Year of the Rabbit 2011

Posted on January 5, 2011 by Mike

This year, 2011,  in the Chinese zodiac will be the “Year of the Rabbit,” which for some reason got me wondering why rabbits are so popular in Thailand?  For example whenever you go to a local fair you will always find a cage full of them for sale and I have also seen them at pet markets in Bangkok and even street stalls.

Now it could be that Thais raise them to eat, but I am not so sure about this since as far as I am aware I have never seen rabbit on the menu at a restaurant or rabbit meat for sale in the market or food store.

Lucky white rabbit in Thailand

Lucky White Rabbit

Now I have met people with the Thai nickname “Kratai” which is the Thai word for rabbit and Doy even plays a game with her friends called “Kratai Kha Diew,” which is a Thai version of tag where “the rabbits,” hop on one leg to catch other people who when caught are also rabbits. I have even stayed at a hotel with the name Rabbit Hotel, which was very appropriate as it transpired for some guests but had nothing to do with keeping four legged pets.

All of which still leaves me wondering what happens to the thousands of “pet” rabbits sold each year in Thailand.

Now I do have a bit of experience of keeping a pet rabbit myself, since we once owned one that my Thai partner bought on a whim at the local fair. “Lucky” had a short but happy life with us till he tried to play his version of “Kratai Kha Diew,” with one of my neighbours dogs and ended up on the menu.

So I do know how at least one pet rabbit met his demise in Thailand and reading some of the local blogs I also know stories about other similar rabbits, but it still doesn’t answer my question about why rabbits are so popular here.  I wonder do you know the answer?

By the way anyone who is born in the Chinese zodiac “Year of the Rabbit” is said to be:

… articulate, talented, and ambitious. They are virtuous, reserved, and have excellent taste. Rabbit people are admired, trusted, and are often financially lucky.

They are fond of gossip but are tactful and generally kind. Rabbit people seldom lose their temper. They are clever at business and being conscientious, never back out of a contract.

They would make good gamblers for they have the uncanny gift of choosing the right thing. However, they seldom gamble, as they are conservative and wise. They are most compatible with those born in the years of the Sheep, Pig, and Dog.

Unfortunately I was born in the Year of the Dog ;-)

Resources: Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco

Related posts:

  1. Thai New Year 2011
  2. Happy New Year in Thai
  3. Thai Drivers Licence-Five Year
  4. Thai New Year Songkran Festival
  5. Thailand Trivia Photo Quiz-April 2011
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  • http://www.danploy.com/diary.htm DanPloy

    Was the Rabbit Hotel a love hotel by any chance?

    • http://www.thailand-blogs.com Mike

      Yes it was dan, before I knew about such places.

  • http://thaiconnoisseur.blogspot.com Peter_M

    Brunty, over at Issan Style blog, has kept various rabbits in Issan over the years with varying degrees of success. I have always thought life as a Thai rabbit must be fairly perilous with the abundance of stray dogs and snakes. I cannot offer any insight into their popularity in Thailand. Incidentally I was born in the year of the Rabbit and can say with some certainty many of the attributes described above describe me well (definitely not ‘virtuous’ though!)

    • http://www.thailand-blogs.com Mike

      Peter yes I was thinking of Brunty with my comment regarding other Thai bloggers. I also know that Martyn from BTMJ had one or at least his other half did.

      Glad to hear you live up too your Chinese birth sign ;-)

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  • Martyn

    Mike my apologies, my credit ran out on my mobile.

    I would go out and get some more but there’s more snakes about than bunnies in these parts.

    Why do Thais like rabbits so much….well they’re cute , fluffy and cuddly. Unfortunately there is also the ‘Dogs aren’t just for Christmas’ element attached to it. A western affliction but one which I think is also very applicable to Thailand. When money is tight, family comes before Bugs everytime. I don’t think they eat them, just either pass them on (dressed up as jai dee) or lack of care naturally kills them off.

    I’d rather be a UK bunny than a Thai one. There’s one hell of a lot more Easter eggs in England.

    • http://www.thailand-blogs.com Mike

      Hi Martyn nice to chat last night. I think you are right about rabbits/dogs theory however it still doesn’t really explain why they are so popular given that most rabbits I have seen here are of the long haired variety and not really suited to the climate.

      As an aside have you ever seen a wild rabbit here?

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