Water buffalo with magnificent horns lead the
opening parade.
Never one to be outdone by Chonburi City, Ban Bung opened its
own annual buffalo-racing festival at Toh Rung Market.
The Ban Bung city and district organized races for all sizes of buffaloes to
honor their traditional use and celebrate agricultural tradition.
Provincial historians believe the races and festival were first held when
Chonburi Province was the center of trade for the eastern part of Thailand.
Farmers and merchants from the region would descend on Ban Bung District to
trade their goods, bringing their produce and wares by way of buffalo drawn
carts. What exactly transpired prompting the first race is uncertain, but
provincial historians suggest that it probably started at Wat Luang, now called
Wat Yai Intharam.
Merchants would park their carts near the market and the water buffalo were
tethered off to the side to rest, or taken to bathe following the trip into town
where lotus flowers were collected for offerings at the temple. Presumably,
there were some fun-seeking individuals at the annual gathering who, at the end
of Buddhist Lent and before leaving Chonburi, would gather and race their
buffalo for a bit of fun and camaraderie. Water buffalo races eventually became
a common reoccurrence each year.
During the reign of King Rama VI, His Majesty King Mongkut visited Chonburi and
proudly witnessed the event on December 7, 1912, which helped commemorate the
event to this day. Other records indicate that Rama V also witnessed the buffalo
races in Chonburi, remarking that the enjoyable event should be preserved as a
national tradition. (CPRD)
