Introduction
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Thailand, like the rest of Southeast Asia, has a rich history of card games. Cultural osmosis derived from both the ancient Dynasties of China, as well as the more modern European Colonial period, has developed a strong love of gambling and card games in Thailand.
List of Most Popular Thai Card Games
Today, Thai people enjoy a wide variety of home-grown domestic card games that are uniquely Thai. Here are some of Indochina’s favorites.
Pok Deng (ป๊อกเด้ง)
A Thai banking game, quite similar in procedure to Baccarat. Players make wagers against the House-Backed Banker, and two cards are dealt to the Banker and each Player.
Players win if they have a higher-ranking set of cards than the Banker, or if they achieve special instant-win combinations akin to a Blackjack.
Gao Gae (เก้าเก)
A comparing game in which all of the Players are dealt three cards. Quite similar to Poker, with three-card melds formable according to a set Meld Hierarchy.
Can largely be thought of as Thai Three-Card Poker. A set of un-melded cards are scored by their sum of pip values, which does distinguish it from Poker somewhat.
Pai Kang (ไพ่แคง)
A Thai Table-Game similar in procedure and rules to Rummy-style games. Players are each dealt 5 cards, and on their turn draw a card from the deck, or discard cards into the table based on the previous number of discards made.
The Player with the lowest total value of their hand when a Player declares “Kang” wins.
Thai Rummy (Dummy) (รัมมี่)
Dummy, also known as Thai Rummy, is as the name suggests a variation of Rummy 500 that is quite popular in Thailand. As in Rum 500, Players attempt to be the first to reach 500 points. Penalty points are subtracted from a Player’s total for various conditions.
In Dummy, a special bonus is awarded if a Player manages to go out without placing a single meld of their own.
Slave (สลาฟ)
A climbing game in which Players attempt to shed their hand of cards by playing combinations of cards in an increasingly higher order.
So, for example, one Player plays a pair of 3s, so another plays a pair of 4s, then a Player plays a three-kind of 5s, so the next player plays a three-kind of 9s.
The gameplay is quite similar to the American game Scum/Asshole/President.
Sam Sip (สำเซน)
Sam Sip is a comparing-card game in which Players attempt to form unique pairs of 10s, pairs of face-cards (King-King, Queen-Queen), or pairs of cards whose pip-value equal 10 (6 and 4, 5 and 5).
As each round progresses, the stakes of the wager are increased, to pressure Players out of the game until a clear winner emerges.
Pai Tong (ไพ่ตอง)
Pai Tong is a comparing-card game similar to the Tile Game Mahjong. Players use special “Money-Suited” cards in order to form combinations in their hand.
Players draw one card, and discard one card each turn. Players may “Go Out” at any time, with the Player with the highest ranking hand winning once a Player decides to “Go Out”.
Honorable Mentions
- Siku
- Pâi Hông
- 1234
History of Card Games in Thailand
Many traditional games from China, such as the Tile Game Mahjong or games played with the Money-Suited cards existed in Thailand in the pre-colonial periods during the period of the Siamese Dynasties.
Thailand, previously called Siam, was an independent polity in South East Asia for over 1,000 years. Even as other nation-states around them became colonized, such as Vietnam by the French, Siam managed to retain de facto independence throughout the entire Colonial Period of Southeast Asia.
Despite never being fully colonized, the Thai/Siamese people engaged in much cultural exchange with the Europeans now making themselves their neighbors.
European card games were introduced to Thailand in the late 18th Century, during the end of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. As that Kingdom collapsed, the Thonburi Kingdom emerged, centralizing and redefining Thai borders.
Although short-lived, the Thonburi Kingdom was supplanted by the Rattanakosin, the current ruling dynasty of Thailand. Despite this period of political turmoil, cultural exchange continued between the West and this new Rattanakosin Kingdom.
Baccarat was introduced to Thailand by French settlers in Vietnam, with the game quickly becoming popular across all of Asia. The standard French/Anglo-American suited decks were also introduced into Thailand during this period of exchange, setting the conditions for the creation of those games listed above.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Most Popular Card Game In Thailand?
The most popular card game in Thailand is probably Pok Deng, as that is the game that has largely been able to break out of Indochina and begin to see International play.
Are Card Games Legal in Thailand?
Yes, it is perfectly legal to buy a deck of cards in Thailand. In fact, The Thai Monarchy controls gaming quite strictly. There is only one company with an officially sanctioned Royal Monopoly that has the right to print decks of cards in Thailand.
However, gambling for money is not legal, unless one has the express permission of the government.
Which Types of Playing Card Decks Are Used in Thailand?
Just as in any corner of the world, many games in Thailand are playable using the standard Anglo-American 52-card deck.
However, some games require the previously mentioned “Money-Suited” cards, which resemble other East-Asian “Tile” decks.
What are Thai Money-Suited Cards?
Thai Money-Suited cards are related to Chinese Money-Suited Cards, in which the “Suit” of the card can be thought of as the Tens-Place in a particular numeral. So, one suit may be “Pennies”, while another suit may be “Dollars” or “Ten Dollars”.
Generally, in games that use the Money-Suited cards, Players try to form the greatest “Sum” of cash possible.