- Title: THAILAND: ANNUAL WATER BUFFALO RACING
- Date: 14th October 2000
- Summary: CHONBURI, THAILAND (OCTOBER 12, 2000) (REUTERS) SCU BUFFALO PARADE/ THAI TRADITIONAL MUSIC BAND AND BUFFALOS WEARING SPECTACULAR AND COLOURFUL HEADGEAR; BAND (3 SHOTS) SLV RACING HEATS/ BUFFALO RIDERS CROSSING LINE (2 SHOTS) SOUNDBITE (Thai) UKIT TANSAWAT, MAYOR OF THE CHONBURI MUNICIPALITY SAYING "The number of Thai buffaloes has decreased from more than four million to 800,000. The situation is alarming in that someday the Thai buffalo will disappear." MV MORE OF RACING HEATS; SPECTATORS/ MEN PLACING BETS (3 SHOTS) SOUNDBITE (Thai) SUCHART CHAROENWONG, BUFFALO OWNER SAYING "My buffaloes are no longer working in the field, they take a lot of rest during the working day, but the machines don't need that" SCU OWNER WASHING HIS BUFFALOES AFTER A RACE SLV RACE IN PROGRESS (2 SHOTS)
- Embargoed: 29th October 2000 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: CHONBURI, THAILAND
- City:
- Country: Thailand
- Topics: Entertainment,Quirky,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVAB7F3NRZBQYKWJRNVF2J9B8CPE
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: Thailand has been marking the end of the ploughing
season with an annual spectacular - water buffalo racing in
which the nation's beefiest bulls battle it out for the honour
of fastest in the land.
Thailand's annual water-buffalo racing festival kicked
off on Thursday (October 12), attracting hundreds of farmers
and their animals who were marking the end of the ploughing
season.
Around 300 buffaloes raced over the day in groups of
five or six, spurred on by riders wielding wooden sticks, to
the cheers of hundreds of spectators.
The festival has been a feature of Thai agricultural
life for several decades. Most of the fun comes from seeing
which buffalo jockeys can stay on their animals the longest.
But the races have a serious side. Experts say the buffalo
population of Thailand has dropped dramatically in recent
years.
"The number of Thai buffaloes has decreased from more
than four million to 800,000. The situation is alarming in
that someday the Thai buffalo will disappear," said Ukit
Tansawat, mayor of the Chonburi municipality.
For spectators, it's the perfect sport on which to have
a flutter and just a bit of fun after a hard season in the
fields.
Buffaloes are rapidly losing their place in Thai
agriculture as more modern methods of farming take over.
"My buffaloes are no longer working in the field, they
take a lot of rest during the working day, but the machines
don't need that," said buffalo owner Suchart Charoenwong. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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