Bokeo Buddha Expeditions – 2025
Expedition Title: Bokeo Buddha Expeditions – 2025
Flag Number: Flag 112
Expedition Leader:
Kenneth Robert Hayes, MN ’22
Expedition Dates:
March 9–25, 2025 and June 5–17, 2025
Sponsoring Organizations:
Aqua Survey, Inc. (ASI) / Lao National Museum / Bokeo Province Provincial Authorities
Location:
Greater Golden Triangle / Mekong River, Bokeo Province, Lao PDR
Contact:
hayes@aquasurvey.com
March 2025 Expedition – Summary
Around the year 1500, a colossal bronze seated Buddha—believed to be approximately 10 meters high and 8 meters wide—was installed at a temple located on Don Savanh Island or along the adjacent Lao bank of the Mekong River. This area lies directly opposite the Thai city of Chiang Saen, with Myanmar’s border only a few miles upstream. Local folklore maintains that both the statue and its temple were lost to the river centuries ago, subsiding into the Mekong through catastrophic monsoonal flooding and/or tectonic activity—both common in this region.
Over the past 70 years, scattered anecdotal reports from fishermen claimed brief sightings of the submerged statue, but no verified photographic evidence or firsthand interviews have been secured.
During the 2024 dry season, sand mining operations exposed numerous religious artifacts along a seasonal Don Savanh Island sandbar. This prompted the Lao National Museum to dispatch a rescue archaeology team led by archaeologist Dr. Thonglith Luangkhoth (Dr. T), who rapidly recovered hundreds of Buddhist relics—including bronze statues (one over 2 meters tall), amulets, and temple fragments. Cofferdams were built to deepen excavations and stabilize the Don Savanh Island, Bokeo Province, LAO PDR, Golden Triangle—Southeast Asia sandbar. The finds held immense cultural value and significant tourism economic implications for impoverished Bokeo Province.
Recognizing Aqua Survey, Inc.’s long experience in UXO detection and advanced underwater geophysics, Dr. Thonglith invited ASI to conduct a dedicated survey to map the Mekong Riverbed for additional temple remains and to search for the legendary colossal Buddha.
Summary of Fieldwork
Aqua Survey deployed a 10-person multidisciplinary team including metal detection specialists, UXO survey professionals, archaeological divers, cultural attachés/interpreters, videographers, and marine technicians. The expedition intentionally targeted March, historically the lowest-flow period of the Mekong. However, upon arrival, the river was unseasonably high and extremely swift due to major upstream releases from Chinese dams—conditions too dangerous for target diver-based investigations.
Consequently, the mission shifted from “survey-and-investigate” to “survey-only.”
Survey Platform & Methods
On Don Savanh Island, the team transformed two wooden fishing boats into a rigid catamaran using planking to bridge the hulls. A flexible EM61 HP-powered transmit coil was mounted to a Flag 112 Award Ceremony, October 15, 2024 at The Explorers Club, Manhattan, NY 12.5 × 12.5 ft bamboo frame. A central moonpool allowed for an EM61 HP compatible receiver coil to be lowered into the river to varying depths. This system pulsed a powerful primary magnetic field capable of inducing secondary magnetic fields in submerged metallic objects, which the receiver coil—linked to an EM61 HP console—recorded secondary magnetic field intensity in millivolts.
GPS coupled with Hypack software was utilized for track and control of survey transect lines. The ASI survey catamaran briefly crossed into Thai territorial waters intentionally based on anecdotal giant Buddha sighting information supplied by a local fisherman’s son. Immediately upon entering Thai waters, two Thai military gunboats quickly made it clear our survey team was unwelcome. The survey team retreated into Lao waters.
Over four days, the team surveyed all zones requested by Dr. Thonglith, including the 2024 recovery area, adjacent sectors, and one island five miles south. Several hundred metal anomalies were detected within and near the 2024 excavation zone. South of this area, however the riverbed produced no detectable metallic signals—strongly indicating that the core archaeological site was localized around Don Savanh Island.
