Plea for an environment-friendly Loy Krathong

They suggest making krathong from environment-friendly vegetables from the backyard garden, like bitter gourd, papaya and pumpkins, to reduce pollution.
The move comes after the Department of Environment Quality Promotion found the number of vessels made from plastic or synthetic foam had increased substantially in the past few years, causing environmental pollution.
According to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), the number of vessels floated in the river to celebrate last year’s Loy Krathong festival was 916,354. Of this amount, 693,976 were made from banana leaves, 131,338 from plastic and 91,040 from other natural materials.
The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry has suggested people use vegetables and plants like bitter gourd, papaya, pumpkin, banana blossom, roselle or the vegetable hummingbird tree as alternative materials for the vessels.
Loy Krathong Day is celebrated each year on the full-moon day of the 12th lunar month. Thai people pay their respects to the river goddess Ganga and apologise for having used, or done anything bad to, the river. They put flowers, candles and joss sticks into a small vessel and float it down the river to pay homage to Buddha and Ganga.

Evolution of floats
  2008
Total floats: 929,329
Made with banana leaf: 759,918
With styrofoam: 117,997
Other natural materials: 51,414

2009
Total floats: 882,418
Made with banana leaf: 717,847
With styrofoam: 112,854
Other natural materials: 51,171

2010
Total floats: 946,838
Made with banana leaf: 767,533
With styrofoam: 118,575
Other natural |materials: 60,730

2011
Total floats: 322,779
Made with banana leaf: 237,718
With styrofoam: 57,837
Other natural materials: 27,224

2012
Total floats: 916,354
Made with banana leaf: 693,976
With styrofoam: 131,338
Other natural materials: 91,040

Source: Department of Environment Quality Promotion