Loy Krathong in Sukhothai
Sukhothai is widely credited as the birthplace of Loy Krathong, and the festival here is the most historically grounded celebration of it in Thailand. While the rest of the country floats krathongs on rivers and canals on the night of the full moon, Sukhothai runs a multi-day event inside the ancient ruins of the Historical Park, with a professional light and sound show, cultural performances, barge processions, and fireworks spread across the moats and ponds of the old city. The combination of illuminated 700-year-old temples, floating water lanterns, and traditional Thai dance is hard to match anywhere else in the country.
The festival typically runs for five to ten days centered on the full moon of the 12th lunar month, which falls in late October or November. In 2025 it ran for ten nights from 27 October to 5 November. In 2026, Loy Krathong falls on 25 November, with the Sukhothai festival expected to run for several days around that date.
All the main events take place in Sukhothai Historical Park (the old city). The park entry fee is waived during the festival period. A separate ticket is required for the Light and Sound Show. Accommodation in Sukhothai books out weeks in advance for the festival period; anyone planning to attend should sort this as a first priority.
Did you know?
Sukhothai comes from the Sanskrit words for "dawn of happiness." The tradition of floating a krathong, the small lotus-shaped vessel made from banana leaves and flowers, is said to have originated here during the Sukhothai kingdom. Setting your krathong onto the water is meant to represent releasing your worries, bad luck, and sins from the past year. The krathong carries them away as it floats downstream. Many Thai people also use the moment to pay respect to Phra Mae Khongkha, the goddess of water, and to thank her for the year's supply.
History of Loy Krathong
The exact origins of Loy Krathong are debated, with several competing versions of the story. The most widely repeated account credits the tradition to Nang Nopphamat, a consort of the Sukhothai king Sri Indraditya during the Phra Ruang Dynasty (1238 to 1428). She is said to have created the first lotus-shaped krathong and floated it as a gesture of reverence. The story has some historical problems: a poem describing her role has since been dated to the 18th century, considerably later than the Sukhothai kingdom, which casts doubt on whether Nang Nopphamat was a real historical figure. She remains, however, the heart of the festival's folklore, and a beauty pageant crowning a Noppamas Queen is still held as part of the Sukhothai celebrations.
An older origin story attributes the floating of lights to an act of reverence toward Phra Mae Khongkha, the Thai goddess of water, and a request for forgiveness for the pollution humans bring to rivers and waterways. This version predates the Sukhothai kingdom and likely has roots in earlier Brahmanical and animist water ceremonies.
The first contemporary record of Loy Krathong's modern form comes from King Rama IV in 1863, who documented it as a Brahmanical festival adapted by Buddhist monks to honor the Buddha. Under this interpretation, the candle in the krathong represents respect for the Buddha's teachings through light, while the act of floating the krathong away symbolizes letting go of anger, hatred, and past failings.
Today all three meanings coexist. Most Thai people would give a different emphasis depending on who they are and where they are from. In Sukhothai specifically, the historical connection to the festival's origins gives the celebrations a particular weight.
Events During Loy Krathong in Sukhothai
The full festival typically runs five to ten days with events spread across the park and some activity in New Sukhothai along the Yom River. The core events have remained consistent across years, though the exact schedule varies. What follows is the established programme. Always check the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) office in Sukhothai for the current year's confirmed dates and schedule once they are announced, usually four to six weeks before the festival.
Dawn of Happiness (Day One)
The festival opens with an almsgiving ceremony at Traphang Ngoen pond in the Historical Park. Monks receive dry food offerings from local residents and visitors at dawn. The ceremony continues for several hours after sunrise. Tourists are welcome to join with offerings of their own. This is one of those early mornings worth setting an alarm for, both for the ceremony itself and for the quality of light on the ruins before the day crowds arrive.
Mahachat Sermon and Traditional Performances (Day Two)
Traditional Thai dance, drama, and music at Wat Chana Songkhram. The programme includes Khon masked dance, classical Thai music performed live, and theatrical performances in traditional costumes. During the afternoon before the evening show you can watch performers rehearsing and dressing in costume around the temple grounds.
Traditional Exhibitions (Day Three)
The historical park transforms into a living cultural fair. Daytime events include traditional Thai martial arts demonstrations, puppet shows, fruit carving, and a hands-on krathong-making workshop where you can make your own to float later. Replica stalls from Sukhothai's medieval bazaar and a traditional village recreation are set up throughout the grounds. Food stalls open throughout the day.
