Yi Peng in Chiang Mai: Lanterns, Rules and Ticketed Events

Published 1 October 2026 · By the Visit-Thailand editorial team · Editor: Terje Moy

Yi Peng is Chiang Mai's version of the November full-moon festival, and in 2026 the city celebrates it from Monday 23 to Wednesday 25 November. Expect candles, hanging lanterns, krathong floats on the Ping River and a big parade, but do not plan to launch a sky lantern in town: Mueang Chiang Mai District has asked that no sky lanterns at all be released in the city area this year.

Most photos of Yi Peng show thousands of paper lanterns rising at once. Those pictures come from organized, ticketed events held outside the city, not from the municipal festival. In the old town itself, the festival is about light at ground level: small clay oil lamps on walls and gates, colored lanterns strung across lanes, temples lit at night and processions through the streets.

This page covers the 2026 dates, the lantern rules as they stand in October 2026, what the ticketed events are and are not, and how the festival affects flights at Chiang Mai airport. For the city itself, start with our Chiang Mai city guide.

Yi Peng and Loy Krathong: one full moon, two traditions

Across Thailand, Loy Krathong falls on the full moon of the 12th month of the Thai lunar calendar, usually in November. People float a krathong, a small raft of banana leaf or bread decorated with flowers, a candle and incense, on a river or pond. According to tradition the festival began at the old capital of Sukhothai, but that story is legend rather than recorded history. Our guide to Loy Krathong across Thailand covers the national festival.

Yi Peng belongs to the north. The name comes from the old Lanna calendar, which runs about two months ahead of the central Thai one: "yi" means second and "peng" means full moon, so Yi Peng is the full moon of the second Lanna month, the same night as Loy Krathong. In Chiang Mai the two run together. People float krathong on the Ping River and light lanterns and lamps as offerings to the Buddha.

For 2026, the municipality has invited residents and visitors to wear traditional northern dress and to light phang prateep, small clay oil lamps, at sites around the city, following old custom. That is the heart of the festival in town, and it is easy to join.

The lantern rule in Chiang Mai city for 2026

At its planning meeting on Wednesday 23 September 2026, the municipality asked hotels and other partners to warn tourists about the dangers of sky lanterns (khom loi, the paper hot-air lanterns lifted by a burning fuel cell). The district office went further: it asked that sky lanterns absolutely not be released anywhere in the Chiang Mai city area, to reduce the danger to residents and visitors. This was reported by Chiang Mai News the same day.

In practice, read it as a ban for visitors. A burning lantern that comes down on a roof, a power line or dry trees is a fire, and the old town is full of wooden temple buildings. The request also protects the airport, which sits right next to the city.

Other lanterns are fine and are what you will see everywhere: hanging lanterns (khom khwaen) in temple grounds and over lanes, hand-held lanterns in parades and the small oil lamps on the city walls. None of them leave the ground.

Ticketed mass lantern releases outside the city

The famous scenes of thousands of lanterns rising together come from private events held on open ground outside the city. These are paid events with seating, a short ceremony and a fixed moment when everyone releases a lantern at once. For 2026, private ticket sellers are already listing releases for 24 and 25 November.

They are not part of the municipal festival, and we have not been able to verify the permits, prices or exact sites of any of them for 2026. If you are thinking of booking one, check these points first:

• Permission. Ask the organizer, in writing, whether the event has permission from the local district office for the date and site.
• Refund terms. Rules can tighten at short notice. Find out what happens to your money if the release is cancelled or limited.
• Transport back. Most sites are far out of town and roads are jammed after the release. A return transfer is worth more than a cheaper ticket.
• Lantern design. Responsible organizers use lanterns that burn out before landing and staff who collect wire frames afterwards.
• Where you buy. Buy through the organizer or a reseller you can contact again, never from a stranger on the street.

Our view: if lanterns are the only reason you are coming, a ticketed event is the only legitimate way to see a mass release in 2026. If you simply want the festival atmosphere, the free events in town are more interesting and cost nothing.

