{"schema_version":"v1","type":"trip_article","slug":"yi-peng-lantern-festival-2026","locale":"en","canonical_url":"https://www.voucherdata.asia/en/trips/yi-peng-lantern-festival-2026","updated_at":"2026-10-13T15:00:00+00:00","headline":"Yi Peng 2026 in Chiang Mai: 24–25 November (est.), no lanterns in the city, releases only at licensed events","one_sentence_summary":"Yi Peng 2026 is expected on 24–25 November in Chiang Mai. Since 2025 all of Mueang district bans sky lanterns, so the old city has paper lanterns, clay lamps and parades instead.","facts":[{"label":"Festival dates","value":"Expected 24 to 25 November 2026. The full moon of the twelfth Thai lunar month falls on Tuesday 24 November. Final dates are subject to Chiang Mai Province announcements.","source":"https://theskylive.com/full-moon-november-2026","sourceLabel":"theskylive.com"},{"label":"The name","value":"In Northern Thai, yi means \"two\" and peng means full-moon day: the full moon of the second Lanna month, which matches the twelfth month of the central Thai calendar","source":"https://thailandfoundation.or.th/518234-v2/","sourceLabel":"thailandfoundation.or.th"},{"label":"No-release zone (2025)","value":"All of Mueang Chiang Mai and Hang Dong districts plus parts of Saraphi, San Sai, Mae Rim and San Pa Tong: 6 districts and 39 subdistricts where sky lanterns, fire lanterns and fireworks are banned","source":"https://www.thaipbs.or.th/verify/en/content/7109","sourceLabel":"thaipbs.or.th"},{"label":"Penalties (2025)","value":"Releasing without permission or inside the zone: up to 5 years in prison, a fine of up to 200,000 baht, or both. If it causes a fire: up to 7 years and up to 140,000 baht.","source":"https://www.thaipbs.or.th/verify/en/content/7109","sourceLabel":"thaipbs.or.th"},{"label":"Permitted hours (2025)","value":"Approved sites only, 5–6 November from 7 pm to 1 am the following morning","source":"https://www.thaipbs.or.th/verify/en/content/7109","sourceLabel":"thaipbs.or.th"},{"label":"Lanna lanterns","value":"Hanging khom kwaen, hand-carried khom thuea, khom phad that turns in the candle's heat, the rising khom loy, and small clay lamps called phang prateep","source":"https://thailandfoundation.or.th/518234-v2/","sourceLabel":"thailandfoundation.or.th"}],"city_tabs":{"chiang_mai":{"title":"Chiang Mai","bullets":["In 2025 the lamp-lighting and dance procession ran from Tha Phae Gate along Ratchadamnoen and Phra Pokklao roads to the Three Kings Monument","Chiang Mai Municipality's grand Yi Peng parade was on 6 November 2025 from 6 pm","The whole old city is inside the no-release zone, so sky lanterns go up only at licensed sites outside it"],"source":"https://www.chiangmaicitylife.com/clg/business/tourism/lanna-light-festival-2025-lanna-worship-lights/","sourceLabel":"chiangmaicitylife.com"}},"faq":[{"q":"When is Yi Peng 2026?","a":"It is expected on the nights of 24–25 November. The full moon of the twelfth Thai month (the second Lanna month) falls on Tuesday 24 November, which is also Loy Krathong. In 2027 Loy Krathong is on Saturday 13 November, so Yi Peng is expected on 13–14 November.","sources":["https://theskylive.com/full-moon-november-2026","https://calendar.kapook.com/2570/november"]},{"q":"What does the name Yi Peng mean?","a":"In Northern Thai, yi means \"two\" and peng means full-moon day, so the name refers to the full moon of the second Lanna month. Releasing a lantern traditionally sends off the past year's bad luck and honours the Buddha. The Thailand Foundation links the lanterns to Phra That Kaew Chulamanee, a stupa said to stand in the highest heaven.","sources":["https://thailandfoundation.or.th/518234-v2/","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yi_Peng"]},{"q":"What is there to see in the old city without releasing a lantern?","a":"Paper lanterns, clay lamps and parades. In 2025, tens of thousands of clay lamps were lit along the moat on 3 November and more than 500 dancers processed