If you’ve ever taken the BTS Skytrain on its downtown Silom line through Bangkok, you would have probably seen from high-above, through the tinted glass of the air-conditioned car of the train, the well-kept and sunny fields of the Royal Bangkok Sports Club, right there as you passed through Rachamandri BTS station. It you were riding to work on a weekday you wouldn’t have probably seen any players on their grounds but, at the weekend, you might have seen cricket players hitting a wicket in the smouldering Bangkok head and, surprisingly, a huge crowd in the stands.
Were they there for the cricket? Has cricket become that famous in Thailand? The answer is a simple “No.” The crowds were there for the horse races and the chance to place a bet. Yes, we do have horse races in Bangkok and yes, it is one of the very few places where you can legally bet in Thailand, the other options being muay thai fights and the Thai Lottery scheme. In both sports, the huge crowds that they attract are there mostly just for the opportunity to bet rather than to watch the races or the fights.
The history of the Royal Bangkok Sports Club (RBSC) goes back to the reign of King Rama V who, shortly after his return from a visit to Europe in 1897, provided the land the race track stands on today, an attempt to introduce and promote quality horse breeding and various field sports in Thailand.
But, getting to the correct entrance of the Royal Bangkok Sports Club can be a bit tricky as from Rachamandri BTS station, the stop that you would most likely get off at, is not the best place. Although Gate 9 is right in front of the station, it is reserved for members only. So, what you have to do is either walk around the sports club to the corner of Siam Paragon or take the BTS to Siam Station. From here, take Exit 6 and then walk the few meters to the intersection of Rama 1 Road and Henry Dunant Road.
You have to walk down this road for 700 m till you reach Gate 3 of Royal Bangkok Sports Club, located right across the street from Chulalongkorn University. If you’ve been in Thailand for too long and dread walking any kind of distance, then you can easily flag a motorbike taxi at the corner of Henry Dunant Road and tell him to take you to “sanam ma,” which literally translates as “the horse park.”
Initially, the name of the road itself was Thanon Sanam Ma but, in 1965, after the celebrations of the World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day (May 8), the road name was changed to the present Henry Dunant to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Also, it was a way to honour the memory of Henry Dunant (born on May 8, 1828), the Swiss businessman and social activist who founded the Red Cross.
If you’re there to gamble, then I suggest buying the day’s betting booklet which has the race program, the names of the horses, the stables they come from, the prizes for the winners, plus, most importantly, their standings, with the previous wins and loses. The English version of the booklet costs 100 baht while the Thai one is only 30 baht. It’s a fair price having in mind that someone had to translate everything in English and make sure the booklet was printed on time. If you’re just interested in watching the races, then you might want to purchase a CD with the recording of the previous week’s race, basically the only souvenir you can walk out with. It costs 100 baht.
The entry ticket is 100 baht for both Thais and foreigners alike. The moment you reach the ground floor of the stands you realize that this is not going to be a fancy experience, with ladies wearing their Sunday dresses and hats and with the men being the gallant gentlemen who accompany their beloved to an entertaining afternoon at the horse races.
As you walk up to the second or third levels, you pass through some really grimy areas where men place their bets and women have set up stalls to sell different snacks, fruit and refreshments. There’s even a canteen. But the real shock comes when you walk onto the terrace to watch the races and realize that there are no seats and that everyone is either standing or sitting on the concrete steps. The crowd around is pretty rough, consisting almost exclusively of middle-aged Thai men with a gambling problem who have to show up to the course if they want to bet, as betting can be done only on site.
Although owning and taking care of horses is an expensive business, you realize that la crème de la crème of Thai society won’t be joining you and you’ll just have to accept where you are and wait to the next race. Unfortunately, the stands at the Royal Bangkok Sports Club are maybe the only public place in Thailand where smoking is allowed and thus, you have to put up with cheap cigarettes smoke floating around you and with a ton of cigarette buts discarded on the floor.
But, the races themselves are well organized and the huge display broad in front of the stands tell you everything you need to know, from the time left until the next race to horse numbers, standings and dividends. Waiting time between races is about twenty minutes and, if you understand Thai, the live commentary can be of some help or can be really annoying, with the announcer mentioning the time every thirty seconds. While you’re waiting for the race to start, you can just admire the horses coming up in the next race, which are “paraded” in front of the stands. Also, there are plenty opportunities of buying fruit and drinks from hawkers who only add on to the rubbish piling up on the floor.
The race starts at the opposite end of the track and the prizes for the winning jockeys range between 130,000 and 70,000 baht. There are up to twenty horses participating in each race, with one participation per day from each horse. When the race starts you can barely see anything in the distance but, as the horses keep galloping on the grass-covered track, come around the bend and approach the finish line, strategically chosen to be right in front of the stands, the crowds becomes excited and everyone stands and cheers for their chosen bets. All the while, an ambulance and a support car drive on the inside of the track to offer assistance to both jockeys and horses in case of accidents.
The horses cover the 1200m-distance in less than a minute and if you have brought a pair of binoculars with you, you can at least enjoy half of that time following the advance of the horses to the finish line. Alternatively, you can also rent binoculars from the people selling the race booklets in front of the Sports Club.
Once the horses have crossed the finish line, all you have to do is wait for the display board to announce the winners and the dividends won. All around you people discuss the race, make reckless accusations of corruption and match fixing, grunt and grumble at this or that horse and jockey and either sigh in relief when the dividends show up on the board or swear vociferously at not having made enough or having bet on the losers.
There are ten races a day, usually two or three weekends every month. The course track opens at 12pm and stays open until 6pm. It is more than enough time to lose all your money or to make some extra cash from your lucky bets. In case you ran out of cash, two ATMs can help you support your gambling addiction. The minimum bet is 50 baht and there’s no limit to how much you can bet. According to the Asian Racing Federation, of which Thailand is a full member, the total yearly betting turnover at the horse races in Thailand is a staggering 70 million bath. If you win and trust your luck, there are quite a few Thai lottery tickets sellers who will entice you even more.
Being surrounded by a mass of concrete, the 3G connection is really bad in the stands area so you’ll have to wait until you’re out to update your Facebook status with some cool pictures from the races. If your passion is photography, then make sure you bring your zoom lenses as the horses are quite far off.
Watching the horse races at the Royal Bangkok Sports Club in Bangkok makes an interesting experience but, if you’re not a gambler, one visit to the track will be more than enough for your reaming time in Thailand. But, there are many other sports and activities they organize at the RBSP, so check their website for more details. Unfortunately, new membership is restricted to the Thai elite and is based on invitation only.
Alternatively, you can also watch horse racing in Bangkok at the Royal Turf Club (RTC) on Phitsanulok Road in the Dusit District. Actually, the races alternate each weekend between RBSP and RTC, but the Royal Turf Club has no website and the dates of races here can be found only in the Thai mass media. The Royal Turf Club was built in 1961. Entry fee is 50 baht.
The Royal Bangkok Sports Club has established collaborations with many international clubs and, locally, has partnered up with Gymkhana Club in Chiang Mai. Horse racing up north takes place at the Chiang Mai Army Race Track on Mae Rim Road, Saturday and Sunday in the afternoon. Also, every year, you can attend these three major horse racing cups: Chakri Cup (April), Queen’s Cup (August), and King’s Cup (December) -, which are held at various locations throughout the Kingdom of Thailand.
Follow this link to see the fixtures for the rest of the year 2013.
Photography by Regin Reyno
Initially published in Mango Metro (July 2013, Vol. 7, No.8)
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What dates are the races in October 2015 ?