THAILAND: The Full Moon Festival is celebrated by locals and tourists along river banks and lakes

Record ID: 677420

  • Title: THAILAND: The Full Moon Festival is celebrated by locals and tourists along river banks and lakes
  • Date: 22nd November 2010
  • Summary: MAN PRAYING FLOWER FLOAT BEING RELEASED ON THE WATER (SOUNDBITE) (Thai) CHULEE SINCHAI SAYING "I pray for peace, unity and happiness in the country. And I pray for my good health and live long life." MORE OF WOMAN PRAYING AND RELEASE FLOAT IN WATER VARIOUS OF FLOWER FLOATS IN RIVER
  • Embargoed: 7th December 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Thailand, Thailand
  • Country: Thailand
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz
  • Reuters ID: LVAA92CODTXMXASBWYXAW070RTDU
  • Story Text: Locals and tourists across Thailand celebrated the full moon of the twelfth month of the year (of the traditional Thai lunar calendar) with the Loy Krathong Festival on Sunday (November 21).
    Loy Krathong is also a tourism highlight for Thailand when visitors have their chance to take part in the Asian culture.
    Most of the festive events were held on river banks and by lakes where people worship the goddess of rivers, Mae Konka, with small floats decorated with flowers, candles and joss sticks.
    It is a time for worshippers to pray and make their wishes for good luck before releasing their float, or 'Kra Thong', on to the water and carry away all bad things.
    An earlier survey conducted by a poll shows most of respondents would wish for reconciliation in the divided Thailand, where political turmoil has overshadowed their livelihood throughout the year.
    "I pray for peace, unity and happiness in the country. And I pray for my good health and long life," Chulee Sinchai, a 36 year old Bangkok resident who said he pays homage to the river's goddess every year, told Reuters Television.
    The Thai King also took part in the festival on Sunday evening.
    King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who will become 83 years old on December 5, proceeded down from his private building in Siriraj hospital to the Chao Phraya river bank on the hospital's pier.
    Wearing a pink jacket, which his lucky colour, the King was rolled on a wheelchair through a crowd who bowed and cheered along the path to the riverside.
    The King was hospitalised in September last year for pneumonia and the flu and remained there since then. His health has reportedly improved but a royal medical team asked him to reside at the hospital for further rehabilitation.
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