One of the most looked forward to festivals of the year, the Koh Phangan Rowing Festival is held annually along Thong Sala's beach shoreline, in the tenth month of the Thai calendar year.
Rowing Races and and Muay Talay 'Sea Boxing' contests take place over three days, and Thong Sala is transformed into a fayre town with a stage, a fun fair on the pier, and market stalls lining the streets - creating a party atmosphere all week long!
The local Thais have always told us it was their favourite festival, and with all the fun-filled activities, the merriment, and the food, drink and whiskey on offer, we were beginning to see why...
ALL THE FUN OF THE FAIR!
In the last week teams of rowers in their traditional wooden boats had been seen practising their rowing skills from beaches all around the island.
We'd watched the motley rabble of the Haad Rin team going out every sunset, coming home in tune to the coach's whistle and looking good! This was obviously serious business!
These rowing teams now congregated on Thong Sala beach in front of the park, opposite the Canteen.
Koh Phangan villagers filled the lines of canopies for the next three days; all camps pitted against each other in good natured rivalry.
On the first day we watched the serene sight of the elder village women circling the bay to their gentle paddling rhythm, as monks came down to the waters edge to bless the proceedings - a sight as old as the festival itself. Thong Sala residents commented how they'd awoken to the 7am chanting monks, a pleasant awakening to the raucous 3 day festival coming!
Temple barges decorated with nagas, garudas and prayer flags floated around a central Muay Talay pole, like something out of It's A Knockout! Sound systems blared from each camp as the teams gathered, with the Koh Phangan matriarchs leading the tribal chants in each camp from song sheets - archaic Thai sea shanties! Another contest within a contest, as it would turn out...
And then to the 'Kaeng Bpai' - the rowing races!
Two rowing boats competed against each other at a time: whoever rowed the fastest and grabbed the red or blue flag first at the finish won their heat. Lines of boys sitting on the fighting pole watched the fun as the commentators got excited, "Bpai! Bpai!", their cry, "Row! Row!"
We watched Haad Rin juniors get off to a slow start and by the finish they were 'steering for Samui' to great delight from the home crowd; well, you might as well make fun of yourself, Thai style, before everyone else does!
After a few heats of rowing it was time for some Muay Talay… Sea Boxing!!
The opponents from each village donned the red or blue boxing gloves, scrambled onto the fighting pole, then wrapped their legs around the pole, and each other, as they tried to box each other off… first one into the water loses, best of three rounds. Greeted by hilarious laughter from the spectators on the shore, it was all about giving it your all and having fun!
By the third day the party atmosphere was in full swing. The shore line was crowded with the Koh Phangan community in festive mood, and we arrived just in time for the rowing final at the end of the three days of heats! Chai Bike Shop Bantai against Hi Life bungalows.
It was high excitement as the two teams went neck-a-neck to the finishing line to whoops, cries, cheers and screams! Chai Bike Shop BanTai grabbed their red flag a second before Hi Life lunged for their blue flag... and the Chai Bike Shop team are the Champions and Heroes of the Festival!
Later, after the award ceremony on the stage, the Haad Rin girls were swooning over a handsome Chai Bike Shop Champion holding his trophy, having their photo taken with him to girlish giggles. Meanwhile the Haad Rin Matriarch Sirens were holding a trophy themselves… for third place in the singing contest!! As soon as the award ceremony was over the music started blaring out, and everyone headed to the stage with hands in the air for some dancing!
Party time Thai style!
By Mia Escobud
With huge thanks to Felix James for the use of photography!
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