CHONBURI, June 27 — Boys scurry, duck and weave through crowds sheltering from the suffocating heat before upending buckets of cooling water on beefy bovines waiting to compete...
CHONBURI, June 27 — Boys scurry, duck and weave through crowds sheltering from the suffocating heat before upending buckets of cooling water on beefy bovines waiting to compete at the annual traditional Thai buffalo races in Chonburi on Sunday.
“Before the race starts, we are a little excited and nervous,” said Sompong Ratanasatien, 33, drenched and breathing heavily after his latest bout. Urged on with a small metal-tipped bamboo whip, the usually placid animals are unrecognisable as they rampage down the watery field. Numerous races got off to false starts as the hapless human racers were -– literally -– dragged through the mud.