Buffalo Racing ประเพณีวิ่งควาย (bprà-pee-nii wîng kwaay)
In Chonburi town, the gateway to resorts along the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, farmers have managed to tweak a turn of speed from these working animals that is nothing short of amazing.
The annual Buffalo Race held around the 11th lunar month. Normally in October, is a hotly contested series of sprints across on an open space in front of the town’s municipal offices. Clouds of dust rise as these hefty animals pound down the short course at an alarming speed, reminiscent of a stampede. The crowd roars in support of the favourites and the atmosphere is as enthralling as watching thoroughbred racehorses; admittedly, a bit slower than racehorses, the Buffaloes are no slouches when it comes to making a short dash for glory.
The Buffalo racing has been widely recognised not just within Thailand but also internationally partly due to the reporting from CNN and the BBC so expect to see a mixture of Thai and tourists at all the events.
Although this day of fun and competition would succeed with just the Buffaloes as the celebrities, there are other activities to make it a worthwhile outing for families.
A fair with food stalls and handicrafts appeals to visitors who love authentic Thai food, snacks and sweets. Then there are the rides for children, concerts of folk music and, of course, a beauty contest where the prize is the honour of being declared Miss Buffalo.
The Chonburi Buffalo Race is a festival that provides amazing photo opportunities to capture an unusual adaptation of the 100-metre dash. Well worth seeing, is always the highlight of those who make the effort to travel to Chonburi.
Vocabulary (คำศัพท์ – kam sàp)
buffalo = ควาย(kwaay)
October = ตุลาคม(dtù-laa-kom)
tourists = นักท่องเที่ยว(nák-tông-tîaw)
families = ครอบครัว(krôop-krua)
beauty contest = ประกวดนางงาม(bprà-gùat naang ngaam)
Chonburi = จังหวัดชลบุรี(jang-wàt chon-bù-rii)
By Prae
Thai Language Teacher