| History of Muay Thai or Thai Boxing | | | | patronage of muay continued through the |
| | | | reigns of Rama V and VII. |
| From | | | | |
| | | | The Muay Renaissance |
| The Siamese developed their own writing | | | | |
| system in the early 1200s which makes it | | | | The accession of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) |
| difficult to obtain information on the early | | | | to the throne in 1868 ushered in a Golden Age |
| history of Thailand as well as Muay Thai. It | | | | not only for muay but for the whole country. |
| is known that martial arts resembling Muay | | | | Muay progressed greatly during the reign of |
| Thai have long been practiced throughout much | | | | Rama V as a direct result of the king's |
| of Southeast Asia. The origin of the Muay | | | | personal intrest in the art. The country was |
| Thai can be traced back to the older Muay | | | | in peace and muay functioned as a means of |
| Boran ("ancient boxing"). This was the form | | | | physical exercise, self-defense, recreaction |
| of unarmed combat probably used by Siamese | | | | and personal advancement. |
| soldiers in conjunction with Krabi Krabong, | | | | |
| the weapon-based style[1]. Since Thai culture | | | | Legendary Heros |
| was based on that of India, China and | | | | |
| Cambodia, they would have had an influence on | | | | Nai Khanom Tom was a famous practitioner of |
| local martial arts. Indian boxing arts such | | | | Muay Thai. Around 1774, he was captured along |
| as Adithada remarkably resemble both Muay | | | | with other Thai prisoners, either in a |
| Boran and Muay Thai and it has been said that | | | | skirmish or at the fall of the ancient |
| every move in Muay Thai has a similar | | | | capital of Siam of Ayutthaya. He was brought |
| equivalent in Shaolin kung fu. Muay Boran was | | | | to Rangoon in Burma, where the Burmese King |
| divided to: | | | | Mangra was holding a religious festival in |
| | | | honor of Buddha's relics. The festivities |
| Muay Korat (Northeast) emphasized strength. A | | | | included many forms of entertainment. King |
| technique like "Throwing Buffalo Punch" was | | | | Mangra was reported to be curious to see how |
| used. It could supposedly defeat a buffalo in | | | | the various fighting styles of Burma and |
| one blow. | | | | other countries would compare. At one point, |
| | | | he wanted to see how Muay Boran would compare |
| Muay Lopburi (Center region) emphasized | | | | to the Burmese art Lethwei. Nai Khanomtom was |
| movements. Its strong points were straight | | | | selected to fight against the Burmese |
| and counter punches. | | | | champion. Nai Khanomtom did a Wai Kru |
| | | | pre-fight dance which puzzled all of the |
| Muay Chaiya (South) emphasized posture and | | | | Burmese. When the fight began, he charged out |
| defense, as well as elbows and knees. | | | | and using punches, kicks, elbows, and knees, |
| | | | quickly pummeled the Burmese. |
| Muay Pra Nakorn (North) emphasized speed, | | | | |
| particularly in kicking. Because of its | | | | The referee was reported to have stated that |
| faster speed, it was called as well "Ling | | | | the Burmese opponent was distracted by the |
| Lom" (windy monkey or Loris). | | | | Wai Kru, so the knockout was invalid. The |
| | | | King then asked if Nai Khanomtom would fight |
| There is a phrase about Muay Boran that | | | | nine other Burmese champions to prove |
| states, "Punch Korat, Wit Lopburi, Posture | | | | himself. He agreed and fought them all, one |
| Chaiya, Faster Thasao. | | | | after the other with no rest periods between |
| (à ¸«à ¸¡à ¸±à ¸ | | | | fights. The last Burmese was reputed to be a |
| "à ¸«à ¸ (TM) | | | | great boxing teacher. Nai Khanomtom defeated |
| à ¸±à ¸Âà ¹‚à ¸ | | | | them all in a superior fashion. |
| „à ¸£à ¸²à ¸S | | | | |
| à ¸‰à ¸¥à ¸²à ¸ | | | | King Mangra was so impressed that he |
| "à ¸¥à ¸žà ¸šà ¸ | | | | remarked, "Every part of the Thai is blessed |
| ¸à ¸£à ¸µ | | | | with venom. Even with his bare hands, he can |
| à ¸-à ¹ˆà ¸²à ¸"à | | | | fell nine or ten opponents. As his lord |
| ¸µà ¹„à ¸Sà ¸¢à | | | | master was incompetent, the country was lost |
| ¸² | | | | to the enemy. If his lord had been any good, |
| à ¹„à ¸§à ¸Âà ¸ | | | | there was no way the City of Ayutthaya would |
| §à ¹ˆà ¸²à ¸-à ¹ | | | | ever have fallen." |
| ˆà ¸²à ¹€à ¸ªà | | | | |
| ¸²)". It was from all these regional | | | | He granted Nai Khanomtom freedom along with |
| styles that the more general term Muay Thai | | | | either riches or two beautiful Burmese wives. |
| (Thai boxing) was developed. | | | | Nai Khanomtom chose the wives as he said that |
| | | | money was easier to find. He then departed |
| It grew in popularity among common people, so | | | | with his wives for Siam. Other variations of |
| much so that it was said that any man worth | | | | this story had him also winning the release |
| his salt would practice the art. As well as | | | | of his fellow Thai prisoners. His feat is |
| continuing to function as a practical | | | | celebrated every March 17 as "Boxer's Day" or |
| fighting technique for use in actual warfare, | | | | "National Muay Thai Day" in his honor and |
| it became a sport in which the exponents | | | | that of Muay Thai's. |
| fought in front of spectators who went to | | | | |
| watch for entertainment. This kind of muay | | | | Today, some have wrongly attributed the |
| contests gradually became an integral part of | | | | legend of "Nai Khanomtom" to the King |
| local festivals and celebrations, especially | | | | Naresuan, who was also once taken by the |
| those held at temples.It was used as | | | | Burmeses. |
| entertainment to kings. | | | | |
| | | | References : |
| Royal Muay | | | | |
| | | | Muay Thai The Most Distinguished Art of |
| Muay gradually became a possible means of | | | | Fighting (Text-book of Pahuyuth) , Panya |
| personal advancement as the nobility | | | | Kraitus and Dr. Pitisuk Kraitus, Third |
| increasingly esteemed skillful practitioners | | | | Edition, Special Revised, 1992, Panya |
| of the art and invited selected fighters to | | | | Kraitus, Phuket, Thailand. |
| come to live in the Royal palace to teach | | | | |
| muay to the staff of the royal household, | | | | Muay Thai Kickboxing - The Ultimate Guide to |
| soldiers, princes or the king's personal | | | | Conditioning, Training and Fighting, Chad |
| guards. | | | | Boykin, 2002, Paladin Press, Boulder, |
| | | | Colorado. |
| Some time during the Ayutthaya Period, a | | | | |
| platoon of royal guards was established, | | | | Thai Kickboxing For Beginners - Peter Belmar, |
| whose duty was to protect king and the | | | | 2006, Lulu Press. Muay Thai: A Living Legacy |
| country. They were known as Grom Nak Muay | | | | - Kat Prayukvong, 2006, Spry Publishing Co., |
| (Muay Fighters' Regiment). This royal | | | | Ltd. |