26th October: Amazing Phenomenon

"As the story goes, the King of Naga fireballs rise into the night sky to form the steps of the stairs by which the Lord Buddha descends from heaven."

Nong Khai, the Issan region of the north-east of Thailand, is located on the banks of the majestic Maekhong river, 615 km north-east of Bangkok. Across the river is People's Democratic Republic of Laos. Laotian capital Vientiane is only 25 kilometers away. The Gateway to Laos is the famous Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge which connects them. The bridge was built jointly by the governments of Thailand, Laos and Australia.

The rich cultures of Nong Khai, breathtaking scenery of the Maekhong river, and the charming community are sure to captivate if not impress all.

If you are coming to Nong Khai to see the Maekong Fireballs or Naga Fireballs on 26th of October 2007, why not travel down to Phon Phisai (where the Fireballs can be seen) in style.

Every now and again, reddish-pink elliptical balls of light with an eerie glow rise silently into the pitch-black night sky, without a flare, smoke or sound.

Known as the "Bang Fai Phaya Naga", the King of Naga fire-balls is a natural phenomenon that generally takes place on the full moon night of the 11th lunar month, the last night of the Buddhist Lent.

The balls of light, with uniform reddish-pink or rich crimson-burgundy hues of the Siamese Ruby, rise vertically into the night sky to heights ranging from 50 metres to 300 metres before they simply fade into thin air without a trace. The fireballs are visible for approximately 3 to 8 seconds at a time, before they vanish completely.

"The total number of fireballs varies with each location. On some occasions, there are as few as 22. On other nights, hundreds or thousands."

Sometimes these King of Naga fireballs, the size of goose eggs, float up languidly, two or three at a time. Other times, five to seven in a single sequence, and occasionally, up to nineteen of these balls of light float vigorously into the night sky.

Some rise in straight lines at an angle of 50o to 80o. Others are perpendicular to the surface of the Mekong River. It has been noted that if the fire-balls rise up from the mid-section of the river, they float towards shore, and if they rise along the shoreline, they float towards mid-stream.

It has been noted that when fireballs rise from the depths of the Mekong River and break the surface of the water with some force, they cause ripples and micro droplets of water are carried up by the balls of light thereby giving it a ghostly bluish tinge instead of the characteristic ruby-red colouring.

According to I-San folk belief, caverns along the banks in this section of the Mekong River are in fact gateways leading from the subterranean Naga world to the world of earthly beings. It is also believed that prompted by the festivities of the illuminated boats and the fireworks launched in an act of worship to celebrate the end of the Buddhist Lent, the mythical Naga emerge via these gateways to join in on the celebrations to commemorate the home-coming of Lord Buddha in his historical life.

These beliefs are renewed and further perpetuated by the fact that greenish/pink fireballs have been spotted around Kaeng Aa-hong, the deepest point in the Mekong River, and the deep underwater caves that line its cavernous shores.

King of Naga Fireballs - Stairway to Heaven
Based on timeless Buddhist tales, Lord Buddha ascended to the Heavens to offer sermons to his mother during the rains retreat marking the Buddhist Lent. On the final day of the Buddhist Lent, Lord Buddha returned to Earth. For the descent, there are three stairways from heaven - made of crystal, silver and gold respectively.

Ancient folklore of I-San passed down from generation to generation to this day are based on this theme. As the story goes, the King of Naga fireballs rise into the night sky to form the steps of the stairs by which the Lord Buddha descends from heaven.

Ancient tales and folklore abound. However, modern science does offer a well-grounded explanation for the King of Naga fireballs natural phenomenon.