Bullfighting reigns supreme in Songkhla

Published on 17 Mar 2017 5:52:39 PM

Bullfighting is traditionally associated with Spain but the sport has become popular among locals and tourists in southern Thailand.
It is said that bull owners can raise the value of their bulls by the hundreds of millions of baht by letting them participate in bullfighting competitions.
There is a total of 28 bullrings across Thailand, most of which are in the southern part of the country.
Songkhla has 12 bullrings- the highest in the country.
According to one bull owner who attended a bullfighting competition in Songkhla, training a bull is like an art, much like training a professional boxer.
He said the process starts from selecting the right kind of bull, adding that it is also important to check whether its parents were involved with bullfighting competitions.
Special treatment is given to bulls who have won championship titles.
These include a morning exercise at 5am, a bath twice a day, being fed fresh grass and supplements and sleeping under mosquito nets to prevent insect bites.
The sport continues to be popular in southern Thailand as the local men regard it as a macho sport.