From a rice field to a monster lake.
Buriram Monster Fishing Park is Win's second park — everything you fish today was learned, and earned, over more than a decade on the water. Here's how it happened, in his own words.
Where it all started — PP Fishing Park
Win's life on the water began about five years before this lake existed, with a pond called PP Fishing Park on the road into Buriram city — seventy rai of land, two fishing ponds and a little tackle shop. It was mostly local anglers, weekend competitions and the odd trophy.
"Every time I talk about PP Fishing Park, I smile — it was the first point that made us fishing-pond people."
A reason to build better
The land belonged to family, so there was no room to grow. And Win is honest about the rest: back then the fish care wasn't what it should have been, and the rules weren't strict — anglers would hoist fish for photos and the odd one got dropped. That stayed with him. If he ever built again, it would be with proper care for the fish, and proper rules.
Buying the land
So they saved, and bought their own plot — fifteen kilometres away, with space to build something that could actually grow. Win bought the land in May 2014. There was just one catch: the previous owner was still farming rice on it, so they waited for the harvest to come in that November.
Turning a paddy into a lake
When the backhoe finally rolled in, the old rice-field soil was still too wet to move. It wasn't until March 2015 that the real digging and earthmoving began — turning a waterlogged paddy, load by load, into the lake you fish today. That's Win in the thick of it, digger behind him — and the long hair is no accident.
Moving a whole park
Meanwhile the old park had to close. Through the final months they ran tournaments almost every week to fish the ponds down — in the last month, just one baht a rod, handing out tackle daily so anglers would come and help. Around 22 tons of fish went to market. But three to four tons of their favourites — and even the plants they loved — were carefully carried across to the new lake, day after day.
A quiet goodbye — and a vow
At the end of March 2015 they closed PP Fishing Park with a small banquet for their regulars. No big party — as Win put it, "tomorrow there is still work waiting for you." On the first morning of April, he made himself a promise: he would not cut his hair until the new park was a success. Then he got to work.
Buriram Monster Fishing Park opens
On 10 December 2015, the new park opened — built from the rice fields up, with everything he'd learned baked in: better fish care, proper rules, sheltered stations, and staff on hand to help you land and photograph every fish safely. Today anglers from over a hundred countries make the trip.
And the hair? Win kept his promise until the park found its feet — then, finally, he cut it. The lake you're looking at is what all that hard work built. Come and fish it.