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This is another unique sport of Thailand and some of the neighboring countries (the designation ‘sport' may be as wrong as in the case of dog races in that there is no direct human achievement involved).

Fish fighting can be seen only in the provinces as it has been banned in Bangkok. Fighting fish breeders bring their champions, about the size of a middle finger, in little bottles of water, each in one bottle. Before a contest, the prospective adversaries are placed alongside each other in their bottles so that they may take the measure of each other and work up animosity in the process. Bets are based on the form and reaction shown by the fish. When fighting is agreed upon, the fish are scooped out of their bottles and carefully put into a large tall jar.

Coming face to face, the opponents transform themselves into beautiful creatures, their colours deepening, their gills quivering and widening, their fins and tails spreading out. Every part of the body becomes vibrant with colour. They lose no time in attacking each other, biting fiercely and cruelly. With mouths locked for minutes or sometimes even hours, they flit up and down the water in the bottle, maneuvering for positions. Parts of gills, fins, tails and scales are continually chewed off.

This is a fight to death and a drawn fight is rare. During the mortal combat, enthusiasts cast their bets basing their calculations on the amount and severity of the injury inflicted and received by both sides. A kind of fighting fish called lukpah is indigenous to the ponds, canals and marshes of Thailand. When caught, it is put into a bottle of pond water. Only the male fights. It is distinguished from the female by its more brilliant colors, longer tails and larger fins.

However, the lukpah is now only seldom used in fish fights as has been replaced by another fish called lukmoh, which reportedly doesn't know the meaning of defeat.