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Thailand Kitefliers Association
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Thai Kites
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When the southwest monsoon is beginning to stir
the leaves of Thailand?s flame trees,
many an elderly gentleman, not to mention his grandson,
lifts his eyes to the sky contemplating the excitement
of the kite flying season. For in this happiest of all lands,
kite season is a time of delight for everybody.
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The Kite flying in Thailand is something that Thais of all walks of life are intimate with. Children, adults, officials and the king have always en-joyed this popular game.
The tradition of kiteflying in Thailand stretches back to the very birth of the nation. Through out the country's history the sport has been played by royelty and commoners alike.
Its heritage is dignified by the time honoured skills of kite making and kitefliers, while competition rules and regulations have been long established. At its very least it is an age-old national pastime, at it best Asia's most sophisiticated from of competition kite flying.
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The King of Thailand
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Thailand Serpent Kite
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Kite flying as a sport has been popular since the reign of King Ramkamhaeng of the Sukhothai period, some seven hundred years ago. The kings of Sukhothai loved kite flying so much that the sport played an important role in Thai literature of that period. The craze for kite flying reached such heights in the new Thai capital of Ayutthaya that in 1358 a Palace Decree was issued stipulating that kites were not to be flown in the vicinity of the palace.
There is also evidence of kite-fighting being enjoyed as a sport more or less in its present-day form by King Rama 11(1809-1824). The King matched his pentagonal male kite called a ?Chula? against a courtier?s female kite called a ?Pakpao? from
the Pramane Ground in front of the royal palace, the same area from which kites are flown today.
Kite flying contests were held during the reign of King Chulalongkorn (1868-1910) and in 1906, the first contest for a royal gold cup was held at the Dusit Palace. The King presided over the competition with members of the royal family in attendance and a court orchestra provided the background music intended to spur the competitors to greater endeavors. King Chulalongkorn enjoyed these contests so much that they became the national sport and were held annually until his death in 1910.
In 1921, in the reign of King Vajiravudh (1910-1925), the game became popular as a national sport. Princes and commoners entered their teams, squaring off against each other for valuable prizes. The King himself presided over the opening battle in the skies and even sent his personal ?Chula? kite stamped with his ?Three Arrows? emblem to participate in the contests.
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Chula and Pakpao team
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Pakpao Kite
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AEK OR SONG HONG KITE OF BURIRAM
The Northeastern or E-San rag ion of Thailand is visited by the kite breeze or the Northeastern winds in the harvest season around November-February annually. Such phenomenon has created an indigenous E-San Kite flying culture.
The kite is made of local materials like bamboo, Sa paper, rattan, palmistry tree leaves which besiding beautification of the kite itself. These make the kite aloft high and stay flying for the nightlong. One of the most distinctive E-San kites (wow in Thai) is WOW? Aek or ?WOW Song Hong? or ?two-room kite? as its name depicts.
WOW Song Hong is equipped with ?Aek? or Thanei (arrow) on its bow. This Aek produces a melodious tone that can be heard singing in the sky above the field throughout the night.
It is said that besides accompanying farmer staying over night at his farmhouse it is also believed that kite flying is a ritnal offering to God as a sacred rite. This practice is also used to predict the condition of the weather for the next cultivating season.
The word-WOW Song Hong (two-room kite) is derived from its characteristic with two shelter wings, the big upper are and the smaller on the lows level.
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TRADITIONAL KITE OF THE SOUTHERN
Buffalo Kite, Satun?s Symbolic Kite
Buffalo kite, wow khwai? in Thai, symbolizes the kites of Satun Province as it is widely flied here and in nearby provinces. It has been told that rice farmers usually make the kite after the harvest season as a thanksgiving to buffaloes for their great contribution.
The buffalo kite looks very much similar to Malaysia's crescent kite but the former has two curved horns and ears in the lower part and a buffalo head at the end. Buffalo kite is usually made of either "Sa" or straw paper attached on bamboo frame and equipped with a crossbar slightly? decorated with colors which makers a sound when swerving against the wind.
The popular size is 1.20-1.50 meters in width, it is controlled by a string of some 150-200 meters long. A buffalo kite does not fly smoothly. It swerves fiercely so that the crossbar gets the wind and makes sound.
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