BUFFALO

Buffaloes have always played an integral part in Thai culture and Thai society. The Thai alphabet's fourth letter is said "KHO KHWAI". In Thai alphabet each consonant is associated to a word (chicken, egg, buffalo, monk and so on...).

ควาย or "KHWAI" is the carabao or water buffalo.

	Buffaloes have been used since centuries by peasants in order to plough their rice fields. Since 1960 mechanical ploughs have replaced the buffaloes. Since a few years buffaloes are regaining favour as farmers look to old ways. But there is concern over sharp fall in their numbers. The buffalo population has declined from an estimated six million head in 1987 to 1.8 million in 1999. Experts predict the buffalo could be extinct from Thailand in 10 years.
"Iron" Buffalo

Buffaloes have been used since centuries by peasants in order to plough their rice fields. Since 1960 mechanical ploughs have replaced the buffaloes. Since a few years buffaloes are regaining favour as farmers look to old ways. But there is concern over sharp fall in their numbers. The buffalo population has declined from an estimated six million head in 1987 to 1.8 million in 1999. Experts predict the buffalo could be extinct from Thailand in 10 years.

"Iron" Buffalo

To save the beast from extinction, Boontha Chailert has opened a water buffalo refuge in Ban Muang Pha village, 360 miles north of Bangkok. Nowadays farmers are showing renewed interest in using water buffaloes to plough their fields. Farmers return to traditional, cheaper, methods of farming. Tractors are said to be too expensive to take care of. They were called "Iron Buffalo" (ควายเหล็ก).

	Buffalo in country
"PITHEE SU KWAN KWAI" (พิธีสู่ขวัญควาย) was a ceremony to show gratitude to the buffaloes. It was observed for centuries, but now it's being neglected because of the advent of tractors.

The annual Buffalo Racing Festival is held in Chonburi province.

Buffalo in country
	Some farmers say that a machine is good as it is fast, can plough deep, doesn't need to rest. Buffaloes need to be watched after during rice growing season as they may wander in other farmers paddy fields. Some farmers say that buffaloes manure is good for nature (no need for artificial fertilizer), buffaloes don't need repairing and oil, yield is better with buffalo.

The current King Rama IX have launched the Ox-Buffalo Bank project. This project was set up to lend buffaloes. When buffaloes breed, the farmer has to give back the babies to the bank in order to increase the buffalo number.

	Buffalo in country
About 400,000 buffaloes are slaughtered for meat each year. Most are females, many of them pregnant. The males are kept for their strength and castrated to increase their size and value as draft animals, which reduces the breeding stock still further.

The worst insult in Thai language is to be called "Buffalo" as this animal is seen as stupid and stubborn.

Buffalo in country
	Some monks have campaigned to help poor people in the northeastern rural areas where they have established "buffalo banks". When a borrowed buffalo gives birth, half of the young buffalo belongs to the farmer and the other half belongs to the buffalo bank.

The Carabao is the most famous pop group of Thailand. Their symbol is buffalo horns.

	Bang Rachan buffalo
In year 2001 the most famous animal in Thailand was a buffalo. This buffalo has very long horns and is a major player in the Thai movie "BANG RAJAN". This movie relates the fight of a Thai village during the Burmanese invasion in 1767.

The music in movie "BANG RAJAN" is played by the Thai pop group Carabao. A few months after the film was shot, the buffalo died. A big ceremony was organized for his funerals. The Carabao leader asked for its horns.

Buffalo in country
	In year 2008 the "Kasorn Kasiwit" (Buffalo Farming Science) School was launched by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, who is a strong supporter of efforts to preserve conventional paddy farming techniques. The school is teaching both buffaloes and farmers to work in harmony using traditional ploughing techniques.

The growing use of farming machines had driven many farmers into debt due to rising fuel costs, which accounts for up to 50% of farming costs. For many city residents, the buffalo is a symbol of stupidity. But for millions of people who work the land for a living, the strong animals have long been treasured as a farmers' best friend.

Click here to see a picture about buffalo herd

Click on the projector

to start the song.

This song is about buffaloes. The text is about buffaloes, which have disappeared from Thai country and have been replaced by tractors. Most of Buffaloes finish their life in slaughter house. The bird "NOK IENG" (นกเอี้ยง) have no more friend to sit on.

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