Loy Krathong Dinner in Bangkok: Where to Float, Where to Eat

When is Loy Krathong in Bangkok in 2026?

As of 2 November 2026, Thai media and Central Group give Tuesday 24 November 2026 as the date of Loy Krathong in Bangkok, the night of the full moon of the twelfth Thai lunar month; some English-language sites print 25 November. Thai outlets agree: PPTV, Bangkok Biznews and the Central Group guide to the festival all print 24 November 2026. The astronomical full moon falls at 14:53 UTC on 24 November (Star Walk), which is 9:53 PM in Bangkok, so the moon and the festival share the same Bangkok evening.

Some English-language sites print 25 November instead. We could not open the Tourism Authority of Thailand's own pages to settle it, so treat 24 November as the date used by Thai media and confirm with the Tourism Authority of Thailand or the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (hotline 1555) before you plan around it.

The date can differ by place. Loy Krathong follows the moon, not a fixed calendar day, and Central Group notes that some provinces hold celebrations over several days.

Loy Krathong is not a public holiday. Bangkok Biznews lists no public or bank holiday in November 2026 and says 24 November is a normal working day. Plan the evening around a regular Tuesday workday.

What does Loy Krathong mean?

Loy Krathong, "floating the basket", is the night Thais return a small offering of banana leaf, flowers, incense and a candle to the water. The usual reasons given are gratitude and an apology to Mae Khongkha, the river goddess, in the belief that water sustains life, respect for the Buddha's footprint, and letting go of anger and bad luck as the candle drifts away. Wikipedia's entry on Loi Krathong sets out the apology to the water goddess and the letting go of anger, and the PPTV explainer sets out the apology to Mae Khongkha, respect for the Buddha's footprint and misfortune floating away. Meanings vary from household to household.

The story that a court lady named Nang Nopphamat made the first krathong for King Ruang of Sukhothai is told everywhere. Central Group's guide and Wikipedia both caution that it is a legend, set down in the early Bangkok period, so we present it as the tradition's origin story, not as history.

Where do people float krathongs in central Bangkok?

In Bangkok near Soi Langsuan, Lumphini Park has been a city-opened floating spot in past years (2022, 2023, 2025), with Benjakitti Park the other central option; neither has published its 2026 arrangements as of 2 November 2026. The pattern from past years is below.

• Lumphini Park (Pathum Wan). The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) listed Lumphini among the public parks opened for floating in 2022, in 2023 and in 2025. Its lake is the water. The park normally closes at 9:00 PM, per Wikipedia, and in 2025 the BMA kept its festival parks open until midnight. Nearest stations: MRT Lumphini, MRT Si Lom and BTS Sala Daeng.
• Benjakitti Park (Khlong Toei). Also on the BMA's 2023 and 2025 lists. Nearest station: MRT Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre.
• The river. For the Chao Phraya itself, two 24 November dinner cruises we found leave from ICONSIAM: the Chao Phraya Princess 24 November cruise sails 7:30 PM to 10:30 PM and boards at ICONSIAM Pier 2, and the Noah Cruise runs 7:45 PM to 9:45 PM from ICONSIAM.

In 2025 the BMA opened 33 parks across 21 districts from regular opening hours until midnight, according to The Nation and Time Out Bangkok. As of 2 November 2026, we found no published 2026 park list. Treat the 2025 programme as the precedent and check bangkok.go.th in the week itself.

Lumphini and Benjakitti are the best-known central parks, so we expect them to be busy in the evening. That is our expectation, not a published figure. For a quieter evening, go earlier or choose a smaller park from the BMA list.

Which krathong is the right one?

A krathong made of natural, biodegradable material is the one the city has asked for. Banana trunk and banana leaf are the classic choices. In 2025, Time Out Bangkok reported that officials "urge participants to use krathongs made from natural, biodegradable materials" and advise against bread or animal-feed krathongs in public parks, because leftover material in the closed ponds can quickly pollute the water. The Nation adds that in 2025 foam krathongs were banned in the parks, that sky lanterns, fireworks, firecrackers and alcohol sales were prohibited inside public parks, and that the BMA promoted "One family, one krathong".

Pattaya Mail, reporting on 21 October 2026, says the Ministry of Culture and 33 agencies set 14 national guidelines for the 2026 festival, among them making krathongs from natural materials and following "One Family, One Krathong". The report does not list all 14. The national 2026 guidelines point the same way on those two points, but we found no published 2026 BMA park rules yet, so treat the 2025 rules as precedent.

How does dinner fit around Loy Krathong?

