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"Bangkok is our playground" a series dedicated to the the Thai sport takraw played in the streets of Bangkok.

Young takraw players enjoy a game after work, making use of an abandoned building project as their improvised court. © Cedric Arnold

Takraw, sometimes refered to a kick volley ball, has been played in South East Asia in various forms for close to 500 years. Traditionally the game was played in a circle and players would try to keep the woven rattan ball in the air as long as possible without using their hands or arms. The circle game had no set rules and required very little space.
The most popular and spectacular version of Sepak Takraw, first appeared during the late 19th century when enthusiasts in Southeast Asia decided to add a net and a set of rules similar to volleyball to make the game more challenging and competitive.

L: Action at the net. A player spikes the ball into his opponent's court using the "scorpion kick" this spectacular and powerful kick looks more like a martial art move than anything else A sort back flip, that only the most agile player can master, where the player lands on his feet with his back to the net. © Cedric Arnold

During the 1960s official rules were written and the sport was officially named “Sepak Takraw” (“Sepak” is Malay for “kick” and “Takraw” is Thai for “woven ball”.) The sport is extremely popular all over South East Asia and is gaining popularity in the west with Takraw Federations now present in The USA, France, Canada etc. At competition level Thailand and Malaysia remain the 2 strongest teams (With Thailand usually winning finals).

A player holds a takraw ball against his tattooed chest © Cedric Arnold

Usually a sport that boys learn to master in the countryside, when they move to Bangkok to work or study, their pass time remains Takraw. In the city, players convert disused car parks, spaces bellow expressways and any kind of abandoned land into courts and enjoy the gravity defying sport everyday after work (friendly bosses even let workers set up courts in factory compounds).

"Action Portrait 1" / Nickname "Sprite", occupation, builder & and parking attendant © Cedric Arnold

"Action Portrait 2" / Nickname "Pong", occupation, Student © Cedric Arnold

"Action Portrait 3" / Nickname "Chai", occupation, Pest exterminator © Cedric Arnold

"Action Portrait 4" / Nickname "Som", occupation, Chauffeur © Cedric Arnold

Players all agree that the most important thing is not where you play but rather how much fun you have while playing. They usually share the cost of paint and sometimes even cement, a net and 2 old tyres and convert literally anywhere into courts.

L: Players battle at the net during an small local tournament in a Bangkok suburb

R: A player repaints the outlines of a court at an abandoned building project © Cedric Arnold

Capured upside down, a player performs a "scorpion kick" © Cedric Arnold

If the landowner decides to claim the land back or sell it for a building project the players simply look for a new place to play in the area.

Players use anything they can get their hands on to hold the net together. In this case, an old road sign and a Thai flag. © Cedric Arnold

A traffic police man joins in for a game. Teams consist of 3 players with 2 players usually positioned close to the net and one at the back. For the serve, one of the players at the net throws the ball towards the player at the back who must perform the serve by keeping one foot in the circle seen in the picture © Cedric Arnold

A real subculture has emerged in the capital, with improvised tournaments taking place on most weekends all over town. All are welcome as long as they share the same enthusiasm for the sport.

On the sidelines... Children playing next to a takraw court in a Bangkok suburb... © Cedric Arnold

A player spikes the ball into his opponent's court using the "scorpion kick" © Cedric Arnold

These images have been the subject of 3 exhibitions in Paris & Bangkok

For information about licensing for this feature:
by email: cedirc@realfeatures.com
or call: +66(0)8182 797 56 (Bangkok Cell)

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