This month's sports news.

Hua Hin Hash House Harriers

Run #78

MysTerry Man and Hugo hared the run for the H2H3 in the mud of Soi 102 on a rainy day. The last time the MysTerry Man hared a run for us just off the Pala-U road, it was a muddy run on a rainy day too. Though the sky was a ceiling of mottled grey on this Saturday afternoon, there was no shortage of cars parked in the mud at the run site. Great turnout of hashers considering the weather. This run also saw the return of 69 Forever & Ice Pussy for the first time since the big crack up after Hollow Legs & Comes First wedding party a couple weeks ago. 69 did the run while Ice Pussy stayed in the car park where she enjoyed the rain as she had locked the keys to their pickup inside the pickup. A little rain would not dampen her enthusiasm to complain about the aches and pains of her body on the mend but would keep the pickup safe from 69 Forever. Bill Clarke joined us for his second consecutive run and brought along his son Peter for his own virgin hash run. Peter brought his wife who shared the car park & the rain with Ice Pussy as she was wearing her best flip-flops that she did not want to muddy. She promises to be dressed for the trail next trip. Richard and Da of the Bangkok Bike hash joined us again as well as Stumbles from Bangkok. Always good to have the city dwellers on the trail with us. For the first time in months we also saw the return of Paul King and Matt Lavender. Their excuse for not being with us in so long is that they were busy doing volunteer work.

Though the run was supposed to kick off at 5:pm sharp, we started a bit late since the hares were out refreshing the trail with more paper and new flour on the checks. They had put the trail down earlier but the rain had obliterated much of it. Hugo stayed with the runners on the run while MysTerry Man led the walkers along the same trail. The trail actually followed Soi 102 for the first couple of hundred metres before turning off onto a dirt track and heading north where it intersected with Soi 112, passing the car park where we met for the previous run of the H2H3 on the 19th August. On Soi 112 the trail headed west in the direction of the Pranburi bypass before hooking a hard right turn for a lot of thick and slimy mud to weigh down the shoes. Back on Soi 102 once again, it was on on in an eastern direction toward the car park and the beer. Bruce, formerly of Chiva Som and now working in Bangkok came in first as he customarily does on hash runs. Most of the runners made it back in 40 – 45 minutes while the walkers sloughed thru the mud in about an hour.

Once all the runners and walkers were present or accounted for, the circle was held, albeit briefly due to the weather. We said goodbye to Sparky and Mommy Chick (aka Mother Hen) as they are going off to Finland for a month. We named Brambles Bill (aka Bill Evans) and also All Fall Down (Aon). They will get their Afterbirth Certificates at the next run. After the nonsense of the circle, we broke up for the night and returned to Hua Hin and Cha Am.

Hua Cha Hash Pedalers Run # 4 28th August 2006

The Hua Cha Hash Pedalers met at 0900 where Chom Phol road meets Petchkasem for a couple hours of Hash Pedaling along the back roads between the Pranburi bypass and Petchkasem. The bike trail had been reccied earlier in the week without being measured by odometer but it was guessed to be at least 30 km. Cyclists from both Hua Hin and Cha Am were along for the ride including some who are active in the H2H3 and Cha Am Hash House Harriers. The group also included returnees from the June road trip led by Lone Ranger in the Hua Hin area.

