TV company questions phenomenon. Believers unhappy.

by Feòrag

Three Thai MPs - Pongpan Sunthornchai, Thewarit Nikornthes and Prasit Chanthathong - have issued a challenge to TV station iTV - prove its claim the Naga fireballs are a fraud, not a natural phenomenon, or face a billion-baht lawsuit.

Local residents have long believed the fireballs -- known as Bang Fai Phaya Nark -- are emitted by Naga, a mythical serpant, in a gesture of homage to the Lord Buddha. They are seen regularly each year around the end of Buddhist Lent and attract hordes of tourists.

iTV reported the fireballs were orchestrated by Lao soldiers on the opposite side of the river bank shooting tracer rounds into the air from AK47 rifles.

Pongpan Sunthornchai complained that the documentary portrayed the people of Hong Khai as fools and frauds.

Hundreds of protesters gathered at a ceremony in Nong Khai on Tuesday to curse iTV over the programme. They also laid funeral wreaths and demanded provincial authorities take legal action against the television station.

iTV to prove claims or face huge lawsuit - , November 7th 2002.