Nakhon Phanom

Communities from the province build large scaffolding out of bamboo, which they put on boats and float down the river in the annual fire boat festival. Tin cans are filled with kerosene and stuffed with rags, then arranged on the scaffolding to form images of temples, the king, dragons, etc. At night the boats float down the Mekong for the appreciation of spectators. Held one night a year, at the end of Buddhist Lent (Jul-Oct).

Uncle Ho lived here for a time.

Contains a wide array of historical photographs, including topics such as the fire boats and royal visits to the province. Descriptions are primarily in Thai, often accompanied by limited English translations. Also contained in the building is an English language lending library, open to the public. The library was established by the volunteer teachers, and continues to grow with new contributions.

In February of each year, a festival is hosted in That Phanom to commemorate the rebuilding of the Wat That Phanom. The city draws thousands of Thai and Lao tourists from the surrounding areas, and the generally sleepy town is packed with people, markets, and food stalls. Worth attending if you happen to be in the area.

This tower is in the Mekong Walking Street. Built by the Vietnamese residing in Nakhon Phanom in 1960, who fled to Thailand because of the Vietnam War, to show their gratitude towards the Nakhon Phanom. At night, the tower has colorful lighting, and there is a night market along the street on weekends (F Sa Su).