An unexpected surprise was the return to Hua Hin of the five female Japanese samurai who last joined some of the group for a run in the woods near Palm Hills when they showed up for a hash run with the H2H3 about 4 years ago. They had aged a bit since they last brightened our day but had not slowed. Now in their 20's, they bike as swiftly as they run. Some think their speed is enhanced by the skimpy bits of near transparent material of the biking and running bikinis. Regardless, having them in the lead provided impetus for our lazy local pedalers to turn on the coal and stay just a nose behind the visitors' bikes. With his eyes glued to the fore, Harry failed to spot a rock in the road and hit hard with the front wheel, throwing him to the soft sand of the road for a few seconds before jumping back into the saddle in hot pursuit, the bent front rim wobbling erratically. Brian was not particularly impressed by what he saw ahead of him since he has seen so much as he has pedalled his way across the UK and the countries of southeast Asia. No fair weather cyclist, Brian is familiar with many of the sights along highways and back roads in flatlands and mountains of Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and other countries. The girls were led along the trail by a most unfortunate hash pedalling leader since he could not follow. The trail on sand roads followed power lines going north until the road turned west coming out on the Pranburi bypass for a turn to the south. Onward southward, the boys followed the girls until the lead pedaler turned onto Chom Phol road in a eastern direction for a couple of clicks before making a left turn into a reservoir area and back into dirt paths for another half hour of cycling.

The entire trip took only one hour and 45 minutes since the cyclists had to pedal harder than usual in order to keep up with the Ko sisters. Fumiko and Yoshiko stayed well ahead of Sachiko and the twins, and all of the girls stayed well ahead of our bikers with the exception of the unfortunate lead cyclist who saw nothing but the road ahead. As the run ended by the water and there was a cooler of beer, water and Coke in the pickup, all cooled off and went for a swim before returning the girls to their hotel. Long Ron did not join in escorting the girls back to the hotel and wanted this in print for the sake of his marriage. Once at the hotel, the HCHP bike trip for the day ended and so ends the report.

Hua Hin Pool League

With about half the regular season gone all the divisions are shaping up nicely with close competition between the teams. It is looking like all of them will come down to the last couple of matches to decide the final positions. The Cup and the Shield are also underway, but the quarter-finals don't take place until November. Individual tables will also be available for the first time next month, and details of the end of season tournaments will also be announced then, along with all the end of season plans. For further details contact your favourite bar which has a team, or contact the organisers on huahinpoolleagues@yahoo.com , and visit the website for all the latest results and tables at www.huahinpool.multiservers.com.

October Fixtures

Wed 4 th October

Halex Shield First Round Draw (Please note that some Division 4 fixtures will need to be rescheduled.)

Billy's Bar v U-Turn    

Dick's Office B v Pink Flamingo  

Rose A v Nung Bar    

Lucky Shot A v London Boys  

Nervana v Captain's Inn    

Mondo v Butterflies  

Lucky Shot B v Jungle Juice A    

Butterfly Rockers v JW Black  

Hua Hin Darts

Week 12 – 3rd October 2006

Pink Flamingo v Good Friends

Johnny Walker v Thai Life

Jungle Juice v Bamboo Grove

Dicks Office v Jaew

Butterfly Rock v CAT

Week 13 – 10th October 2006

Jaew v Barry

Johnny Walker v Butterfly Rock

Bamboo Grove v Dicks Office

Pink Flamingo v Jungle Juice

CAT v Good Friends

Week 14 – 17th October 2006

Barry v Butterfly Rock

Dicks Office v Johnny Walker

Bamboo Grove v Pink Flamingo

Jungle Juice v Thai Life

Good Friends v Jaew

Week 15 – 24th October 2006

Dicks Office v Barry

Johnny Walker v CAT

Thai Life v Bamboo Grove

Jaew v Jungle Juice

Butterfly Rock v Good Friends

Week 16 – 31st October 2006

Cup Quarter-Finals

SPORTS & GAMES

THAI BOXING

Thai boxing is a martial art that is known worldwide. It is acclaimed for its beauty and power. Thai boxers use not only fists to hit their opponent, but other parts of the body, such as feet, knees, and elbows can be used as well. Another special feature is that music is played while a Thai boxing match is going on, so it makes boxing seem like a beautiful and artistic dance that goes with the music.

