The Mekong river of China, Myanmar (formerly Burma), Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, is an amazing place, one of the richest areas of biodiversity in the world with plenty of incredible creatures. However, having a river monster is ONLY in the eye of the beholder.
This video got the attention of a cryptozoological site and then aggregator io9.
Vertebrate paleontologist Dr. Darren Naish, who makes a career of drawing fish these days, it seems, says this is not a monster, is just a fish.
— Darren Naish (@TetZoo) December 2, 2013
The Mekong is famous for the legend of the Naga which resembles a huge snake or a dragon with many heads. It is a totally a myth, which may have a basis in sitings of large snakes, but it is not a real animal.
To add to the Naga legend, every year on the night of 15th day of 11th month in the Lao lunar calendar people watch for the Mekong fireballs which appear to rise from the surface of the river. These are fireworks, not any natural phenomenon.
The legend and the festival bring people to the shores of the river. It’s a great story. Anything that adds to the lore of the place, like videos of strange looking animals, are welcomed.