Published on November 16, 2005

Loy Krathong falls on the day of the twelfth full moon of the year in the traditional Thai lunar calendar, and in 2005 today is that auspicious day. On rivers, streams and canals, Thais of all ages will float lotus-shaped vessels (krathong) bearing candles in homage to the Goddess of the River. On riverbanks, worshippers seek blessings for the next year and ask that bad luck and ill omens from the past year be carried away. Following are 10 wishes the celebrants may also consider asking for while floating their krathongs.

1 O, Goddess of the River, we pray that the North Koreans place Anocha Panjoy into a lotus-shaped vessel and float her back from Pyongyang to the Chao Phya River. After her decades-long captivity in a foreign land, Anocha is entitled to a sweet reunion with her family.

2 O, Sacred Beings in the Universe, please tell us whether the cost of electricity bills will go up after Egat’s privatisation. We wish that Egat remains as the Mother of all Power Grids. Could you also tell us whether privatisation is good for this Kingdom or only for its politicians? Are politicians salivating over Egat’s shares, or do they want to take over Egat’s fibre-optic transmission network?

3 O, Sacred Beings in all the Rivers, we thank you for guarding the independent spirit of the Supreme Administrative Court and allowing this institution to act conscientiously while all the other so-called independent institutions have come under a political spell. The Supreme Administrative Court has jammed a brake on Egat’s initial public offering, pending further legal consideration, and charges that politicians are trying to convert state assets into private assets, robbing the many to enrich a few.

4 O, Devas who reside in Heaven, we need your advice on whether we should buy all the CDs and DVDs of anti-government mouthpiece Khun Sonthi Limthongkul. Or should we attend his political rally at Lumphini Park, where he routinely assails our Great Leader? Is Sondhi telling the truth? If yes, why didn’t he tell it earlier? If no, to whom should we turn for guidance during this time of confusion? Abnormally the tide is running backwards and we’re afraid that our krathongs will sink or disperse before they reach the mouth of the river safely.

5 O, Enlightened Ones, please tell us: Who is it that is actually catching bird flu - our Great Leader or Khun Sondhi?

6 O, Goddess of Mercy, will Thais live in peace at last if we allow Pattani to become an autonomous state, together with the introduction of a bilingual system? Where is Somchai Neelachaijit, the human rights lawyer? Please give our leaders your guiding light.

7 O, Ultimate Beings, pray illuminate us: Who can really put an end to the big mess at the Office of the Auditor-General? When will Khunying Jaruvan Maintaka return to her office to do her job, given she knows the laydown on all the big scandals in this country?

8 O, Prime Mover, please give us guidance: Why is it that Thais lap up money afforded by the populist policies of our Great Leader to buy luxury goods yet still remain unhappy? Should beneficiaries, once they have made some money, pay it back to the Village Fund, or should they be allowed to continue splashing other taxpayers’ money on fancy new mobile phones?

9 O, Gods of Protection, politicians are enriching themselves with lavish offerings, while average Thais are left with nothing but krathongs floating on a watercourse of wishful thinking. Please tell us why politicians’ avarice runs deep like an ocean while the fortunes of ordinary Thais bob up and down in their wake like bits of foam.

10 O, Phra Siamthevathiraj, the City God, please tell us why our Great Leader is wobbling. He is in a foul mood most of the time because things are no longer going his way, while his right-hand men in the Cabinet are like sitting ducks. He can’t push forward his education reform agenda, nor can he launch the much-touted privatisation of Egat - although he controls more MPs than anyone would ever want. Please tell us: Is this the beginning of the end?

Thanong Khanthong

The Nation

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