Naga Fireball Festival and a New Eco-Tourist Site in Nong Khai

Nong Khai province in northeastern Thailand will hold an interesting cultural event, the natural wonder of “Naga Fireballs,” locally known as Bang Fai Phaya Nak, from 16 to 22 October 2013. It is also developing Wang Bua Daeng in Mueang district as a new eco-tourist site.

About 600 kilometers from Bangkok, Nong Khai is situated on the bank of the Mekong River, which stretches 4,200 kilometers through six countries, namely Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The highlight of the Naga Fireball Festival is on 19 October, Ok Phansa Day, the full-moon day of the eleventh lunar month. Every year, on the night of Ok Phansa, fireballs of various sizes burst from the bottom of the Mekong River, sprint above the water surface, and then move skyward before disappearing. This phenomenon takes place only once a year in October and can be seen from both the Thai and Lao sides. The festival is sometimes referred to as “Mekong lights.”