from Tha Phae Gate to the Three Kings Monument. Chiang Mai Municipality held its grand parade on the evening of 6 November, and registration for its lantern event was free.","sources":["https://www.chiangmaicitylife.com/clg/business/tourism/lanna-light-festival-2025-lanna-worship-lights/"]},{"q":"Can you still release your own lantern by the moat?","a":"No. In 2025 the whole of Mueang district was inside the no-release zone. Sky lanterns, fire lanterns and fireworks were allowed only at approved sites and times, and offenders faced prison or fines. Chiang Mai Province sets the 2026 zone and hours again.","sources":["https://www.thaipbs.or.th/verify/en/content/7109","https://www.timeout.com/chiang-mai/news/yi-peng-lanterns-grounded-over-public-safety-concerns-101025"]},{"q":"Is it manageable with children or older relatives?","a":"The parades and lamp-lighting are at night, with dense crowds and open flames around Tha Phae Gate. The licensed lantern events are outside the city, and in 2025 the permitted window ran until 1 am. The old-city parades are the easier option with children or older relatives. Agree on a meeting point before you head out.","sources":["https://www.thaipbs.or.th/verify/en/content/7109","https://www.chiangmaicitylife.com/clg/business/tourism/lanna-light-festival-2025-lanna-worship-lights/"]},{"q":"How do you book a licensed lantern release?","a":"Organisers apply for a permit and sell their own tickets, and places are limited. Book only through the organiser or channels published by Chiang Mai Province, and check that the site is outside the no-release zone and that the date and hours match the permit. Use the lanterns the organiser provides.","sources":["https://www.timeout.com/chiang-mai/news/yi-peng-lanterns-grounded-over-public-safety-concerns-101025","https://www.thaipbs.or.th/verify/en/content/7109"]}],"sources":["https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yi_Peng","https://thailandfoundation.or.th/518234-v2/","https://www.thaipbs.or.th/verify/en/content/7109","https://www.timeout.com/chiang-mai/news/yi-peng-lanterns-grounded-over-public-safety-concerns-101025","https://www.chiangmaicitylife.com/clg/business/tourism/lanna-light-festival-2025-lanna-worship-lights/","https://theskylive.com/full-moon-november-2026","https://calendar.kapook.com/2570/november"],"key_takeaways":[{"text":"Yi Peng is the full moon of the second Lanna month, the same night as Loy Krathong in the central Thai calendar. In 2026 it is expected on 24–25 November.","date":"2026-11-24","scope":"festival","source_url":"https://thailandfoundation.or.th/518234-v2/","source_label":"thailandfoundation.or.th"},{"text":"In 2025 Chiang Mai banned lantern releases in 39 subdistricts across 6 districts, including all of Mueang. Approved sites could release only on 5–6 November between 7 pm and 1 am.","date":"2026-11-24","scope":"festival","source_url":"https://www.thaipbs.or.th/verify/en/content/7109","source_label":"thaipbs.or.th"},{"text":"The old city is about lamps: hanging, hand-carried and turning lanterns, plus clay lamps. On 3 November 2025 tens of thousands of clay lamps were lit along the moat.","date":"2026-11-24","scope":"festival","source_url":"https://www.chiangmaicitylife.com/clg/business/tourism/lanna-light-festival-2025-lanna-worship-lights/","source_label":"chiangmaicitylife.com"}],"reading_outline":[{"id":"executive-summary","label":"Summary"},{"id":"facts","label":"Key facts"},{"id":"city-routes","label":"Places and routes"},{"id":"faq","label":"FAQ"},{"id":"planning","label":"Trip planning"}],"topic":{"chain":["trips","thailand-festivals","yi-peng-lantern-festival","yi-peng-lantern-festival-2026"]},"status":"published","hero_image":{"src":"/hero/yi-peng-lantern-festival-2026.webp","alt":"Charcoal drawing illustration of an unlit paper lantern resting on the old city wall by the moat beside a few small oil lamps, the night sky above left empty, Yi Peng in Chiang Mai, Thailand — VoucherData editorial illustration"},"editorial":{"tagline":"In 2025, no lantern was allowed to rise over the old city","paragraphs":["In Northern Thai, yi means \"two\" and peng means full-moon day. Yi Peng is the full moon of the second Lanna month, which lines up with the twelfth month of the central Thai calendar, so it falls on the same night as Loy Krathong. In 2026 that full moon falls on a Tuesday, and Yi Peng in Chiang Mai is expected that night and the next.","Lanna lanterns come in several kinds: khom kwaen hung at gates and temples, hand-carried khom thuea shaped like rabbit ears or lotus petals, khom phad that turn in the heat of the candle, and khom loy that rise into the sky. On the third night, temples, houses and streets are lit with small clay lamps called phang prateep. The Thailand Foundation describes them as a way of thanking everything that protects and supports a household.","In 2025 Chiang Mai's Lanna light festival ran from 3 to 6 November, with the full moon on the 5th. On the 3rd, tens of thousands of clay lamps were lit along the moat and more than 500 dancers processed from Tha Phae Gate along Ratchadamnoen and Phra Pokklao roads to the Three Kings Monument. Chiang Mai Municipality's grand Yi Peng parade started at 6 pm on the 6th.","Sky-lantern rules tightened in 2025. The province declared a no-release zone covering all of Mueang Chiang Mai and Hang Dong districts and parts of Saraphi, San Sai, Mae Rim and San Pa Tong, 39 subdistricts in all, with the old city entirely inside it. What the old city could still light were lanterns that stay put: khom kwaen hung at doorways and temples, hand-held khom thuea, and the clay lamps along the moat."]},"guide":{"lede":"Yi Peng is expected on the two nights from the full moon. The old city has the lamp-lighting and parades, and releasing a lantern yourself means booking a licensed event outside the no-release zone.","sections":[{"heading":"The name and the dates","body":"Yi is Northern Thai for \"two\" and peng means full-moon day, so Yi Peng is the full moon of the second Lanna month. That full moon matches the twelfth month of the central Thai calendar, which is why Yi Peng and Loy Krathong share a night.\n\nTraditionally the festival lasts three days. The first is for preparing offerings, the second for making merit and giving alms at the temple, and on the third night the whole city is lit up.\n\nIn 2026 the full moon of the twelfth Thai month is on Tuesday 24 November, and Yi Peng is expected on 24–25 November. In 2027 Loy Krathong falls on Saturday 13 November, so Yi Peng is expected on 13–14 November. Book once Chiang Mai Province publishes the programme and the licensed events."},{"heading":"Four Lanna lanterns and the clay lamp","body":"**Khom kwaen**: hanging lanterns for gates, temples and streets.\n\n**Khom thuea**: lanterns carried by hand, often rabbit-ear (khom hoo gratai) or lotus-petal (khom kleeb bua) shaped.\n\n**Khom phad**: the candle inside heats the air and turns the shade.\n\n**Khom loy**: the sky lantern, also called khom fai, now released only at licensed events.\n\n**Phang prateep** are small clay oil lamps lit at temples, houses and along streets on the third night."},{"heading":"The 2025 programme","body":"The 2026 programme has not been published yet. In 2025 the full moon fell on 5 November and Chiang Mai's Lanna light festival ran from 3 to 6 November, which gives a fair idea of the rhythm.\n\n**3 November**: tens of thousands of clay lamps lit along the moat. After the opening ceremony more than 500 dancers processed from Tha Phae Gate along Ratchadamnoen and Phra Pokklao roads to the Three Kings Monument.\n\n**3–5 November**: an evening cultural walk through the old city from 6 pm.\n\n**4–5 November**: lamp-lighting ceremonies and community workshops at the Three Kings Monument.\n\n**6 November**: Chiang Mai Municipality's grand Yi Peng parade from 6 pm."