Int'l celebrants now welcome to Loy Krathong Festival in Thailand

BANGKOK, November 21 (TNA) - Preparations for the Loy Krathong Festival 2018 in Thailand are now in good place to welcome international celebrants, including both Thai people and foreign visitors to the Kingdom. In Bangkok, Governor Police General Aswin Kwanmuang announced on Wednesday, after inspecting hundreds of piers in the capital earlier in the day, that 348 out of 436 piers in the city have been found safe to serve international Loy Krathong celebrants on November 22. Besides, security forces have been assigned to take good care of international Loy Krathong celebrants at all the functional piers and other focal sites, while those found unsafe to cater for the large number of people have been closed with barriers and no entry signs at their entrances. "Separate groups of about 20-30 people will be each allowed to float their krathongs at a safe but small-sized peir, while a safe but large-sized of pier in the city can cater for separate groups of about 60-80 people each", the Bangkok governor told journalists. According to the governor, his Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will officially organize the Loy Krathong Festival 2018 at an area in Bang Phlat District under the Rama VIII Bridge in the city's Thonburi side and at the Ong Ang Canal near Sanam Luang ceremonial ground, while also opening about 30 public parks across the capital to welcome international Loy Krathong celebrants on November 22, from 05am-12pm. Reports said that preparations for this year's Loy Krathong Festival have also been in good place at provincial areas across Thailand. Meanwhile, the use of fireworks, crackers, lanterns and floating lanterns, as well as balloons and other mischievous materials will be banned in all areas nationwide during this year's Loy Krathong Festival, with violators to face a legal punishment of up to a 60,000 baht-fine and a maximum three-year jail term each. Floating rafts used for the annual Loy Krathong Festival, called Krathongs in Thai, are now advised to be made from natural materials to protect the environment and the ecological system. (TNA)