It’s the last day of Buddhist Lent. It occurs in October, Three months after Beginning of Buddhist Lent (Khao Phan Sa) on the 15th day of the full moon (holly Buddhist day) of the 11th month of the lunar calendar. A day of many celebration especially boat racing festival held in Vientiane capital, we may have the same day as Buddhist lent Thailand. Furthermore, Lao and Thai respect Phaya Naga, so we believe that every year on this full moon day, there will have Naga fireballs (fires looks like candle lights coming up from rivers) is in Mekong river, sub of its rivers or sacred rivers; Lao usually see these Naga fireballs flying from rivers to sky on night time at Maknao, Nalom village in Saythany district, Vientiane capital. The meaning is that Phaya Naga celebrate final Buddhist lent day for the Buddha.
In the morning people are going to the temple to offer food to the monk around the country, and in the evening, candlelight processions are held around the temple and it is the celebration of Lai Heua Fai Or Loi Ka Thong, when everyone sends small lighted ‘boats’ made of banana stems or banana leaves decorated with candles and flowers down the rivers.
The meaning is to pray respect to the Buddha and to thank the mother of the river for providing water for our life and apologies for a Karma that we make with water;
The day before Lent, we have lamping ceremony at Wat Ong Teu Mahavihan and women can rent beautiful dresses of the Thais Dam ethics for taking photos; the price is around 40,000 Kip per one. There are many Lao people join this ceremony at this temple and other places of worship as well.
Some believe that the Lai Heua Fai procession is an act to show respect to Nagas that lives in the rivers, while others send the lighted boats down the river to ask for blessing and to float bad luck of the past year away enabling the good luck to flow.
And if your house far from the river we also Lai Heua Fai in front of their house, made of banana stem and bamboo wood, its depend on how you design to create Heua Fai and every house do the same on that day their house have to decorate with flower and candlelight, this means do their pray wishing for good luck in their life (and worship at home and thanks for land of god who protect our area for safe from thieve or any dangerous will be happening in their houses.