Flights at Chiang Mai airport during the festival

Lantern nights and air traffic do not mix. In 2025, Chiang Mai International Airport (run by Airports of Thailand, AOT) changed its operating hours for Yi Peng: the last flights left by 19:00, so that no aircraft would be moving during the hours when lanterns could be released. As of 31 October 2025, the airport counted 161 flights affected, 65 cancelled and 96 retimed, with 44 extra flights added for people leaving after the festival. Airport staff also inspected the runway more often to clear fallen lantern debris.

The 2026 schedule had not been announced when we checked in early October 2026. Expect a similar pattern around 23–25 November, and follow these steps:

• Book flights that arrive and leave in daylight on the festival days.
• Watch for e-mails from your airline about cancellations or new times, and check again two days before you fly.
• Allow extra time to reach the airport: the festival makes traffic around it heavy.
• Consider the train or a bus for the Bangkok leg; our guide to getting from Bangkok to Chiang Mai compares the options.

Travelers flying from Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or Chinese cities with direct services should check those international flights too, because they were among those cancelled or retimed in 2025. Our guide to domestic flights in Thailand covers the airlines serving Chiang Mai.

Where to see the festival in town

The free festival spreads across the old city and along the river. The places most people head for:

• Tha Phae Gate and the old city walls for lamps, lantern displays and stage shows.
• The temples of the old city, lit up in the evening, often with hanging lanterns in the grounds. Our guide to old city temples covers which to visit.
• The Ping River banks and bridges, especially around Nawarat Bridge, for floating krathong.
• The grand krathong parade on Wednesday 25 November, which moves through the city in the evening.

Hotels fill early for these dates and prices rise. Book as soon as your dates are fixed; our guide to where to stay in Chiang Mai explains the trade-off between the old city and the riverside. If the city is full, Lamphun is a short drive south and holds its own celebrations.

Festival etiquette

Yi Peng is a religious festival as well as a spectacle. A few simple habits help:

• Dress modestly if you enter temple grounds: covered shoulders and knees. Our article on cultural respect in Thailand explains the basics.
• Do not climb on walls, chedis or temple structures for a photo.
• Keep a respectful distance from monks, especially in crowds; see our piece on monks in Thai daily life.
• Choose a krathong made of banana trunk, leaves or bread rather than foam.
• Never fly a drone over crowds or temples; drones must be registered and are often restricted at events.
• Watch for firecrackers, which are common and loud, and keep children close.

Frequently asked questions

When is Yi Peng in 2026?

Chiang Mai City Municipality holds its Yi Peng festival from Monday 23 to Wednesday 25 November 2026, with the grand krathong parade on Wednesday 25 November. Loy Krathong, the national full-moon festival, falls on Tuesday 24 November 2026.

Can I release a sky lantern in Chiang Mai old town?

No. For 2026, Mueang Chiang Mai District has asked that sky lanterns absolutely not be released anywhere in the Chiang Mai city area, because of the fire risk to people and buildings. Mass releases take place only at organized events outside the city.

Are ticketed lantern festivals worth it?

They are the only legitimate way to see a mass release, but they are private events with prices and permits we could not verify for 2026. Book only with an organizer who confirms local permission in writing and explains the refund terms.

Will my flight to Chiang Mai be cancelled during Yi Peng?

It may be retimed or cancelled. In 2025 the airport ended flights by 19:00 on the festival nights and 161 flights were cancelled or retimed. The 2026 plan was not yet published in early October 2026, so check with your airline shortly before you fly.

Is Yi Peng a public holiday?

No. Yi Peng and Loy Krathong are not public or bank holidays, so banks, offices and shops open as usual. The festival happens mostly in the evening, after working hours.

Sources

• Chiang Mai News – Preparations for the Yi Peng festival 2026, 23–25 November (municipality meeting, 23 September 2026) (checked October 2026)
• Thai PBS – Chiang Mai airport adjusts operating hours for Yi Peng and tightens lantern measures (1 November 2025) (checked October 2026)
• Matichon – Chiang Mai airport: 161 flights cancelled or retimed for Yi Peng (31 October 2025) (checked October 2026)
• Bank of Thailand – Financial institutions' holidays (checked October 2026)