THEY come with love in their hearts and dreams in their heads. Even if it rains, as it did tonight in many parts of Phuket, Loy Kratong remains too powerful to stay at home, to stay away.

The banana floats are cut, the candles lit, the flowers look sweet and natural, the hearts and dreams cast adrift with prayers.

Is there a more romantic festival anywhere in the world? Somehow, we doubt it.

The children play their part, too. On the large expanse of public park at Saphan Hin in Phuket City and close to the beach in Karon, the kids are encouraged to send up their dreams.

And some dive into the water, too, because the money that some people set adrift with their banana floats form part of these kids' particular dreams.

The lovers and families come, set their floats adrift with their dreams and prayers, and the boys in the water splash and swim, and the coins are theirs.

Bright neon lights gleam off the water. A sky lantern, lit and sent up to drift, catched in a tree, and stays there, burning.