Authors: Ben Ruhe
Date Submitted: August 31, 2003
Article Type: Journal

Every afternoon in March at 3 p.m., kite teams assemble on the 700-yard kite field next to the royal palace in Bangkok to do aerial battle. In a centuries-old tradition unlike any other in the world, the sky fighting take place between two very different types of kites—–the large and aggressive male Chula and the small and flirty female Pakpao. It’s an erotic dance in the sky.

The seven-foot Chula is equipped with barbs on its line; the Pakpao uses a lasso and a long tail to ensnare its opponent. Whichever gains the upper hand and drags its opponent to the ground gains points. The high total at the end of the month of flying becomes the winner for the year. The Chula team accumulates points for each Pakpao it catches and dominates, and vice versa. It’s unique in that the male kite teams are competing against other male teams, not against their female opponents. At the end of the month when the points are tallied, there will be one champion Chula team and one champion Pakpao team.

The fighting starts at 4 because like clockwork a steady monsoon trade wind from the south called the lam wao (kite wind) builds up and gently sweeps over the field, guaranteeing optimum flying conditions. The breeze continues steadily until dark, dropping right on schedule at 7. With that, the teams pack up and go home——to savor victories and mull defeats, to repair damaged kites, and to plot strategy for the next day’s competitions.

PDF Link: Journal Issue