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The drawing rule (counts) is very complex.  Apparently this arise from
gambling or playing practices to ensure some chances for the losing side.

Here is the rules: (the Official Rules of the Thailand Chess Federation)
There are 2 modes of counting: (depending on the state of the losing
side)
(1). If the losing side has one or more pieces left (besides the King):-
    Prerequisites: 1A No unpromoted pawns (both sides') on board.
                             1B The losing side has a clear disadvantage,
basically only in endgame positions, ie. few pieces left.  *This is where
the rule is still somewhat unclear > up to referee to judge* but
generally
it is common sense like R vs N, 2R vs R+N, etc.
    Procedure: The losing player start counting his own move from 1 to 64
if he can makes the 65th move, it's draw.
    Note: If in the course of counting, the losing side lose all other
pieces, then he can start counting according to rule (2).  You will
notice
that the count here is to 64, this rule section is called 'The Board's
Honour Rule', refering to the fact that the losing side has made 64
moves
= number of squares on board.
(2).  If the losing side has a lone King:- ('The Pieces' Honour Rule')
     Prerequisites: 2A No unpromoted pawns (both sides') on board.
                              2B The losing side has only a king
    Procedure: The losing player start counting his own move start from
1+
the total number of all pieces left on the board (incl. kings) to the
specified number (below) if he can makes 1 more move after the specified
number without checkmate, it's draw. (in other words, The wining side
has
one more move to checkmate)
    The Pieces' Honours: in this exact order (regardless of any other
pieces left):
                 2 Rooks = 8
                 1 Rook   = 16
                 2 Bishop = 22
                 2 knights = 32
                 1 Bishop = 44
                 Others = 64
     Examples: K+2R+N vs K count = 8 start from 6
                        K +1R+2N+2B vs K count = 16 start from 8
                        K+ 2B+2N+5Q vs K count = 22 start from 12
                        K+ 2N+1B+1Q vs K count = 32 start from 7
                        K+ 1B+1N+3Q vs K count = 44 start from 8
                        K+ 1N+ 2Q vs K count = 64 start from 6
                        K+ 3Q vs K count = 64 start from 6
                        K + 2R +1N+1B+2Q vs K count = 8 start from 9
(auto
draw!)
    Note: If in the course of counting, the wining side lose some pieces,
the count continues, no change!.  You will notice that the Bishop is more
powerful in checkmating than Knight. 'The Pieces' Honours' refers to
the number of pieces left and the power of them.

Just to reaffirm that I am Thai and am 100% certain of the rules....

With regard to the name 'MAK'  = board game 'ROOK' = attack

The spellin is coincidental...

Also, 'KHUN'  means the chief, head, principal etc.  It is used to
refer
to the king but to use  the actual word 'king'  as a playing piece was
against Thai culture.

As for 'KHON' (pronounced like Cone)  it is definitely NOT the form of
drama (different pronuciation & spelling in Thai) but nobody know the
origin.  Some authorities suggested it derived from 'KON' 
(short-vowel)
meaning human.

One last interesting bits:  'Last century, special first moves for king
and queen were allowed (the king could make a knight move his first move,
and the queen could move two squares diagonally on her first move.) This
practice seems to be no longer in use currently'
The reason is that in the opening,  the kings were almost always played
to
b2 and g7 (like Castling) The Left Bishop usually to c2 and f7.  Same
with
the Queen to e3 and d6 Or rarely c3 and f6..... So they just sfe time.
Nowadays, the serious games forbid these, but on the street and
countryside, they still make these 'Formula moves'  (that's what the 2
rules are called).

Thai Chess gained much popularity in the 1990s, with 5-7 televised
national events /year,  but after lots of published analysis, the
knowledge of Thai Chess techniques + strategies seem to have reached the
peak.  Sadly, almost all serious games between similar-level pros are
draws.  Now, they have to invent tie-break games call 'MAKPONG'
(Defensive Chess) wherein the player who checks the opponent's king such
that  he has to MOVE the king wins.  BAD IDEA!!!

