The Yi Peng lantern festival is underway in Thailand. The two-day event, rooted in Buddhist tradition, attracts revelers from around the world and sees thousands of lanterns released into the night sky. DW was there as festivities kicked off.
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00:00It's full moon, the rainy season's over, it's time to drive out the gloom and welcome in
00:07the light at Thailand's Yipeng Festival.
00:15This is what thousands of tourists have come to Chiang Mai for, sky lanterns.
00:19Their release is restricted to certain times and zones and to be absolutely on the safe
00:24side, flights that were scheduled for tomorrow or for today after 7pm have been rescheduled
00:31or cancelled.
00:33The lanterns are made of rice paper.
00:37Revelers can buy them on site and release them on the banks of the Ping River, along
00:44with prayers and good wishes for the future.
00:49The centuries-old practice is rooted in Northern Thailand's Buddhist tradition.
00:55To this day, it attracts visitors from all over the world.
01:00The festival is amazing, it's my second year at Yipeng Festival and the first time here
01:08at Lake.
01:09I'm totally amazed, it's so beautiful, so many lights, so many happy people, so it's
01:15a great place to be.
01:17I'm South Korean, there is no festival like this, it's a very special event.
01:27I'm very inspired by this.
01:33Look, look!
01:38It's quite safe because if you release the lantern, at the end when the fire is finished,
01:46the lantern is going down with no problems and with no fires around.
01:52As the lanterns float up into the night, they're said to take the misfortunes of the
01:57previous lunar year with them, allowing their owners to start afresh in the new one.