Kick boxing inThailand

Have you ever been a tourist? So everybody has, and you may have noticed wherever you go there is a dance troupe who come to entertain you. Maybe you indulged yourself and went to see a special show. Somehow they seem to be false, not quite genuine.

We went to the Rose gardens just outside Bangkok to see typical Thai dancing – cock fighting – Thai kick boxing. The kick boxing was very elegant, almost like a ballet, I couldn’t understand why it was considered to be so brutal.

Next stop was Pattaya. Now this was over thirty years ago and I was still interested to see what genuine Thai kick boxing was all about. After much cajoling the tour guide agreed to take my wife and I, and two other gentlemen from our hotel, to a kick boxing match on the outskirts of what was then a village.

We entered a large shed with a corrugated roof and it was hot and crowded. We were very privileged and sat with the local bookmakers. Behind us and keeping the excited audience back was a barbed wire fence, and in front of us the ring. We were at eye level with the ring and close, so close you could see the countless insects bouncing up and down on the floor of the ring. By this time we were perspiring with the heat and humidity. Finally the first bets had been laid, a whistle blew and the first two very young contestants entered the ring. Now I never did work out who decided when each round came to an end. To me it seemed it was decided by how many teeth had landed on the floor. I watched in horrified fascination as the contestants sat on their stools, the blood dripping from their faces. Then a bucket of ice was produced and a couple of handfuls were pushed into their groin box. These boxers were hot; perspiration was dripping from them and mixing with the blood. But what that ice felt like I can’t imagine but they certainly sat upright.

Back at the hotel the guide asked if we found our visit interesting. The answer was ‘Yes’ interesting, but I felt that in future, he should always check before visit that the tourists had stomachs as strong as ours. Fortunately I am also assured that conditions have improved, although from what is shown on the silver screen nowadays I’m not too sure!

One thing I am sure about life has many facets.

Pleased you all liked Venice, thank you.