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

Boontham Himsakun and Vinai Phomitong have been flying kites together for 40 years and constitute the best kite competitition team in Bangkok today.

A superb flier and Thailand’s master kite craftsman, Boontham, 62, is now pretty much restricted to building and repairing the Chula kites his team flies, because of a heart ailment. Vinai, 70, and his partner for a half century, now does the flying, backed up by a team of 30 people, including two of his sons. One, Siriwat, a lawyer, “never takes a case after 3 p.m. so he can fly,” says expatriate Ron Spaulding, a close observer of the Thai kite.scene.

In the tradition of their forebears, both Thais have always made and flown only the male Chula, a seven-foot bamboo and paper creation with five points, roughly resembling the human body. Creating a bamboo and paper Chula that has perfect balance takes great skill. Even the line is handmade of the bark of the mulberry bush. Such line is extremely tough and has no stretch, and thus creates an instant response, vital in a fast moving kite competition like this.

PDF Link: Journal Issue