Farmers in Chonburi raced their muddy water buffaloes in an annual race on Sunday (24 July) to mark the start of the new rice growing season – a tradition dating back to the 1800s which celebrates the beasts of burden.
Scores of spectators watched the racing on a 200 meter-long dirt track in the seaside province, some 80 km southeast of Bangkok.
The race, which sometimes takes place at the end of the monsoon, was paused during the pandemic but made a return last year.
Most Thai farmers no longer use water buffalo for farming but many are still keen to keep the animals.
One 58-year-old farmer who owns a buffalo competing in the race said winning or losing did not matter to him, only preserving the tradition. (NNT)
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