On Friday afternoon, at Nong Nooch Garden, the Sattahip Sheriff Chaichan Lamjarern and - the Representative of Nong Nooch Garden, Mr. Jiroprit Sodorn held a press conference  to publicize a delightful night for all visitors to celebrate Loy Kratong. The “Loy Kratong festivity which will be held on Sat., November 20^th, at 6 – 10 pm, will feature many of their always impressive elephants, creating a Magical Night at the lake of Nong Nooch Gardens”

Beautiful Thai traditional shows were performed by both humans and elephants, as an appetizer for the coming festivity. Haripoonchai Dancing”, mixed dance styles of Thai, Burma and Lanna were featured. The elephants put on a show with Pahng Bambee”, (pahng means female elephant), aged 12, and a baby elephant called “Plaai Mai Mueang” (plaai means male elephant), aged 7.  Both elephants helped each other to place a kratong in the lake before anyone else in the country. Ladies and girls dressed in the ancient “Nopamad” costumes also placed their kratongs in the lake, to demonstrate this beautiful tradition of Thailand to all guests.

The tradition of Loy Kratong is to show respect to the “Kongka Water Goddess” and to ask for blessings in the coming year.  There will be many extravaganzas during the festival to educate tourists about the origins  of the Loy Kratong Festival, including fabulous Cabarets, Light and Sound shows and “Nopamast costumes and Kratong contests. The elephants stole the show at the press conference, as The kratong, which was supposed to be placed upright in the water by the 2 elephants, happened to turn upside down, which got a good laugh from the crowd, but finally, the jumbos managed to place the kratong in the water successfully.

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