gate, Suan Dok Gate, Somphet Market, Chiang Mai Gate, and in front of Chiang Mai Municipality office.

Aside from the areas around the moat – the five gates and four corners – some larger temples have been decorated with thousands of lanterns and will be welcoming visitors to release floating lanterns on both days of Loy Krathong. This includes Lok Molee temple, Phra Singh temple, Chedi Luang temple, and Phan Tao temple.

Also if you are able, it is well worth driving the half hour or so to Lamphun city to see the lovely lanterns adorning the old town every evening.

The municipality has officially announced the schedule for activities as shown below.

19th of November

5pm-9pm – The Tradition of Mahajati Preaching at Si Don Chai temple
8.09am – Spirit house blessing ceremony and blessing of the pagoda at Chiang Mai Municipality office and the Khao Cetiya (white pagoda by the municipality)
9:09am – Ping blessing and asking forgiveness ceremony at the riverbank of Sikong temple
6pm – Opening Ceremony of “Yi Peng Lantern Festival” at Tha Pae Gate
7pm – Ceremonial blessing at Ping river in front of the Municipality office
7pm – The Miss and Mr Yi Peng Contest at Tha Pae Gate

20th of November

6:30pm –Stationary Krathong Floats Contest at seven spots around the Old City (starting at Three Kings Monument)
7pm – Krathong releasing ceremony at Ping river in front of the Municipality office
7pm – The Little Yi Peng Angel Contest at Tha Pae Gate
10.30pm – Stationary Krathong Floats Awards Announcement Ceremony at Tha Pae Gate

Visitors are welcome to join all the activities mentioned above wearing traditional Northern Thai costumes.

Visitors are required to do as follows before joining Loy Krathong 2021 events.

All visitors are responsible for acknowledging COVID-19 regulations (shown below).
Foreigners and visitors from other provinces are required to register on the “CM-CHANA” application.
All visitors are required to scan the Thai Chana QR Code before entering.
Social distancing and masks are strictly required in every zone of the events at all time.

According to OCPB (Office of the Consumer Protection Board), these are the regulations to COVID-19 prevention.