A new statue depicting a man fighting a shark has been installed near the Chao Mae Tubtim Shrine, close to the Hilton Hotel, bringing back a historic local sculpture that had long been a feature of the town.
On 5 February 2025, Hua Hin Mayor Nopporn Wutthikul, along with Boonkerd Atthanisakorn, Chairman of the Sawang Hua Hin Thammasathan Foundation, municipal council members, the director of the engineering office, and other officials, visited the newly installed ‘Shark Fighter’ statue. Standing approximately 1.90 metres tall, the statue is a replica of an original sculpture that had been a local landmark for nearly 70 years before deteriorating and being removed.
The statue has now been reconstructed and placed on the rocky shoreline near the Chao Mae Tubtim Shrine at the entrance to Hua Hin Beach, creating a new focal point for residents and visitors. The installation has already drawn interest from tourists, many of whom have stopped to take photos and learn more about the statue’s history.
The Hua Hin Municipality has also announced plans to improve the surrounding area, aiming to make the space more inviting for visitors while preserving the coastal setting.
A return to its original location
Boonkerd Atthanisakorn explained that the original ‘Shark Fighter’ statue had stood for decades at the shrine’s rocky shoreline before it fell into disrepair and was removed. For a time, a statue of Pone Kingpetch, Thailand’s first world boxing champion, was placed in the same location, but it was later relocated to Pone Kingpetch Public Park.
Efforts to reinstate the ‘Shark Fighter’ statue were discussed over several years, but financial constraints prevented the municipality from funding the project. To make the restoration possible, Boonkerd raised approximately 359,000 baht through donations from the shrine’s committee and merit-making events, contributing some of his own funds as well. A sculptor from Korat was commissioned to create the new statue using cement reinforced with resin and plastic to ensure durability against the salty coastal environment. Unlike the original, no metal reinforcement was used to prevent corrosion and structural issues.
Now fully completed, the statue has been restored to its original site, offering a new landmark for visitors to Hua Hin Beach and an opportunity for tourists to capture photos with a piece of local history.
The origins of the ‘shark fighting man’
The original statue dates back to 1961 and was the vision of then-Mayor Wiboon Wongsuwat, who sought to create a distinctive landmark for Hua Hin. While the statue does not hold specific historical or cultural significance, it became a recognisable feature of the town. It was initially installed near the Clock Tower and Hua Hin Temple before being moved to the shrine, where it eventually fell into disrepair.
In recent years, another privately funded statue inspired by the ‘Shark Fighter’ was erected on Soi 94, reflecting continued local interest in the sculpture’s legacy.
With its return to a prominent location, officials hope the ‘Shark Fighting Man’ statue will once again become a symbol of Hua Hin’s unique character and serve as a new attraction for visitors to the area.
