On 4 November 2025, from 08:30 to 11:00 hrs, the Faculty of Education, Khon Kaen University, in collaboration with the Khon Kaen University Demonstration School (Kindergarten Section), organised the annual Loy Krathong celebration for the Academic Year 2025.
The activity was held under the theme “Following in the Footsteps of the Mother of the Land”, honouring the immeasurable royal benevolence of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother. The event aimed to instill awareness of Thai cultural heritage among young learners through hands-on experience at the Sithan International Festival 2025 (Boon Somma Bucha Nak) venue. Participants dressed in traditional Thai fabric attire and crafted krathongs (floats) using natural, biodegradable materials. A large number of administrators, lecturers, parents, and students participated in the event at Bueng Sithan, Khon Kaen University.
The celebration began with a procession moving from the Khon Kaen University Demonstration School (Kindergarten Section), starting near the western wall of the school grounds and proceeding towards Bueng Sithan. Students, teachers, and parents, all dressed in cultural Thai clothing, took part in the walk, which was facilitated and overseen by the Security and Traffic Division to ensure road safety along the route.
Ms. Jiraporn Chanla, a parent of a student in Class 2/3 of the Khon Kaen University Demonstration School (Kindergarten Section), remarked, “I am pleased that the school recognises the importance of preserving Thai traditions and teaching children about these customs through practical involvement. This included participating in the krathong making process, learning about the meaning and origin of the Loy Krathong festival, and acknowledging the royal benevolence of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother. By floating the krathongs, we are also apologising to and conserving the rivers. I am also delighted that this event offered parents an opportunity to attend and strengthen family bonds.”
For this Loy Krathong activity, only natural materials, such as banana leaves, corn, nutshells, jackfruit leaves, or bread, were used for the krathongs to ensure easy decomposition. The use of non-degradable materials like plastic, metal, or foam was strictly avoided. The floats were placed in Bueng Sithan, a closed water source, to simplify the clean-up process. Additional activities included releasing fish. The event successfully educated children about traditional customs by leveraging the authentic setting of the Sithan International Festival 2025 (Boonsomma Bucha Nak), helping them understand the origins and significance of Loy Krathong and pay respect to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother. Furthermore, this initiative serves as a platform for nurturing and disseminating cultural heritage while promoting the Creative Economy, enabling children to sustainably integrate artistic value into their daily lives.