The history of Muay Thai is interwoven with the history of the Thai people. A gentle, peace-loving people, for centuries Thais had to defend themselves and their land from aggressive powers. They developed a form of close, hand-to-hand combat best suited for the kind of rough-terrain battle they were fighting. Over time it became a rite of passage for Thai men to take up training in this martial art. King Naresuan the Great (1555-1605), one of the country's most celebrated warrior-heroes, is believed to have been an excellent boxer himself, and it was he who made Muay Thai a required part of military training. Another milestone in the history of Muay Thai was the triumph of Nai Khanom Tom over 10 Burmese boxers in 1774. Taken captive after the Thai capital fell in 1767, Nai Khanom Tom was picked to fight before the Burmese king. After defeating ten of them in a row, he was freed and returned home a hero.

In the old days, Muay Thai was a dangerous sport, with no safety gear of any kind for the fighters, and only lengths of cords to wrap around the fists in place of gloves. Over the years rules have been written along the line of international boxing regulations. In recent years the sport has attracted a wide following outside of the country, and training facilities have been set up in countries as far as the U.S. and the former Soviet states. In 1995 the World Muay Thai Council was set up by cabinet resolution in 1995 to promote this national heritage at national and international levels. At a conference held that same year, 78 member countries voted for the establishment of a training school where all elements of Muay Thai would be taught. The Muay Thai Institute was founded in 1997 and is now the only training school accredited by the Ministry of Education.

Muay Thai, along with soccer, is certainly the most passionately followed sport in the country. Television networks broadcast fights five days a week, and the fight results at major stadiums are reported in all major newspapers. International boxing is also very popular, and the country has produced dozens of world champions, but they all started out as Muay Thai fighters. So it is not surprising that a boy as young as seven or eight would start training to become one-and many do, at stables across the country. Most provincial capitals have a boxing ring, but the ultimate dream of young boxers is to fight at Lumpini or Ratchadamnoen, the biggest and most famous stadiums in the country. Lumpini and Ratchadamnoen alternate, so there is a fight program every night. Tickets on an average evening are 220, 440 and 1,000 baht, but on big nights prices of ringside seats may go up to 2,000 baht. Ratchadamnoen's Sunday Special rates are good bargains, with ringside tickets going for 500 baht each. Fights usually begin around 6:30 p.m., with preliminary bouts featuring younger, less experienced boxers, and build up towards the main event, usually around nine o'clock.

Muay Thai is fought in five three-minute rounds with two-minute breaks in between. The fight is preceded by a wai khru dance, in which each contestant pays homage to his teachers. Besides the symbolic meaning, the dance is a good warm-up exercise. You will notice that each boxer wears a headband and armbands. The headband, called mongkhol, is believed to bestow luck to the wearer since it has been blessed by a monk or the boxer's own teacher. Since Buddhism and the teacher play important roles in the life of Thais, the headband is both a lucky charm and a spiritual object. It will be removed after the wai khru dance, and only by the boxer's trainer. The armbands, meanwhile, are believed to offer protection and are only removed when the fight has ended.

A match is decided by a knockout or by points. Three judges decide who carries the round and the one who wins the most rounds, wins the fight. The referee plays a very important role, since boxers' safety depends on his decision.

To one side of the ring is the band section, comprising a Javanese clarinet, drums and cymbals. They accompany the fight from the homage dance to the conclusion. The tempo goes up as the action inside the ring intensifies. The musicians are mostly old-timers who have seen just about anything, yet their music always makes the heart race faster. It is said that the tune is a siren song that the true Muay Thai devotee can never resist.

On fight nights at major stadiums, especially at Lumpini and Ratchadamnoen, tourists fill up a sizable portion of the seats, and the number is growing. Most opt to sit at ringside, to see the action up close. On nights of major events, usually advertised days in advance, it can be hard to get tickets. You might want to book through your hotels or travel agents.

In Hua Hin there are two venues where you can watch Muay Thai, or even train and learn the sport; these are on Sundays and Thursdays at the Grand Sports Arena, in front of the Grand Hotel on Phetkasem Road, and on Tuesdays and Fridays at Mr. Chop Rawee's Thai Boxing Garden, located on Poonsuk Road, behind the Temple, near City Beach Hotel. Both venues are open to the public from 9.00 p.m. on fight nights and ticket prices are approximately 300 baht.

