I did not float any krathong last night. To be more precise, I have not floated any krathong for decades. I cannot remember the last time that I joined in this festival.
As a non-reveller, the festival simply makes life more difficult in many ways. Heavy traffic is one problem -- especially in the evening when the festival falls on weekdays like this year -- as many celebrants scramble to the river banks to launch their floats or to watch other people's floats and fireworks displays. Hailing a taxi at such times is even more tormenting.
Of course, I know the Loy Krathong festival is a major event that boosts tourism-related income for many sectors, especially the North and certain parts of the Central Plains. That's the bright side. Many families earn income from selling krathong.
The float festival epitomises to me two major issues that have plagued the country: Drought and waste.
This year's drought which has continued from last year is serious. I have never seen the water level so low in November, the 12th month in the lunar calendar, when water is normally abundant. But as we know, water has become scarce, and the Irrigation Department warned it would not let out extra water for the festival. Yet, I bet the department gives certain favours to some provinces where Loy Krathong has become a signature festival.
And there's the problem of waste. I dread the idea of hundreds of thousands of people releasing the floats into the river on this special night.
Rising concerns over environmental problem have forced krathong makers to opt for green materials like banana leaves and banana trunk parts. There are also edible items made of bread which will become food for fish.
Here's a more positive note. More revellers opt for biodegradable types each year. The Pollution Control Department issued some figures to confirm the trend for green krathong as fewer foam ones were found over the past seven years.
Still, to float thousands of krathong in one night is still a bit too much for walkways, rivers and canals. Although there is a growing trend for revellers to opt for environmentally friendly floats, they still end up as rubbish.
Floats are the most short-lived offerings. Just a few minutes after they are released into the water, the lit-up krathong that slowly move away from the river bank turn into a piece of rubbish. The sight of thousands of krathong that pollute or block the river and canals the following day, adding to the burden of city cleaners, is sad. (You will probably see pictures of cleaners fishing the items into garbage boats in tomorrow's newspapers).
Due to tradition, krathong, adorned with flowers, candles and joss sticks, are offered to the river goddess -- India's Ganga or Kongka in Thai -- as a show of gratitude to her. The idea was formed in an agricultural society where water is used for farming. Also, it's the way we apologise to the goddess after making use -- or misuse -- of her for the whole year.
But given the country's overwhelming waste problem, I think floating krathong in the rivers is more like punishing the river or the river goddess.
In fact, this tradition was just fine in the old days when there were fewer people in the city and most communities were located on the river banks. But to celebrate this festival in urban areas, we must know that there are social and environmental costs to pay.
Yet, this festival will remain popular since many people associate the act of floating krathong with releasing bad luck.
In some areas, like in the North where locals as well as tourists release lanterns into the sky, the festival poses a new problem -- safety. Many flights in the northern provinces, especially Chiang Mai, have been cancelled because of the danger from lanterns. They have also been blamed for causing fires -- which some people regard as bad luck striking rather than bad law enforcement.
With all those problems, we may find it necessary to change or review our tradition. Or the ways we celebrate it.
Or do we have to depend on luck to stay safe?