At the age of 62, I have experienced a 1st. I went to a horse track in Bangkok, just like the ones I saw in the movies in the 1960s. 1000s of people were there, from the HiSo crowd to the LoSo section I was in. I bet B200 or $6.23 and won 0. Horse racing is all about the #s.
Horse racing was introduced to Thailand in 1897 and betting on horse races remains highly popular. Today, there are 7 race tracks throughout Thailand. In addition to the 2 in Bangkok, there is horse racing in 5 other provinces, Nakhon Ratchasima, Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, Roi Et and Chiang Mai.
The latest count in Thailand showed there were 970 horses in training. There are 300 trainers and 350 jockeys. The number of owners is 214. There are 19 stud farms in Thailand with 48 stallions registered. There are 1100 mares with around 140 thoroughbred births each year.
Today's race was 1200 meters or 6 furlongs. Choose the horse # and head to betting window. A Trifecta pays the most. Some people will only bet 50 Baht while others might gamble with 1000s of dollars. One that 1 day, I saw 3 winners and 100s of losers.
And they're off and running…
This is my B50 betting ticket. My horse lost. A buck and a 1/2 gone.
Some people bet a considerable amount of money. B100,000 is $3116.
Most of the crowd consisted of men.
However, there were a few ladies enjoying the racing.
And we have a winner!
A person called the runner is taking the jockey
and his horse out for the start of the race.
Headed down the home stretch.
The punters are keeping a close eye on the action.
A few gamblers will pay B1000 or $31 to
view the horse race from the upper levels.
Inside the middle of the horse track is an 18-hole golf course and the RBSC Pavilion for members only. This exclusive club is highly selective of its members. It might take a person 10 years on the waiting list plus a membership fee of B2 million or $65,000 to join.
Watching the action on the big screen TV.
