Key Takeaways
- Loy Krathong 2026 falls on the evening of Tuesday, 24 November, the full moon of the twelfth Thai lunar month.
- For Loy Krathong at Lumpini Park or Benjakitti Park, you float on a lake, a calmer choice than the Chao Phraya riverside.
- Both parks were on Bangkok’s 2025 open-park list; the 2026 list usually appears just before the night, so check it first.
- Park rules are simple: natural-material krathongs only, no foam, no sky lanterns or fireworks, and one krathong per family.
- From MRT Thailand Cultural Centre, Benjakitti is four stops away and Lumpini is six, both on the Blue Line with no change.
- Staying at a hotel in Ratchada near the MRT puts both park lakes one direct ride from your door.
For one night each November, candlelit krathongs drift across Bangkok’s lakes and canals while the city’s parks fill with families seeing the old year off. Loy Krathong 2026 falls on Tuesday, 24 November, and Bangkok’s public parks open late for floating.
Lumpini Park and Benjakitti Park both sit on the MRT Blue Line, so you can reach either from Ratchada in one ride with no change. Here is which lake suits your night, and how to get there.
How Bangkok Opens Its Parks for Loy Krathong
On Loy Krathong, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration opens dozens of public parks for floating and extends their hours to midnight. In 2025 it opened 33 parks across 21 districts, Lumpini and Benjakitti among them. The 2026 list usually appears a week or two before the night, so check it before you set out. Visitors staying at a hotel in Ratchada near the MRT can reach both parks directly without changing trains.
The rules are the same most years.
- Natural-material krathongs only, no foam
- No sky lanterns, fireworks or alcohol inside the gates
- The city asks for one krathong per family to cut waste
Krathong stalls appear through the afternoon, and the parks fill once the candles come out after dark. In recent years it has also run an online krathong option for anyone who would rather not float in person.
Read our guide to spend the Loy Krathong Festival in Bangkok for traditions, etiquette, and celebration tips.
Loy Krathong at Lumpini Park: What to Expect
Lumpini Park is the most central place to celebrate Loy Krathong, open late on the night with vendors selling krathongs at the gates. Here is how to reach it:
- Location: Pathumwan, central Bangkok
- Nearest station: MRT Lumphini, a short walk to the lake
- Also near: Si Lom MRT and Sala Daeng BTS at the park’s other corners
- From Ratchada: six stops on the Blue Line from MRT Thailand Cultural Centre, no change
The lake sits in the middle of the park, and on the night local families picnic on the grass before floating together. Lumpini draws a large crowd once the candles come out, so arrive before dark for room at the water’s edge. Follow the staff at the floating points, keep the walkways clear, and take your trash with you.
A weekday night like this one clears a little faster than a weekend, which helps if you have young children. The gates stay open late, so you can float early, let the crowd thin, and still catch a train home.
Loy Krathong at Benjakitti Park by the Skyline
Benjakitti Park opens for the Loy Krathong festival too, and it gives the better skyline view of the two. You float on the large lake in Khlong Toei with the city towers lit up behind the water. Here is how to reach it:
- Location: Khlong Toei, beside the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre
- Nearest station: MRT Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, with Sukhumvit MRT and Asok BTS close by
- From Ratchada: four stops on the Blue Line from MRT Thailand Cultural Centre, no change
The newer forest-park section adds raised walkways and wetland views if you come early for a walk. Benjakitti is large, so check which gate and floating area are in use when you arrive, since the city confirms its full park list close to the night.
If Benjakitti is full or too far, Benjasiri Park by Phrom Phong, next to the Emporium, is another lake that usually opens.
Riding the MRT Blue Line to the Park Lakes
From MRT Thailand Cultural Centre, Benjakitti is four stops away and Lumpini is six, both on the Blue Line with no change.
| Park | Nearest MRT station | Stops from Thailand Cultural Centre | On 2025 city park list |
| Lumpini Park | Lumphini | 6 | Yes |
| Benjakitti Park | Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre | 4 | Yes |
The Blue Line runs as a loop in both directions, so check the platform sign for the short way round before you board. Both lakes stay calmer than the Chao Phraya piers, where crowds and road closures make the river hard to reach at night. A simple evening runs in three steps:
- Leave Ratchada in the early evening, while the trains are still clear.
- Float at your chosen lake as the light fades, then take your photos from the bank.
- Ride back before the last trains around midnight, when the platforms fill as the floating ends.
Buy a krathong from the vendors at the park gates, or pick one up at a market near the hotel. Back near Ratchada, the night markets and Esplanade by Thailand Cultural Centre station stay open for a late meal.
Why Stay at Amanta Ratchada for the Night
Amanta Hotel & Residence Ratchada sits a five-minute walk from MRT Thailand Cultural Centre, the station both park trips start from. That keeps Benjakitti four stops away and Lumpini six, so you can float at a lake and be back the same evening without a taxi.
Our suites run from 54 to 96 square meters, each with a full kitchen, washing machine, dryer and private balcony. The two-bedroom Royal Suite at 79 square meters and the Grand Suite at 96 square meters give a family the room to get krathongs and children ready together.
A 25-meter outdoor pool in the garden is there for the afternoon before, and taxi and limousine service runs around the clock for a late ride home.
Plan Your Loy Krathong Night from Ratchada
Loy Krathong 2026 lands on Tuesday, 24 November. From Ratchada, the calmest way to join in is a park lake, whether that means Loy Krathong at Lumpini Park or a float at Benjakitti Park. Both options are a direct Blue Line ride away and both open late when the city opens its parks for the night.
Amanta Hotel & Residence Ratchada keeps that evening simple, five minutes from MRT Thailand Cultural Centre, with apartment-style suites built for families and longer stays.
Book a hotel in Ratchada near the MRT for Loy Krathong and reach both park lakes without a taxi. Full-kitchen suites and a 25-meter pool give you an easy base before the floating and a quiet one to return to after.
References:
Online Loy Krathong Festival, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s Environment Department. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://greenoffice.bangkok.go.th/loikrathong/
Bangkok opens 33 parks for Loy Krathong 2025 celebrations. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://www.nationthailand.com/life/art-culture/40057138
Tourism Authority of Thailand. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://www.tourismthailand.org/
Frequently Asked Questions About Loy Krathong in Bangkok
Q: When is Loy Krathong 2026 in Thailand?
A: Loy Krathong 2026 falls on Tuesday, 24 November, the full moon of the twelfth Thai lunar month. The date is the same across the country, and the floating takes place in the evening.
Q: Can you float a krathong at Lumpini Park?
A: Yes. Lumpini Park has been on Bangkok’s open-park list in recent years, with floating on its lake and vendors selling krathongs at the gates. It stays open late on the night and is a short walk from MRT Lumphini.
Q: Is Benjakitti Park open for Loy Krathong?
A: Benjakitti Park was open for floating in 2025, but it has not opened every year. Check the city’s park list shortly before 24 November, since the open parks are confirmed close to the date.
Q: How do you get from Ratchada to Lumpini Park for Loy Krathong?
A: Take the MRT Blue Line from Thailand Cultural Centre to Lumphini, six stops with no change. For Benjakitti, get off at Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, four stops away.
Q: What are the rules for floating a krathong in Bangkok’s parks?
A: Use a krathong made from natural materials, not foam. Sky lanterns, fireworks and alcohol are banned inside the parks, and the city asks for one krathong per family to reduce waste.