Mostly 5 matches are held on every night, so you can be back in your room around midnight. To announce each fight as well as each fighter, both GS and Thai Boxing Garden offer English-speaking hosts too. During the whole evening they will explain a little about Muay Thai basics and rules and regulations of the fights

Equipment that is necessary for Muay Thai matches must be provided by the stadium. These are a stopwatch, a signal gong, a warning bell, boxing gloves of various sizes according to the rules, equipment to provide water for boxers, and other additional personal accessories for boxers who have not prepared their own such as boxing shorts in red or blue, jock straps, surgical tape, or sacred cords. Thai boxing can be classified into two major types, the first is muay lak, which puts the emphasis on caution and patience, and is very rare nowadays. The other is muay kiew, which is full of tricks and feints performed to catch the opponent off guard.

BASIC RULES A ‘Muay Thai' match formally have no more than 5 rounds, each round take 3 minutes to last, with a two-minute rest period in between. No additional rounds are allowed.

Muay Thai boxers must regularly wear gloves, each weighing not less than 6 ounces (172 gm).

The gloves must not be squeezed, kneaded or crushed to change its original shape.

Contestants must wear only trunks (red or blue according to their corners) which appropriately fit their bodies.

Contestants must wear standard supporters or sturdy athletic cups to protect their groin and a gum shield may be used.

They cannot wear shirts nor shoes, but ankle caps are permitted.

A sacred cord known as Mongkol can be worn around the head only during the pre-fight ritual of paying homage to ancestral teachers of Muay Thai, to be removed before the start of the fight.

Metal or other equipments that will be harmful to the opponent is prohibited.

TRADITIONAL BOAT RACES

The Thai people have been called the “amphibious people” since the Ayutthaya Period because they go everywhere by boat and they live near water. Every year boat races are held in November. It is a proof of manhood, strength, and unity, and it was the ancient Thai precept that the teams made offerings to the sacred spirit of the waterway so that the land would be blessed with fertility.

Boat racing has been restored as a Thai sport, and the King's Cup Boat Race is held every year. The regulations are set by the Sports Authority of Thailand, which stipulates that the distance is 650 meters and the boat that reaches the line first is the winner. Nowadays, boat races are held in many provinces, for instance, the Traditional Long-boat Races in Nan, Buriram, Phichit and Phitsanulok, and Ko Lae Boat Race in Narathiwat.

Boat racing has been a part of Thai culture for centuries, and regattas are held in various parts of the country. As the end of the Buddhist ‘rains retreat' approaches in October, boat races are held throughout the Kingdom with increasing frequency right through to November.

Most of these traditional long boat races originated at festivities that accompanied an ancient ritual called the “Tawt Kathin” which itself evolved from the Royal Kathin - a ritual in which the king made an annual visit to the Royal temples to present offerings of monk robes to the Royal temples.

Historical chronicles dating back to 1863 offer accounts of the Royal Kathin. “All the temples in Bangkok and in the suburbs which have been made or dedicated to the King, expect a splendid visit from His Majesty sometime between the middle of the 11th and 12th moons. This is the season appointed by the most ancient and sacred customs, for the Priests to seek their apparel for the coming year. In conformity with these customs, the King, taking a princely offering of Priest's apparel with him, visits the temples”.

Subsequently the practice became more widespread in riverine communities and long boats were used to convey Buddha images in water-borne processions during the kathin ceremony.

In the southern provinces, the Korlae and long boat races have been organized annually in Narathiwat Province since 1976 in honour of Their Majesties the King and Queen and members of the Royal Family during their visits to the South. These colourful boat races are now one of the main attractions of the province. With the increasing popularity of boat racing as an international sport, the status of many of Thailand's local boat races has been elevated. They now take the form of international competitions with world-class teams participating. The best known of these being the highly prestigious “Phuket King's Cup Regatta”, an event where the world's finest sailors vie for the “King's Cup”.

