Muay Thai.
Thai boxing (muay Thai) is perhaps the one sport most identified with Thailand. While it is a gruelling sport that demands a great deal of strength, flexibility and endurance from its combatants, it has a spiritual dimension that isn't usually associated with sports.
Before the fight begins, both boxers kneel in prayer to their teacher (wai kru) and then do a sort of dance (ram muay) that is part warm-up and part ritual to draw the powers of the earth spirits.
Once the preliminaries are completed, the actual boxing begins. A fight consists of five rounds lasting three minutes each.
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