Fighting buffaloes
SAMUI: Two hefty water buffaloes are locking horns, grunting as they push each other off the buffalo-fighting arena.
Thursday 3 November 2011, 12:23PM
This local sport was traditionally held as entertainment after the rice harvest but now is a regular gig with sometimes millions of baht changing hands over the winner. A good opportunity to see a snapshot of southern life.
The buffalo-fights attract a crowd who delight in a good old dust-up: the more aggressive the buffalo, the greater the appreciation from the audience. There are several “stadiums” around the island, most being a cleared area under the palm trees with a wall of bamboo matting or coconut leaves to hinder the view of those who have not paid for a seat.
The fight ends when one animal runs away, usually well before either animal gets hurt.
Entrance fee is about B200-300.
