Naga Fireball Festival

Full moon of the 11th lunar month (October)

Fireballs in the Mekong

There is an unusual (some would say paranormal) event that takes place year-round in the Mekong River. Unexplained fireballs rise out of the river, shoot into the sky and then disappear.

The number and intensity of fireballs increases around the full moon of the 11th lunar month, marking the end of the rainy season and the Rains Retreat. This two-day festival features long-tail boat races, a sound and light show and, of course, plenty of unexplained fireballs.

Buddha and the Naga Serpent

Traditionally, the fire balls are believed to come from the naga, a mythical serpent that lives in the water. According to legend, the naga was so amazed by the Lord Buddha’s teaching, that he took human form and became ordained as a monk. However, the Buddha’s teaching stipulates that only human’s can become monks.

One night, while the naga was sleeping at the temple, it returned to its serpent form. Another monk saw the giant snake sleeping in the temple and was alarmed. The Buddha summoned the snake and informed him that he could not remain a monk. This crushed the naga’s spirit, and the Buddha felt great compassion for it. He gave it the five precepts, which would allow it to be reborn as a human and become a monk.

In the meantime, the Buddha consoled the naga by telling it that all candidates for monkhood would take the name of the naga in honor of this noble creature. Even today, all candidates for the Sangha are called naga. Furthermore, every candidate has to answer the question, Are you a human?, before being ordained as a monk.

Scientific Explanation of the Fireballs on the Mekong

Scientists have suggested that the naga fireball event is actually methane gas rising out of the riverbed and igniting. However, locals maintain that this is the naga paying tribute to the Lord Buddha. Regardless of the source, there is no question that real fireballs rise out of the Mekong at Nong Khai. Those who visit during the festival routinely see them with their own eyes.