The warning, initially issued by Region 8 Police on Monday (Nov 20), was marked as issued by the Region 8 Police Commander Lt Gen Surapong Thanomjit.
Region 8 Police, headquartered at the northern end of Phuket, are responsible for overseeing police operations in seven provinces of Upper Southern Thailand: Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi, Ranong, Surat Thani, Chumphon and Nakhon Sri Thammarat.
The warning featured a list of law-breaking activities that will not be tolerated during Loy Krathong.
Entertainment venues must close at the time specified by law, people are not to carry weapons of any kind and children under 20 years old are prohibited from entering entertainment venues.
People are also to refrain from playing with firecrackers and setting off fireworks
In their attempt to enforce a ‘liquor-free Loy Krathong campaign’, Region 8 Police in the warning mandated that all types of drugs are prohibited, as are prostitution and human trafficking.
“Do not release sky lanterns in the flight path area” and, “Do not race cars on the road”, the warning added.
“Anyone who violates this [notice] will be prosecuted to the fullest extent,” the warning said.
Region 8 Police on Monday (Nov 20) launched a seven-day anti-crime campaign for the Loy Krathong festival. The anti-crime blitz will continue through to this coming Sunday (Nov 26).
However, Loy Krathong will be celebrated throughout the country, including Phuket, on Monday (Nov 27).
Each year, millions of people turn out for the Loy Krathong festival to offer their ‘krathong’ ‒ a hand-crafted float made from a slice of banana tree stalk adorned with flowers ‒ to waterways and other bodies of water as a way of making merit and to wash away the sins of the past.
Also referred to as the “Festival” of Lights”, Loy Krathong in more recent years has also become renowned for floating ‘sky lanterns’, called Khom Loy.
As is Thai tradition, the festival will see events held in every community in the country ‒ complete with live music, cultural performances and the famed ‘Nong Noppamas’ beauty contests ‒ and Phuket is no exception.
In Patong, the centre of festivities will be near the end of Bangla Rd on Patong Beach, while many people launch their krathong from the pier at the southern end of the beach.
In Rawai, the centre of festivities will be at Nai Harn Lake and Nai harn Beach, while in Chalong the most popular sites for enjoying the festival will be Chalong Pier, Palai Pier, Wat Ladthi Wanaram (Wat Tai) on Chao Fa East Rd and the lakes behind Wat Chalong, on Chao Fa West Rd.
Karon festivities will be held at Nong Harn Public Park, while Kamala will hold its festivities at the beach area of Chalermprakiat 100th Anniversary Park.
While the festival each year features large fireworks displays organised by local municipalities, local officials have made it clear that people individually setting off their own fireworks will not be tolerated.
Rawai Municipality has already set up a sign making sure people know that firecrackers and fireworks are banned at Nai Harn Lake, and Patong Municipality is already warning people of the ban of fireworks set off on the beach.
Festivities at all locales will be from about 6pm onwards.
For the official festivities in Phuket Town, to be held at Suan Luang (King Rama IX Park), Phuket Town Mayor Saroj Angkanapilas is asking all people taking part to observe ‘One Family, One Krathong’ ‒ an environmentally conscious trend that has become increasingly popular in recent years.