Fewer krathong, most made of natural materials

A huge majority of people opted for floats made of natural material for Loy Krathong, but officials cleaning up the mess said there were still too many made from non-biodegradable styrofoam.

Throughout the country, the number of krathong being cleaned up was down substantially on last year. Many people instead opted for a quiet, more private celebration, with families floating their krathong on village and farm ponds and waterways.

Bangkok city governor Aswin Kwanmuang said 661,935 floats had been collected from waterways across Bangkok by 4am. Of these 617,901 (93.7%) were made from natural materials that could be decomposed. There were 44,034 styrofoam floats, he said.

The number of krathong collected this year was down 163,676 on last year, but still amounted to over six tonnes of rubbish.

Bangkok deputy governor Jakkrapan Phiewngarm said there were about 20% fewer floats made from styrofoam than last year. The number of floats made from natural materials increased by 91%, he said.

Last year, a total of 825,614 krathong were collected. Of these 754,587 were made from natural materials and the rest were styrofoam.

The deputy governor said natural-material floats would be turned into fertiliser. They will be sent to the Nong Khem garbage disposal centre. Styrofoam floats will be sent for recycling.

The city administration opened 30 public parks for people to float their krathong on Monday night.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration deployed 210 staff, along with 45 boats, to collect floats from the Chao Phraya River and other waterways from 8pm on Monday until midnight. Nine trucks were used to transport the natural floats to Nong Khem garbage centre. Collection continued later in the morning

Lat Krabang district saw the highest number of floats collected this year, while Pomprap Sattruphai had the small number of floats, according to Daily News Online.

In other provinces, workers cleaned up rivers, ponds and canals in the wake of the festival.

In Nakhon Ratchasima municipality, 50 workers were assigned to collect krathong from the moat in the town centre near Thao Suranaree Monument, the most popular place for the festival for residents.

In Buri Ram, more than 200 workers and volunteers in Muang district cleared at least 20,000 krathong from the town moat.

Buri Ram mayor Kamol Ruengsuksriwong said 30% of the floats were still made of non-biodegradable styrofoam.

He added that krathong made from styrofoam and other environmentally unfriendly material will be banned next year. (continues below).

Krathong litter the town moat in Buri Ram on Tuesday morning. About 30% were made from styrofoam and plastic, the city mayor said. (photo by Surachai Piragsa)

In Lampang, more than 100 students and teachers of the Institute of Physical Education helped municipal workers to clean up the Wang River in Muang district.

Nakhon Lampang mayor Kittiphum Namwong said he was satisfied with the environmental awareness of people in the town as they floated krathong made from natural materials such as sliced banana trunk and leaves.

Lampang collected eight tonnes of krathong this year, three tonnes less than last year. The mayor said the ban on entertainment activities probably discouraged people living in villages from travelling to the town centre.