Naga Fireball festival sees over 400 fireballs

 

 

NONG KHAI, 25th October 2018 (NNT) – Over 400 fireballs were witnessed shooting up from the Mekong River in Nong Khai province’s Rattanawapi district during the Bung Fai Phaya Nakfestival, yesterday marking the end of Buddhist Lent (October 24). 

The phenomenon, believed by locals to be the mythical Naga paying tribute to the Lord Buddha, began with three fireballs appearing at approximately 6.17PM. Over the course of the evening up to 408 of the orbs were counted, 260 in Rattanawapi and 148 in nearby Pon Pisai district. 

Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Udon Thani Office Seksan Sripaiwan reports that viewers of the phenomenon in Nong Khai and Bueng Kan this year were up 20 percent from last year following a push to attract tourists to the provinces to view their cultural and faith-related attractions. The Bung Fai Phaya Nak festival is estimated to have generated 100 million baht in cash flow this year. 

In Nakhon Panom, residents and visitors joined in the tradition of Lai Rua Fai , setting off boats carrying flames to signify the burning of past grievances and suffering, as well as to honor the Lord Buddha and the spirit of the river. Tourism officials have used the festival to promote additional attractions in the province.

 

-- nnt 2018-10-25

I thought people stopped believing this tosh years ago. Scary.

44 minutes ago, Wiggy said:

I thought people stopped believing this tosh years ago. Scary.

So are you saying Father Christmas is also untrue  ????

Watched it from Phonphsai a couple of years ago. Me and 150,000 Thais. Regular cheers as the fireballs shot into the air. I didn't see any. Maybe only Thais/Buddhists can see them.

And of course it is all genuine and real Naga created.  Nothing fake, imagined, or man made about it, (so they say.. )  555

5 hours ago, canopus1969 said:

So are you saying Father Christmas is also untrue  ????

Yes, and the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy and Jesus...  But the Great Pumpkin is real!

was there not something about spreading fake news ?

27 minutes ago, terminatorchiangmai said:

was there not something about spreading fake news ?

It's not fake news if there is a LOT of money to be made. 

9 hours ago, Wiggy said:

I thought people stopped believing this tosh years ago. Scary.

I have a house near there and went for three years and never saw a bloody thing and the next year I saw five of these things, obviously some sort of fermentation causing gas to bubble up from the river but no explanation for the source of ignition. 

I was truly amazed. 

Cheeky buggers on the Lao side setting off bottle rockets.

Just now, connda said:

Cheeky buggers on the Lao side setting off bottle rockets.

Lao army personnel apparently.

11 hours ago, rosst said:

I have a house near there and went for three years and never saw a bloody thing and the next year I saw five of these things, obviously some sort of fermentation causing gas to bubble up from the river but no explanation for the source of ignition. 

I was truly amazed. 

What I'd like to know is that if indeed it is a natural phenomenon, as you suggest, it would happen all year round, and not just on a single day. How can it be possible that every year the day that these 'balls' will bubble up is announced in advance? Is it something man-made to earn money from tourism, perhaps?