A fire broke out at "Phaya Srisattanakharat," a landmark along the Mekong River in Nakhon Phanom Province. The "necklace" was damaged by fire. The municipality is urgently investigating the incident and preparing to clean soot stains on the Phaya Srisattanakharat statue.
On 28 Oct 2026 GMT+7, a reporter reported that around 4:00 a.m. the previous night, a fire occurred at the Phaya Srisattanakharat statue, a sacred landmark on the Mekong riverside in Nakhon Phanom Municipality, Nakhon Phanom Province. The fire damaged the necklace around the statue's neck, made of silk and cotton fabric with beautiful patterns, beads, and decorative ornaments. The cause is suspected to be fireworks igniting the necklace during the final night of the End of Buddhist Lent Candle Boat Festival, causing the fire.
The Phaya Srisattanakharat statue itself was unharmed, as it is made of brass. Initially, Nakhon Phanom Municipality has begun investigating, planning to clean and polish the brass statue and to install a new necklace to restore its elegant appearance.
Mr. Prasert Nuantim, caretaker of the Phaya Srisattanakharat statue, stated they will thoroughly investigate whether fireworks were ignited nearby but believe it was an accident with no intentional wrongdoing. He said they are coordinating with officials to clean and polish the brass to remove soot, confirming the statue was not damaged. Preventive measures will be implemented to avoid future incidents. The necklace is valued between 20,000 and 50,000 baht. Every two months, a devoted sponsor donates a new necklace to be displayed in rotation according to the level of faith.