- Title: THAILAND: A slippery pig catching contest kicks off in Ratchaburi
- Date: 13th April 2007
- Summary: (GOOD SHOTS) PIG FARM VARIOUS OF FARM STAFF SPRAYING WATER TO PIGS PIGS IN PENS PIG
- Embargoed: 28th April 2007 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Thailand
- Country: Thailand
- Topics: Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVA7N6WH31XPWZ6YMZYQQ2SBUTYI
- Story Text: The annual Pig Catching contest began in Thailand on Saturday (April 7), attracting hundreds of participants who chased the greasy piglets hoping to bring home the bacon.
About 110 villagers gathered in a muddy ring on the hot, sun-shiny day to compete in a race of this annual fun fair game which was first held a decade ago in Pak Tor district of Ratchaburi province, 100 km south of Bangkok.
To raise the bar of the challenge, all participants needed to soak their hands in cooking oil before catching the pigs. The 48 pigs were brought from nearby farms and each weighed about 45 kilograms.
The hour-long game was made up of 20 second rounds for competitors to race against the clock to catch the piglets in the slippery mud.
Although they continued to trip in the mud while the piglets zigzagged their way around the ring, the contestants still managed to grab them.
"It's fun and exciting. Not that hard to catch them," said Thavorn Vanet (pron: Ta-vorn Va-net) who joined the contest at first time.
"I will sell it because I'm too lazy to raise it," said Boonlert Nhoogiaoglao (pron: Boon-lert Noo-giao-glao).
The fun event attracted over 300 villagers to participate and cheer while contestants got dirty trying to catch the greasy pigs.
Some contestants never managed to catch any.
"I don't feel bad, just come here for fun," said Wichit Somboon (pron: Wi-chit Som-boon) who went home empty-handed.
To win the event, the competitors had to grab the piglet within 20 second and hold it.
The winners got to take their pigs home. On average a 45 kilogram pig costs up to 1500 baht (46 U.S. dollars).
"I will raise this pig until it grows up enough to sell then I could have some money to invest," said Saitarn Sripongsai (pron: Sai-tarn Sri-pong-sai).
The event is aimed at providing entertainment for the villagers and provide them with free pork as prizes during this year's Chinese calendar annum of the "Year of the Pig".
"We don't have any rules, just only when anyone can catch the pigs then they just take them home. They can take them to feed, to cook or to earn a living, whatever they want," said head of Pak Tor district Somchai Lertpongarporn.
Ratchaburi province is home to one of Thailand's largest pig production farms and In Pak Tor district the pig population is estimated at about 800,000.
A quirky story. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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