Trip Through Paradise: Lets Get Ready To Rumble

"Fight Night In Bangkok's Rajmangala National Stadium"

There as a few things, that everyone will agree, that you just cannot not do while spending a few days in Bangkok. Whether you like it, hate it, or have absolutely no interest in it, a professional Muay Thai boxing match definitely falls into this category.

On my last night staying in Bangkok, after being here many nights previously in the last year, I decided it was time to rise to the occasion and go and see one before I had to leave without the true Muay Thai experience.

On my way to Khoasan Road from the Bangkok airport I met a Swedish bloke named Kenny. So for the past few days we had been hanging out, and doing whatever it is you do in Bangkok together . . .mostly shopping. Seeing as he was up for watching a fight we jumped in a Tuk Tuk and were off to one of the two largest Thai Boxing Stadiums in Bangkok call the Rajmangala National Stadium.

Thai boxing stadiums are everything that you would possible picture from what you see in movies only much more intimidating than you would begin understand without ever setting foot in one. When we first pulled up to the stadium in our tuk tuk, literally, all you could see was thousands and thousands of scooters lined up infront and absolutely not a word of English. As we approached the entrance we, naturally, instantly had two Thai people approach us with tickets and all the information we needed about the evening, oh and did I mention, "A very special price just for you sir."

The two Thais explained that in a Muay Thai fight there is three different classes of seats. The third class, which is almost all Thais, is far away and hard to see the fight, the rowdier part of the crowd, and also where all the gambling goes on. He also made it clear that this was no place for western backpackers. (which it might not have been but once we were in I think it looked like good times up there)

The second class were closer to the ring and also a lot less crazy but they explained that there were no seats, only standing room, and since the fight tonight consisted of about five hours of individual bouts, this was not a wise choice either. Just for the record I have spent enough time in Thailand to kinda feel a scam coming and kinda thought this was a bit fishy but in this case Kenny wanted to sit ringside so we splurged to make the night an event that will be with me for a long long time.

After we paid for our tickets, and got whisked through the crowd to ringside, we were seated and given a schedule for the nights events to come. There were 11 fights, including one title fight, that were all three minute rounds. This in itself measured up to the guys outside word but taking a quick look around the stadium all classes had seats and the third class was a little ways away from the ring but come on, the stadium is not the size of Rexall and I guarantee they could see well good enough. . . .Stupid Tourists.

The rest of the stadium was definately something to be seen, it was completely what you expect from the movies. Everything was, I hate to say real dirty, but definitely not spic and span. The lights were dim, smelled a bit odd, smokey, and amazingly loud with Thai cheers whenever one of the opponents had a good strike. In between drunkin' cheers were screams and hands flying up everywhere you looked while the most hard to follow betting on the current fight was going on.

Our seats were one row back from the ring, close enough to almost feel some of the blows. It was definitely worth the extra money in the long run even if at the end of the fight we had no clue who won, what scored a point exactly, but the beauty was, you didn't have to to truly enjoy the night.

For the remainder of my time in Bangkok, at least during the day, I pretty much just rested and shopped, either at markets or the amazing MBK Center, and in the evening hung around Khoasan road with the other couple thousand of backpackers that also come to explore this unique and amazing city.

Now after a 16 hour bus ride that I had the absolute worst seat on the planet, water dripping on my head, and a bus that kept over heating, I have finally made it to Chiang Mia. Chaing Mia is the biggest city in Northern Thailand and the tropical beaches and islands, that most people picture when they think of Thailand, are replaced by mountains and jungles. Today I got a hour long Thai massage to try to fix the damage my bus did to my neck, way to take the cheap bus hey!!! Now I am going to have a long nap to refresh myself for the huge night bizarre markets that makes the list of the top things to see in Chiang Mia.