While annual boat races provide a glimpse of the traditional Thai way of life associated with rivers and canals, few can match the history and exhilaration of the Khuen Khon Ching Thong event in Chumphon.
Loosely translated as "climbing the prow and grabbing the flag", the contest is one of the most anticipated events on the calendar for people in the Lang Suan district of Chumphon.
The boat race in Lang Suan was recorded as far back as the reign of King Rama III, almost two centuries ago.
The competition's deep roots speak to its cherished status among generation after generation of local residents. They also earned it the status of Outstanding National Treasure of Living Wisdom this year, as the Culture Ministry declared the Lang Suan boat race an important local tradition to be preserved and promoted.
The announcement, made on June 13, came as icing on the cake for the race after it was registered as cultural heritage by the Department of Cultural Promotion and named a must-see tradition by the Tourism Authority's "Unseen Thailand" campaign.
The boat competition could be described as Lang Suan's answer to a Formula One grand prix. However, victory for the Khuen Khon Ching Thong winners, as the name strongly suggests, is not judged by who gets to the finish line first.
The moment of truth approaches quickly as boats are that are in the final round, powered by skilled oarsmen, build up speed in their last lap. A "grabber" in each boat then rises up, steadily climbs the length of the boat's prow and positions himself at the prow's tip. He readies himself as he lurches forward with both arms stretched outward.
A T-shaped bar in the middle of the river comes into view. The grabbers know that they cannot afford to miss the split-second opportunity to snatch a flag planted on either side of the metal bar. Whoever has a go at grabbing the flag first is the winner.
The boat that whizzes past the bar first, but whose grabber fails to pick the flag, loses the race.
Experts in sociology said the flag-snatching rule is what sets the Lang Suan boat race apart from the others in the rest of the country. The rule is also a clever way to teach people how to be mindful of uncertainty and the unforeseeable; there is no guarantee that the boat that maintains the lead will win.
As a form of entertainment, the flag-grabbing gesture lends distinction and excitement to the game, that keeps spectators on both sides of the river bank on the edge of their seats.
"Boat races typify a piece of Thai life of a bygone era, when roads were still scarce and many people lived close to waterways, as boats were their main mode of transport," said Waranon Phetsuwan, a history expert in Lang Suan.
Boats were vehicles for commuting as well as a way to provide rides to people heading to the temples to make merit at the end of Buddhist Lent, a time which is also marked by festivals around the 11th month on the lunar calendar, he said.
People carry alms and personal items to be given to monks at the temple, in a boat for the merit-making rites, he said.
Technicians erect a T-shaped bar in the middle of the river. The two flags, one on either side of the bar, are tied to a rattan string. photos by Amnat Thongdee
After the rites, the people returned home in the boats, which were almost devoid of cargo. As the boats would leave the temples' piers at the same time, some oarsmen challenged people in other vessels to race for the fun of it. This might explain how the boat races originated, said Mr Waranon.
Some historical evidence from the Ayutthaya period suggests that the first boat race was launched in a royal ceremony during the reign of King Ekathotsarot who reigned from 1605-1620, he said.
The boats, steered by soldiers, were raced in the rivers and rewards were royally granted to the winning teams, he said.
In the old days, the boats were dug out from large logs, which meant that they were incredibly heavy and so not a popular racing vessel choice.
The Lang Suan boat race has origins starting from the reign of King Rama III in the Rattanakosin era, where many riverside Buddhist temples were built. However, some historical documents indicated that the first-known boat race in the district was held during a later reign on a royal boat trip to Chumphon, said Mr Waranon.
Makhuea Yam, a long boat from the local Wat Don Chai, was among the vessels in the water procession organised to welcome the king. That boat has survived the winds of time, and is launched in a boat parade celebrating the Lang Suan boat race every year.
The Lang San boat race gets under way on the first day of the 11th month on the lunar calendar, said Mr Waranon.
In the beginning, there was no reward for the winning team. The race back then was meant to be a fun activity, in which the villagers took part after a merit-making rite, he said.
For the sake of incentive, rewards were later offered to the winners as well as the participating teams. Each team was given a pha thaep cloth.
Oarsmen gain speed during the last lap of the race, just as the grabbers make their way onto their boats' prows and compete to be the first ones to catch the flag.
The crew of the boats would tie the colourful pha thaep around their boats' prows. At the end of the competition, the teams would hand over their cloths to be sewn together into a curtain -- a symbol of community solidarity -- which is then offered to a local temple.
In 1939, Prince Aditya Dibabha bestowed an exquisitely crafted bowl of khan nam phan rong upon the winning team, for the first time. He chaired the Regency Council from 1935-1944, during which time King Ananda Mahidol was still a minor, according to Mr Waranon.
A team that won the competition three years in a row was awarded with the permanent right to keep the bowl, he said.
Teams representing temples in their communities took turns winning the race for several years until the "Mae Nang Srong Thong" boat from Wat Banphotphisai eventually struck victory for three straight years and claimed permanent ownership of the bowl, prompting a new one to be commissioned, he said.
In 1963, the Chumphon provincial administration submitted a request for a royally bestowed shield to be offered as a new prize for winners of the boating tournament, which was approved the following year, he said.
In 1979, Chad Ratanarach, an Interior Ministry inspector, requested a royally granted trophy to be given to the Lang Suan boat race winner. It was not until 2000 that the trophy was approved, he said.
What makes the Lang Suan boat race stand out are the exceptional skills demonstrated by the lead oarsman and the rest of the paddling crew.
The lead oarsman must be able to estimate the speed of the boat during the race and direct the boat so that it is steered most closely toward the T-shaped bar. The boat must go fast but not so fast that the grabber misses the chance to catch the flag.
Most grabbers would get into their position on the boat's prow about 10 metres away from the T-shaped bar. However, some prefer to climb the prow within seven metres of the bar because they are physically fit and can muster the stamina, said Sarawut Kanchanasawat, head of the "Phra Naresuan" boat, the champion of the Lang Suan boat race in 2014.
If the grabber starts climbing too soon, his weight will shift towards the front of the boat and reduce the speed, he said.
This year, the 10-day Khuen Khon Ching Thong boat race, which drew to a close yesterday, continued to draw large, cheery crowds in line with centuries of glorious tradition.
