A unique local tradition is underway in Ban Lat District, where the annual Ox Cart Racing Festival and 108th Anniversary of Ban Lat officially began on 28 May at the Ban Pong Salot Community Enterprise Centre.
The event, held with the support of Phetchaburi provincial authorities and Ban Lat District, celebrates a cultural practice found nowhere else in the world. Attendees at the opening ceremony included Deputy Governors Wanpen Mangsi, Phakaphat Songwatthanayut, and Chaipon Phutonglom, as well as Chaiya Angkinan, President of the Phetchaburi Provincial Administrative Organisation, and Ban Lat District Chief Preecha Ananworanan.
The five-day festival, which runs until 1 June, features a wide range of competitions and cultural activities, including speed and decorative ox cart racing, ox sprinting contests, and barehanded ox wrestling. Additional events include traditional games such as pig catching, toddy palm fruit eating, and chopping contests. There is also a palm fruit bunch beauty competition.
Cultural showcases offer visitors a glimpse into the way of life in Ban Lat, with exhibitions, a food and product fair, and live demonstrations of local craftsmanship and traditions. Notable highlights include performances of the Thai Song Dam dance, a local ethnic tradition, and an exhibition dedicated to the history and heritage of ox cart culture.
Evening entertainment is scheduled throughout the event, with live music, retro dance performances, and traditional Thai dance shows. A commemorative souvenir T-shirt featuring the festival’s ox cart design is available for purchase from the Ban Lat District Office.
The festival aims to preserve a long-standing local tradition that highlights the relationship between humans and animals in rural Thai life. Phetchaburi officials say the event is an important part of passing on cultural knowledge to younger generations and promoting community tourism.
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Event Schedule
28 May – from 1:30 p.m.
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Speed ox cart racing
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Track events
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7:00 p.m.: Opening ceremony
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From 8:30 p.m.:
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Live music by Champagne Phetchaburi
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Cultural performances
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Local food and craft market
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Ox cart heritage and lifestyle exhibitions
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29 May – from 4:30 p.m.
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Ox cart races
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Toddy palm contests and fruit bunch competition
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7:00 p.m.: Cultural performance by Thai Song Dam ethnic group
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From 8:30 p.m.:
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Live music by Daed Deaw Phetchaburi
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Traditional Thai dances
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Food stalls, exhibitions, and bull-related sports
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30 May – from 6:00 p.m.
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Ox cart races
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7:00 p.m.: Barehanded ox wrestling and performance by the Elderly Club of Ban Lat
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From 8:30 p.m.:
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Live music by Reindeer Phetchaburi
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Thai dance shows and exhibitions
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31 May – from 6:00 p.m.
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Ox cart races
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7:00 p.m.: Pig catching contest and performance by the To Be Number One Club
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From 8:30 p.m.:
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Live music by Mittrapap
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Traditional performances and exhibitions
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1 June – from 5:00 p.m.
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Final ox cart races
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7:00 p.m.: Awards ceremony and student performance by Ban Lat Wittaya School
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From 8:00 p.m.:
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Thai dance shows
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Food and product fair
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Final exhibitions and competitions
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