Naga fireballs light up Mekong River in Nong Khai spectacle

Fireballs over the Mekong River thrilled spectators yesterday, as the first pair of Naga fireballs lit up the sky in Nong Khai province at 6.30pm. The much-anticipated phenomenon drew crowds to Ban Tan Chum in the Rattanawapi district.

Visitors gathered in large numbers at Ban Tan Chum, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Naga fireballs, and were not disappointed. The first sighting of two consecutive fireballs was met with cheers and excitement. The crowd remained hopeful for more sightings throughout the evening.

Following the initial appearance at Ban Tan Chum, additional fireballs were spotted at various locations. Three fireballs were seen at Pak Nam Huai Luang in Phon Phisai district.

Five fireballs appeared at Ban Tha Muang, 11 at Ban Ton Yai, and 10 at Ban Peng Chan, all in Rattanawapi district, reported KhaoSod.

In 2023, a total of 283 Naga fireballs were recorded, with 48 sightings in Phon Phisai and 233 in Rattanawapi.

In related news, a group of municipal workers hit the lottery jackpot, each winning 1 million baht after a sacred Naga, a mythological serpent, allegedly visited them in their dreams.

This windfall coincided with an auspicious ceremony held on February 28, at the Nong Yat Municipal Office in Nakhon Phanom Province, where Uthai Kotsa, the Mayor, and Chawanin Buntengsaksiri, the Municipal Clerk, led the groundbreaking for the construction of the Phaya Chaiyamongkol Naga statue.

The statue, destined to be a new landmark by the Nong Yat reservoir, will stand 19 metres tall and measure 109 metres in length.

Chawanin, in his role as a Brahmin priest, conducted a ritual involving the lighting of 16 incense sticks to communicate with the local deities and the subterranean Naga.

The ceremony also included the relocation of a Mother Earth deity to make way for the excavation of a 10-metre-wide and 4-metre-deep foundation. This ritual seemed to set the stage for the subsequent lottery success, which left officials and residents in awe when the winning numbers matched the address of the municipal office