On 24 November 2026 in Bangkok, sunset is about 5:47 PM (sunrisesunset.io) and the full moon peaks at about 9:53 PM (14:53 UTC, per Star Walk), so there are roughly four hours between sunset and the peak. Here is a timeline built from the sourced times above. The sequencing is Bisou's suggestion.

1. 5:30 PM: Bisou opens for dinner. The sun sets at about 5:47 PM.
2. From 6:00 PM: check-in opens for the Chao Phraya Princess cruise (6:00 to 7:00 PM at its counter on the G Floor of ICONSIAM). The Noah Cruise listing gives no check-in time.
3. About 9:53 PM: the full moon is at its peak in Bangkok.
4. Midnight: last food order at Bisou. In 2025 the BMA parks were open until midnight.
5. 1:00 AM: Bisou closes.

Two shapes work. Early dinner, then the park: sit down soon after 5:30 PM, finish, and float your krathong after dark. Or float first and dine late: Bisou Bangkok's last food order is midnight and the full carte is served right up to it, so a late dinner after the park is possible within regular hours. Booking is better than walking in. If you want to compare other kitchens that cook after 11 PM, see our guide to late-night restaurants in Bangkok.

What are restaurants near Soi Langsuan and Chit Lom doing for Loy Krathong?

The Loy Krathong dinners we found were on or beside the Chao Phraya, not on Soi Langsuan. In the searches we ran on 2 November 2026 we found 24 November dinner cruises from ICONSIAM, and we found no published special Loy Krathong menu from a restaurant on Soi Langsuan or around Chit Lom and Ratchadamri. We did not check every venue.

We did not find any published 2026 hours for those restaurants either, so check with the restaurant before you go. The floating itself happens at the water: Lumphini and Benjakitti parks if the city opens them again, or the Chao Phraya. For a map of who is cooking where, see where to eat around Lumphini Park and our street guide to where to eat on Soi Langsuan. Those two posts cover the venues; this one covers the night.

How do you get around on Loy Krathong night?

On 24 November 2026 in Bangkok, expect crowds at Lumphini and Benjakitti parks if the city opens them again, as it did in past years. Each has an MRT station nearby (MRT Lumphini and MRT Si Lom for Lumphini Park; MRT Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre for Benjakitti), and we expect them to be busy after dark. A Ticket2Attraction listing suggests booking the Noah Cruise at least two weeks ahead to get the best seat. The Chao Phraya Princess listing on Headout gives no lead time and says its tickets cannot be cancelled or rescheduled and are non-refundable, so check the terms before you buy.

What we could not verify: any extended BTS or MRT service for 24 November 2026. As of 2 November 2026 we found no published notice, so check the operators' announcements on the day. Our suggestion: the date is a working Tuesday, so take the train and walk the last stretch.

Dinner at Bisou on Loy Krathong night

Bisou Bangkok is a modern French restaurant at 68 Soi Langsuan 9, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, beside Lumphini Park and about two minutes from BTS Chit Lom; its regular dinner hours are 5:30 PM to 1:00 AM, with the last food order at midnight. Everything below is the regular Bisou. As of 2 November 2026 we have not announced a Loy Krathong menu, event or offer, and 24 November hours should be confirmed when you book.

• Hours: dinner nightly, 5:30 PM to 1:00 AM. Last food order at midnight, and the full carte is served right up to it.
• Menu: Chef Antoine Darquin's modern French cooking, plated to share. The signature five-course chef's sharing menu is THB 3,400 per person for two guests or more, which is THB 4,002 on the bill after the 10 percent service charge and 7 percent VAT. A la carte averages about THB 3,000 per person. See the menu.
• Recognition: MICHELIN Guide Thailand Selected in 2025 and 2026. The MICHELIN Guide describes Bisou this way: "Bisou delivers sexy simplicity through modern French cuisine, prioritising premium ingredients."
• Birthdays: the birthday dessert plate is offered at no charge, and you may bring your own cake, with no cakeage fee. See birthday dinner in Bangkok.
• Booking and walk-ins: reserve a table online or call +66 96 025 5858. Walk-ins are accepted when there is room, and a booking is better, especially on Friday and Saturday. Complimentary valet parking is available.
• Dress code and children: smart casual, no flip-flops. Children are welcome and high chairs are available, though an earlier seating suits a table with children best.

If the night is for two, see our guide to the most romantic restaurants in Bangkok, where Bisou Bangkok won Best Date Night at the 2026 Lifestyle Asia Best Bites Awards, a readers' choice award. For our other festive dinners this winter, see Christmas dinner at Bisou and New Year's Eve dinner at Bisou. For who we are, start with the Bisou Bangkok guide.

Confirm the hours when you book, as we have not published a separate schedule for 24 November.