The highly popular Loi Krathong Festival, which is marked in different ways across the kingdom on the full moon of the 12th lunar month (November), will be one of the events where slight changes may be made to celebrations.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) would like to inform tourists, international and local, that the Loi Krathong events for 2016 will be going ahead nationwide as planned. However, some of the more high-spirited elements of the Festival may be scaled back in some locations, as a mark of respect during the official yearlong mourning period for His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

The Royal Thai Government is telling the world that the kingdom is very much open to tourists and that the Thai people are as welcoming to visitors as ever, especially those who come to join in the local cultural celebrations. So most pre-arranged events are going ahead according to schedule. But to respect the mourning period and the sensitivity of the local people, some adjustments are being made to a small number of festivals.

The highly popular Loi Krathong Festival, which is marked in different ways across the kingdom on the full moon of the 12th lunar month (November), will be one of the events where slight changes may be made to celebrations.

Here is the updated list of the Loi Krathong Festival and any changes to planned festivals up and down the country.

• Bangkok – At Santi Chaiprakarn Park in the heart of the old city, visitors will learn about the history of Loi Krathong and see performers and characters in traditional Thai costumes taking part in traditional activities against the glorious backdrop of the Rattanakosin temples. There is the chance to make krathongs, try traditional food and enjoy the atmosphere of the charming riverside park. The event will take place on 14 November, 2016, from 17.00-22.00 Hrs.
• Chiang Mai – The Chiang Mai Yi Peng Festival 2016 will be held from 12-15 November with the old Tha Phae Gate being the centre of action. This year, there will be a giant krathong parade contest to win the trophy of the Prime Minister. Other activities include floating krathong contests, krathong-making contests, religious rituals, and several other traditional Lanna-style ceremonies as you would expect to see in Chiang Mai.
• Sukhothai – In many ways this is the spiritual home of the Loi Krathong Festival in Thailand. The Sukhothai Loi Krathong and Candle Festival 2016 takes place annually in the Sukhothai Historical Park in Mueangkao. This year, the Park will light up the historical ruins of old Sukhothai, allowing visitors to enter and float their krathongs on 10-14 November, from 09.30-24.00 Hrs. and there are 9,999 censer candles at 18.00 Hrs. daily.
• Tak – This year, Tak will organise “Loi Krathong Sai Floating 9,999 Lanterns in Remembrance of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej” by floating a thread of glittering krathongs made from coconut shells on the river from the banks of the Ping River on 14 November.

Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor said, “For millennia, Loi Krathong was a low-key and charming rural festival which, via a simple floating offering, marks the Thai people’s pledge with the kingdom’s water, which they rely on for life. So in 2016, the Festival is going back to its ancient rustic roots, and visitors can experience the centuries-old ceremony and make a connection with Thailand’s rich past and wisdom of its farmers and villages.”

Malindo Air, the Malaysian carrier, will launch direct flights between Kuala Lumpur and Phuket next month.

Commencing on 10 November 2016, the airline will offer four weekly flights to the Thai resort destination. Services will depart KLIA every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 1445 and arrive in Phuket at 1510. The return flight will then leave at 1555 and arrive back in KL at 1825.

Malindo will deploy a Boeing 737-800 aircraft on the route, with 12 seats in business class and 150 in economy.

“This is another milestone for us. Our innovative services will only stimulate the tourism sector further for both inbound and outbound between these two tourist destinations,” said Malindo’s CEO, Chandran Rama Muthy.

Malindo will compete with AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines on the KL-Phuket route.

Climax Restaurant lies nearby the party zone of Bangla Road, but just far enough for a quiet evening with family and friends. Reach the top of Absolute Bangla Suites where you’ll be welcomed by dazzling views encompassing Patong Town and the beautiful Andaman sea.

With its lovely location and intimate atmosphere, Climax Restaurant is also the perfect venue for a romantic evening with your loved one.

With a distinctly Thai and fusion menu, using the finest freshest local ingredients, you’ll be spoilt for choice between two menus: firstly we have an all-day dining menu, featuring international favourites, such as burgers, wraps and composite salads, as well as traditional Thai dishes, such as Phad Thai Noodles and Massman Curry.

In the evenings, we change to a Thai Tapas menu, with some variations on Thai food, which include 3 Thai curries: beef, chicken and prawn.

Prefer a more traditional Western kind of night? We’ve got grilled salmon and Australian sirloin among many other dishes to delight!

Fancy a drink to end the night? Our lengthy list of cocktails, mocktails and fresh fruit smoothies will leave you wanting more. Did we happen to mention you have the option of lounging by our poolside? After you’ve ordered your drink, you can end the night by moonbathing on our sun loungers, whilst taking in the peaceful ambiance around you.

A truly fabulous and sumptuous experience awaits you at Climax Restaurant!

A number of events scheduled to take place in Patong over the coming weeks have been cancelled the Patong Major has confirmed to The Phuket News. One such event is the popular Loy Krathong festival that was scheduled to take place on November 14.

Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kepsab confirmed to The Phuket News yesterday (Oct 19) that following the death of the late His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Loy Krathong festival is cancelled.

“If people wish to do their own Loy Kratong celebrations then they can, but Patong Municiplaity will not been holding any event to mark the occasion, there will be no celebration or music as there has been in the past.

“Those wanting to float Kratongs can do so at the Pak Bang canal,” Mayor Chalermluck said.

