CHONBURI (NNT) - Thai farmers marked the beginning of rice cultivation during the monsoon season on Sunday (6 Aug) with their annual water buffaloes race, a tradition dating back to the 1800s.

 

More than 60 buffaloes participated in the race along a 200-meter dirt track in the Napa sub-district of Chonburi province, some 80 kilometers southeast of Bangkok.

 

Napa Mayor Samart Suksawang said the event honors the buffalo’s traditional role as a beast of burden in rice farming.

 

He said, "The purpose is to conserve cultural traditions, allowing the younger generation to understand that we’ve been practicing rice cultivation with the help of buffaloes for a long time within our local communities."

 

Though many farmers now use tractors for rice plowing, water buffaloes are still kept for other duties like carrying.

 

At the race, young men ran behind pairs of buffaloes, yoked at the neck, and used whips to drive them through a waterlogged track. Between races, they splashed water on the animals to help relieve their fatigue.

 

The race took place in hot dry weather, with a 5% drop in rainfall forecast for the July-October monsoon, according to the Meteorological Department.

 

by Paul Rujopakarn

 

Source: https://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news/detail/TCATG230807111421401

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2023-08-07

 

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Buffalo racing, a start, a finish, a clear winner............................politicians take note!

Just more animal abuse here!

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Thai farmers marked the beginning of rice cultivation during the monsoon season on Sunday (6 Aug) with their annual water buffaloes race, a tradition dating back to the 1800s.

And still practiced some places.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

water buffaloes are still kept for other duties like carrying.

and feigning sickness??

15 hours ago, Burma Bill said:

and feigning sickness??

Yes, many of them are malingerers.