Long boats were traditionally built for carrying Buddha images in water-borne processions during the kathin (merit-making) ceremony. However, they are also designed for racing. Victory brought fame to the village or temple that owned the boat. The boats thus have a long and sleek appearance. The long boats are usually made by hollowing out a tree trunk. Wooden planks were added as seats for the oarsmen. Before each race, the boat is repainted, with the bow and stern decorated to resemble a lion or other creatures. The outside of the boat is also waxed to reduce drag and increase the ease with which the vessel glides through the water.

A long boat has a crew ranging from three to thirty persons, sometimes more. Depending on the occasion, the crew may consist of all males, all females, or a mixed crew. The owner of the boat carefully selects his crew and training often begins months before a race. Each oarsman is given a permanent position on the boat, opposite another of similar physical attributes. The oarsmen manning the bow and stern are carefully chosen for they are responsible for steering the boat through the water. Victory or defeat in a race depends entirely on their dexterity and judgment.

A Dragon Boat race is held every year on the Pranburi River near Hua Hin, and in 2006 it is being held on November 13th. This year, for the first time, a farang team comprised mainly of local expats is going to take part, and they are looking for willing volunteers or just cheerleaders to participate! If you are interested please contact Barry at Mermaid Cruises on 084-8007400 or Terry at Hua Hin Fishing Lodge on 089-8374079; they hold regular practice sessions every Sunday afternoon if you just fancy a laugh too!

THAI KITES

The period from February to mid - May is kite-flying season for Thai people. Children in the provinces fly kites in the fields, and in Bangkok, Sanam Luang is a gathering place for kites of different kinds and colours to fly. The backdrop is the beautiful Grand Palace. In the North and the Isaan regions, kite flying is done in the winter season from November to February.

There are many kinds of Thai kites, with different shapes and colours. But the kites that are usually flown for competition are chula (the ‘'male'' kite) and pak pao (the ‘'female'' kite). The Thai Sports Association has arranged the King's Cup Kite Flying Competition since 1952. An international kite flying competition is also held at Jomtien Beach near Pattaya every April.

Another Thai kite that has its own identity is the dui dui kite of Kalasin Province. It has a particular shape. The name dui dui comes from the equipment that is especially made for this kite and is attached to the head of the kite. When the kite soars into the sky, dui dui is buffeted by the wind and makes a sound. Dui dui kite flying comes after the harvest.

TAKRAW

This is an indigenous sport native to Thailand and Laos, but variations of it are found all over South East Asia, Takraw (Thuck Thay in Lao, Thuck = twine Thay = kick) resembles volleyball, except that it uses a rattan ball and only allows players to use their feet and heads. The game evolved from a hacky sack type practice, into the aiming of a kick into a high, suspended net. Eventually competitive takraw developed, pitting teams of players versus each other across a volleyball-type net. Modern competitive takraw allows three players to a team, one to serve, one to gather the ball, and one to deliver the ball at high speed across the net; the killer. Modern contests play to twenty-one points.

Another version of the sport involves the use of bamboo scoops to both toss and catch a ball in a simple game of “catch.”

There are close links between the Thai version of the game and one developed in Malaysia called Sepak Takraw (Kick Volleyball). Also called Takraw for short, it is a cross between soccer and volleyball, played on a badminton doubles sized court. The sport dates back to the 15th century when it was played by indigenous Malays. Back then it was called “Sepak Raga” (“Kick ball”) and played mainly by men and boys using a circle formation. They used a ball made of cane or rattan. The game remained in that form for hundreds of years until the 1940s when a net (called a “Jaring” in Malay) and formal rules were introduced. Variations of the game spread throughout Asia. In the Philippines the sport was called “Sipa”, in Burma it was dubbed “Chinlone”, in Laos “Kator” and in Indonesia “Raga”. It is the Philippines' national sport, although it is not as popular as other spectator sports, especially basketball.