Light and Sound Show (Day Four)
The main ticketed event of the festival. A 45-minute professional show by Wat Mahathat uses lasers, floodlighting, choreographed music, and fireworks to tell the story of Loy Krathong and the founding of Sukhothai. Traditional dancers perform in costume against the backdrop of the illuminated ruins. The show runs nightly at 19:00 throughout the festival, with an additional performance on the final night at 20:30.
Tickets: Three price tiers at 500, 900, and 1,200 THB. Available in advance through ThaiTicketMajor or from a booth at the park's main entrance on the evening. Book in advance if you want the better viewing positions. The 500 THB ticket is adequate for experiencing the show; the higher tiers offer seating closer to the central performance area. Watch out for third-party tours selling the same tickets at significantly inflated prices.
Krathong Floating and Barge Procession (Final Days)
The climax of the festival. Elaborately decorated barges process along the park's moats and ponds while crowds line the banks to release their own krathongs onto the water. The combination of candlelit boats, floating lanterns, and floodlit ruins at the water's edge on the full moon night is the image that defines Sukhothai's Loy Krathong. A member of the Thai Royal Family often attends the final night, which brings additional ceremony and tighter security around the main pond areas.
Krathongs are available to buy at stalls throughout the park during the festival. Eco-friendly versions made from natural materials are the norm now; plastic krathongs are officially discouraged. Prices run from 20 to 100 THB depending on size and elaborateness. Making your own from banana leaf and flowers at one of the craft workshops is worth doing on an earlier day if you plan to float one on the final night.
Sky Lanterns at Sukhothai Loy Krathong
Sky lanterns (khom loi) do get released in Sukhothai during Loy Krathong, but informally and in small numbers. There is no organized mass lantern release here comparable to the commercial events in Chiang Mai. The tradition of sky lanterns at this scale comes from the Lanna cultural area in the north, and Sukhothai, which was not Lanna territory, has adopted elements of it over time but has not built it into the official programme in the same way.
If a mass lantern release is the main thing you want from the festival, Chiang Mai is the right destination. The Yi Peng festival coincides with Loy Krathong and the organized lantern release events there are on an entirely different scale. In 2026, Yi Peng falls on 24 to 25 November, the same period as Loy Krathong. It is possible to attend both festivals in the same trip if you can manage the timing, though they are 5 hours apart by bus and you would need to choose one for the full moon night. See the guide to Loi Krathong in Chiang Mai and the Yi Peng festival guide for details on both.
Map of Loy Krathong in Sukhothai
All main events take place inside Sukhothai Historical Park. The most important locations are Wat Mahathat (Light and Sound Show), Traphang Ngoen pond (almsgiving ceremony, krathong floating), Traphang Tra Kuan (barge procession and final night floating), and Wat Chana Songkhram (dance performances). The Yom River in New Sukhothai has lower-key floating activity on the main night.
Tickets and Practical Information
Park entry is free during the festival period. The normal zone entrance fees (Central Zone 200 THB, Northern and Western zones 120 THB each) are waived for Loy Krathong. This covers access to the grounds, cultural exhibitions, and daytime events. The Light and Sound Show requires a separate ticket.
Light and Sound Show tickets: 500, 900, or 1,200 THB depending on viewing position. Book in advance through ThaiTicketMajor. Tickets are also available from a booth at the main entrance on the night, but the better seats sell out in advance, especially for the full moon evening. The TAT office on Charot Withi Thong Road in New Sukhothai (Tel: 0 5561 6228) can advise on current availability and local ticket sources.
Crowds: The festival draws large numbers of Thai domestic tourists as well as international visitors. The full moon night and the night before it are the busiest. Arriving at the park gates in the late afternoon gives you time to walk the grounds before the crowds build for the evening show. The earlier days of the festival are considerably less crowded and worth attending if your dates allow.
Getting there: Blue songthaews between New Sukhothai and the Historical Park run regularly throughout the day for 30 THB. During the festival, services run later into the evening than usual. A tuk-tuk back to New Sukhothai after the Light and Sound Show costs around 500 THB. If you are staying in Old Sukhothai, you are already there.
For full transport and accommodation details see the Sukhothai city guide and the Sukhothai Historical Park guide.
Loy Krathong Dates in Sukhothai
Loy Krathong falls on the full moon of the 12th Thai lunar month. The full moon night is the central date; the Sukhothai festival runs for several days either side of it. Exact festival dates are confirmed by the TAT and Fine Arts Department around four to six weeks beforehand.
- 2026: 25 November (full moon night; festival dates to be confirmed)
- 2027: 14 November
- 2028: 2 November
- 2029: 21 November
- 2030: 11 November
Full moon dates are calculated in advance and reliable. Festival programme dates are confirmed closer to the event. Check TAT Thailand or the Sukhothai TAT office for the current year's schedule.
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