Traditional Thai festival to be celebrated at UQ's St Lucia campus

A festival celebrating one of Thailand's most ancient and important traditions will be held next week at The University of Queensland.

The annual Loy Krathong Festival will be celebrated on the shores of the lake at UQ's St Lucia campus on Friday, October 5.

Loy Krathong day is celebrated annually on the November full moon, the culmination of Thailand's 'high water season'.

'It is a festival of thanksgiving to the water god Mae Khong Kha for providing water not only for drinking and washing, but for the essential means of livelihood in Thai agriculture, fishing and transport industries,' said UQ student and event co-organiser Derek Chongvilaiwan.

'Loy Krathong is a request for Mae Khong Kha's forgiveness for having used and polluted the water. Legend has it that a lady called Nang Noppamas made the first Krathong in the shape of a large lotus flower and presented it to the king who lit the candle inside and launched it off in the river for forgiveness of sins in the past year.

'There is always enough water around for everyone to Loy or float their Krathong. After dark every stretch of water in Thailand glitters with the bobbing lights of thousands of candles inside beautiful little banana-leaf baskets,' he said.

Mr Chongvilaiwan said the UQ celebration, from 5pm to 10pm, would feature traditional Thai dancing, fruit carving and sword fighting.

Media: For further information, contact Derek Chongvilaiwan (mobile 0413 598 250) or Joanne van Zeeland at UQ Communications (telephone 07 3365 2619).