Super cool Thai boxing!

Super cool Thai boxing!

Tourist: What's happening there? Why are there a lot of people?

Guide: It’s the national boxing stadium.

Tourist: Is it difficult to play?

Guide: It’s not difficult. What you need are stamina and constant practice. Thai boxing is considered as a very ancient Thai martial art.

Tourist: I wonder how they play it.

Guide: Well, if you want to play it, you can go to the boxing club. But today I will take you to watch it.

Tourist: How do I prepare myself?

Guide: You don’t need to prepare anything. I’ll take you there at 2 pm.

At boxing stadium

Guide: The match starts with a combination of shadow-boxing and dancing. The boxers pay respect to their teacher this way. (It’s a ceremonial salute to their teacher.)

Tourist: It’s unique and beautiful.

Guide: You know. Thai people take it very seriously about the gratitude. They believe that it will bring bad luck if they don’t express their gratitude. In addition, it’s a demonstration of technique which serves very well to threaten the opponent and it’s a warm-up for protection against serious injury and triumph over his opponent.

Tourist: Well. It’s similar to wrestling. Wrestlers need to shout out loud, bluff each other and show their biceps to threaten the opponent. How is the game played?

Guide: Boxers can kick, punch, and shove. Boxers can’t bite, spit or wrestle. (Biting, spitting or wrestling are forbidden.) They use bare feet, legs, knees, elbows, shoulders and fists.

Tourist: It look more cruel than western boxing.

Guide: Of course. But it’s fatal if you don’t practice well enough and you have to be focused.

Tourist: How can the boxer win the match?

Guide: They can do whatever they can to floor the opponent and the referee counts until ten. If the opponent can’t get up, it mean that opponent lose the match.

Tourist: Wow! It must be a very exciting fight because they can use almost every part of the body.

Guide: Certainly, it’s very thrilling. People with heart attack are not recommended.

Tourist: What is the fatal tactic they use in defeating the opponent?

Guide: A vicious kick in the throat, an elbow smash to the eyes, a knee into a stomach or a whiplash kick in the groin can immediately floor the opponent. This way can end the action in a bloody knockout.

Tourist: It’s very frightening.

Guide: If you flirt Thai girls, you’d better ask if she can box or you will end up the same way.