As I have written several times in this column, the breed that enthusiasts are most excited about in Thailand, the home of betta fish, is the shortfin type betta called plakat. This is clear from the betta fish contests held in Thailand, where more than half of the fish on display are placats.
Also, 80% of the betta fish specialty stores in Chatuchak mainly sell plastic cuts.
When I asked about its popularity in the Japanese betta market, it was overwhelmingly like Half Moon, but I guess this is a national trait. Breeds such as Half Moon, Crown Tail, and Churn have become popular over the past 20 years or so in terms of the history of improved betta fish.

When I first started going to Thailand about 30 years ago, the only betta fish I could think of were the fighting fish plakat and the veil tail, which is called pakat chin in Thai. Pakat means betta in Thai, and Chin is Chinese, meaning betta in China. This veil-tailed betta is a breed that originated in China, so it seems to be called that.
This is a story worth examining in many ways, so I'll introduce it here if I have another chance.

This veil-tailed betta, which is still called Pakat Ching in Thailand, is sometimes called Traditional Betta in Japan to distinguish it from other breeds, but this name is not used at all in Thailand. Red and blue solid-colored individuals have long been popular as veiltail betta fish, and many fish have been bred at farms in Thailand and exported around the world.
It is the most affordable betta fish and is considered an entry-level species, and is often sold in small containers at affordable prices in Japanese shops. As you can see, the Veiltail is often seen as a much inferior type of betta, and it can be said that it is a breed that has been treated unfortunately.
However, this is partly because the ornamental fish market seeks cheap fish, and its true appeal has not been communicated.

Just as today's plastic cuts have grades based on quality, size, etc., there have been grades for veil tails for a long time, but Japanese importers do not purchase high quality and expensive veil tails and bettas. Therefore, it was never introduced to the market.
Unfortunately, Veiltail tends to be viewed as an inferior breed of Betta, but in recent years its appeal has been reconfirmed and its popularity has increased. One of the reasons for this is probably the introduction of the veiled tail, which has become popular a few years ago and wears the colors of the Japanese carp betta.
With the appearance of these brightly colored carp bettas and candy veiltails, the appeal of veiltails has been reconfirmed all at once.

The Veil Tail, which has appeared in recent years, is extremely beautiful not only in its body color, but also in the elongation and form of each fin. High-quality specimens now cost more than expensive plastic cuts, but they are still accepted by enthusiasts.
The veil tail of the carp betta was introduced in the 39th installment of this column, but the individuals that were on the market in 2023 have been refined and the quality has improved, so I would like to introduce it again.

This veil-tailed carp betta is produced by a breeder in Chatuchak who specializes in selling veil-tails such as Kandy's veil-tail. The veil tails he creates are not only beautiful in color, but the fins are beautifully elongated without any strange curls or clutter.
Betta enthusiasts also seem to understand the appeal of the veil tails that he breeds, and they are so popular that they have to go and select them as soon as the store opens to select a good one. 90% of the veiltails I have photographed over the past two years are his fish.

I'm interested in how breeding is done, so I'd like to take a tour of the farm, but due to timing, that wish hasn't come true yet. Of course, when I am able to visit, I would like to introduce it in this column. For now, I would like you to enjoy the appearance of this beautiful Koi betta/veil tail.