Because of the Chiang Mai Lantern Festival, 69 flights had to be changed

Chiang Mai International Airport has postponed 69 flights to protect passengers from the risk of being struck by flying debris during the Lantern Festival, which takes place between November 8 and November 9. As a means of assisting travelers, the airport has canceled 55 flights, rescheduled 14 others, and added six special flights. Chiang Mai hosts the Lantern Festival, also known as the Yi Peng Festival, a northern Thai cultural event. Villagers send lanterns into the sky during this event to worship Buddha and request forgiveness from Phra Mae Kong Ka, the Thai name for the Goddess of Water. In addition, the residents believe that their poor circumstances will vanish alongside the fluttering lanterns. As it is clear that flying lanterns pose a risk to airplanes attempting to land, the government has taken steps to preserve the region’s traditional culture while also protecting individuals in the air and on the ground.

On the evenings of November 8 and 9, between 7:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m., residents and visitors of Chiang Mai will be permitted to release their paper lanterns into the night sky in celebration of Loy Krathong Day.

To plan an activity or event like as the Lantern Festival, organizers must contact Chiang Mai International Airport or Chiang Mai Air Traffic Control Tower fourteen days in advance and receive permission from the district chief thirty days before to the activity or event’s scheduled date. In the Air Navigation Safety Zone, which comprises the airspace over the airport and the adjacent area, floating lanterns are prohibited. This region encompasses six districts in Chiang Mai: Meng Chiang Mai, Saraphi, San Sai, Hang Dong, Mae Rim, and San Pa Tong. Every day, Chiang Mai International Airport conducts ten distinct safety assessments in the surrounding region to safeguard the safety of its passengers. The officials also keep a watch out for lanterns that may have accidentally fallen onto the aviation area and remove them if they are discovered. Anyone who violates the rules and regulations set by the Air Navigation Act faces the prospect of a five-year prison sentence and a fine of up to 200,000 baht.