As part
of the pageantry, officials arrive on decorated buffalo drawn carts.
CPRD
More than 1,000 buffalos preened for the camera and raced
for glory as Chonburi again marked the end of rainy season with a week of
fun, food and racing.
The 140th races drew larger crowds of locals and tourists
this year to fields in front of Chonburi District Office and City Hall Oct.
7-11 as Gov. Wichit Chatpaisit rang the gong opening the ever-popular event.
He and Chonburi Mayor Decho Kongchayasukhwat led a parade through the
Chonburi Market area, a tradition for much of the past century.
The week featured more than cattle with slingshot
shooting, kite competitions, post-climbing, cock fighting and Muay Thai
boxing filling the playbill. But the highlight was the buffalo racing, which
featured beasts competing in large, medium and small sizes. There were also
beauty pageants, both for intricately dressed-up women and buffalos.
The event is a celebration of
farming, as well as the end of Buddhist Lent.
Provincial historians believe the races and festival were
first held when Chonburi was the center of trade for the eastern part of
Thailand. Farmers and merchants from the region would descend on Chonburi’s
Ban Beung 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.
And they’re off!
Alone at the finish line!
