Tag: nong khai

Folklore of Thailand: Naga Fireballs

July 15, 2014

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.

more “Folklore of Thailand: Naga Fireballs” …

Buddhist Wheel of Life at Sala Keao Ku

August 18, 2013

Recently, I went on a bpai tiao to Nong Khai with my friend Jill.  The main thing we did was bike to and visit the Sala Keao Ku sculpture park. One of the pieces that I found particularly intriguing was once that represented the cycle of life. There are sculptures representing various stages of life arranged in a circle, and near the death part there is a Buddha climbing out of the circle. I made this as my own interpretation of the piece.

Bpai Tiao: Nong Khai and Buddhist Sculpture Garden

August 16, 2013

In Thailand, a bpai tiao is a trip of any length. I’ve written about some of my more significant bpai tiaos to tourist destinations here, to be used as travel ideas and tips.

As I posted on Tuesday, last weekend was a long weekend because it was the queen’s birthday which is observed as Mother’s Day. My friend Jill invited me along to visit Nong Khai, the Thailand side of the Mekong River opposite the first Thailand-Laos Friendship Bridge of Vientiane, the capital of Laos.

more “Bpai Tiao: Nong Khai and Buddhist Sculpture Garden” …

Mekong River Sunset Time Lapse

August 11, 2013

The border between Thailand and Laos is very frequently the Mekong River. With lots of bends and twists in the river, there are many different vantages for the sun to create beautiful vistas. Nong Khai is a province in Isaan and a busy border crossing, due to its proximity to Vientiane. It also has some wonderful spots to watch the sunset over the river.