Introduction to Muay Thai or Thai boxing

Muay Thai is extremely popular and the national sport in Thailand. The limbs which are intensively used practicing this artistic style of Thai boxing include the hands, knees, shins and elbows. The fighting sport is also rightfully known as “The art of the eight limbs”. An advanced Muay Thai fighter controls the skills of the different executing strikes making use of the “eight limbs” as eight bodily contact spots as opposed to the feet and fists or the “four points” which are mainly used in other types of martial arts. In western style boxing “two points”, the fists are used. In Cambodia Muay Thai is called Pradal Serey, in Laos Muay Lao and the Malaysians call the sport Tomoi.

Basic equipment and clothing rules

In the very beginning, Muay Thai was an extremely hazardous fighting sport with contestants not being protected by safety equipment except for long cords wrapped around the fighter’s fists, which today are replaced by gloves. Safety rules changed constantly since the time of the first fights. These days the Thai boxers wear gloves that are the same to those used in Western style boxing. The used gloves should be in the correct condition which means no crushes, kneads or squeezes. The weight of a glove should not be more than 172 grams. It is tradition that the shorts worn by the fighters can only be blue or red coloured. However, today fighters often appear in black or white trunks as well. Muay Thai fighters aren’t allowed to wear shirts and shoes.

Thai boxers in action

For protection the contestants have to wear ankle caps, gum shields, and groin protecting gear. Many Thai male fighters wear the so called Mongkol around their head. This sacred cord is only allowed to be worn during the ritual before the fight. The fighters use this pre-fight ritual to pay their respects to the sport’s ancestral masters and teachers. As soon as the real battle begins, both fighters remove the cord. The use of any metal-made gear is strictly forbidden.

The history of Thai boxing

The Muay Thai sport’s history is an intrinsic part of the nation’s past. For hundreds of years the Thai people had to defend and protect themselves against aggressive and hostile invaders. Due to this, the generally peaceful Thais created a form of martial art, which soon was expected to be mastered by the entire male population. Later Muay Thai even became an essential part in the nation’s military training and finally reached the status being Thailand’s national sport.

Today, Thai boxing is popular all over the world. The majority of the world’s countries have training amenities. The Dutchman Raymon Dekker was the first non-Thai who managed to get the “fighter of the year award” on Thai soil and became a sports legend in the country. There aren’t many Thais who don’t recognise his name!

Raymon Dekker

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