Loy Krathong: Thailand’s Festival of Lights — A Celebration of Renewal and Gratitude

Every November, when the full moon lights up the Thai night sky, rivers, lakes, and ponds across Thailand glow with thousands of floating candles and lotus-shaped baskets. This is Loy Krathong — Thailand’s most enchanting festival, often called the Festival of Lights.

For Thais, it’s more than just a beautiful sight — it’s a spiritual moment of letting go, cleansing the heart, and starting anew. And while it’s deeply rooted in Thai tradition, its spirit of gratitude, peace, and reflection resonates across cultures — even here in Brussels, where autumn nights invite warmth, light, and comfort.

🌕 What Is Loy Krathong?

Loy Krathong (ลอยกระทง) literally means “to float a basket.”The word “Loy” means float, and “Krathong” refers to the small lotus-shaped raft made traditionally from banana leaves, flowers, candles, and incense sticks.

The festival usually falls on the night of the 12th full moon in the Thai lunar calendar — in November. It marks the end of the rainy season and welcomes the cool, clear months that follow.

Thais float their krathongs on rivers and lakes as a symbolic act of:

• Letting go of negative thoughts and worries,

• Asking forgiveness from Mae Khongkha, the river goddess,

• And making wishes for love, success, and peace in the year ahead.

It’s a celebration of gratitude — to nature, to water, and to new beginnings.

🪷 The Beauty of the Night: How Thais Celebrate

Everywhere in Thailand, from bustling Bangkok to the peaceful northern towns of Chiang Mai and Sukhothai, the night of Loy Krathong is pure magic.

🌸 Krathong Making:Families and friends gather during the day to craft their own krathongs using banana leaves, flowers, and candles. Eco-friendly materials are now encouraged to protect waterways. Each krathong is unique — a personal expression of intention and prayer.

✨ Floating Ceremony:As night falls, people carry their krathongs to the nearest body of water — rivers, lakes, canals, or even hotel ponds. They light the candles, whisper a wish, and gently release their creations into the current. The sight of thousands of glowing krathongs drifting away together is mesmerizing — like stars floating on water.

🎶 Music, Dance & Joy:Across Thailand, Loy Krathong coincides with local fairs, Lanna lantern festivals (Yi Peng in the north), and temple celebrations. The air fills with music, laughter, and the scent of jasmine and incense.

🌊 The Spiritual Meaning — Letting Go and Renewal

At its core, Loy Krathong is a ritual of release.The act of letting your krathong float away symbolizes:

• Releasing past mistakes, pain, or guilt,

• Forgiving yourself and others,

• Cleansing the spirit to welcome new blessings.

It’s about balance and harmony — just as the monsoon rains give way to clear skies, people cleanse their hearts to make space for peace and renewal.

🕯 A Shared Symbolism with Europe

Interestingly, Belgium celebrates a similar spirit in early November — with All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, when families light candles to honor loved ones and reflect on life’s cycles.

In both traditions, light becomes a symbol of remembrance, hope, and gratitude.While Belgians light candles in cemeteries, Thais send their wishes floating into rivers — both acts carry the same quiet message: we remember, we let go, and we begin again.

🍛 Food & Festivity: Flavors That Shine with Light

No Thai celebration is complete without food — and Loy Krathong is a feast of flavors, textures, and aromas that reflect its essence: light, fragrant, and joyful.

Here are some dishes that perfectly capture the spirit of the festival — and that you can

experience right here in Brussels at Sukhothai Restaurant:

🥥 Coconut-Based Curries

Coconut is symbolic of purity and nourishment. Try Green Curry with Thai Basil and Eggplant, or Massaman Curry, which combines warmth and sweetness — a comforting bowl of balance.

🍵 Herbal Teas & Infusions

During Loy Krathong, Thais enjoy drinks that cleanse the body and calm the mind: lemongrass tea, pandan infusion, butterfly pea tea, or ginger with honey — perfect for Belgian autumn evenings.

🍰 Jasmine & Pandan Desserts

Jasmine represents love and purity. Traditional Thai desserts like Khanom Chan (layered pandan pudding) or Coconut Sticky Rice with Mango bring a gentle sweetness that mirrors the calm glow of floating lanterns.

✨ “Can’t fly to Thailand for Loy Krathong? Join us in Brussels to celebrate the Festival of Lights through flavor. Enjoy coconut curries, herbal teas, and jasmine-scented desserts that honor Thailand’s most luminous night.”

🕯 How You Can Celebrate Loy Krathong in Brussels

Even from afar, you can embrace the meaning of Loy Krathong in your own way:

🌸 1. Create Your Own “Mini Krathong” at Home

Make a simple floating candle using a bowl of water and a tealight surrounded by flower petals. As you light it, take a moment to reflect — what are you ready to release this season?

🍵 2. Cook or Order Symbolic Thai Dishes

Order from Sukhothai or try cooking at home: Green Curry, Tom Yum Soup, or Coconut Sticky Rice. As you eat, think of the balance of flavors — spicy, sweet, salty, sour — as a mirror of life’s own balance.

💬 3. Share Gratitude and Light

Invite friends for a small “Festival of Lights” dinner. Share what you’re thankful for, and let the evening be filled with warmth, laughter, and gratitude — just as in Thailand.

🌾 Sukhothai Historical Park — Where It All Began

The roots of Loy Krathong are said to trace back to Sukhothai, Thailand’s first capital. Every year, Sukhothai Historical Park transforms into a dreamlike landscape with candlelit temples, traditional dance performances, and glowing lanterns reflecting in ancient ponds.

It’s a reminder that the festival is not only about beauty — but about connection: between the past and present, people and nature, heart and hope.

So when you step into Sukhothai Restaurant in Brussels, you’re not just entering a place to eat — you’re connecting with centuries of Thai tradition, hospitality, and light.

✨ Visit Sukhothai in Brussels — Experience the Festival of Lights Through Taste

This November, step out of the autumn chill and into the warm glow of Thai hospitality.At Sukhothai, every dish tells a story — of gratitude, renewal, and the joy of shared light.

🌸 What to try this month:

• Green Curry with Coconut and Basil

• Lemongrass Chicken Soup (Tom Kha Kai)

• Pandan and Jasmine Desserts

• Butterfly Pea Herbal Tea

🕯 Let our flavors transport you to the rivers of Thailand — where thousands of lights drift peacefully into the night sky.