GUEST POST BY DAVID TATE: MBK FIGHT NIGHT

Tate came to visit us from England for three weeks, spending two weeks in Bangkok and a week in Koh Samui, having the best time. We asked Tate to choose one of the main highlights of his trip to write about and he decided on the Muay Thai he watched. It’s a massive part of Thai culture and brilliant entertainment…

When I booked my ticket for three weeks in Thailand, the first thing on my list was eating as much Thai food as I could and the second was to watch some Muay Thai – so when Charlotte and Sarah told me about MBK Fight Night I felt like quite a few Christmases had come at once. This Muay Thai showcase is held every Wednesday at 6pm right outside MBK. It’s free, next to the National Stadium stop on the BTS, and attracts a lot of attention from tourists, travellers and Thai natives alike.

THAI BOXING DOWN THE PUB

There’s a bar in Koh Phi Phi with a boxing ring (why not?!), where tourists are encouraged to give Thai boxing a go. If they challenge each other, they’re automatically eligible for a free bucket of alcohol each, and on an island where buckets are practically the currency, you can imagine how popular this is! It was highly entertaining to witness the uncoordinated swinging of fists (the men) along with the competitive cut-throat kicking and scratching (the women). However, when we were treated to a real Thai boxing match with professionals, the drama, and obviously the skill, took on a whole new level. It was impossible to look away at this enthralling and artistically brutal sport, whilst you could feel the audience clench with each devastating kick. Though no matter what kind of a bloody, pulpy state they left each other in, we still caught them embracing and sharing a beer together afterwards…

Stunned but impressed,

Charlotte & Sarah x