Thai Games: From Playgrounds to Cards to Beetle Fighting [S5.E.56]

Thanks to a suggestion from a listener Greg and Ed discuss
the fascinating topic of games that are common - if not unique -
to Thailand. Both guys have some familiarity with some games
played in public such as 'takraw,' but many of the others are
part of this strange world called 'Thai culture' that the guys
apparently don't actually know that well.


Greg begins with a children's game in which one child sings
a song while counting by syllable on another child's hand. 
When the singer stops on a finger, that finger is taken out of
the game.  The child with the last finger in is the
winner.  Greg even plays a cute clip of a video
of the game.  


Next, Greg explains a Thai game very similar to the Western
game of 'jacks,' which although relatively unplayed by children
back home, still lives on in a Thai derivative. 


The boys then go deep into the Thai version of chess,
called makruk
(หมากรุก), which utilizes the
same board and pieces but with modifying moving rules for each
piece. This game is a quite famous pastime of Thai motorcycle
riders, who can often be seen playing the game on the side of the
road while awaiting customers. It should be noted that Ed's
friend - a noted chess lover - was broken by makruk, giving up in
frustration after trying to tame the wild beast.


Greg continues with several more Thai games, from the crazy
sport of takraw, which is kind of like soccer and volleyball
mixed together with a wicker ball, to bizarre practices such
as beetle fighting, popular in the
Northeast, and a game where you throw seeds with
your knees. We also check in with a friend of Greg's
who owns Golden Goblin Games to hear
about the role-playing side of things.


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