craschworks

Loy Kratong festival in Chiang Mai Thailand. Music: Lokrev Aaraaki by Org Lounge. Lanterns can be purchased at www.skylanterns.com

“Loy” means to float in Thai. Alongside the floating vessels, decorative lanterns (Kome) also became part of this tradition. There are four different purposes for the Northern Thais to hang lanterns. They are for beauty, to pay respect to Buddha images, to make one’s home brighter, and for propitious reasons. The four main northern traditional Komes are: (1) Kome thuea (carrying lantern) or Kome gratai; (2) Kome kwaen (hanging lantern); (3) Kome paad (revolving lantern); and (4) Kome Loy (hot air floating lantern).

The Kome Loy is a drum-size lantern similar to a hot-air-balloon. It is made of lightweight rice paper to be able to float in the air, and in order to send it up, a method to heat the air is included by tying a small receptacle underneath the open section of the lantern. Oil is then placed with a cotton cloth. As the oil catches fire and burns, hot air quickly fills the lantern and it soon rises into the air.”

This would make a great event at a future Ephemerisle.