Fishing makes friends

Game fishing competition in the Deep South attracts teams from Singapore and Malaysia.

Sports events are few and far between in April, possibly due to soaring summer temperatures. Schools are on holiday to give children a break from the heat, while Thailand’s most important festival, Songkran, the celebration of the traditional New Year, has a practical application too. It’s the one time in the year when it’s cool to throw a bucket of water over your neighbour.

Both local and foreign anglers, many from neighbouring countries, meet in Pattani province and make friends at one of the oldest sports fishing events in the country, the 22nd Sai Buri Fishing Competition.

Pattani hosts this event, 24 to 26 April, at Wa Sukri Beach, 50 km from Pattani town. Talubun Municipality, in Sai Buri district, organises the annual event that features both on-shore fishing competitions for individuals and off-shore contests for teams with a maximum of three members per boat.

The on-shore contests require competitors to cast their reels to catch fish that dwell close to shore, or take shelter under rocky outcrops. In the off-shore team events, anglers travel some distance by boat to snarl game fish as large and marlin and tuna.

Depending on the swing of the monsoon season, the event has been held annually for 21 years, either in late April, or early May. Last year, it was held early May and welcomed 157 people for the on-shore competition and 38 teams for the off-shore boat game fishing competitions. Most of the participants at this competition are Thais, but there is also a strong representation in the team events from neighbouring countries such as Malaysia and Singapore.