Sukhothai Historical Park hosts Loy Krathong from 15 November
Published on 10/31/2026 at 16:56 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSFestival programme and heritage setting
- The Fine Arts Department lists Loy Krathong at the park from 15 to 24 November 2026.
- The festival brings evening performances and illuminated monuments to the World Heritage setting.
- UNESCO records Sukhothai as the capital of the first Kingdom of Siam in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.
Sukhothai Historical Park and the Loy Krathong, Burning Candles, and Playing with Fire Festival will share the same setting in Sukhothai, Thailand, from 15 to 24 November 2026. The ten-day programme places cultural performances and evening illumination among the ruins of the former Siamese capital.
Loy Krathong festival runs from 15 to 24 November
The festival is listed for Sukhothai Historical Park from 15 November to 24 November 2026 by the Thai government. The government event listing identifies the venue and the Sukhothai dates on the same page.
The Fine Arts Department, which manages the park, also lists the 2026 edition for those dates. Its announcement describes the programme as the Sukhothai Loi Krathong and Candle Festival and names Sukhothai Historical Park as the venue. The event gives visitors a specific reason to return to the ancient city in November rather than treating the ruins only as a daytime archaeological site.
Ancient monuments form the festival setting
The park preserves the remains of Sukhothai, which UNESCO describes as the capital of the first Kingdom of Siam in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. The wider Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1991 and is managed through the Fine Arts Department.
Wat Mahathat is among the important monuments within the park and is named by Thailand's official visitor information alongside Wat Si Sawai, Wat Si Chum and other archaeological sites. The festival's evening programme therefore takes place within a protected historic landscape of temples, ponds and former urban infrastructure, linking the November event directly to the features that give the site its World Heritage status. UNESCO describes the monuments as examples of the beginnings of Thai architecture and the development of the Sukhothai style. UNESCO's heritage profile records the site's historical importance and management framework.
What the 2026 programme adds to the ruins
The published festival information includes cultural performances, illuminated historic structures and a light-and-sound presentation. The Thai government listing gives the presentation a 7pm start and an additional 8.30pm show on 24 November. These times apply to the listed show programme, not to regular park access.
The Fine Arts Department's announcement confirms that the celebration is being held at the park itself. That distinction matters for travellers: the dated event is not merely a provincial celebration elsewhere in Sukhothai, but a programme presented in the historic park named in the official venue notice.
Visiting Sukhothai Historical Park: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The Loy Krathong, Burning Candles, and Playing with Fire Festival takes place at Sukhothai Historical Park from 15 to 24 November 2026.
- The programme includes evening cultural performances, illumination and a light-and-sound presentation; the government listing gives 7pm as the show time and adds an 8.30pm performance on 24 November.
- The park is in Sukhothai Province in lower northern Thailand and forms part of the UNESCO-listed historic town property inscribed in 1991.
- Visitors encounter archaeological ruins, temple compounds, ponds and historic water infrastructure rather than a modern enclosed attraction; the terrain and monuments are spread across a protected historic landscape.
- Thailand's official language is Thai and its national currency is the baht.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Sukhothai Historical Park
When does Loy Krathong take place at Sukhothai Historical Park?
The Loy Krathong, Burning Candles, and Playing with Fire Festival runs from 15 to 24 November 2026 at the park.
What is Sukhothai Historical Park?
It preserves the remains of Sukhothai, the capital of the first Kingdom of Siam in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.
Where is Sukhothai Historical Park and how do you get there?
The park is in Sukhothai Province in lower northern Thailand and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage property inscribed in 1991.
