Floating lanterns banned in three locations in the city
The City will ban the launching of hot air balloons or Khom Loy at the Governor's Residence, Three Kings Monument and Tha Pae Gate as they are a fire and aviation hazard and have called on people to not launch them but light the small candles called Pang Pratheed.
Nopniwat Krailerg Chiang Mai is readying for the popular Loy Krathong Festival that draws thousands of visitors to launch Khom Loy or floating sky lanterns in the air and krathongs in the water as well as fireworks. The city has banned the use of Khom Loy or the floating lanterns and alcohol in three key locations; the Governor's Residence, Tha Pae Gate and Three Kings Monument in a bid to tackle safety concerns.
Deputy Mayor Sunthorn Yamsiri said that the city does not support the launching of the floating lanterns as the lanterns are not a tradition of Chiang Mai and also cause fires and can be hazardous for aircraft.
The government has asked for cooperation from hotels and tour agencies to not sell such floating lantern events to tourists. Instead people are encouraged to light small clay candles called Pang Pratheed
which is more traditional. The city has also ordered the police to arrest those who sell fireworks on the sidewalks without permission and to check fireworks stores for illegal and dangerous firecrackers. The event this year, which begins on November 1 and ends November 7 with the main festivities taking place from the 5th to the 7th and has the theme of no giant firecrackers and no alcohol.
Signs will be posted at Three Kings Monument, the Governor's Residence and Tha Pae Gate prohibiting floating lanterns and giant firecrackers.
Viroon Phantevee, Chief of the Chiang Mai Governor's Office said that the release of the floating lanterns has a severe impact on aviation and electricity.
Lanterns often cause shorts in power and fires when falling on electric lines and during Loy Krathong airlines are forced to suspend all flights after 5 p.m. due to safety concerns.
The Royal Irrigation reported that every Loy Krathong more than 300 tons of waste must be removed from the Ping River. The krathongs and other items cause blockages in the floodgates and pollutes the river.
It takes the Municipality up to a week to remove all the leftover krathongs and ensure that the river runs smoothly again.
