Thai Volleyball Captain Performs Naga Ritual After Olympic Qualification
Thai women's volleyball captain Praporn 'Chompu' Arerat and teammate Pimphichaya 'Beam' Kakram celebrated their Olympic qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Games with a traditional Naga thanksgiving ceremony in Nakhon Phanom. The ritual, attended by officials, family and over a thousand fans, featured offerings, dance and an auspicious incense number that sparked a local lottery buying rush. The event highlighted both the team's achievement and the community's cultural traditions.
On the evening of October 4, 2026, Chompu Porporn Koetpragyan and Pimphichaya Kakram arrived at the Naga plaza on the Mekong River in Nakhon Phanom to perform a thanksgiving ceremony after helping Thailand qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The event was attended by the province’s acting governor Adisak Noisuwan, Mayor Niwat Jiaeiriyaibunya, tourism and sports officials, representatives from the provincial office of the Sports Authority of Thailand, Chompu’s relatives from Ban Nokkao in Pla Pak district, and over a thousand fans from neighboring provinces. A large offering table was set up, featuring a seven‑headed, seven‑colored Naga altar, a two‑metre‑high betel‑nut pan, nine kinds of fruit, betel, nine‑colored holy water, incense, garlands and popped rice. Renowned Brahmin scholar Non conducted the invocation, inviting deities and the Naga spirits before the offering was presented. After the ceremonial chanting, Chompu and Beam each stated their names and offered the Naga pan, while participants tossed popped rice and flowers for good luck. Chompu then performed a graceful red‑sash dance accompanied by three hundred local dancers to four songs, including 'Nakhon Phanom Beautiful City' and a prayer song to the Naga king. During the ceremony, Chompu lit a blessed candle and Non gave her a stick of incense that revealed the number 013, prompting the crowd to buy lottery tickets bearing those digits as well as combinations related to the year 2028, hoping for luck in the upcoming October 16 draw.