All targets were accurately catalogued with precise GPS coordinates.
May–June 2025 Expedition – Summary
The Lao National Museum, undeterred by the unusually high 2025 river levels, moved heavy earth-moving machinery and water pumps to Don Savanh Island to advance excavation efforts. Less than half a mile south of the 2024 cofferdam, ASI had identified a significant metallic anomaly during the March survey. In response, Dr. Thonglith’s team constructed a new cofferdam encircling this target and pumped the basin dry. This anomaly proved to be roofing metal. No other significant cultural artifacts were found within this cofferdamed area. The team moved upstream and constructed a second, cofferdam overlapping part of the 2024 excavation zone and extending southward.
Once dewatered and excavated, the site produced:
- Numerous bronze Buddha statues
- Bronze and lead amulets (including molds)
- A collapsed stupa
- And a sandstone tablet stele
These finds provided compelling evidence of a lost temple complex—missed for centuries and
now finally identified.
Aqua Survey returned with an ASI photogrammetry specialist to document the artifacts as high-
resolution 3D models. The stele proved profoundly significant. Though written in an early script,
AI-assisted epigraphy allowed accurate interpretation. The stele revealed:
- The temple was consecrated in 1504
- The patron was Sinpanya / Sin Prahya
- The stele originally stood at the temple’s east gate
- It included a warning against desecration
- And it confirmed long-standing oral histories recorded in regional chronicles
Flag Stewardship
Flag 112 was issued to Aqua Survey in October 2024 at The Explorers Club headquarters in Manhattan. The flag was flown on the survey catamaran for two days. The teams posed with it at multiple locations and photographed it beside key recovered artifacts.
Flag 112 was formally returned by Hayes and his USA team to TEC Board Member Martin Krauss on October 13, 2025, during a Flag Return Event at the Club, attended by approximately 75 members and guests. It was an honor for the team to carry the flag on this historic expedition.
Objectives
Locate the colossal bronze Buddha statue. It may be represented among the 2025 anomalies, though further work in 2026 is required.
- Identify and confirm the lost Sinpanya/Sin Prahya temple complex.
- The recovered stele provides definitive physical corroboration of centuries-old oral history.
- Assess whether additional artifacts remained beyond those recovered in 2024. ASI’s survey proved accurate in predicting additional finds.
- Professionally document both expeditions for use in a feature documentary. The documentary production is in process.
Team Members
Kenneth Robert Hayes* (Ken) – Team Leader
Specialist in research vessel construction and metal detection systems. Extensive UXO experience in Laos. TEC Member.
Dr. Thonglith Luangkhoth (Dr. T) – Lao Government Lead
Senior Lao National Museum archaeologist specializing in rescue archaeology.
Scott Edward Kruithof (Scott) – Survey Leader
Expert in UXO survey system development and vessel configuration.
Eric Wartweiler Smith (Eric) – Vessel Captain & Archaeological Diver
Veteran field operator with extensive on-water survey experience. TEC Member.
Joseph Fiorentino (Joe) – Archaeological Diver & Safety Lead
Oversaw all health and safety protocols. TEC Member.
Niddavone Douangphonexay (Nidda) – EM/UXO Specialist & Cultural Attaché
Managed logistics, and cultural coordination.
Henry Tippens-Richan (Henry) – Scientific Photographer Specialist in 3D Photogrammetric
Digitization of Cultural Heritage Artifacts
Christopher Michio Doi (Chris) – Survey Technical Assistant
Gabriel Kirkpatrick Mann (Gabriel) – Documentary Director
Daniel Buonsanto (Danny) – Cameraman
Edward Heegan (Eddie) – Assistant Director and Soundman
Aloun Nammaneevong (Loun) – Cultural Attaché & Interpreter
Garrett Lawrence Hayes (Garrett) – AI Epigraphic Analysis, U.S-based Logistical Support, and Documentary Creative Contributor
TEC Members Martin Krauss and Peter Lanahan participated as invited guests and provided
valuable support.
