Editing Thailand (section)

=== Sports ===
{{Main|Sport in Thailand}}
{{See also|Thailand at the Olympics|Rugby union in Thailand|Golf in Thailand|Football in Thailand|List of sporting events held in Thailand}}
[[File:Muay Thai Fight Us Vs Burma (80668065).jpeg|thumb|[[Muay Thai]], Thailand's signature sport]]
[[Muay Thai]] ({{Lit.|Thai boxing}}) is a [[combat sport]] that uses stand-up striking along with various [[clinch fighting|clinching]] techniques. Muay Thai became widespread internationally in the late-20th to 21st centuries. Famous practitioners include [[Buakaw Banchamek]], [[Samart Payakaroon]], and [[Apidej Sit-Hirun]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=5 July 2017 |title=Top 10 Muay Thai Fighters You Should Know |url=http://www.muaythaicitizen.com/top-10-muay-thai-fighters/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200507133329/http://www.muaythaicitizen.com/top-10-muay-thai-fighters/ |archive-date=7 May 2020 |access-date=11 May 2020 |publisher=muaythaicitizen}}</ref> [[Association football]] has overtaken Muay Thai as the most widely followed sport in Thailand. The [[Thailand national football team]] has played the [[AFC Asian Cup]] six times and reached the semifinals in 1972. The country has hosted the Asian Cup twice, in [[1972 AFC Asian Cup|1972]]<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Panahi |first1=Majeed |last2=Veroeveren |first2=Pieter |date=12 June 2009 |title=Asian Nations Cup 1972 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/72asch.html |access-date=2024-10-20 |website=www.rsssf.org}}</ref> and in [[2007 AFC Asian Cup|2007]] (along with Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam for the 2007).

[[Volleyball]] is rapidly growing as one of the most popular sports. The [[Thailand women's national volleyball team|women's team]] has often participated in the [[FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship|World Championship]], [[FIVB Volleyball Women's World Cup|World Cup]], and [[FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix|World Grand Prix]] [[Asian Championship]]. They have won the [[Asian Women's Volleyball Championship|Asian Championship]] twice and the [[AVC Cup for Women|Asian Cup]] once. [[Takraw]] is a sport native to Thailand in which the players hit a rattan ball and are only allowed to use their feet, knees, chest, and head to touch the ball. [[Sepak takraw]] is a form of this sport which is similar to volleyball. A rather similar game but played only with the feet is [[buka ball]].

[[Rugby football|Rugby]] is also a growing sport in Thailand with the [[Thailand national rugby union team]] rising to be ranked 61st in the world.<ref>{{Cite web |title=International Rugby Board – THAILAND |url=http://www.irb.com/unions/union=11000019/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928002735/http://www.irb.com/unions/union%3D11000019/index.html |archive-date=28 September 2011 |access-date=25 April 2010 |publisher=World Rugby}}</ref> Thailand became the first country in the world to host an international 80 welterweight rugby tournament in 2005.<ref>[http://nationmultimedia.com/2005/07/19/sport/index.php?news=sport_18070310.html The Nation] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110425010652/http://nationmultimedia.com/2005/07/19/sport/index.php?news=sport_18070310.html |date=25 April 2011 }}, 19 July 2005</ref> Thailand has also attracts golfers from Japan, Korea, and Western countries.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Nualkhair |first=Chawadee |date=10 July 2009 |title=Thailand woos foreign golfers with sun, sand traps |work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSTRE56913I20090710 |url-status=live |access-date=25 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090715051308/http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSTRE56913I20090710 |archive-date=15 July 2009}}</ref> There are more than 200 world-class golf courses nationwide.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Why to book with golf2thailand.com : Thailand Golf Courses Thailand Golf Packages |url=http://www.golf2thailand.com/golf_course_thailand.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060615203517/http://www.golf2thailand.com/golf_course_thailand.asp |archive-date=15 June 2006 |access-date=25 April 2010 |publisher=Golf2thailand.com}}</ref> For basketball, the Chang Thailand Slammers won the 2011 [[ASEAN Basketball League]] Championship.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chang Thailand Slammers – AirAsia ASEAN Basketball League |url=http://www.aseanbasketballleague.com/teams/view/6/chang-thailand-slammers |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120605045404/http://www.aseanbasketballleague.com/teams/view/6/chang-thailand-slammers |archive-date=5 June 2012 |access-date=2 June 2012 |publisher=aseanbasketballleague.com}}</ref> The [[Thailand national basketball team]] had its most successful year at the [[Basketball at the 1966 Asian Games|1966 Asian Games]] where it won the silver medal.<ref>{{Cite web |date=18 May 2012 |title=Thailand Basketball |url=http://www.best-basketball-tips.com/thailand-basketball.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120501100255/http://www.best-basketball-tips.com/thailand-basketball.html |archive-date=1 May 2012 |access-date=2 June 2012 |publisher=best-basketball-tips.com}}</ref>

[[File:Bangkok Lumpinee Boxing Stadium 1.jpg|thumb|[[Lumpinee Boxing Stadium]]]]
The [[Lumpinee Boxing Stadium]] originally sited at [[Rama IV Road]] near [[Lumphini Park]] hosted its final Muay Thai boxing matches on 8 February 2014 after the venue first opened in December 1956. On 11 February 2014, the stadium was relocated to Ram Intra Road due to the new venue's capacity.<ref>{{Cite news |date=6 February 2014 |title=End of an era for Muay Thai at Lumpini |work=Bangkok Post |url=http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/393517/end-of-an-era-as-lumpini-boxing-stadium-closes-its-doors-on-friday |url-status=dead |access-date=6 February 2014 |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20171010141109/https://www.bangkokpost.com/archive/end-of-an-era-as-lumpini-boxing-stadium-closes-its-doors-on-friday/393517 |archive-date=10 October 2017}}</ref> [[Thammasat Stadium]] in Bangkok was built for the [[1998 Asian Games]]. [[Rajamangala National Stadium]] is the biggest sporting arena in Thailand, with a capacity of around 50,000.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rajamangala Stadium – Bangkok |url=https://www.stadiumguide.com/rajamangala-stadium/ |access-date=2024-10-20 |website=The Stadium Guide |language=en}}</ref>