Thais are very often and gladly engaged in sports. It is not only a balance to work, but also an opportunity to maintain social contacts and spend time with the family. Thai people love to challenge themselves in various disciplines: from Thai boxing (also known beyond the borders of the country), Thai soccer to golf or Makruk, the Thai version of chess.
Sport in Thailand is not only about the body, but also about the mind. So it is quite natural that sporting components are often part of religious ceremonies or festivals.
Exactly! Surfing in Thailand is not only a popular sport with tourists, but also Thais swing your butt on the board. Which is easy to imagine with the special landscape of Thailand.
WHICH SPORTS ARE POPULAR
Muay Thai – the martial art of the Thais
Muay Thai is better known in Europe as Thai boxing and is considered one of the most demanding, but also most brutal martial arts ever. However, the sport often had to fight with the prejudice to be a pure “hit-and-run sport” and to take place in backyards or dark dives. With the foundation of the World Muay Thai Council (WMC) in 1995 this changed: All federations are now under the authority of the federation and must abide by the rules it sets. As a result, however, the sport has also undergone an image change and professional Thai boxers are now highly respected athletes and enjoy star status in Thailand.
Thai boxing is a full-contact sport in which both the fists and the legs are used. But also the use of the elbows is a popular way to finally knock out the opponent. For Europeans, who know the relatively “harmless” boxing sport with fists, this is at first glance quite bloodthirsty – but there is much more technique behind it than you would think. And if you think that Thai boxing is a male-only domain, you’re sorely mistaken. Worldwide, far more women practice the sport than one might even begin to suspect.
One of the most famous Thai boxers is Buakaw Por. Pramuk, whose real name is Sombat Banchamek. In Thailand, Thai boxers give themselves a nickname or fight name. This consists of a call sign and the boxing stable or gyms. In this case, Buakaw is the nickname and Por Pramuk is the club.
Krabi Krabong – short and long weapon
It is said that Muay Thai developed from Krabi Krabong – because if you lose your weapon, you have to continue fighting without “accessories”. Today, the martial art is performed only as a sport, but in the Middle Ages Krabi Krabong was part of the training of the military.
Golf
There are now over 100 golf courses in Thailand. You can tee off from cliffs into the sunset or putt in the north of the country amid lush jungle panoramas. And the Thai people appreciate that, too: In the meantime, golf has risen to become one of the most popular sports among Thai people, and yes, they are really good at it.
