CU scientist accepts challenge to strip Naga fireballs of mystical air next year

Jessada Denduangboripant posted on his Facebook wall on Wednesday that he liked the idea of going to Bueng Kan to prove his contention that the Naga fireball phenomenon was man-made and not supernatural.

Th Naga fireballs have acquired a mystical reputation, which has helped promote tourism to Nong Khai province and its neighbour, Bueng Kan. Thousands of tourists travel to the two northeastern provinces to wait for a glimpse of the mysterious fireballs above the Mekong River.

Local people, who believe in legendary serpent-like nagas, hold the belief that the fireballs are spitted out from the nagas under the surface of Mekong River as an offering to Lord Buddha to mark the end of the Buddhist Lent.

On Monday, as in previous years, Jessada infuriated the believers and local people of the two provinces by saying what were seen as fireballs were actually flares caused by projectile bullets fired from the Lao side of the Mekong River.

He noted that a picture taken by a photographer clearly showed that flares went up in straight lines from behind a bush, and were not drifting up from the river surface as the faithfuls believed.

“I’ll keep on talking about the Naga fireballs until people stop saying they are balls of burning gas drifting from the river’s surface,” Jessada posted.

A well-known businessman in Bueng Kan, Boonma Phanduang, responded on Tuesday by challenging Jessada to come to the province along with the media to prove his contention.

Boonma said if the fireballs were projectile bullets fired from rifles from the Lao side, he would pay 1 million baht to Jessada.

But if the fireballs came up from the river’s surface as believed by local people, Jessada would have to pay him 1 million baht.

On Wednesday, Jessada said he liked the idea but he did not have enough money for the challenge.

He said he was willing to be there with an army of reporters but Boonma would have to call him and make a schedule again next year.

Anyway, Jessada noted that not many fireballs were reportedly seen in Bueng Kan, so the challenge should be held at a spot where the fireballs were seen in great numbers.

This year, the PR Office of Nong Khai announced that 289 fireballs were seen and counted in Phon Pisai and Ratana Wapi districts while Bueng Kan officials announced 153 fireballs were counted.

In a related development, the Pak Khad district chief and the CEOs of three tambon administration in the district of Bueng Kan held a press conference on Wednesday to dismiss reports that no fireballs were seen in the province this year.

Thawee Chinnarong, the Pak Khad district chief, said 153 fireballs were seen and counted this year and he affirmed that they were not man-made.