Learning Thai the Easy Way > Thai Songs > Loy Krathong Song


As the full moon of the twelfth lunar month (usually in mid-November) lights up the night sky, throughout the Thai kingdom, hundreds of thousands of ornately-decorated krathong or traditional banana leaf floats are set adrift in rivers and waterways in a spell-binding ritual called "Loy Krathong" - the 'festival of lights". This is one of the Kingdom's oldest and best-preserved traditions. [More Information]

Here's the song that we sing on that day together with its romanised spelling and meaning in English. (Click here to hear the song)


   วันเพ็ญเดือนสิบสอง
   wan-pen duean sip-sawng
   The full moon (of) the twelfth month

   น้ำก็นองเต็มตลิ่ง
   nam gaw nawng dtem dtaling
   as water fills to the banks.

   เราทั้งหลายชายหญิง
   rao tung-laai chai-ying
   We, all men and women,

 

 สนุกกันจริงวันลอยกระทง

   sanook gun jing wun loy gratong
   really have a good time (on) loy krathong day

   ลอย ลอย กระทง
   loy loy gratong
   Float, float the krathongs

   ลอย ลอย กระทง
   loy loy gratong
   Float, float the krathongs

   ลอยกระทงกันแล้ว
   loy krathong kan laew
   After we've floated our krathongs,

   ขอเชิญน้องแก้ว
   khaw choen nawngkaew
   (I) invite (you) my darling

   ออกมารำวง
   awk maa ramwong
   to come out and dance.

   รำวงวันลอยกระทง
   ramwong wan loy krathong
   Ramwong (on) loy krathong day

   รำวงวันลอยกระทง
   ramwong wan loy krathong
   Ramwong (on) loy krathong day

   บุญจะส่งให้เราสุขใจ
   bun ja song hai rao sukjai
   (Making) merit will give us happiness

   บุญจะส่งให้เราสุขใจ
   bun ja song hai rao sukjai
   (Making) merit will give us happiness

Below is the well-known English version. This English translation rhymes and fits the rhythm but misses some of the meaning in Thai.
November full moon shines
Loy Krathong, loy Krathong
and the water's high in the river and local klong
Loy Krathong is here and everybody's full of cheer
We're together at the klong
Each one with his krathong
As we push away we pray
We can see a better day

Click here to listen to the song

INFORMATION FROM: Learning Post