Bang Saray fishing contest rewards quantity, not size

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Samrueng Nilyaem caught 40 Thai whiting fish to win the first prize of 5000 baht.

Anglers tried their luck to reel in a Thai species of smelt-whiting at a weekend fishing competition in Bang Saray.

Subdistrict tourism chief Waleephon Inanong opened the May 1 contest on Bang Saray Beach with fishermen and women from across the East competing.

Quantity, not size, was the goal of the competition, as the Thai whiting is not a large fish. The Thai whiting ranges from the west coast of India to the Gulf of Thailand, inhabiting silty substrates in shallow waters. First identified in 1977 from a specimen found in a fish market, the species has had little research performed on its biology and is frequently misidentified as other smelt-whiting species.



The contest ran from 9 a.m. until noon with contestants limited to one pole and two hooks. Samrueng Nilyaem, who netted 40 fish, won the 5,000-baht prize.

Size doesn’t matter as this fisherman proudly shows off his catch of a tiny Thai whiting.


Men, women and children competed in the Thai whiting fishing competition off the Bang Saray beach.

This young fisherman looks cool as he prepares his rod and reel in anticipation of catching many fish.



Competitors gather on Bang Saray Beach for a group photo.