Yi Peng

History & meaning

Yi Peng ("second month" in the old Lanna calendar, which begins two months ahead of the central Thai calendar) is a northern Thai tradition distinct from — but timed to coincide with — the nationwide Loy Krathong festival. Where Loy Krathong floats offerings on water, Yi Peng releases khom loy, paper lanterns lifted by a small fire, up into the sky.

Traditionally the released lanterns carry away bad luck and misfortune, and are also understood as a gesture of merit-making and homage to the Buddha. What began as a local Lanna practice around Chiang Mai's temples has grown into one of Thailand's most internationally recognizable images, in large part thanks to mass-organized commercial lantern-release events that began in the 2010s.

What to expect

At the large-scale ticketed events (held in fields outside the old city), thousands of attendees release lanterns in coordinated mass waves at set times through the evening — a striking, widely photographed sight, and the version most visitors mean when they picture "Yi Peng." These events require an advance ticket and typically include transport, a meal and a monk-led blessing beforehand.

Independently and for free, Chiang Mai's old-city temples — Wat Phan Tao and Wat Chedi Luang among them — host their own smaller, more contemplative lantern releases and light displays throughout the festival period, and the streets around the old city moat fill with lantern stalls, light installations and, since it's the same full-moon night, Loy Krathong offerings floating in the moat itself.

Practical tips

• Book official ticketed lantern-release events (CAD's Khom Loy events are the best known) at least several weeks ahead — they sell out every year and unofficial resellers are common, so buy from the official site or a reputable agent.
• Only release lanterns at official, permitted events or locations — Chiang Mai restricts free-flying lantern releases in and around the city due to fire risk, and there are heavy fines for releasing them near the airport or outside sanctioned windows.
• Wear closed shoes and expect a muddy field if there's been recent rain — the main release events are held outdoors on open ground.
• Traffic around Chiang Mai's old city and the event venues gets very heavy on the main nights — allow significantly more travel time than usual, or use event-organized shuttle transport if it's included in your ticket.
• If you also want to see Loy Krathong, plan to be near the old-city moat before or after your lantern event — many visitors do both on the same night since they fall together.

Where to experience it

Yi Peng is a Chiang Mai tradition through and through — the official mass lantern-release events happen in fields just outside the old city, with free, smaller releases at old-city temples like Wat Phan Tao. It falls on the same full-moon night as Loy Krathong, so most visitors experience both. There's no Bangkok equivalent, though the city's own Loy Krathong celebrations run the same night.

Frequently asked questions