Airline alters flights over lanterns
BANGKOK » Thai Airways International PCL has adjusted its flight schedule to northern Thailand to give way to floating lanterns that will fill the sky during a popular festival later this month.
The airline’s president, Sorajak Kasemsuwan, said in a statement Thursday that the adjustment and temporary suspension of some flights were a precautionary measure to avoid floating lanterns from being sucked into airplane engines as people in northern Thailand take part in the tradition of releasing floating lanterns during the annual Loy Krathong festival.
The affected routes include Bangkok-Chiang Mai and Bangkok-Chiang Rai during Nov. 27-29.
During Loy Krathong, Thais float small lotus-shaped rafts into rivers to ask for forgiveness from the goddess of water. Northerners believed that flying the floating lanterns would get rid of their bad fortune.
The lanterns become airborne when a candle or fuel cell inside is lit, releasing enough hot air to lift the lantern like a miniature hot-air balloon.
Museum displays guitars of stars
NASHVILLE, Tenn. » Legendary guitars are on display at the Tennessee State Museum. The exhibit, called "The Guitar: An American Love Story," opened Thursday.
Among instruments on loan for the show are a guitar played by Elvis Presley, Eric Clapton’s 1958 Gibson Explorer and singing cowboy star Roy Rogers’ OM-45 Deluxe guitar made by C.F. Martin & Co., circa 1930. There are more than 1,560 guitars in all.
A 150-page catalog about the collection is on sale in the museum bookstore, and there are viewing stations where visitors can see and hear the instruments being played by great musicians.
There is no admission charge at the museum in the Polk Cultural Center.
