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with a cohesive Siamese (or Central Thai) national identity, though this is a point of contention with minority groups like the Malay Muslims in the southern provinces. The classroom is one of the primary microcosms of the deeply ingrained societal hierarchy: students believe that teachers occupy the honoured ‘elder’ position, which requires compliance and respect. This educational culture is an asset when it comes to interacting within Thai society but is sometimes a handicap when competing academically against other nations.

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Panrit ‘Gor’ Daoruang started documenting his student days on www.thailandlife.com at the age of 12. Now 22 years old, he is serving a three-year prison sentence for drug possession and periodically posts firsthand accounts on www.thaiprisonlife.com.

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Thailand’s public school system is organised around six years at the à·tm (primary) level, beginning at the age of six, followed by either three or six years of má·tá·yom (secondary) education. The three-year course is for those planning to follow school with three to five years of wí·chah·chêep (trade school), while the má·tá·yom (six-year course) is for students planning to continue at the ù·dom (tertiary) level, ie university. About 69% of the population continues past the mandatory nine years and 15% receives little to no education at all.

Private and international schools for the foreign and local elite are found in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, and in the other large provincial cities. The country boasts over 30 public universities plus roughly 41 teacher training schools (Rajabhat) and nine technical schools (Rajamangala), both of which have been promoted from college to university status. There are also numerous trade schools and technical colleges. Thammasat and Chulalongkorn are two of the country’s most prestigious universities.

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SPORT

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Moo·ay tai

Almost anything goes in this martial sport, both in the ring and in the stands. Moo·ay tai (Thai boxing; also spelt muay thai) is an intense contact sport accompanied by a folksy musical orchestra, a flamboyant ceremonial ritual dance before each match and frenzied betting throughout the stadium.

All surfaces of the body are considered fair targets and any part of the body, except the head, may be used to strike an opponent. Common blows include high kicks to the neck, elbow thrusts to the face and head, knee hooks to the ribs and low crescent kicks to the calf. Punching is considered the weakest of all blows and kicking merely a way to ‘soften up’ one’s opponent; knee and elbow strikes are decisive in most matches.

A ram moo·ay (boxing dance) precedes every match. This ceremony usually lasts about five minutes and expresses obeisance to the fighter’s guru (kroo), as well as to the guardian spirit of Thai boxing. The complex series of gestures and movements is performed to the ringside musical accompaniment of Thai èe (oboe) and percussion.

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Thailand won two gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, one for female weightlifting and the other for male boxing.

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Fighters wear sacred headbands and armbands into the ring for good luck and divine protection. The headband is removed after the ram moo·ay, but the armband, which contains a small Buddha image, is worn throughout the match.

From championship fights to novice spars, matches are staged at provincial rings and temple fairs all over the country. The most competitive are fought at two Bangkok stadiums, Ratchadamnoen and Lumphini.

Grà·bèe Grà·borng

Another traditional martial art, grà·bèe grà·borng focuses on hand-held weapons using the grà·bèe (sword), plorng (quarter-staff), ngów (halberd), dàhp srng meu (a pair of swords held in each hand) and mái sŭn·sòrk (a pair of clubs). Nowadays the sport is merely a ritual to be displayed during festivals or at tourist venues but it is still solemnly taught according to a 400-year-old tradition handed down from Ayuthaya’s Wat Phutthaisawan. The king’s elite bodyguards are trained in grà·bèe gr