Boxing anyone?

Throughout the day I come across groups of men and women huddled around televisions watching Thai boxing matches. Their attention is absolute. I could drop a wad of 1,000 baht notes on the ground and no one would notice. It becomes clear to me by my second day in Bangkok that napping and boxing are the national Thai pastimes – my kind of people. At first I thought it was a special match on television that morning – the spectators so rapt I figured it must have been a big bout – but then later in the day I came across the same scene.

I stopped to watch in the alleyway, another group of Westerners to my right, and the shouts became more animated as the bout drew to a close – one of the contenders was flipped over the ropes and shouts rang out down the alley. The apparent favorite won, and everyone seemed happy as he walked around the ring, fists raised and pumping the air. I need to make it a point when I get back into Bangkok to visit the National Stadium for one of the famous bouts.