Nowhere else is this startling game, in which players must neither touch the ball nor let it touch the ground, played with the enthusiasm and vigour shown by Thailand's star performers. Games are played in the courtyards of wats, at fairgrounds, and (particularly during the kite flying season when there is little or no rain) at the Pramane Grounds in Bangkok . The small and hollow rattan balls, which are the essential-and sometimes only necessary equipment for a game, are sold in rattan shops and sporting goods shops throughout the country.

While there are certain basic rules to takraw, the game varies according to the type of takraw being played as well as the place where it is played. In village games, for example, there is often no referee and no score is kept: the winning player is simply the one who puts on the best show. The intricacy and speed with which it is played are astonishing, and if you think your reflexes are better than average, consider these methods of sending the ball aloft: the sole kick (using the arch or sole of the foot), the instep kick, knee kick, shin kick, shoulder kick, or head kick. Want to try the cross-legged jump kick? That consists of crossing your left leg over your right and leaping up to kick the ball with the instep of the left foot. Another version is the cross-legged knee kick. In this one the player crosses his left leg over his right above the right knee, and then leaps, into the air kicking the ball with his right knee.

But that's not all. One can use elbows, shoulders, even the posterior. The more complicated and impressive your feats, the better your score (Or, if a score is not being kept, the better your audience's reaction: spectators can be demanding, if not downright ruthless, in their judgements).

One of the most difficult of all acts is seen in a game of hoop takraw, The player makes a hoop of his arms behind his back, and kicks the ball with his heels through the hoop in such a way that it also passes through a hoop suspended in the air. (If you groan at the thought better not try it).

Hoop takraw seems to be the most popular version of takraw in Thailand. A team usually consists of seven players (there can be no less than six) who stand at the perimeter of a circle. During a 30-minute period, the players cooperate with each other to earn a high score. Hoops are suspended over the centre and the players must hit the ball through them. Successive teams try to surpass the previous score.

Net takraw is somewhat like badminton, in that it requires a net and a court. Lots are drawn beforehand to determine placement of the players and the first serve. Near the net, the ball is then tossed to a teammate in the middle of the court, who kicks it into the opposite camp. The game then proceeds at an incredible pace as the ball is returned instantaneously sometimes to great heights. Some players wear rubber plimsolls, while others are barefoot.

Net takraw is played in the SEA Games and other international competitions. The Thais introduced it to the SEA Games while Myanmar introduced the variation called imitation ring, where in a player takes a particular position to toss the ball and all other players must imitate that position.

Apart from net and hoop takraw, other variations are popular in Thailand. One of these is in-tossing takraw, which has far less rules to abide by: the point is simply to see how many times the ball can be hit aloft by the player (in English the equivalent is ‘keepy uppy'). It is a means of training for a player. Some can hit the ball from positions that call for stooping or lying down. A good player should be able to keep the ball aloft for ten minutes, and if others join him the group should manage to keep it in play for close to an hour. Naturally, this is a skill that only the most adept players can manage: they have trained arduously and are able to concentrate for a long period as well as to use their bodies dexterously.

Other variations of the game are:

In-scoring takraw. Played with no nets or hoops, the ball rotates from player to player, and each is scored according to the skill displayed. After 30 minutes or 10 starting throws, the highest score determines the winner.

Big and small ring takraw, played by 7 or 5 players who stand in circles and are given points for style, consistency and retrieval of difficult balls.

Takraw wong (Circle Takraw) is commonly seen everywhere around the country. Takraw Lot Huang (Hoop Takraw) competition usually takes places at Sanam Luang during the summer season (February to April); and Net Takraw matches can be seen either at the National Stadium or at Hua Mak Stadium.

