BANGKOK, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Tens of thousands of people are expected to do Loy Krathong (float a banana-leaf basket) onto Chao Phraya River in Bangkok on Thursday night.
Deputy National Police Commissioner General Pol. Gen. Chalermkiat Srivorakhan said on Monday that tens of thousands of revelers in the annual nocturnal festival are expected at three riverside venues in the Thai capital, including an estimated 50,000 people at the newly-open Iconsiam shopping center in Khlong Sarn area, some 20,000 others at Asiatique, the Riverfront shopping center in Yannawa area and some 10,000 others at Rama VIII Bridge in Phra Nakhon area.
Besides, about 5,000 Loy Krathong festival goers are expected at a pond inside Chulalongkorn University campus in Pathumwan area.
In the provinces throughout Thailand, a large number of revelers are expected at about 200 riverside and canalside venues, the deputy police chief said.
Pol. Gen. Chalermkiat called on the people to take extra caution while staying on pontoons along the rivers and canals to float Krathong items onto the water for fear that they might possibly get overly crowded and collapse.
As many as 55,000 policemen, plus a backup of 10,000 others on stand-by, will be deployed at and around the festival venues nationwide for stepped-up security reasons, he said.
