Bangkok--15 Nov--TAT
Why would one visit Nakhon Phanom, a provincial town 740 kilometres northeast of Bangkok? The most obvious reason is the border, a natural meandering line created by the Mekong River that separates Thailand from one of its neighbours, Laos. But, besides the ferry, there are other reasons for visiting this provincial town.
Practically all of them are linked to this fascinating river, the longest and least travelled in Southeast Asia. For most of the year the mighty Mekong River flows substantially faster than the pace of life in Nakhon Phanom. Yet just once a year, it plays a pivotal role in the town’s annual peak season, which lasts a dramatic six days. On the 15th day of the 11th lunar month, as the full moon rises over the Mekong currents, the town shakes off its sleepy image and parties. The river becomes the scene for a spectacular flotilla of gigantic rafts made of bamboo scaffolding, each illuminated with as many as 15,000 paraffin lamps, and aptly named rua fai, literally ‘fire boats’.
For just one week the town’s 1,000-odd rooms are packed with enthusiastic visitors, who flock to the riverbanks to join in the festivities. During the rest of the year, the town’s promenade reverts to its normal leisurely self, where visitors can admire the craggy limestone mountains of Laos as they reflect the last amber rays of sunset.
The mountain vistas in Laos probably inspired the town’s Sanskrit-Khmer name ‘City of Hills’, while its architecture, culture, heritage and lifestyle reflect a variety of influences — Lao, Vietnamese and even a hint of French colonial in some of the town’s finer buildings.
If you're planning to attend the Illuminated Boat Procession, which will be held during October 21-27, 2007, make your travel arrangements and reserve hotel accommodation far in advance.
Contact information:
TAT Northeastern Office Region 4
Areas of responsibility: Nakhon Phanom, Sakon Nakhon, Mukdahan and Kalasin
Tel: +66 (0) 4251 3490-1
Fax: +66 (0) 4251 3492
E-mail: tatphnom@tat.or.th