There are some events you should not miss if you are in Pattaya at the time. Some are annual events, and some are one-offs. One such event was the Pattaya buffalo race in 2014 at Mabprachan Lake in East Pattaya.
The original and famous annual Thailand buffalo racing event, known as ‘Wing Kwai’ originated in Chonburi more than 100 years ago. It is said that 2 men were arguing that they each had the fastest buffalo; to settle the argument, they mounted their buffaloes and had a race.
To say that buffalo racing in Thailand is a spectacle, crazy even, would be an understatement.
That’s right, I’m standing in the middle of the track—with my camera, totally focused on composing my shot—while two buffaloes are bearing down on me at a speed of about 30 kph. Sometimes, you just forget yourself.
How do you stay on a buffalo running at full speed? Looking at the pictures, and watching the event, I would have to say—by the seat of your pants. They are obviously well-practiced, fearless, or maybe just a little bit insane.