On the brighter side, Thai Chess is still the second- most popular board
game in Thailand (after Thai Checkers) and gaining popularity among
general players, esp. in countryside, who just play to enjoy.  One reason
is, interetingly, cheaper plastic sets and more modern-trade distribution
channels (like Tesco Lotus, and c-stores) ...

Hope it was useful info.
poompat@yahoo.com, poompat@hotmail.com

Nice to be able to share information !

'the pawn, called 'bia,' is traditionally a cowrie (or cowry) shell.
Are cowrie shells still used today in Thailand' is correct... Bia was
the
small changes like coins at that time, as compared to 'gold nuggets'
that were like currency notes...  But I do not know what they used for
other big pieces then...

Nowadays, everybody use plastic sets... and may be soda bottles' caps in
place of lost pawns... cowrie shells, as a form of money before coins,
are
now rare collectible items of much values... even the boards are now
plastic or 'imitation wood made from pressed-papers' although some
people still have hand-carved wood sets and boards (also very rare and
collectible-items because nobody makes them anymore > no buyers)

I had not thought of the idea of a variant with a met having the move of
the gold from shogi, as Mr. Gilman suggests, but my son compiled a ZRF
for
makruk-gi.  The game was surprisingly more playable than chessgi.

As to wooden sets, I wonder if Poompat knows a way to contact the Thai
Department of Corrections who list a board and pieces on their website:
http://www.thaicorrect.moi.go.th/sst93.html.  I have tried writing to the
site coordinator (although in English) and had no success.

I have seen that there are books and websites in Thai on various aspects
of play -- I found some endgame exercises with diagrammatic solutions
very
easy to read and quite instructive.

I wish that there were more instructive literature available to English
readers.  Some of those endgames with a couple of mets look very complex.

Does anyone know from which year the first written source mentions makruk?
Does anyone know which is the oldest makruk piece or set found?
Is there any other source to how old the game is?

Hi! One more question for Poompat or any native (or thoroughly accustomed)
player of makruk:
It there a first move rule? That is, does black or white (or red) move
first...or is there some other conventional way of deciding who has the
first move?
I've printed up a booklet of the rules of makruk...and someone asked me
this question...but I can't seem to find any answer, on this site, or on
any of the makruk sites, or in any of my books.
Is there a first move rule?

Because the arrangement of the pieces for both sides are 'mirrored',
that
is King on left, there should be no difference who moves first...  Some
old
literatures put Black at the bottom (ie. move first) but the 'official'
rules (probably written quite recently and followed the Int'l version)
now is that White moves first.

And, by the way, I would like to add that there is a new ThaiChess
software with nice graphics etc. at www.thaichess.com...  Check it out! 
at about US$5, it's a great value and fun.  (The program incorporated
ALL
drawing rules, the first one that I know of)

In my Books about Thai Chess is always White starting at first. That means that white/red moves first. The strongest players of Thai chess are all members in the Bangkok Chessclub which is a strong Western Chess Club. Irt is very likely that there are stronger Players as Mr. Tor from Samut Prakarn who is very likely the Number 5 in Thailand. The Club in Samut Prakarn is near the Shuttle Buses to the Crocodile Farm and they are playing there always in the Afternoon.

Cambodian Chess is identical to Thai Chess with one exception. The king can jump one time like the castling at the begin from his original field like a knight to th side. Everything else is identical .... as i know.

Nice greetings from Bangkok

Hi, This is a Makruk software.

Hope you like it.

http://www.geocities.com/peacedeveloper/downloadChess.htm

I found this link on Thai Chess:
http://www.thailandlife.com/thaichess/

which explains the rules of the game, including the rule about how many moves does a player have to checkmate a lonely King before a forced draw.

I am looking to play a game of Makruk.

Here is a new preset I just created:
http://play.chessvariants.org/pbm/play.php?game%3DMakruk+%28Thai+chess%29%26settings%3DAlfaerie

Anyone interested?

Very good. Now the brain doesn't have to make Bishop to Khon conversions. Many thanks.