A total of 661,935 floats were collected yesterday, which was 19.8 per cent, or 163,676, less than the 825,211 collected last year, Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang said.
Aswin added that 617,901, or 93.3 per cent, of the floats collected yesterday were made of natural materials, while 163,676 were made of Styrofoam.
“Compared to last year, krathong made of natural materials rose from 91.4 per cent to 93.3 per cent, and the Styrofoam ones dropped from 8.6 per cent to 6.7 per cent,” he said, adding that 2015 saw 754,587 floats made with natural materials and 71,027 made with foam.
“This shows that Bangkok residents prefer natural materials and also reflects their and sellers’ concern for the environment,” he added.
The Environment Department, Drainage and Sewerage Department of the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority (BMA) and district offices collected krathong and floating candles from the Chao Phraya River, canals and the 30 designated public parks, the governor said.
The BMA deployed 210 members of staff, along with 45 boats to collect floats from the Chao Phraya and other waterways from 8pm until midnight on Monday. Nine trucks were used to transport floats made of natural materials to the Nong Khem garbage centre.
The governor said Bangkok’s Lat Krabang district had the most floats at 32,638, while Pom Prab Sattru Phai only had 65.
“Bangkokians went to float their krathong even though there was little or no entertainment and the atmosphere was subdued due to mourning over the passing of His Majesty the King,” he said.He also said that the floats would be disposed of properly so that those made of bread would be fed to the fish, natural materials would be transformed into fertiliser, and foam would be recycled.
Meanwhile, the Samut Songkhram Administration Organisation has also deployed a boat to collect floats in the seven-kilometre area between Wat Phumarin Kudeethong in Amphawa district to the mouth of Mae Klong River. The job was scheduled to be completed by yesterday evening and residents in Tambon Suan Luang were to be given the natural materials from floats to turn into compost.