Are bread krathongs harming Bangkok’s public park ponds?

Environmental advisor to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, Pornporm Wikitsate, exposed the negative impacts of biodegradable Krathongs on public park ponds after the recent Loy Krathong Festival.

The public, in a bid to reduce waste and protect the environment, had opted to float Krathongs made from bread. However, the aftermath was not as environmentally friendly as anticipated.

Pornporm questioned whether bread krathongs are really good for the environment.

This is a question that many ask him every Loy Krathong. They float these Krathongs with good intentions, hoping to reduce environmental impact as the bread can be consumed by fish, leaving no waste, reported Sanook.

Sharing his observations, Pornporm revealed that the recent festival saw no less than 3,000 to 4,000 bread Krathongs at the Santiparp Park. These Krathongs disintegrated and sank to the bottom of the pond, causing significant damage to water quality.

“The fish have almost all died in the pond and we have to change all the water. The park users are starting to complain.”

The environmental advisor’s answer to the annual question remains the same, but this year, he decided to share images to illustrate the environmental effects of bread Krathongs. The pictures show a significant amount of Krathong debris floating in the pond.

A sight many may not have witnessed before is the massive amount of bread that has disintegrated and turned into a thick, foul-smelling liquid at the bottom of the pond. The change in water quality resulted in the death of hundreds to thousands of fish in the pond.

Officials had to replace all the pond water and bury the fish carcasses to prevent a stench from disturbing the public.

In related news, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, accompanied by his wife Dr Pakpilai, immersed themselves in the magic of the Loy Krathong Festival in Sukhothai. Read more about this story HERE.