Chula professor cites 2012 study to claim Naga fireballs 'man-made'

Jessada Denduangboripant on Suday posted on his Facebook wall a study by Somphop Khamsawat in 2012, disproving the sacredness of the Naga fireballs.

In the study, Somphop posted an account of the event from his Laotian friend, Thanavorakit Kounthawatphinyo, from the night of the end of the Buddhist Lent 11 years ago.

The Naga fireballs festival is a major annual festival for Nong Khai and Bueng Kan, as hundreds of thousands of tourists flock to the two northeastern provinces to witness the mysterious phenomenon of fireballs rising from the Mekong River at night.

Local people, who believe in the legend of serpent-like Nagas, hold the belief that the Naga king and servants created the fireballs as an offering to Lord Buddha. Scientists have contended that the fireballs were methane gases accumulated under layers of rock at the bottom of the river, pulled out by gravity and ignited somehow by water, turning them into balls of fire.

During the past few years, Jessada has stepped up attacks against the belief of it being a supernatural phenomenon. He said the fireballs were simply tracer rounds fired from the Laos side.

In the 2012 study, reposted by Jessada on Sunday, Somphop said he found out that the popular spot where Thais came to see fireballs was opposite Ban Houay Sophay in Bolikkhamsai of Laos.

He said he sought help from his Lao friend to find out what happened on the night after the end of the Buddhist Lent night on the Lao side.

Somphop said in the study that his Lao friend witnessed a group of Laotian people firing tracer rounds into the air and recorded a video clip of fireworks-like fireball being shot into the air.

He said his Laotian friend also took photos of some Laotian people firing fireworks aboard a boat on the Lao side.

Jessada last week vowed to travel to Bueng Kan next year to try to prove with scientific evidence that the Naga fireballs were man-made.