An ancient Buddhist relic believed to be 700 years old was found floating in the middle of the Mekong River and has drawn a large number of tourists from Laos and Thailand.
The Thaiger reports that people in Nong Khai Province have been riding down the Mekong river in droves to visit the Phra That Lah Nong Pagoda which is believed to be over 700 years old and has resurfaced with the river’s water levels decreasing in the dry season.
Many were seen visiting the stupa over the weekend making merits, providing offerings, and asking for blessings.
The stupa emerges from time to time during low water levels in the river near the Hat Kham subdistrict in Nong Khai and Hatxayfong district in Vientiane Capital. According to Thailand Tourism Directory, the complete pagoda which was located on the banks of the Mekong was destroyed in 1766 and some ruins fell into the river in 1766.
The touchable area of the stupa is 12.20 meters tall, and the base of the relic at the lowest level is 15.80 meters wide.
In Vientiane Capital, the stupa can be seen from Tha Deua village, Hatsayfong district where the Leelavadee Saiykong Restaurant offers a cruise ride of one hour to the stupa with LAK 500,000 or around USD 29.
