Loi Krathong & Yi Peng 2026
Thousands of floating baskets and one sky full of lanterns.
Countdown to Loi Krathong 2026
Dates
When is Loi Krathong & Yi Peng?
Loi Krathong & Yi Peng 2026 falls from Tuesday, 24 November 2026 to Wednesday, 25 November 2026. In 2027 it falls from Saturday, 13 November 2027 to Sunday, 14 November 2027 (expected; it can move by a day).
Loi Krathong night is Tuesday 24 November, the full moon of the 12th Thai lunar month; the Thai government's Sukhothai festival runs 15 to 24 November, and Chiang Mai's Yi Peng lantern nights continue around 24 to 25 November.
Date checked against thailand.go.th
| Year | Dates | Length | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 24 – 25 November 2026Tue – Wed | 2 days | Confirmed |
| 2027 | 13 – 14 November 2027Sat – Sun | 2 days | Expected |
See every festival by date in the 2026 festival calendar and 2027 festival calendar.
The story
What it is, and why it matters
- Type
- Festival of Lights
- Tradition
- Buddhist
- Where
- Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand
- Crowd
- Hundreds of thousands in the north
- UNESCO
- Not inscribed
On the full moon of the twelfth lunar month, the Ping river carries a few thousand banana-leaf baskets and the sky above Chiang Mai fills with paper lanterns.
Loi Krathong is celebrated nationwide: a small raft of banana leaf and lotus, holding a candle, three incense sticks, a coin and a clipping of hair, is floated on any moving water to apologise to the river goddess.
Yi Peng is the northern Lanna version, and it is the one people travel for. Khom loi — paper sky lanterns lifted by a wax fuel cell — are released in coordinated batches, with beauty contests, parades and fireworks across three nights.
Culture
Traditions, food and music of Loi Krathong
Traditions
What actually happens
- Floating the krathong — hair and nail clippings offered as a letting-go.
- Khom loi — northern sky lanterns released in mass, in batches, all evening.
- Nopphamat queen contest and the Lanna procession through the old city.
- Temple worship — the wai and the merit-making at Wat Phan Tao before dark.
Food
The table, widened
- Khao soi, the northern curry noodle that defines Chiang Mai's winter menus.
- Grilled sticky rice in bamboo, sai ua sausage, and mango with coconut cream.
Music
Sound of the crowd
Lanna salo and fiddle ensembles, and the northern kantrum folk tradition. Fireworks and drum processions accompany each lantern release, and the whole old city is loud until well past midnight.
Religion
Why this date
The festival has Buddhist and Hindu-Brahminic elements side by side: floating offerings to Phra Mae Khongkha, the water goddess, in a rite that pre-dates Theravada Buddhism in the region and was absorbed into it.
History
How it survived
Attributed in its modern form to Queen Nopphamat in the nineteenth-century Lanna court, who floated a raft of her own design. Chiang Mai's Yi Peng lantern release has grown from a handful of participants to a ticketed city-wide event since the 1990s.
History
How it got here
Attributed in its modern form to Queen Nopphamat in the nineteenth-century Lanna court, who floated a raft of her own design. Chiang Mai's Yi Peng lantern release has grown from a handful of participants to a ticketed city-wide event since the 1990s.
19th c.
Nopphamat
The Lanna queen floats the raft that gives the festival its modern form.
1990s
Mass lanterns
Chiang Mai formalises a ticketed city-wide Yi Peng release.
2000s
Restrictions
Aviation and fire rules begin limiting where and when lanterns can fly.
Today
Full moon
Two festivals share one night across Thailand — krathong on water, khom loi in the air.
Travel & practical
Visiting Chiang Mai for Loi Krathong
Getting there
CNX, then 15 minutes to the old city. Book hotels a year ahead for this night.
Where to go
The Ping river east of the Iron Bridge; the official CAD lantern field for the mass release.
Practical notes
Lantern launches are licensed and time-boxed. Never release one near the airport flight path.
Plan the trip with free AltFTool tools
FAQ
Loi Krathong & Yi Peng: common questions
Straight answers to what people ask most about Loi Krathong & Yi Peng.
Loi Krathong or Yi Peng?
Loi Krathong is the nationwide water festival. Yi Peng is the northern lantern festival. In Chiang Mai both happen on the same night.
Can I release a lantern anywhere?
No — only in licensed areas and windows. Check local fire and aviation rules before travelling.
What goes in a krathong?
A candle, incense, a small coin, flowers and a clipping of your hair.
Also in November 2026
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