Amazing Festivals along the Mekong River Bank Naga Fireball Phenomenon
At the end of October people from all around Thailand visit river near Amphoe Phon Phisai, Nong Khai Province and Nearby Districts to witness a true phenomenon – the Naga Fireballs.
Totally unexplained, great balls of fire rise up through the water and shoot into the air time and time again.
A very eerie spectacle, there has been some debate amongst cynics that the whole thing is staged by the Tourism Authority of Thailand!
Hardly likely – witness the spectacle for yourself.
videoS to judge for yourself
Wanna go??
it happens only once a year, under the full moon of the 11th lunar month.... in October.... so do check the calendar or another guide is around the night of Wan Awk Pansa — the end of the Buddhist rains retreat (in October), although displays have also been reported in March, April, May, June, and September.
You can rent a motorcycle and ride eastward along the Mekong from Muang district to Phon Phisai and Rattanawapee.
The glowing spheres, the size of eggs, hang in the air for a few minutes before disappearing, leaving in their wake astonishment, mystification and many, many questions.
A hoax? A miracle?
The local folks say they are manifestations of the nagas, the legendary water serpents.
According to local belief, Nong Khai and other settlements along the Mekong were created by nagas.
The legend was later imbued with Buddhist fancy. The Lord Buddha ascended to heaven for Lent to visit his mother, and his return during this particular full moon was cause for rejoicing. To show their delight, the nagas shot fireballs into the air.
But Manas Kanoksil, who's been observing and studying the fireballs for more than 10 years, is convinced the bizarre phenomenon is the combustion of natural gases released from the riverbed.
The combustion requires a complete set of perfectly natural occurrences, including the relative positions of the earth, sun and moon. Hence its occurrence on the last night of Buddhist Lent.
Regardless, the drama continues, and the number of spectators rises annually.
The sleepy little town, once just a place to get a cold beer before crossing the border to Laos, has become a popular destination thanks to the annual show.
"Whatever it is, I think this event could make Nong Khai a wonder of the world," says Manas Auraksam, a local painter.
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