Nearly 3,000 athletes from the southern province of Soc Trang and a number of neighbouring provinces have registered for the Ngo boat race taking place on November 5-6 alongside the 2014 Mekong Delta Economic Cooperation Forum.

The race brings together 40 men’s teams and 12 women’s teams to row 1,200m and 1,000m, respectively.

Several events will be held on the sidelines of the forum to promote the culture of the local Khmer ethnic group, including flower offering and moon worshipping festivals, with the participation of thousands of Buddhist monks and local Khmer residents.

Soc Trang is home to the most Ngo boats in the Mekong Delta, with nearly 100 boats kept at 90 Khmer pagodas. Ngo boat race is one of the main activities in the Khmer’s Ooc Om Bok festival to worship the Moon God and pray for good harvest.-VNA