Trading monsters
Today I discovered that my wife has never heard of the Loch Ness Monster. This feels weird, and obviously it's a bigger world I am living in than I once thought. But then I got my own education in Thai monsters in the fabulous form of the Phaya Naga, a subterranean monster shared by Thailand and Laos, one that breathes fireballs into the sky from the Mekong River on the night of the October full moon.
Two facts I've been able to establish: 1) the naga fireballs have been a real phenomenon for centuries (suspect video), and 2) in 2002 investigative journalists from the Thai television station iTV claimed the fireballs were simply tracer bullets, fired as part of the Buddhist celebrations. The Laotians, miserable Commie bastards that they are, responded by arresting the reporters for offending local superstitions beliefs.
Two facts I've been able to establish: 1) the naga fireballs have been a real phenomenon for centuries (suspect video), and 2) in 2002 investigative journalists from the Thai television station iTV claimed the fireballs were simply tracer bullets, fired as part of the Buddhist celebrations. The Laotians, miserable Commie bastards that they are, responded by arresting the reporters for offending local superstitions beliefs.