Based on the rule of Takro Lod Huang, each team consists of 6-7 players, standing on a
floor which is drawn with one circle line of 2-meter radius. Above the centre point of the circle, a
metal triangle hoop is hung in the air with a minimum length of 5.70 metres away from the pulley.
Players toss the ball to each other attempting to score by kicking/bumping into the hoop with their
sophisticated styles and masterful skills. Within 40 minutes of playing time or when the number of
floor hitting reaches the rule, the team who achieves the highest points is the winner.
The Takro Lod Huang sport requires comprehensive body uses from head to toe. Players can
perform their styles through arms, knees, shoulders, elbows, and heads. Kicks can be in different
ways like front kick, side kick, back kick, standing kick, jumping kick, cross-legged kick and kick
through hand loops to pass the ball into the hoop. Names are created after the kicking styles, such
as Phra Ram Baung Mue (Bend downward kicking the ball into the hoop), Kuen Ma (crossed jump),
Pab Pieb, Manao Tat, with a total of 32 styles, in which the Takro professionals call “Look”. .
The feature element of Takro Lod Huang, apart from skills competition, is that players must
compete with themselves by using their skills, practice and accuracy in delivering a ball to the hoop
with difficult hits. It is therefore a sport that supports players to develop their physical strengths,
flexibility and motions. They also well develop their intelligence in relation to scientific calculation of
angles and kicking force, as well as decision-making and immediate problem solving. Takro Lod
Huang is also filled with wisdom values. For example, rattan, Thai indigenous plant, is brought to
be woven as a Takro ball. The creation of triangle hoops and outstanding Takro playing styles are
also regarded as Thai identity.
There are five playing styles of Thai Takro
• Takro Wong or Takro Tae Ton (Marathon Takro) Players of each team will encircle to toss
the rattan ball in pair simultaneously, not to let it touch the floor. Team scores are counted in
aggregated hits after all pairs have played.
• Takro Phlik Phlaeng (modified Takro) is an individual play. A player kicks or toss the ball in
several different styles continuously, to maintain the ball in the air. To win over competitors, the
players must hit the ball more frequent, more difficult styles and longer than the rest of them.
• Takro Lod Huang (Hoop Takro) or Takro Lod Buang (Loop Takro) is played in team by
hanging a triangle hoop in the middle of the floor. Players toss a ball until they can pass it into
the hoop. They will receive scores according the difficult levels of the styles.
• Takro Kham Takhai (Takro over the net) is played by two teams facing each other divided
by the net line on the field similar to a badminton court. They pass a ball over the net with an
attempt to make the opposite side miss the ball. The rule is also similar to that of Badminton.
• Takro Ching Thong is played like ox running contest or fast running. But players run and toss
a rattan ball at the same time by using different parts of their body, except their hands. From
the start to the finish line, in the distance of 50 meters, they have to keep bouncing the ball
in the air.
“Thai Takro is one of the ball
games played by foot, similar
to some Asian games, like
“Sepak Raka” in Malaysia,
Singapore and Indonesia;
“Chinlone” in Myanmar;
“Sipa” in the Philippines;
and “Kator” in Laos. A ball is
mostly made of Ta Ka rattan
and Wai Ka rattan by using
the same weaving method.
However, the ball could
have different sizes, most
likely with 15-17 inches in
circumference, 140-180 grams
in weight, and 12 holes.”
172 | Culture Ways of Life and Wisdom