Folklore of Thailand: Naga Fireballs

This past weekend was the beginning of Vassa, otherwise known as Buddhist Lent, which I wrote about last year. This year, I went to one of the biggest celebrations of this holiday, the Candle Festival in Ubon Ratchathani. These state instituted holidays don’t really fall under the umbrella of “folklore,” per se, but there is some folklore related to the ending of Buddhist Lent, called Ork Phansa, with unexplained fireballs rising out of the Mekong River.

Buddhist Lent is three months long and ends on the 15th day of the 11th lunar month (which is October 12th this year). Each year at this time, fireballs rise out of the Mekong River near the city of Nong Khai. Scientist have determined that they do exist, that they are not just optical illusions, however they have failed to come to any kind of conclusion on their origin or cause.

In Thailand, the fireballs are known as the Naga Fireballs. But what are naga?

Mythology of the Naga

The serpent-dragon-like naga have roots in Buddhist mythology. When the Buddha was meditating, shortly after he reached enlightenment,  it began to rain and flood.  The naga, believing in the power of the Buddha coiled together beneath him and raised him up as the flood waters rose and hovered over his head to protect him from the rains.

The naga are also magical creatures that can transform into human forms. One naga attempted to ordain as a monk in human form, but was barred from joining the order because he was not fully human. However, the Buddha granted that the naga could still be of use and act as protectors, which is why you will see them lining the stairs to the entrances of wats.

It is believed that the naga live in the Mekong River.

Naga Fireballs

Thus the belief is that the naga breath out fireballs to mark the end of Vassa.

Some of the more practical explanations to this mystery are that people on the Laos side of the river are playing tricks on the Thais, though boat rides during the event show that the fireballs come from the water.

Another hypothesis is that methane is released from the mud in the river and ignites when reaching the air, but that fails to account for the fact that these fireballs only occur during this one time of year and that there isn’t any source of ignition.

Unfortunately, I will not be able to investigate myself this year, as my parents and I are planning on being on an island during this time, but it is certainly something that I would like to see with my own eyes as some point. For now, I’m happy to accept the folk theory on them: that the naga live in the river and release them to celebrate Ork Phansa.

Have you seen the fireballs? What is your theory on them?