Police to Enforce Ban on Lanterns Before 9PM

A flight was cancelled on New Year’s Eve when scraps of a lantern were found in the plane’s engine, 31 Dec 2014.

CHIANG MAI — Thai police have been ordered to strictly enforce a ban on releasing sky lanterns before 9pm after a flight was cancelled on New Year’s Eve when scraps of a lantern were found in the plane’s engine.

The Bangkok Airways flight, an Airbus A320, was scheduled to fly from Chiang Mai to Bangkok.

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According to a statement from the airline, “after the aircraft parked at the gate, technicians found a lantern stuck to engine number two and the airline decided to cancel.” 

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The lantern did not cause any lasting damage to the airplane, which later flew to Bangkok without passengers.

"Police have set clear measures about releasing 'kom loy' [flying lanterns]," AFP quoted Royal Thai Police spokesman Pol Maj-General Prawut Thawornsiri as saying yesterday. "It can be done after 9pm but during the New Year holiday, many people released their lanterns in the evening."

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The director of Chiang Mai’s International Airport said his team collected 200 lanterns inside the airport over New Year’s Eve, surpassing the number found during Loy Krathong, a festival in November commonly celebrated with lanterns. 

Thai authorities have made repeated efforts to enforce laws regulating the sky lanterns, which consist of small paper balloons buoyed by a flaming paper wick, but so far to little avail. 

 

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