Nong Khai Travel Guides and Tours

Nong Khai, the capital of the Nong Khai Province, is located in the Northeastern region of the country and is located on the Mekong River. It is the site of the first Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge with across to Laos, making it the Thai gateway to the Laos' capital of Vientiane, which sits 25 kilometers up river, on the North bank opposite the Thai town of Sri Chiang Mai.
Nong Khai's main attraction is Sala Keoku (alternatively spelled as Sala Kaew Ku, also known as Wat Khaek), which a park of massive sculptures (some over 20m tall) constructed by the mystic Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat, who bought the land in 1978 when he was exiled from his native Laos. He has previously built a similar park in Vientiane. The park incorporates both Buddhist and Hindu ideologies, featuring Buddhas, many-armed goddesses, a seven-headed Naga snake and all sorts of human-animal hybrids.
In more recent years, Nong Khai has become a popular destination during the Buddhist Lent festival when mysterious balls of light, known as Naga fireballs, rise from the Mekong river. While the speed and trajectory of the 'balls of gas' closely resemble tracer bullets from AK47s, no serious scientific investigation has occured as this is generally deemed disrespectful to local beliefs.