Kátâw, a contest in which a woven rattan or plastic ball about 12cm in diameter is kicked around, is almost as popular in Laos as it is in Thailand and Malaysia.

Traditional kátâw involved players standing in a circle (the size of the circle depending on the number of players) and trying to keep the ball airborne by kicking it soccer-style. Points were scored for style, difficulty and variety of kicking manoeuvres.

A modern variation on kátâw - the one used in local or international competitions - is played with a volley ball net, using all the same rules as in volleyball except that only the feet and head are permitted to touch the ball. It's amazing to see the players perform aerial pirouettes, spiking the ball over the net with their feet. You're most likely to see kátâw in school yards, wats and public spaces, usually in the afternoon.