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Thailand Kitefliers Association
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Chula vs Pakpao
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The big annual competition between the Chulas and Pakpaos
is what traditional Thai kite flying is all about.
In the past contests spanned a two month period during
which games were held every afternoon during March and April
when the warm southern trade winds are at their best.
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Suitors in the sky
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Sex rears its head in the competition because the combatants are the ?male? Chula kites and the ?female? Pakpao kites.
The Chula is a sturdy 8.1/2 foot tall kite whose bamboo frame has been seasoned for months. Shaped like a five-pointed star, the big kite has three sets of bamboo barbs attached to its string for snagging a female.
A Chula team consists of at least 10 men or boys.
The Pakpao, like the female it represents, is deceptively fragile, diamond-shaped and only 35 inches from stem to stern. Its defences are a marvellous manoeuverability plus a loop of string hanging beneath its? flying line and a long tail with of string hanging
of string hanging beneath its? flying line and a long tail with which it attempts to snare and strangle its opponent. The flirty little Pakpao with an expert at the end of its string can dart in on its cumbersome enemy with deadly accuracy.
In formal fighting such as that seen during the annual tournament, the ground is div p (a 12 meter length of string slung below the flying line) or her tail, around the male and drag him down on her side. There are two objectives in this ?male against female?
sport; male kites competing for the most female kites snagged; and female kites competing for the greatest number of male kites brought down.
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Pakpao Kite
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Chula Kite
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Thai kiteflier
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A male kite venturing out into Pakpao territory is any female?s game and vices versa. Sometimes the male is the aggressor, choosing from the pool of flirting wallflowers the Pakpao he thinks he can bring home, like choosing an unknown partner at a dance,
and often with as calamitous a result. At other times, a Pakpao may find herself in a position for a Leap Year approach and will swoop down and lasso an unsuspecting male.
No male dies without a struggle, nor does any female, but the wails of anguish are greatest at the Chula end of the field when one of its members is in jeopardy. Thus, for the spectator, the best position for viewing a competition is a close as safety and the
and the officials will permit to a Chula team.
The team members work under the directions of a captain who indicates his will by
blowing a whistle. The Chula captain takes over at critical moments during a catch, with the team standing by, slack end of rope in hand, waiting for the moment when the bamboo barbs take hold. When a catch is made a specially-designed brass pulley
is snapped over the flying line and, to the rhythm of his whistle, the Chula is raced home with its prey.
When a Pakpao succeeds in throwing her loop around a Chula, or when, as often happens, the agile little creative takes the wind out of the Chula?s big sails by laying herself flat against his surface and causing him to loose his balance, the Chula captain immediately sounds the alarm. His whistle shrills faster and faster, driving his team to pull harder and race each other out and back on the rope for the final desperate and
heroic effort to keep their ensnarled warrior in the air and bring it back to the safety of its own territory.
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WEAPONS OF THE KITES
Chula kite: its weapon called ?Champa? is stuck on its string. This its used to hook the Pakpao?s cord to bring it down.
Pakpao kite: its two-stringed noose is an efficient weapon to capture the Chula kite to loose its balance and plunge down.
The cord which is used for the control of the kite is ?Pan?. It gives an immediate affect to the kite when the flier just tugs it, unlike the nylon in which will be elastic and slow to jerk the kite. The process to make good and easily float in a tender wind.
Therefore, in any kite flying, fliers will get three kinds of kite ready for use in line with the strength of the wind. The number of kites brought to the contest is unlimited.
Spare kites and cords are necessary to replace the one that may be broken or flown away during the contest.
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Kite flying is a Thai heritage that is to be proud of.
Fliers need a high sporting spirit to execute the battle.
Rules and regulations of this traditional game have to be abided by.
If these things are taken care of, it will be ensured that
we tender a great gesture and respect to the Thai ancestors.
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