Loi Krathong 2027 in Thailand: Dates & Lantern Festival Guide

Loi Krathong is one of Thailand's most visually striking festivals, when small floating baskets called krathong — traditionally made from banana leaves and decorated with flowers, candles and incense — are released onto rivers, canals and lakes across the country. The 2027 celebration falls on the night of November 14, and in Chiang Mai it overlaps with the related Yi Peng sky lantern festival, expected around the same November 13-14 window.

The festival's origins trace back to the Sukhothai period, around the 13th century, though the Hindu and Brahmanic traditions behind it likely reached the region earlier still, during the Angkorian period of the Khmer Empire in the 11th-12th centuries. At its center is Phra Mae Khongkha, a water goddess derived from the Hindu goddess Ganga — the personification of India's Ganges river, adapted in Thai belief into a goddess of all bodies of water. Releasing a krathong is traditionally understood as a way to pay respects to Phra Mae Khongkha and ask forgiveness for polluting or disrespecting water over the past year, a practice said to have been encouraged by King Ramkhamhaeng the Great of Sukhothai.

Loi Krathong and Yi Peng are genuinely two separate festivals that happen to coincide on the calendar in the north of Thailand. Loi Krathong is the nationwide floating-basket tradition, observed everywhere from Bangkok's canals to small village rivers. Yi Peng is a distinctly northern Thai and Lanna tradition centered on releasing khom loy — paper sky lanterns lit from within and released to float upward — most famously and dramatically in Chiang Mai, where organized mass releases have become a major, ticketed tourist draw distinct from the free, everyday krathong tradition happening on the rivers below.

Where to Go: Krathong vs. Sky Lanterns

How Much Does a Trip Cost?

Loi Krathong itself is free to experience from any riverbank; the cost driver is specifically Chiang Mai's ticketed mass Yi Peng lantern-release events, which range widely in price and sell out well ahead.

Getting There & Around

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

When exactly is Loi Krathong 2027?

The night of November 14, 2027 — the date shifts each year, following the Thai lunar calendar, falling on the full moon of the twelfth lunar month.

Are Loi Krathong and Yi Peng the same festival?

No — Loi Krathong is the nationwide floating-basket tradition, while Yi Peng is a distinct northern Thai sky-lantern tradition centered on Chiang Mai; they simply coincide on the calendar in the north, which is why they're often photographed and discussed together.

Do I need a ticket to see Loi Krathong?

No — floating a krathong on any river or canal is free and open to everyone. Only Chiang Mai's organized, mass Yi Peng sky-lantern releases are ticketed events, and those do sell out well in advance.