Nong Khai’s Mekong River is home to a strange, beautiful and baffling phenomenon – the Naga Fireballs. During October’s annual full moon night, from approximately 6pm to 11pm coinciding with the end of the Buddhist Rains Retreat, hundreds of colourful fireballs rise from the river.
These occurrences are now the centrepiece of a two-day celebration that incorporates many elements or other traditional Thai festivals: light and sound shows, an illuminated boat contest, the King’s Cup long-tailed boat race and food offerings. While these all serve to add colour and spectacle to the event, they can’t detract from the real star of the show and the spiritual impact the fireballs have.
The unexplained nature of the event and its coincidence with such a religious day has led local residents to believe the fire comes from the mythical Naga (a serpent), produced as a gesture of homage to the Lord Buddha.
Scientists, however, have other ideas. While still to prove the theory conclusively, they hold that the fireballs are the bizarre result of a series of perfectly natural occurrences. At this time of year there is an abundance of plant and animal life decomposing at the bottom of the river. These begin to emit flammable natural gases as the sun beats down on the river. These gases are only released by the gravitational pull of the moon – at its strongest when the moon is full.
This year it is expected from the 12th to 13th of October.
Information from http://www.whatsonwhen.com/sisp/index.htm?fx=event&event_id=95377
