Garden International School was very busy last Friday celebrating the important and interesting festival of Loy Krathong. The day was organized by the GIS Thai Department in liaison with many parents, and what a day it turned out to be.
In the morning, throughout the school the students, aged 2 to 18, made krathongs using a banana base decorated with flowers. The IB students helped the younger classes and thereby gained a few CAS hours. These krathongs were then floated in specially constructed pools as well as taken home to celebrate the festival with parents.
Krathongs are floated in specially constructed pools.
The Primary Section of the school then held a ‘Temple Fair’ – a tradition at Loy Krathong. Parents, teachers and students ran ten different stalls ranging from ‘egg scoop’ to ceramic painting. This was great opportunity for everyone to have a lot of fun and enjoy the activities available.
Loy Krathong is also celebrated with a beauty pageant and we held our own version of this with 40 children, ranging in age from 2 years old to 13 years old, displaying an array of beautiful Thai costumes. Every child in the pageant won a prize and there were prizes for the winners in each category as well as the teacher with the best Thai costume, the parent with the best Thai costume and the overall student with the best Thai costume.
There were a number of musical items throughout the afternoon. We were treated to haunting instrument playing as well as a specially prepared dance by the Year 8 Thai class. The highlight of the afternoon were two dances: one given by parents which was as well orchestrated as any professional dance group and the other given by students from years 3-6 which was beautifully choreographed.
The whole day was a massive success and everybody left with a huge smile on their face. One parent sent this e-mail later – which summarizes the day succinctly:
“… I haven’t spoken to any parent or child who didn’t enjoy it fully. This morning my daughter came out with the comment, “today is going to be a special day…” When we got home I asked her if it was, and I got a huge smile, a laugh and a YES IT WAS! I hope it stays on the event calendar every year.”
A great opportunity for everyone to have a lot of fun and enjoy the activities available.
Nutch (Bhunyanutch Kanjananon) displays her bunch of roses for sale.
Loy Krathong is also celebrated with a beauty pageant and each child wins a prize.
Year 6 teacher James Watkins enjoys demonstrating his own style of Thai dance.
A beautifully choreographed Thai dance.