},{"heading":"No-release zone, permitted hours and penalties","body":"The 2025 provincial order covered the aviation safety zone and the Level 1 special surveillance zone (the red zone): all of Mueang Chiang Mai and Hang Dong districts and parts of Saraphi, San Sai, Mae Rim and San Pa Tong, 39 subdistricts across 6 districts. Sky lanterns, fire lanterns and fireworks were banned there.\n\nApproved sites could release lanterns on 5–6 November from 7 pm to 1 am the next morning. Daytime smoke lanterns were allowed only on 5 November from 10 am to noon, and never inside the aviation safety zone.\n\nReleasing without permission or inside the zone carried up to 5 years in prison, a fine of up to 200,000 baht, or both. If a lantern caused a fire, the maximum rose to 7 years and 140,000 baht. The 2026 zone and hours will be announced again."},{"heading":"Licensed lantern events","body":"To release a lantern yourself, join a permitted event outside the no-release zone. Organisers sell their own tickets and places are limited. Before booking, check three things: the site is outside the zone, the date and hours match the permit, and the organiser is on the list published by Chiang Mai Province.\n\nUse the lantern the organiser hands out and let go only once the hot air has filled it. Hand burnt fuel cells to staff or leave them at the marked point.\n\nThese sites are outside the city and in 2025 the permitted window ran until 1 am, so confirm the ride back with the organiser."},{"heading":"Night crowds and open flames in the old city","body":"The lamp-lighting and parades in the old city happen at night, with dense crowds and open flames along Tha Phae Gate and the parade route, and the licensed lantern events outside the city can run into the small hours. With children or relatives who walk slowly, the old-city parades are far easier than an out-of-town release, and it helps to fix a meeting point before setting out."},{"heading":"Where to stay and getting around","body":"In 2025 the parades and lamp-lighting centred on Tha Phae Gate, Ratchadamnoen Road and the Three Kings Monument. Stay in the old city or near Tha Phae Gate and you can walk back at night.\n\nFor a licensed event outside the city, ask whether the organiser runs a shuttle. If not, book your return ride in advance."},{"heading":"Etiquette and krathong materials","body":"The second day of Yi Peng is for making merit at temples. Cover shoulders and knees, and take off your shoes before entering a shrine hall.\n\nKrathongs are floated on the same night. Pick ones made of banana trunk and banana leaves rather than polystyrene."}]},"kind":"festival","available_locales":["zh-TW","en","th","id"],"event_start_date":"2026-11-24","event_end_date":"2026-11-25","dates_estimated":true,"next_edition":{"start_date":"2027-11-13","end_date":"2027-11-14","estimated":true,"source":"https://calendar.kapook.com/2570/november"},"offers":[{"id":"cm-doi-suthep","title":{"zh-TW":"素帖山與帕拉寺日出半日遊","en":"Doi Suthep & Wat Pha Lat sunrise half-day","th":"ทัวร์ครึ่งวันดอยสุเทพและวัดผาลาดยามเช้า","id":"Tur setengah hari Doi Suthep & Wat Pha Lat saat matahari terbit"},"merchant":"klook","utility":"experience","landing_url":"https://www.voucherdata.asia/go/yi-peng-lantern-festival-2026?o=cm-doi-suthep&locale=en&src=data","checked_at":"2026-10-13"},{"id":"cm-mama-noi","title":{"zh-TW":"清邁 Mama Noi 泰式廚藝課","en":"Mama Noi Thai cooking class, Chiang Mai","th":"คลาสสอนทำอาหารไทย Mama Noi เชียงใหม่","id":"Kelas memasak Thai Mama Noi, Chiang Mai"},"merchant":"klook","utility":"dining","landing_url":"https://www.voucherdata.asia/go/yi-peng-lantern-festival-2026?o=cm-mama-noi&locale=en&src=data","checked_at":"2026-10-13"},{"id":"th-esim","title":{"zh-TW":"泰國 5G eSIM（AIS）","en":"Thailand 5G eSIM (AIS)","th":"eSIM 5G ประเทศไทย (AIS)","id":"eSIM 5G Thailand (AIS)"},"merchant":"klook","utility":"esim","landing_url":"https://www.voucherdata.asia/go/yi-peng-lantern-festival-2026?o=th-esim&locale=en&src=data","checked_at":"2026-10-13"}]}