THAI CHESS

Thai Chess, also known as Makrook Thai, has millions of players. The big matches are reported prominently on the television evening news. The top games are all published in the newspapers. However, almost all players of Thai Chess live in Thailand. Thai Chess is the game that is probably the closest to the original form of chess.

Thai Chess can almost be played with a regular chessboard and pieces. It is played on a board of 8x8 squares. However, these squares are not coloured black and white. Rather, they all have the same colour.

The rules of the game of Thai Chess are that the rook moves like a rook, the knight moves like a knight, and the king moves like a king. The pawn moves almost the same as a pawn, except that it starts on the third rank, not the second, and therefore cannot move two squares forward on the first move.

The major differences are that the bishop in Thai Chess moves like a silver general in shogi (which is Japanese chess). This means that the bishop moves exactly one square diagonally or one square forward, but cannot move one square directly backward or sideways.

The queen in Thai Chess moves exactly one square diagonally only. The pawn in Thai chess promotes to a queen on reaching the sixth rank (not the eighth rank). However, remember that in Thai Chess the queen is a weak piece. As a result, promotions are much more common and a player frequently has several queens on the board in Thai chess.

The pieces are set up the same as in International chess, except that the pawns start on the third rank and the king and queen on the white side are reversed, so that a king faces his opponent's enemy queen. This means that the two queens, who move diagonally only, can eventually capture each other.

The rules of checkmate are the same. However, the Thai equivalent of the fifty move draw rule is much more complex. In Thai Chess, the player with the stronger side is given points for each piece he has left on the board and, the more points he has, the quicker he must mate to avoid a draw. For example, in the endgame of king and two rooks against a lone king, the player with the two rooks must mate in just four moves. However, if the lone king is near the centre of the board or attacking an undefended rook, there are positions in which it is impossible to mate in four. Thus, if a situation arises in which there is a king and two rooks against a king and only one rook, the player with only one rook may be able to force a draw by sacrificing his lone remaining rook.

GAMES THAT THAI CHILDREN PLAY

Many of the games that Thai students play in the school playground are recognisable the world over: skipping, football, tag and marbles. Some of these have the same rules but different names: are you familiar with the game “Piggy in the middle” where someone standing in-between two other players has to try and grab hold of the ball? In Thai it is called Ling Ching Bon - “Monkey Snatches Ball”. The person who plays “it”, or ben in Thai, is often chosen using a familiar game called “rock, scissors, paper”. In Thai it is called Bao Ying Choob and has the same rules. Students in Thai schools play all of the following games.

One Legged Rabbit (Gradai Kha Dee-o) The players are split into two groups of equal numbers. One group is chosen to be the rabbits. The others have to remain within an area that has been marked out. The rabbits take turns to hop into the marked area and try to touch as many of the other team members as they can. Players are out if they are touched or if they cross the boundary. Likewise, the rabbit is out if he puts two legs down or changes legs. However, if he is tired, he can hop back to the start line where he can nominate another rabbit to take his place. The game is over when the other team has no players left in the area.

Run & Catch Up (Wing Bee-o) Two teams with equal numbers line up behind a post or two chairs at either end of the playground. The first member of each team holds a piece of cloth. On the word “Go” they run up to the pole at the opposite end, run around it and back to where they started. They then pass the cloth over to the second team member who does the same. The idea is to run so fast that you manage to catch up with the other team's runner. The team that runs slow and is touched by the other team's cloth are the losers.

Monkeys Runs for a Pole (Ling Ching Luk) In this game every player holds onto a pole or tree apart from one who has to stand alone in the middle. This player is the monkey. As each player runs to change their positions the monkey has to scramble for a vacant pole. If he manages to touch it first then the player without a pole has to stand in the middle.

