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Sport

Bangkok and Thailand are synonymous with Thai Boxing, the traditional sport of kick-boxing, where feet, knees and elbows can be used as well as fists. Its popularity means that fights are held every night of the week around the city, particularly at Ratchadamnoen Stadium on Ratchadamnoen Nok Road (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday nights) and Lumphini Stadium on Rama IV Road (Tuesday, Friday and Saturday nights). Two other sports are also popular in Thailand. Kite fighting takes place in the hot season where opposing teams fly male Chula and female Pakpao kites in a surrogate battle of the sexes. Takraw is played using a woven rattan ball where a circle of men use feet, knees, thighs, chests and shoulders to acrobatically pass the ball to each other, endeavouring to keep it airborne and to kick it into a suspended basket. The Thailand football league has two divisions, the premier and the first and the teams have names such as Air Force, Bangkok Bank, Army and Telephone Association of Thailand. Tickets for sporting events can be bought at the venue up to an hour before the match starts.

Golf:
Thailand has many excellent golf courses and some are open to visitors. The Royal Golf & Country Club, southeast of Bangkok (tel: (02) 738 0133), has a beautiful 18-hole course as does the Royal Dusit Golf Course on Pitsanuloke Road (tel: (02) 281 4320).

Leisure centres:
Many of the centres throughout the city are attached to hotels and are for members only. The National Stadium Hua Mark on Ramkhamhaeng Road (tel: (02) 318 0056) has a training centre and aerobics classes. The 71 Sport Club on Sukhumvit Soi 71 (tel: (02) 391 6773) has swimming pool and aerobics classes.

Swimming pools:
Siam Water Park to the north of the city on Sukhaphiban 2 Road (tel: (02) 919 7200) has waterslides and artificial surf. The Grand Tower Guest House on Sukhumvit Soi 55 (tel: (02) 259 0380) welcomes non-guests to its pool.

Tennis:
Tennis clubs open to the public include Asoke Sport Club, Ratchadaphisek Road (tel: (02) 246 2260), Court Sawaddee, Sukhumvit 31 (tel: (02) 258 4502), and Bang AO Tennis Courts, 248/49 Soi 94 Charansanitwong Road (tel: (02) 435 7991).



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