The
Phaya Naga or
Naga are mythical serpent-like creatures believed by locals to live in the
Laotian stretch of the
Mekong river or estuaries. People in both Laos and Thailand attribute the
Naga fireballs to these creatures .
Lao mythology maintains that the Naga are the protectors of
Vientiane, and by extension, the Lao state. The Naga association was most clearly articulated during and immediately after the reign of
Anouvong.
Leup Phasun, an important poem from this period discusses relations between Laos and
Siam in a veiled manner, using the Naga and the
Garuda, to represent Laos and Siam, respectively. The Naga is incorporated extensively into Lao iconography, and features prominently in Lao culture throughout the length of the country, not only in Vientiane.
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