* Indicates team members had extensive Lao experiences prior to the expedition.
Daily Field Log
October 15, 2024 – Flag 112 awarded at TEC HQ.
March 9–11, 2025 – U.S. team flies to Luang Prabang.
March 11, 2025 – Lao team arrives.
March 12, 2025 – 12-hour overland transit to Bokeo Province.
March 13–14, 2025 – Construction of wooden survey catamaran.
March 15, 2025 – System testing; diving deemed unsafe due to high water.
March 16–22, 2025 – EM61 HP survey operations.
March 22, 2025 – Demobilization; equipment transported to Luang Prabang.
March 25, 2025 – U.S. team returns home.
May 3, 2025 – Technical report delivered to Lao National Museum.
June 7–10, 2025 – U.S. team returns to Laos.
June 11, 2025 – Reconnaissance visit to Don Savanh Island; river still high.
June 12–14, 2025 – Photogrammetry of stele, statues, amulets, and molds.
June 15–17, 2025 – Team demobilizes and returns to U.S.
October 13, 2025 – Flag Return Event at The Explorers Club.
Survey & Technical Methods
- A wooden catamaran was towed by a 40-ft metal boat with a 50-ft standoff. Hypack navigation software guided all survey transects.
- Custom EM61 HP luggage compatible systems were transported to Don Savanh Island in checked luggage.
- Multiple transmitter and receiver coils were deployed depending on conditions.
- Panasonic Toughbooks operated the data consoles.
- A Hummingbird altimeter recorded water depths.
- All survey targets of interest and recovered artifacts were GPS-stamped.
- Photogrammetry followed standardized archaeological procedures.
- The Lao Prime Minister provided covertly armed security personnel posing as fishermen to protect the team and artifacts.
Findings
Over 200 magnetic anomalies were recorded, though diving them out was impossible due to the strong current. GoPro investigations of targets of interest yielded limited useful imagery, and it remains unknown which anomalies rest on the
riverbed surface versus buried deep in sediment.
Between the March and June expeditions, the Lao National Museum recovered multiple artifacts—including Buddha statues, small statuary, amulets, molds, and the sandstone stele—directly within areas that ASI’s survey indicated targets of interest were present. The high density of small objects suggests the temple collapsed rapidly during a cataclysmic event; otherwise, monks or villagers would likely have salvaged such items. Further study is required to correlate the stele’s inscriptions with regional folklore and chronicles.
A high-definition documentary is in production, and all photogrammetry files will be delivered to the Lao National Museum.
Discussions
Dr. Thonglith’s team has uncovered a 500-year-old temple long lost to history. The stele confirms the temple’s identity, its consecration date (1504), and its patron (Sinpanya/Sin Prahya). Aqua Survey’s AI-assisted translation of regional chronicles and the stele provides a new level of insight into the cultural landscape of the Golden Triangle region during the early 16th century.
The first chronicles written in English were the Yonok Chronicles written in the late nineteenth century. These chronicles were the first chronological account of Lan Na (early Thai) history. Lan Na means land of a million rice fields, in Thai. The Lan Na period in history is from 13th to 17th century. The beginning of the 16th century was the most prosperous time–approximately the same period when the temple was dedicated in Bokeo. The Lan Na region extended to Chaing Saen on the Mekong River and most likely into Bokeo in present day Laos.
Historically much of what is known about this time period comes from palm-leaf manuscripts and stone stele. That is why the stele recovered in 2025 in Bokeo is historically significant. It adds another piece of the puzzle to the history of the region.
