The Legend of Phaya Nak at Kham Chanod
Kham Chanod holds a legend that speaks of a connection point between the human world and the city of the Phaya Nak (Naga) at three locations, and one of them is at “Pa Kham Chanod” in Ban Dung District, Udon Thani Province.
Here are some of the strange and widely recounted phenomena of this place:
- It’s always very cool here, no matter how hot it is outside. This might be due to being covered by the chanod trees.
- No matter how high the surrounding water rises, this place has never been flooded.
- Attempts to build a connecting bridge to the entrance of Pa Kham Chanod have always resulted in the bridge breaking, unable to connect.
It is said that for 15 days of the waxing moon, Phaya Sri Suttho Nakha transforms into a human known as Chao Por Phaya Sri Suttho, residing at Nakam Kingdom in Kham Chanod. For 15 days of the waning moon, he transforms back into a Naga, using the sacred well at the heart of Pa Kham Chanod as his entrance and exit. Sometimes, air bubbles appear in this sacred well, as if something is breathing underwater. Even though Pa Kham Chanod is uninhabited and closes quietly at night, locals in the surrounding area say that every Buddhist holy day (Wan Phra), they hear music emanating from the forest of Kham Chanod, along with the appearance of Kham Chanod residents dressed in white. They believe these are the Naga’s serpent attendants of Phaya Sri Suttho Nakha.
