Entertainment and Recreation

Today, Muai Thai, alongwith soccer, is the mostpassionately followedsport in the country.

Entertainment
Thais are a fun-loving people. Nationwide, boxing stadiums, race and golf courses, tennis and squash courts, billiard halls, nightclubs, gourmet restaurants, discotheques, concert halls, teahouses, cocktail lounges, amusement parks, bars, museums, theatres, art galleries, traditional Thai massage centres, zoological gardens and cinemas lure pleasure-seekers throughout the year.Thailand's English-language newspapers carry daily listings of concerts, exhibitions, films and theatre events. There are also a dozen free magazines offered throughout Bangkok. Chiang Mai, Phuket, Pattaya and Hua Hin that give great advice on how to occupy one's time. Progressive English-language monthlies such as Metro and Untamed Travel magazine are available in bookstores and some hotel kiosks.

Parks and Gardens in Bangkok
Bangkok's parks and gardens offer a welcome respite from the heat and noise of the city. They include:

Lumphini Park (Bangkok's largest and most well-known park) at the northern end of Silom Road is popular with joggers, keep-fit enthusiasts and families, especially during the morning and late afternoon when it's coolest. A lake offers boating and an ample lawn, shaded by towering tropical trees, provides a comfortable setting for picnics. There are two restaurants in the park.

Chatuchak Park, in Lat Phrao, is another wide green space situated conveniently beside Chatuchak Weekend Market. One can easily reach this destination by taking the BTS skytrain and MRT subway.

Khao Din Zoological Garden or Dusit Zoo is an artfully landscaped enclave with an artificial lake.
King Rama IX Park is an extensive park with botanical gardens located deep inside Sukhumvit Soi 103 in Bangkok's eastern suburbs. The botanical gardens were opened with private and public donations to honor H.M. King Bhumibol's 60th birthday.

Queen Sirikit Park on Sukhumvit Soi 24 is a beautifully landscaped park with an artificial lake beside the Emporium Shopping Mall. A great place to escape the bustle of Sukhumvit Road, many wedding parties are photographed in this serene setting.

Theatre
Theatrical events in major cities across Thailand include traditional Thai dance and puppet performances, English and Thai-language dramas, musical performances, stage shows and concerts by visiting international artists. Visitors are advised to consult English-language newspapers, particularly the Friday editions when events are posted. Major theatrical venues include the Thailand National Theatre, adjacent to the National Museum at Bangkok's Sanam Luang. This theatre is a venue for concerts and Thai classical drama performances. Weekend performances of Thai dance dramas are periodically staged.
Other venues that stage theatrical and musical performances include the Thailand Cultural Centre and Siam Niramit on Ratchadaphisek Road, the Alliance Francaise Auditorium on Sathon Tai Road, the AUA Language Centre Auditorium on Ratchadamri Road, the British Council Centre in Siam Square and the Goethe Institute on Soi Atthakanprasit, off Sathon Tai Road, the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre on New Ratchadaphisek Road, the Joe Louis Theatre specializing in traditionalThai puppetry at the Suan Lum Night Bazaar, Old Chiang Mai Cutural Centre, Phuket Fantasea, and Alangkarn Theatre at Pattaya.

Internation Sports
Golf, football, boxing, badminton, tennis, bowling and snooker figure prominently among international sports enjoyed by Thais. Indigenous games and sports include Thai boxing, takro, kite flying and boat racing.

Deep Sea Fishing : Pattaya and Phuket are the principle centres for fishermen seeking game fishing. Both the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea coast are graced with marlin, king mackerel, tuna, sharks and other varieties of game fish. It's simple to charter fishing boats with all the amenities from either one of these locations.

Golf: Thailand's mild weather means that golfers can enjoy their sport year round at a variety of challenging courses. There are more than 200 professional golf courses in Thailand offering bargain prices. Many of these are championship courses designed by PGA legends such as Greg Norman and Jack Nicklaus.

Horse Racing : Weekend races can be seen at the Bangkok Royal Turf Club and the Royal Bangkok Sports Club.

Motor Sports : The 2.4 kilometer Bira International Pattaya Circuit regularly features local and international motor and motorcycle racing.

