Thai Boxing aka Muay Thai

Even though I have relatively little interest in conventional boxing , I’m somewhat passionate about thai boxing aka Muay thai. I remember when my mate visited me a while ago we really wanted to experience a vibrant evening at a Muay thai arena - he chose Ratchadamnoen and we went there together. At the time we had quite a bit of cash to spare so decided to splash out on ring side seats that set us back 1500 baht (£25/$45) each. But every single penny was well worth it because we got to see the action so frighteningly close.

muay thai boxing That said, you can alternatively opt to spend a bit less on cheaper seats starting at, say, 300-400 baht up in the cages which to us looked like a bloody wicked atmosphere amongst the absolute frenzy of gambling locals. Generally speaking, the evening starts at 8-9pm and goes through till quite late so it does make for quite nice after-dinner entertainment. By the ringside, there’s a couple of young lads serving beer as well as other refreshments but be warned they can be quite pricey by Bangkok standards.

The evening programme covers boxers of differing weights and skills, though all the lads are strikingly fit and have muscles in places you might not think possible. Prior to the fighting, both boxers circle the ring in a mesmerising ceremonial dance before kneeling down to pray. There’s also a local music group that drums a somewhat hypnotic beat throughout the night. Even if you’re not a big fan of violence, I’d still urge you to attend - this is a major part of thai culture and tradition. And while Muay thai may have a brutal image, most fighters have nothing but complete respect for one another and it is quite rare for kicks to go anywhere above shoulder height but when they do you can easily expect some serious pain!