How technology is changing the games that Thais love
Emerging technology has changed how we all play games, and this effect can be seen in Thailand as much as anywhere else. What are the different ways that traditional games have changed and what new games have Thai players been introduced to?
Makruk Can Be Played Online
Makruk (หมากรุก in Thai) is one of the classic board games played in Thailand, based on the ancient Indian game of Chaturanga. This means that it’s one of the variants of chess played around the planet. Some people consider it to be possibly the closest relative to the original game of all the different versions that still exist.
Sometimes called Thai Chess, Makruk is played by about two million people across Thailand, with some of those players also chess players. At first glance, it looks a lot like a chessboard, but the differences begin with the placement of the pieces and continue with the way that certain pieces move. For example, the Queen can only move diagonally and one square at a time.
While the concept for this game was probably brought to the Ayutthaya kingdom by Persian traders in the 14th century, its undergone more changes in recent times thanks to its move online. Hopefully, the fact that players can now try it online means that Makruk reaches more people and continues to be popular.
Pok Deng
This is another popular game in Thailand, although in this case it’s played with cards rather than pieces on a board. Pok Deng (ป๊อกเด้ง) is about trying to get a hand that beats the dealers. It’s perhaps most similar to baccarat from Western culture, but is more complex and has a richer variety of possible outcomes to consider.
You can also find online versions of this game, with the rules faithfully translated for the internet. However, perhaps the most interesting aspect of the switch to online playing is the way that new card games have been introduced to the country’s players.
For example, this site looks at เว็บโป๊กเกอร์ออนไลน์ที่ดีที่สุด 2022, which means the best poker sites for 2022. This classic card game can be played by Thais on sites like 888poker, 2xBet, and every game. It shows where players from Thailand can play for free, as well as the tips that they need to be aware of. Sites like this help curate the site contenders available on the market, meaning players can find what suits their needs.
Video Games Are Increasingly Popular
The easy access to a vast range of video games enjoyed by Thai gamers means that there are many popular titles across the country. Role-playing games are commonly listed as the most widely played among the country’s estimated 32 million gamers. In terms of individual titles, Dota 2, League of Legends, and PUBG Mobile are among the games that Thais love to play.
As for video games set in the country, many war games and fighting games are set here but don’t really scratch the surface of the country’s people and culture. This may change as the local video game development market grows and more nationally-produced titles are made available. This is the biggest gaming market in Southeast Asia and just outside the top 20 globally.
Asiasoft is one of the continent’s leading video game companies, with its headquarters in Bangkok and many other offices scattered across Asia. They work with several Thai developers but a look at their official website shows that their most recent releases have been aimed at the Chinese market.
Mobile gaming is currently the most popular method of going online to play, with 87% of those surveyed saying that they enjoy mobile games, while 40% use a computer and 20% play games with a console. This is easy to understand since the country has over 59 million people who go online through a mobile device, which is close to the total number of Thais who access the internet, and mobile phone usage is expected to grow massively in the next few years.
Being able to access internet games has allowed many Thais to enjoy traditional games in a more modern, simpler way. However, this has also given them a chance to discover new types of games that they might never have tried in the past, meaning that they can explore a greater range and variety than ever before.
