Sepak Takraw

The game uses a ball of woven rattan or synthetic plastic about twelve centimetres across, and players may touch it with feet, knees, chest and head but not hands or arms, three per side over a net at badminton height. It appears in Southeast Asian records going back centuries as a circle game - keeping the ball up cooperatively - and the competitive net version was codified in the mid twentieth century, with Thailand and Malaysia both central to its development and Thailand dominant in international competition since. What makes it worth watching is the spiking: the attacker leaps and strikes the ball downward with the foot above head height, often in a full inverted scissor kick, which is the single most striking thing in the sport. Informal games run on any flat ground - car parks, school yards, roadsides - most often in the late afternoon, and watching costs nothing.

What you actually see

• The rattan ball - about twelve centimetres, woven or moulded plastic.
• The overhead spike - the inverted kick above head height that defines the game.
• The three-a-side net game - the codified competitive form.
• The informal courts - played on any flat ground, most often late afternoon.

When to go

Any time; late afternoon is when informal games happen. Competitive matches run at sports venues and during festivals, and Thailand's national teams compete internationally.

Honest expectations

Informal games are not scheduled or advertised - you find them by walking past. Competitive fixtures are announced in Thai. Standing and watching a street game is normal and welcome; joining in generally is not unless invited.

Nearby

Played in every town in the country, on any available flat ground.