Thousands of vividly coloured lanterns lined a road as locals prepared for the annual Loy Krathong festival in Thailand.

The pretty hand-painted decorations glowed gently over a 500-metre section of the road next to the Si Tan Lake in Khon Kaen University on November 2.

The festival will be celebrated on November 8 this year, but excited residents flocked to take selfies under the Instagrammable lights.

Dr. Niyom Wongpongkham, Khon Kaen University's Vice President for Art, Culture and Creative Economy, said: 'These 14,000 lanterns are decorated with the theme of Water, Fish, and the Naga.

'They are done in collaboration with Khon Kaen University staff, college and high school students, monks, and high school teachers.'

The annual festival, also known as Thailand's Festival of Lights, is celebrated nationwide with followers gathering on the shores of lakes, rivers, canals and beaches to release floating lanterns or 'Krathongs' to worship the Goddess of Water 'Kong Ka'.

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

oy 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 such as Laos and Vietnam, where Buddhism is also endemic.

The festival takes place on 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, varies slightly every year.