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October 13, 2025

Andrew Campbell 

There is a beauty pageant at this year's Water Buffalo Racing Festival. Thailand's annual water buffalo festival began on October 6 in the eastern province of Chonburi. It is only one hour away from Bangkok.

In the past, water buffaloes were essential to Thai agriculture. In Thailand, the creatures are now prized show animals. The Water Buffalo Racing Festival honors them. To commemorate the start of the harvest season and raise awareness of the animals, the festival is held near the end of the eleventh lunar month.

Buffaloes are the main attraction at the Chonburi fair. Students performed traditional Thai dance in a parade to kick off the event. While pulling traditional wooden carriages with their owners and women dressed in traditional Thai attire, some of the buffaloes donned flower crowns. A race with buffaloes led by jockeys racing down a 100-meter (328-foot) course was another event at the festival.