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The Chao Phraya River, in the luminous aftermath of the Loy Krathong festival, was the scene of a remarkable transformation. City workers, the unsung heroes of the night, embarked on a mission most eco-conscious, wading through the waters to collect a staggering number of krathong—the traditional festive floats—leaving whispers of festivities past floating in their wake.
Imagine the sight—a constellation of nearly 640,000 krathong, glimmers of the heartfelt wishes and prayers they once carried, now bobbing silently along Bangkok’s arteries. The dense tapestry of banana leaves, the twining tendrils of the banana-tree trunk, each woven with hopes, each a testament to the sustainable spirit of a culture in harmony with nature, awaiting their retrieval.
The Loy Krathong festival, with its enchantingly lit nights, had reached a crescendo on Monday, only to give way to a Tuesday where the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) staff played their part. They orchestrated a nocturnal symphony of collection and sorting, a feat completed in the hush of pre-dawn at 5am, securing an impressive haul of 639,828 krathong, marking an uptick of 11.74% from the previous year, an emblem of tradition robustly observed.
Eco-champions all, 618,951 of these krathong, a whopping 96.7%, were fashionably green. These biodegradable beauties, cradled in the arms of banana leaves or shaped from cassava and bread, signaled an environmental win, stepping up from last year’s 95.7% count. The city’s commitment to Mother Earth was further highlighted by the dramatic reduction of Styrofoam krathong to a mere 3.26%, a figure bowing from last year’s 4.30%.
Amid the splendor of traditional costumes, we saw an ingenious blend of the ancient and the avant-garde with the advent of digital krathongs. A dazzling display of 3,774 digital krathong waltzed across the canvas of Klong Ong Ang, a first-of-its-kind celebration orchestrated by BMA—a futuristic tribute to this age-old festival. These virtual vessels, set adrift on digital currents, marked an evolution of the festival into the realm of technological wonder.
Klong Sam Wa took home the glory for the most natural krathongs, an astonishing 31,560 out of 31,575, while Pomprap Sattruphai witnessed the humble contribution of 160 floats. Bung Kum, a contrasting venue, was the spot where the most Styrofoam krathong congregated, numbering 1,579 of these lingering relics of less eco-friendly days.
Loy Krathong’s charm extended into the tranquil spaces of thirty-four public parks, drawing in an enthusiastic 290,886 people. These vibrant hubs of community and nature saw 88,011 krathong take part in the earthly ballet, with Benjasiri, Lumpini, and Benjakitti parks earning the laurels as the most-visited locales.
Now, these once treasured krathong, having served their purpose, are set to embark on a journey to their final resting places at garbage disposal centres, confirmed Mr. Ekwaranyu. And as they do, they leave behind not just a cleaner river, but a testament to a city’s capacity for celebration that aligns with conservation—a narrative as enthralling as it is inspiring.
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