Chiang Mai (Northern Thailand) Tourist Guide


	S.P. Publishing Group Co., Ltd. 11/1 Soi 3 Bamrungburi Rd., T. Prasingh, A. Muang., Chiang Mai 50200 Tel. 053 - 814 455-6 Fax. 053 - 814 457 E-mail: guidelin@loxinfo.co.th

OF KITES AND KINGS -
- AND LOTS OF OTHER THINGS TOO

Text : Terryl
Photos: Mario & Karin

Ready to launch

Most of the inventions of old were never the brainchild of a particular individual. At least there has never been any evidence as such. Can you name the homo erectus who first learned to make fire? The fantastic Thai nam prik or chili paste is another yummy result of hundreds of years of trial and error by a collective group of people. These amazing inventions were actually made because human kind have their - as Hercule Poirot would put it - little grey cells in the head which can learn to cope with their immediate surroundings.

However, amongst the longest-lasting inventions, the kite is arguably one of the more remarkable additions to our heritage. With the oldest record of its existence in China proving that the kite has survived for more than 2,800 years, it has successfully crossed all geographical boundaries to impress us humans of all varieties.
According to Wikipedia, kite author Clive Hart and kite expert Tal Streeter claim that the first kite might even have long predated that, and might well have been employed for military or communication purposes. (One of the later purposes is weather prediction.)

But granted its practical employment, there can be no question that one reason for flying kites is that the practice is FUN! Which is the aspect that's going to be the main theme of this article.

Where the Thai peoples' enjoyment of kite-flying is concerned, one shouldn't overlook the connection with the monarchy. In early historic Thailand, the famous King Phra Ruang of the Sukhothai kingdom (r.1238 - 1279) was said to have been immensely fond of flying kites. A legend has it that one day his kite got loose and became lodged in someone's roof. So the king went out at night in the guise of an ordinary man to try to recover it and wound up - so the legend says - not only recovering the kite but winning the daughter of that house. Subsequently, during the Ayudhaya period, Monsieur de la Loubere, the French envoy to Siam from 1687 to 1688, wrote that,"The Siamese King's kite stayed airborne every night throughout the two months of winter. A number of courtiers were assigned to keep holding the tether."

Waiting for the wind!

Although a royal passion does not necessarily represent that of the nation, in the case of the kite, they were - and are - identical. Other records of the time note that kite-flying was so popular that the people did it around the palace. This was definitely not in accordance with custom, since kings and others of high rank could not be shown disrespect by having things above their heads. As a result, a law banning flying kites near and above the palace was enacted. Nevertheless, recognising his subjects fervour in this respect and accepting that no disrespect was intended, King Rama IV (1851 - 1868), allowed the people to fly their kites in Sanam Luang (literally, 'the Royal Field'), which is a large open space to one side of the Royal Palace in Bangkok. He even personally presided over a royally-promoted kite-fighting competition there. In effect, this canceled out the previous law from the Ayudhaya period, and Sanam Luang became perhaps the largest ground on earth above which all kinds of kites congregate in the sky. It was in this period that the craze for kite-flying reached its peak.

After the passing of King Rama IV, the fighting kite came and went as the mood took people, with particularly fervid periods occurring during the reign of King Rama VI about six decades later, and after WWII.

In modern Thailand, the present King Bhumibhol has enjoyed other sports, sailing in particular, in which he represented his kingdom in international events. As a result, kite flying has benefited from other sources of encouragement. On April 3 1983, Princess Sirindhorn became the patron of a kite event, jointly arranged by several concerned organizations. The next year, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration embraced the idea and started its own initiative at Sanam Luang. Six years later, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) organized an All-Thailand International Kite Festival for the first time. This event has continued down to the present time, with TAT-sponsored events held in various locations. This year, Bangkok organized a successful event on 11 - 12^th of last month, while the Tourism Authority sponsored another from 8 - 9 March in Petchaburi province.

At both competitions, amongst the various colourful aerial events including stunt kiting and exhibitions of an array of fantastic kites from around the world, the highlights were the fights between chula and pakpao kites. The chula kite is often regarded as a male kite for its masculine 5-point star-like shape, while the latter is the queen of kites with a diamond shape and long tail. The goal of the game is, reflecting the male-dominant world we live in, for one team to control the swirling chula kite so that one of its point can hook one cord (or ideally three) of its opponent and drag the pakpao down to their side of field. On the other side, the pakpao team must use its 'arms' on both sides to do likewise.

Tethered but ready to fly

Although the rules are designed to disallow dirty tricks, the most notorious trick known to all kite-lovers is to smash glass to make minute sharp particles and glue them to the operative parts of the kite. And in the frenzy of the game, once a kite is down, usually in the opponent's field, in the heat of the action, the winners may be tempted to run to the fallen kite and destroy it - though this too is against the rules.

But besides the excitement of the fighting events, there is also the interest in the innovative and imaginative skill with which different kites are assembled. At present, given the advances of technology and the influence of the cinema, the kites you see in the market are often fashioned to resemble Hollywood heroes, villains and heroines, and you can also - as I have - come across images of Darth Vader, Spider-man and even the lovely Nemo fish these days.

We've reached the stage where you can be sure that if a person or thing gets into the papers, look up into the sky, and there among the myriad kites crossing and swooping in the summer breezes, you may well see it.

Clearly, where kite-flying is concerned, the sky is not the limit.