For Thais, kite flying is an ancient sport with it own rules and regulations and heritage involving everyone from king to commoner. Kite flying as a sport has been popular since the Sukhothai period in the thirteenth century some 700 years ago
Pukpao kite
Chula kite
Every summer between March and April, when the southwest monsoon wind sweeps across Bangkok, people flock to the Phramance Ground to enjoy the fun of kite flying. Thais make and fly kites in all sizes and forms; serpents, owls, faces, cartoon characters, and many more. However, the annual contest is between pakpao, the female kite and chula, the male kite. Pakpao is a diamond-shaped kite with a long tail. Its weapon is a long loop hanging from its flying string with which it tries to snare its opponent. Chula is a five-star shaped kite whose weapon consists of three to five champa or bamboo hooks space along the flying string. The object of the game is for chula to snap at pakpao and draw her back across the line into male territory,or for the agile smaller pakpao to throw her loop or her tail around chula and to drag him down on her side
