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Two Men in Thailand - Fight Night in Hua Hin Travel Log by Scott Davis It’s off to fight night in Hua Hin, as have enough time to fill our consists of five three-minute rounds, and is refereed in the same manner the boys check out the cultural suitcases with stuff. as the sweet science of boxing. The extravaganza that is Muay Thai fighters are incredibly boxing. intense, although there is a surprising degree We were lazily lounging around the of ritual and lobby yesterday, wondering what sportsmanship about kind of fun we could have without the whole thing. going bar-hopping, when a truck drove by, blasting an advertisement The first bout featured for Thailand’s national sport, Muay two slender but Thai boxing. Everywhere you look muscular men, who in Thailand, you see training before the match made facilities and stadiums for the sport, a great display of so we figured that it’s gotta be good. We settled into our seats, ordered a stretching, flexing, and praying to Our host Tony confirmed that we beer, and surveyed the scene. On the Buddha for a favorable result. The had made an excellent choice, and wall behind the ring was a brilliantly bell rang, and they proceeded to try told us about the event’s location lit photo of the King and Queen of to kill each other. During each and ticket prices, and had his staff Thailand. Underneath that were round, loud, rhythmic music blares, arrange a tuk-tuk at a confirmed three gigantic photos of the man which the fighters seem to use as a price. He also told us that there was who is obviously second in metronome to time their assaults on a great marketplace right across the reverence to the royals, Mohammed each other. The racket is further street from the arena, and suggested Ali (AKA Cassius Clay).The event enhanced by the excited babble of that we go a bit early to stroll around kicked off with a recital of the Hua Hin’s version of Ed Whalen, and ensure that we got a good seat national anthem, a doleful dirge if I whose job it is to rile the crowd into for the Muay Thai matches. We did ever heard one. There were five a frenzy. as we were told, and reserved bouts on the card, and what a Between rounds, the managers haul ringside seats (you can’t get better spectacle it was! a shallow galvanized tub into the than seats A1 and A2) at the Grand Sports Stadium, a bit of a shabby Muay Thai is similar to boxing, corner, put a stool in the middle, and arena attached to Hua Hin’s version although the competitors are also proceed to rub down their fighters of Caesar’s Palace, the Grand Hotel. allowed to kick and knee each other and splash them with water to cool We wandered around the in the head, or any other part of the their overheated bodies. The first marketplace for a bit, but didn’t anatomy they can reach. Each match match lasted the full five rounds, and was settled by a decision by the ringside judges. I have no idea how they score the bouts, but the judges conducted themselves with the same professionalism and dignity as the referee.
that were worthy of further The third bout commentary. featured two little kids who appeared to be about 10 years old. Despite their tender age, however, they had already turned pro, and the winner was rewarded with a mouthful of money, just like the rest. The fifth match and main event featured contestants that we thought were even more bizarre than the prepubescent kids we had witnessed earlier. In the blue corner was a lean young man, and in the red corner was -wait for it- a woman. Obviously, the Thais have reached a level of sexual equality undreamed of in Canada, and they proceeded to kick the crap out each other. I had my money on the girl, figuring that they must have set her up against a stiff that couldn’t punch his way out of a paper bag. However, for the thousandth time in Thailand, I was proven wrong, and he knocked the unlucky lass out in the third round. The whole affair lasted over three hours, and the bloodthirsty throng streamed to the exits. Every tuk-tuk was filled to capacity, so we settled on another, even more unconventional mode of transport. A lonely, toothless old man presented himself, and ushered us into Thailand’s version of a rickshaw, a tricycle with a double seat. His fare (100 Baht) was the same as charged by the tuk-tuk jockeys, so we settled into our seats and enjoyed a truly memorable ride.
A winner was declared, and they As our cyclo jockey strained and stuffed the prize money in the sweated to take us to our destination (we told him to take us to the Hilton Hotel, a landmark not far from our hotel) he whooped and hollered in a most entertaining fashion. Even though the old bugger dropped us off in the middle of the red light district, and not at the Hilton as ordered, we were so appreciative of his efforts that we doubled his fare. Such amusement cannot be found at
victor’s mouth. He then proceeded to wade into the audience sporting a face full of Baht, and received copious tips from his appreciative audience. The same routine continued for the rest of the fights, so there is no need for a blow by blow account.
home at any price, and we were in a generous mood after watching the carnage at the Muay Thai matches.
Next Issue: Three weeks of tearing around Thailand can take their toll, but a quick change of pace and some local therapy prepares Scott for the There were two matches, however, next leg of his journey.
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