The ASI team strongly recommends returning during the 2026 dry season to:
- Conduct additional Mekong River transects near Don Savanh Island
- Survey terrestrial sites south of the island where evidence was first found in 2010
- Investigate major anomalies with divers and, if needed, the use of cofferdams
Challenges & Risk Management
- Unpredictable upstream dam releases from China significantly
affected water levels, making diving unsafe. - Territorial sensitivities in the Golden Triangle prevented surveying in Thai waters.
- UXO risk was evaluated and ruled minimal by Lao authorities.
- Strong river currents required an experienced local captain.
- Cultural diplomacy was essential; cultural attachés ensured full compliance with Lao protocols.
- Security concerns in the region were mitigated by unexpectedly warm and supportive local hospitality.
Flag Care
- Flag 112 remained secured in a waterproof bag within the team leader’s backpack during travel.
- It flew from the survey vessel’s mast and appeared prominently in multiple team photos.
- The flag was respectfully returned to The Explorers Club immediately following the expedition.
Environmental & Ethical Considerations
Cultural attachés guided interactions with monks, village elders, military officials, and provincial authorities. All artifact handling and photography were performed only with explicit authorization from the Lao National Museum, with verbal permissions recorded on video. Before departing, ASI briefed provincial and religious leaders on all findings.
Partnerships & Permissions
The Lao government granted ASI full clearance to bring technical staff, along with scientific and video equipment into the country. This included the use of this equipment and of video drones. The only stipulation from the Prime Minister’s office was that ASI cover all project expenses and that the resulting documentary not be accessible within Lao PDR. In return, full filming freedom was granted.
Deliverables & Outputs
ASI provided to the Lao National Museum spreadsheets of all metal targets with precise GPS coordinates. Aqua Survey will provide the Lao National Museum with high-resolution 3-D photogrammetry models of several recovered artifacts during the 2025 expeditions.
Bibliography & References
AI was utilized to translate from their native languages chronicles into English such as: Lao Chronicles, Chiang Saen Chronicles and others.
The Human Story
Aqua Survey, Inc. has performed UXO-related metal detection in Laos since 2011 and has supported Dr. Thonglith’s rescue archaeology efforts for many years. When artifacts first appeared along Don Savanh Island’s western bank in 2024, Dr. T asked ASI to search for additional remains—and specifically for the legendary, colossal 10-meter-tall bronze Buddha statue. Dr. T provided Hayes with an AI generated rendering of monks trying to rescue the statue from the mighty Mekong River.
For expedition leader Hayes, the request was irresistible: a real-life archaeological mystery unfolding in the Golden Triangle, backed by years of collaboration, trust, and shared purpose. Although ASI had worked across Laos for more than a decade, this was its first project in the Golden Triangle—making the discovery of the stele even more remarkable for the team.
The stele not only anchored centuries of oral history but confirmed the existence and identity of a long-lost temple whose disappearance had become part of regional lore. For ASI, the 2025 expeditions marked the company’s 50th anniversary—a milestone crowned by one of the most
meaningful projects in its history.
Summary & Recommendations
The 2025 Flag 112 Expedition demonstrated that a high-power electromagnetic detection system, small enough to travel in a suitcase, can successfully identify buried metallic artifacts in a turbid, high-flow river system. One of the artifacts—the sandstone stele—confirmed the veracity of regional chronicles and pinpointed the existence of a significant 16th-century temple. For 2026, the team recommends:
- A winter (dry season) return expedition to survey a terrestrial site on the Lao mainland south of Don Savanh Island, where Dr. T first uncovered evidence in 2010.
- Expanded EM and non-ferrous detection surveys to better define what may be a subsided temple footprint.
- Development and testing of a next-generation detection system specifically designed to resolve the colossal bronze Buddha at greater distances and depths than the current systems allow.
The team believes that the ultimate location of the giant bronze statue could soon be within their reach.
Respectfully submitted,
Kenneth Robert Hayes–Bokeo Buddha Expeditions Team Leader
Garrett Lawrence Hayes
Bokeo Buddha Expeditions Sponsor–Aqua Survey, Inc. CEO