Crow sits on Eggs (E-Gar Fuk Khai) Two circles are drawn one within the other. The outer circle should be about four feet in diameter and the inner circle just one foot. Small rocks or other similar sized objects are then placed inside the smaller circle. One of the players is chosen to be the “crow”. That player has to remain within the circle and guard the eggs. The others have to try and steal the eggs from the crow. They can do anything they like to trick and tease the crow. However, they mustn't enter the circle or be touched by the crow. When all of the eggs have been stolen the crow is then blindfolded. The players then have to hide the eggs that they have stolen. When they are ready, the blindfold is taken off and the crow has to search for its missing eggs. The owner of the first egg to be found then takes over the role as the “crow”.

Der-ree (Der-ree) A grid is marked on the playground with enough lines for each player. If each team has 3 players then there should be 3 lines cross-ways (i.e.. 4 boxes). The attacking team has to run to the far end and back without being touched by the defending team. They must also keep within the marked area or the game is over. They are only allowed to cross the boundary lines at each end. The defending team can only run left to right along the line they are standing on. However, the defender on the start line can not only run back and forth along his line but he has the advantage that he can run up and down the middle line too. They only need to touch one of the attackers for the game to be over. If one of the attackers can run to the far end and then back to the start line without being touched then that team are the winners and the game starts again.

RUGBY SEVENS

12th Annual Bangkok International Rugby Sevens, 27-29 October

This extremely popular event, organised by Brunsworth Ltd, has exceeded expectations this year with fifteen Nations (including Thailand) registered to compete in the Men's, Women's, Veteran's and Boy's Competitions.

The Men's and Women's divisions will be played out at the Police Club/Stadium Complex on Vibhavadee Rangsit Rd on the Bangkok City side of Don Muang Airport, next door to the Rama Gardens Hotel Resort while the Veteran's event will again be held at Bangkok Patana School. It is anticipated that the Boy's tournament will also be held at the School but this cannot yet be confirmed.

This year will see a minor invasion of club sides from Australia and New Zealand with NZ-based Niue Development Squad to compete in Bangkok for the first time. Other first-timers include, The Skindogs from Sydney ; Grammar-Carlton and College Rifles from the Auckland Rugby Union who will join the Linton Army side from North Palmerston, who are making their third appearance and the popular Potoroos from Brisbane who won the Cup competition in 1999.

It is anticipated the “Jamesons Bowl” event sponsored by Pernod Ricard Thailand will be hotly contested among local Thai and expatriate sides from Bangkok and up-Country. It is anticipated that 9-10 Thai and expatriate clubs will compete in the Men's Division.

In the Women's competition, eight sides will again compete for the “Woods Bagot Cup” and at least three internationals will be represented from Hong Kong, Singapore and a composite side from the USA and New Zealand. Thai women's sevens sides will complete the list.

The Veteran's Competition will be strongly propped up by the Old Bangkok Bangers and the Unquenchables from Melbourne, but their friendly matches will be supported by veteran ruggers from New Zealand, Brisbane, Phnom Penh, Moscow and Dubai.

This year's Boys Under 15 years “Rugby Challenge” is expected to be fought out among 12 top-ranked Thai school teams playing 15-a-side rugby as a lead-in to future promotion to the higher levels of domestic and international rugby. In total, 50-odd teams will play in the Tournament with around 800 players descending on Bangkok for this top-level Event.

The now popular novelty event, the “Champion Dash for Cash” will again be run to uncover the three fastest men in the Sevens.

For more information call Colonel David Dufall, Managing Director & Chairman of the

Bangkok Sevens on 02249 1834 or 081-822 5932 or check the Web at www.bangkoksevens.com

FOOTBALL FUN UPDATE

Further to our piece last month informing our readers of regular football practice being organised, we are pleased to announce that this has now started with many people attending. It is being held every Thursday from 5 pm until dusk at the Selasian School on Phetkasem Road, and is being organised by Will Atkinson, a teacher at a local school. If you are interested in going along please contact Will either via email on will604@shaw.ca, or by phone on 069884882.

He is hoping to arrange some matches between his ‘team' and some local teams in the near future, so come along and join the fun.

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