Sunday, August 23, 2009

Thai Boxing Matches and Tourists

Thailand is known as the land of smiles, but it also has a rougher side. The country is well known for its own form of combat called Thai boxing.

If you vacation in the country, you will inevitably run across a Thai boxing match. It is a fierce form of fighting where the elbows and knees can be used to do some serious damage to the opponent. It is vicious and incredibly exciting to watch as well. The Thais love it and it definitely qualifies as the national sport.

On your vacation, you'll find Thai boxing going on in the strangest of places. Right in the middle of a bunch of bars and restaurants, there will often be an open area with a ring set up. You can just plop down at a table, order an adult beverage or two and watch the matches.

Sadly, you are not watching Thai boxing. You are watching entertainment. The fights are put on to get you to buy beers. This doesn't make them any less exciting, but keep in mind they are fake. If you want to bet your buddies on the outcome, I can suggest an easy way to win a few free beers. The rule of each match is simple. One competitor will nearly get knocked out. He will then make a stunning comeback and wipe the other guy out. You can set your watch by it.

To find real Thai boxing matches, you need to ask around. They are occurring in just about every town. That being said, they are not in tourist areas. Instead, they are usually buried down some side road, so grab a local taxi and get a ride to one. You'll be expected to pay at the door and the fight will not be tourist friendly. By this, I mean nobody will announce anything in English. As a result, taking a friend a Thai who speaks your language along can be a good move.

Sporting events are often a good location to see the real personality of a country. Thailand is known as the land of smiles, but there is a definite dark side. If you think everyone lives a peaceful Buddhist existence, you are going to be in for a shock at one of these matches. The Thais are no different than anyone else. They'll be up and screaming the entire match!

Thailand has a smooth running tourist industry. If you want to see a bit more of the real Thailand, make sure to check out a real Thai boxing match. You'll love it.



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