Travel route for the faithful of two religions – Buddhism and Christianity: Major festivals in three provinces (Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom, and Mukdahan)

      During the end of the Buddhist Lent season, “S-N-UK Province,” a popular name for Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom and Mukdahan provinces together, holds major festivals that clearly and beautifully reflect the faith and belief in Buddhism. A famous one is the Lai Rue Fai Festival in Nakhon Phanom, where visitors will see the dazzling grandeur of the beautiful, light-filled floats in the middle of the Mekong River at night, surrounded by glittering krathong on the night of the full moon, the day of Buddhist Lent. The belief behind the festival is that worshiping with lanterns and candles will bring glory and brilliance to life, and this became the identity of Nakhon Phanom Province. 

      The Prasat Phueng Festival in Sakon Nakhon Province is considered a major annual event of the province, held during the 11th lunar month, or the end of Buddhist Lent according to the beliefs of Isaan people. It is considered that making merit by offering bee trees is a noble form of merit, so people bring beeswax to the temple for monks to use in making holy water candles and candles to give light at night. In making bee tree frames, villagers in each village hold a competition for carving beautiful and dazzling bee trees. 

      The Mukdahan Amazing Festival, Three Phiphop, and praying for the City in the Middle of the Mekong River. This festival is held during the end of Buddhist Lent, and is a time when people worship the Naga and establish three Naga Kathin statues: the first is Phaya Si Phuchong Mukdanakarat, which is a clay serpent, located at Kaeng Kabao, Wan Yai District; the second is Phaya Anantanakarat, shaped like a water serpent and located at the viewpoint of the Friendship Bridge No. 2, Bang Sai Yai Subdistrict, Mueang Mukdahan District; and the third is Phaya Si Mukda Maha Munee Nilpal Naga Rajanag, which is a sky serpent, located at Wat Roi Phra Phutthabat Phu Norom, Na Si Nuan Subdistrict, Mueang Mukdahan District. It is amazing that all three Naga statues are located on the longitude of 104 degrees 43 minutes and are in the same line as Phra That Phanom Woramahaviharn, That Phanom District, Nakhon Phanom Province, despite the fact that their construction took place at very different places and at different times.