“In addition, I can also confirm that this year’s Patong Carnival has also been cancelled.

Patong Carnival usually marks the start of Phuket’s high season of Phuket, and each and every year tourist and locals join and enjoy the elaborate parade, cabaret shows, modern and Thai traditional performance.

“Patong Carnival is not being postponed, there is nothing to celebrate this year. It will be held again next year,” said Mayor Chalermluck.

“As for other celebrations in Patong such as the New Year countdown, I believe private businesses in Patong know full well how they should act during this time. However, I will make an official announcement to them next month.

“Regarding National Children’s Day, a decision has not yet been reached as to whether any activities will go ahead. Patong municipality will consider about this later,” Mayor Chalermluck added.

Phuket Governor Chockchai Dejamornthan added, “People still can float Krathongs, but the fairs will not be happened.

While Anoma Vongyai, Director of Tourism Authority of Thailand(TAT), Phuket Office said, “Loy Krathong celebrations at Srisoonthorn, Chalong, Rawai, Kathu and Patong have been cancelled by their respective municipal offices.

“However, Loy Krathong at Saphan Hin is still being considered by Phuket City Municipality.

In the period of national mourning, some festivals and activities in the kingdom have been cancelled or postponed. Other events will go ahead as planned but may be toned down as a mark of respect.

As Thailand is currently in a period of national mourning after the passing of the beloved monarch His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, many thousands of mourners have gathered around the Grand Palace in Bangkok to be present for the royal religious rites and ceremonies taking place and to pay their respects to the father of the nation. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) would like to ask that members of the public stay updated via media announcements and notices from the Bureau of the Royal Household as well as the Royal Thai Government to ensure accurate information. We also request that the solemnity of these rites are observed and the visitors – local and international – wear respectful attire.

In the period of national mourning, some festivals and activities in the kingdom have been cancelled or postponed. Other events will go ahead as planned but may be toned down as a mark of respect. Please see the list of events that are postponed or cancelled in the following page.

The TAT would like to recommend that any visitors with travel or tourism plans reconfirm with agents and check local media regularly as well as follow the advice of the local authorities for announcements and updates. They should also be aware that in some areas transportation could be affected. We also ask tourists and visitors for their understanding and patience should they experience delays or some routes may be closed to traffic.

• The Bureau of the Royal Household http://brh.thaigov.net/brh-2011/index.php – in Thai
• The Royal Thai Government: http://www.thaigov.go.th/en/index.php – in English
• Department of the Government Public Relations Department http://thailand.prd.go.th/main.php?filename=index – In English
• TAT Contact Center: http://www.tatcontactcenter.com/index.php

Yesterday evening the national TV of Thailand announced officially at 15.52hrs that the King Bhumiphol Adulyadej (88) passed away. The ailing Thai King has been ill for sometime.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej was born on the 5th December 1927. He was also known as Rama IX, the ninth monarch of the Chakri Dynasty. Having reigned since 9 June 1946, he was the world’s longest-serving head of state and was the longest-reigning monarch in Thai history, serving for over 70 years.

Since 2006, King Bhumibol has suffered declining health and has spent extended periods at Siriraj Hospital. King Bhumibol was highly revered by the people in Thailand, his heir is Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn.

Prior to the announcement Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn returned to Thailand on Wednesday amid growing concerns about the health of his father, King Bhumibol. Earlier yesterday, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha cancelled all appointments and official visits prompting a surge in social media comments concerning the health of the King.

The government has set a mourning period of one year and all public offices and educational institutes will fly flags at half mast for 30 days starting from today October 14, 2016.

Tourism Authority of Thailand join forces with Phuket, one of the World’s Gastronomic city and popular destination in Thailand, recently launched “Phuket Tasty Fest 2016, Eat & Travel at the Same Place” to propel Thai local food to the world stage.

Mr. Prajiad Aksornthammakul, Vice Governor of Phuket, Ms. Somjai Suwansupana, Phuket Mayor and Mr. Visanu Jaroensilp, Deputy Governor for Tourism Product of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, altogether presided over the grand opening of this fantastic event at the Queen’s 72nd Birth Day Anniversary Phuket Public Park.

The objective of the event was to promote Phuket’s local delicacies to tourists from around the world. Besides of Phuket dishes, there were also Thailand’s famous food from all over the Kingdom, which was in corresponding to the government’s policy to promote Thai-way Tourism.

Thai food from different regions tells different stories of cultures and way of life from ancient to current times. This intricacies as a result are myths that entice tourists from around the world to experience the Thainess. Recently, Phuket is honored by UNESCO as one of the 18 cities to be proudly called as “World’s Gastronomic City” in terms of the advancement of food culture. This honorary position is bestowed to Phuket not only as the first Thai city to be honored, but also the first city of the whole ASEAN.

“Phuket Tasty Fest 2016” debuts several activities including 4 zones of Thai fantastic food namely the best of Phuket Tasty, Thai Seafood Tasty, Thai All Star Tasty from all over the country and Thai Sweety Tasty.

Famous restaurants that joined the event are, for example, “Jompalang Noodle”, ” Mae-Klong Original Fresh Palm Juice”, “Pad Thai in a Basket Est 1988”, “Thai Tublee Steamed Bun”, “Kamnan Jul’s Pickled Fish “, “Mae Somjit’s Super Crispy Pork Rind “, “Thai Angle Hair Noodle with Crab Curry” and “Grilled Bun”.