Thailand Travel Guide

Drama pretty much equals dance in Thai theatre, and many of the traditional dance-dramas are based on the Hindu epic the Ramayana (in Thai, Ramakien), a classic adventure tale of good versus evil which is known across Southeast Asia. The most spectacular form of traditional Thai theatre is khon, a stylized drama performed in masks and elaborate costumes by a troupe of highly trained classical dancers. All the movements follow a strict choreography that's been passed down through generations, and each graceful, angular gesture depicts a precise event, action or emotion which will be familiar to educated khon audiences. The story is chanted and sung by a chorus, accompanied by a classical phipat orchestra.

Serious and refined, lakhon is derived from khon, but is used to dramatize a greater range of stories, including Buddhist Jataka tales, local folk dramas and of course the Ramayana. The form you're most likely to come across is lakhon chatri, which is performed at shrines like Bangkok's Erawan and Lak Muang as entertainment for the spirits and as a token of gratitude from worshippers. Dancers wear decorative costumes but no masks, and dance to the music of a phipat orchestra.

Likay is a much more popular derivative of khon, with lots of comic interludes, bawdy jokes and over-the-top acting. Most likay troupes adapt pot-boiler romances or write their own, and costumes are often a mixture of traditional and Western. Likay troupes travel around the country doing shows on makeshift outdoor stages and at temple fairs.

Thai boxing ( muay Thai) enjoys a following similar to football in Europe: every province has a stadium and whenever it's shown on TV you can be sure that large noisy crowds will gather round the sets in streetside restaurants and noodle shops. The best place to see live Thai boxing is at one of Bangkok's two stadiums. There's a strong spiritual and ritualistic dimension to muay Thai, adding grace to an otherwise brutal sport. Any part of the body except the head may be used as an offensive weapon in muay Thai, and all parts except the groin are fair targets. Kicks to the head are the blows which cause most knockouts. As the action hots up, so the orchestra speeds up its tempo and the betting in the audience becomes more frenetic.