Footage shows locals taking part in the annual Buddhist Loy Krathong festival in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 19 evening.

Millions of people around Thailand and neighbouring countries such as Cambodia and Myanmar visited lakes, rivers and beaches to release the candle-lit decorations for the annual event.

The celebration honours the Buddhist goddess of water and is believed to bring good luck for the year ahead.

Video of the busy event on a popular canal in the Chinatown area in the centre of Bangkok shows thousands of families taking part in the festival.

Many tourists and westerners join in with the beautiful spectacle, in which incense sticks and candles are added to the baskets of flowers.

Loy Krathong is said to have started in the 12th century in the ancient Thai kingdom. Meaning ‘to float a basket’, it follows the Buddhists belief of paying respect to water spirits.

Since the last century, it has been celebrated annually throughout the Kingdom of Thailand and neighbouring countries.

The festival takes place full moon in the evening with a full moon in the 12th month in the traditional Thai lunar calendar.

The exact date of Loy Krathong, also spelled Loi Krathong, changes every year.