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's Georg Matthes 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.