Image: Reuters Berita 24 English - In a custom that dates back to the 1800s and honours the beasts of burden, Thai farmers raced their water...
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| Image: Reuters |
On a dirt track 200 metres long, in the beach province of Chonburi, around 80 kilometres (50 miles) southeast of the capital Bangkok, hundreds of fans watched the racing.
Occasionally held near the end of the monsoon, the race was postponed during the coronavirus pandemic but resumed last year.
Water buffalo are no longer used for farming by the majority of Thai farmers, although many still want to maintain the animals.
"Today, whether I win or lose has no bearing on me. I wanted to keep this custom alive, "said 58-year-old Somchai Kamchab, whose buffalo is a competitor in the race.
