Thailand's annual water buffalo festival kicked off on Monday in the eastern province of Chonburi, celebrating the animals whose agricultural role has been largely replaced by tractors. The event, which dates back over 150 years, featured a beauty pageant and races, drawing locals and tourists alike.
Judges evaluated buffaloes on horn size, hoof condition, and overall physique. Farmer Thawatchai Daeng-Ngam entered his five-year-old black buffalo, Tod, in the pageant. 'Buffaloes are still important to me. It's like what they said: “People raise buffaloes, and buffaloes raise people.” It's like a family member,' he told the Associated Press.
The festival also included buffalo racing over a 100-metre track, with jockeys training for weeks. However, racer Noppadon Yindeesuk noted the dangers: 'It could be a bit dangerous if the buffalo are running too close to each other because it could cause an accident.'
Thai water buffalo, known locally as 'kwai', have historically symbolised strength and prosperity. With mechanised farming, their numbers have declined, prompting conservation efforts. Government programmes assist breeding, and in 2017, 14 May was designated Thai Buffalo Conservation Day.
Papada Srisophon, assistant to the village chief at a livestock centre, said the festival has grown each year. 'Without this activity, they won't know what to do with their buffaloes, and they won't be motivated to keep their buffaloes,' she said.