Sailing: A wide range of sailboats, from lasers to 20-metre cabin cruisers, can be chartered from Pattaya, Hua Hin, and Phuket. In Phuket each December, the King's Cup Regatta is held to celebrate H.M. the King's birthday. Sailing enthusiasts and serious competitors from around the world converge in Phuket for a week of racing and fun.

Scuba Diving / Snorkelling : Thailand offers some of Southeast Asia's finest diving opportunities. Depending upon the season, visibility can be as far as 60 metres underwater. The Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea coast play host to dozens of world-class dive sites perfect for beginners or the most experienced diver. Dive shops, most operating under PADI standards, can be found competing with each other at all major dive areas. This competition results in some of the lowest prices for scuba sports to be found anywhere in the world. In addition, snorkeling opportunities abound throughout Thai waters.

Tennis / Badminton / Squash : Numerous courts are found in leading Bangkok hotels and resort hotels outside the capital. A list of courts where visitors are welcome can be found in Bangkok's English-language Yellow Pages, or on the Internet.

Thai Sports

Thai Boxing or Muai Thai : Thai boxing was developed as a form of self-defense during the early part of the Ayutthaya period (1350-1767). King Naresuan the Great (1555-1605), one of the country's most celebrated warrior-heroes, made Muai Thai a required part of military training. In the old days, Muai Thai was a dangerous sport, with no safety gear of any kind for the fighters, and only lengths of cords to wrap around their fists in place of gloves. Over the years, rules have been written along the lines of international boxing regulations. In 1995, the World Muai Thai Council was set up by a cabinet resolution to promote this martial art heritage at national and international levels.
Today, Muai Thai, along with soccer, is the most passionately followed sport in the country. Thai boxing is featured throughout the week at Ratchadamnoen and Lumphini Stadiums. Fights usually begin around 6:30 p.m., with preliminary bouts featuring younger boxers, building up towards the main event, usually around 9:00 p.m. At Lumphini Stadium, there is an emcee who announces all boxing matches in English. Muai Thai is fought in five three-minute rounds with two-minute breaks in-between. A match is decided by a knockout or by points, determined by three judges.

Fights in Bangkok :

Lumphini Stadium, Rama IV Road, Bangkok, Tel. 66 2251 4303. Fight Nights: Tuesday and Fridays from 6:00-10:00 p.m., Saturday nights from 5:00 p.m.- 12:30 p.m. Ticket prices: 500-1,500 Baht.

Ratchadamnoen Stadium, Ratchadamnoen Nok Avenue, Bangkok, Tel. 66 2281 4205, 66 2281 0879. Fight Nights: Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, from 6:00-9:00 p.m. Ticket Prices: 500-1,500 Baht (ringside); special discount on Sunday nights, with ringside tickets going for 500 Baht each.

Channel 7 Stadium, Behind Mo Chit BTS Station, opposite Chatuchak Park, Bangkok, Tel. 66 2272 0001. Fights Schedule: Saturdays from 2:00-4:00 p.m., Ticket prices: Free admission.
Check with the Tourism Authority of Thailand for fight stadiums in your vicinity. For those wishing to learn this unique self-defense art, Thailand has established a school for Muai Thai. Feel free to contact at Muay Thai Institute: 323 Prachatipat Rd., Rangsit, Amphoe Thanyaburi, Pathum Thani, 12130 Thailand, Tel. 66 2992 0096-99, Fax : 66 2992 0100 or www.muaythai-institute.net

Takro: Takro is similar to the Western game hacki sack. The sport is traditionally played by a loosely formed circle of men who use feet, knees, thighs, chests and shoulders to acrobatically pass a woven rattan ball to each other, endeavoring to keep it airborne, and eventually kick it into a basket suspended above their heads. A modern version involves the use of a badminton net over which the rattan ball is knocked back and forth.

Kite Fighting: During the hot season, particularly March and April, opposing teams fly male Chula and female Pakpao kites in a battle of the sexes. The small, agile Pakpao kite tries to fell the more cumbersome Chula, while the male kite tries to ensnare the female kite and drag it back into male territory.

Boat Racing: Regattas are featured as part of the country's fairs in many parts of Thailand to celebrate the end of the rainy season. The long, narrow boats are decorated with flags and flowers, manned by oarsmen and raced with great excitement. The most noteworthy races are held in Nan, Phichit, Nakhon Pathom, Surat Thani, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya and Pathum Thani.