Muay Thai literally Thai Boxing and also known as The Art of the Eight Limbs is the Thai name for a form of hard martial art practiced in several Southeast Asian countries including Thailand. It is known as Pradal Serey in Cambodia, Tomoi in Malaysia, Muay Lao in Laos and as a similar style called Lethwei in Burma. The different styles of kickboxing in Southeast Asia are analogous to the different types of Kung Fu in China or Silat in the Malay peninsula. The Thai military uses a modified form of Muay Thai called Lerdrit.
Muay Thai has a long history in Thailand and is the country's national sport. Traditional Muay Thai practiced today varies slightly from the ancient art Muay Boran and uses kicks and punches in a ring with gloves similar to those used in Western boxing. Muay Thai is referred to as "The Science of Eight Limbs", as the hands, shins, elbows, and knees are all used extensively in this art. A master practitioner of Muay Thai thus has the ability to execute strikes using eight "points of contact," as opposed to "two points" (fists) in Western boxing and "four points" (fists, feet) used in the primarily sport-oriented forms of martial arts.
Various forms of kickboxing have long been practiced throughout Southeast Asia. Muay Thai's origin in Thailand can be traced back to its ancestor Muay Boran ("ancient boxing"). This was the form of unarmed combat used by Siamese soldiers in conjunction with Krabi Krabong, the weapon-based style [1]. The precedence Muay Thai and Muay Boran give to the kicks is only indigenous to Thailand and the surrounding area, since Indian boxing as well as most southern Chinese styles use only low kicks sparingly. Another influence from Thailand's weapon style can be seen in the pre-fight Wai Kru ritual which is based on the sabre dance of Krabi Krabong. Neighbouring countries such as Cambodia or Myanmar also show signs of influence one way or the other. Eventually Muay Boran was divided to:
Muay Korat (Northeast) emphasized strength. A technique like "Throwing Buffalo Punch" was used. It could supposedly defeat a buffalo in one
blow.
Muay Lopburi (Center region) emphasized movements. Its strong points were straight and counter punches.
Muay Chaiya (South) emphasized posture and defense, as well as elbows and knees.
Muay Pra Nakorn (North) emphasized speed, particularly in kicking. Because of its faster speed, it was called as well "Ling Lom" (windy monkey or Loris). There is a phrase about Muay Boran that states, "Punch Korat, Wit Lopburi, Posture Chaiya, Faster Thasao."
The practice of Muay Thai was later kept up largely by Buddhist monks who were the keepers and teachers of all arts both practical and spiritual. As every Thai man is compelled to live as a monk at least once in his life the art grew in popularity among common people, so much so that it was said that any man worth his salt would practice it. As well as continuing to function as a practical fighting technique for use in actual warfare, Muay Thai became a sport in which the opponents fought in front of spectators who went to watch for entertainment. This kind of muay contests gradually became an integral part of local festivals and celebrations, especially those held at temples. It was even used as entertainment to kings.
Royal Muay
Muay gradually became a possible means of personal advancement as the nobility increasingly
esteemed skillful practitioners of the art and invited selected fighters to come to live in the Royal
palace to teach muay to the staff of the royal household, soldiers, princes or the king's personal
guards. This "royal muay" was called muay luang (มวยหลวง).
Some time during the Ayutthaya Period, a platoon of royal guards was established, whose duty
was to protect king and the country. They
were known as Grom Nak Muay (Muay Fighters' Regiment). This royal patronage of muay
continued through the reigns of Rama V and VII.
The Muay Renaissance
The ascension of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) to the throne in 1868 ushered in a Golden Age
not only for muay but for the whole country of Thailand. Muay progressed greatly during the
reign of Rama V as a direct result of the king's personal interest in the art. The country was at
peace and muay functioned as a means of physical exercise, self-defense, recreation, and
personal advancement.
Legendary Heroes
At the time of the fall of the ancient Siam capital of Ayutthaya in 1767, the invading Burmese troops rounded up a group of Thai residents
and took them as prisoners. Among them were a large number of Thai boxers, who were taken by the Burmese to the city of Ungwa.
In 1774, in the Burmese city of Rangoon, the king of the Burmese, King Mangra decided to organize a seven-day, seven-night religious festiva in honor of Buddha's relics. The festivities included many forms of entertainment, such as the costume plays called likay, comedies and farces, and sword-fighting matches. At one point, King Mangra wanted to see how Muay Boran would compare to the Burmese art Lethwei. Nai Khanom Tom was selected to fight against the Burmese champion. The boxing ring was set up in front of the throne and Nai Khanom Tom did a traditional Wai Kru pre-fight dance, to pay his respects to the Burmese king, as well as for all the spectators, dancing around his opponent, which amazed and perplexed all the Burmese people. When the fight began, he charged out, using punches, kicks, elbows, and knees, pummeling his opponent until he collapsed.
The referee however stated that the Burmese opponent was too distracted by the Wai Kru, and the knockout was invalid. The King then asked if Nai Khanom Tom would fight nine other Burmese champions to prove himself. He agreed and fought them all, one after the other with no rest periods in between. His last opponent was a great boxing teacher from Ya Kai City, Nai Khanom Tom mangled him by his kicks and no one else dared to challenge him any further.
King Mangra was so impressed that he remarked, "Every part of the Thai is blessed with venom. Even with his bare hands, he can fell nine or ten opponents. But his Lord was incompetent and lost the country to the enemy. If he would have been any good, there was no way the City of Ayutthaya would ever have fallen."
King Mangra granted Nai Khanom Tom freedom along with either riches or two beautiful Burmese wives. Nai Khanom Tom chose the wives as he said that money was easier to find. He then departed with his wives for Siam. Other variations of this story had him also winning the release of his fellow Thai prisoners. His feat is celebrated every March 17 as "Boxer's Day" or "National Muay Thai Day" in his honor and that of Muay Thai's.
Today, some have wrongly attributed the legend of "Nai Khanom Tom" to King Naresuan, who was once taken by the Burmese. However, Nai Khanon Tom and King Naresuan were almost two centuries apart.
The Tradition of Wai Khru
One of the most important traditions of Muay Thai is Wai Khru (Paying Respect to Teachers). In order to become a fully-fledged Muay Thai
fighter, a person has to pass through a series of ceremonies. First comes the Initiation as a Trainee Fighter Ceremony (Kuen Khru), in which the
khru muay accepts young fighters as his students and pledges to teach them to the best of his ability. After fighters have been accepted, they
must demonstrate a good conduct, diligence and endurance, in addition to training as hard as they can, following implicitly all the teacher's rules
During their apprenticeship, young fighters will experience the second type of Wai Khru ritual, the Annual Homage-Paying Ceremony (Wai Khru
Prajam Pee). This annual ceremony is usually held on Muay Thai Day (March 17) for young fighters to pay respect to their teachers and souls of
teachers long passed away. The ceremony then progresses to the students honoring all the teachers present, who will mark sacred symbols on
the fighters' forehead in order to bestow prosperity and success upon them - a custom known as jerm. The ceremony culminates with the third
form of Wai Khru, the Ritual Dance of Homage (Wai Khru Ram Muay) performed by the fighters as a mark of respect.
themselves as real Muay Thai fighters. When fighters have satisfied their teachers on all these counts, then they can participate in the fourth
Wai Khru ritual, the Initiation as a Teacher Ceremony (Khrob Khru), which bestows on them the rank of khru muay and again involves a
performance of the Ritual Dance of Homage.
