Loy Krathong’s leftovers
After Loy Krathong was celebrated at the end of last month, all it left behind were piles of garbage and dangerous objects for both human and animals, as we’re about to see in photos taken at Bang Saen Beach in Chonburi.
Image credit: Shopjung Bang Saen
On 1st November 2020, Shopjung Bang Saen posted a series of photos on their Facebook page showing what was left of krathongs* scattered around Bang Saen Beach.
*Krathongs are sacred offerings to Mae Kong Ka, the goddess of water, often made of banana leaves, incense, candles, and flowers.
Image credit: Shopjung Bang Saen
One picture reveals a krathong with rusty exposed nails that could potentially be dangerous to passersby and animals.
The post has since been shared over 8,000 times and was flooded with more than 600 comments, most of them criticising this long-practiced tradition.
More than 400k krathongs in BKK
Image credit: Bangkok Biznews
In Bangkok alone, around 492,537 krathongs were found this year according to Bangkok Biznews. Luckily, 96.4% of them were recyclable and could be transformed into fertiliser, since most of them were made of natural objects like flowers and banana leaves.
Although many folks tried to come up with “nature-friendly” alternatives like bread-based krathongs, these were proven to be just as bad for the environment as they polluted the water.
Some people also still used foam-based krathongs as they’re much cheaper than other, more eco-friendly kinds.
We don’t really have to wait for someone to officially cancel this activity – just ask yourself if this is the best way to ask the goddess of water for blessings.
Related news:
- Floating Lanterns Cause Flight Disruptions In Chiang Mai, Thai Netizens Look At Banning Them
- 8 Alternative Festivals In Thailand To Look Forward To Now That Songkran Is Cancelled
- ICONSIAM To Host Loy Krathong Event With Free Light & Sound Shows And Art Exhibition
Featured image adapted from: Shopjung Bang Saen
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