Muay Thai

Muay Thai, also called Thai boxing, is a Thai martial art and full-contact combat sport. It uses stand-up striking, sweeps, and clinching techniques. People use their fists, elbows, knees, and shins to fight, which is why it is called the “Art of Eight Limbs.”

Over time, Muay Thai became popular around the world. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, practitioners from Thailand began competing in kickboxing and mixed-rules matches internationally. Today, the professional league is governed by the Professional Boxing Association of Thailand and is sanctioned by the Sports Authority of Thailand.

Muay Thai is related to other fighting styles from the Indian cultural sphere, such as Musti-yuddha, Muay Chaiya, Muay Boran, Muay Lao, Lethwei, Kun Khmer, Benjang, and Tomoi. Someone who practices Muay Thai is called a Nak Muay. When a person from outside Thailand practices Muay Thai, they may be called a Nak Muay Farang, meaning “foreign boxer.”

Etymology

The name Muay Thai is a Thai word made from two parts: muay and Thai.

The word muay comes from an old Sanskrit word meaning "to tie" or "to pull together." In Thai, it also means "boxing." The word Thai comes from Tai, which means "free."

The name Muay Thai started being used during the time of King Rama II in the early 1800s. The oldest known writing with the word muay was found in old books from Northern Thai people from the year 1296.

Muay Thai is known by different names in other languages, such as boks tajski in Polish, thai boxing in Dutch, and ムエタイ in Japanese.

History

7th century

The origins of Muay Thai go back to the year 657 AD during the Haripuñjaya period. A hermit named Sukatanata established a school of martial arts that included Muay Thai.

From 738 AD during the Nanzhao period, Muay Thai evolved from dance-like movements called Fon jerng, which included both weapons and bare-handed techniques. This style was similar to Lei tai and was practiced as a form of combat training.

10th century

After King Lavachakkaraj founded the Singhanavati Kingdom around 757 AD, the people continued to develop their martial arts. They expanded their territory and conquered various groups, using Muay Thai in battle.

The Mungrai Customary Law from 1296 mentioned Muay Thai for the first time, describing it as a way to settle disputes.

13th century

During the Pre-Ayutthaya era, Muay Thai was highly valued. It was included in training for royal family members and was used to prepare warriors for battles against neighboring kingdoms. King Si Inthrathit sent his son Prince Ram Khamhaeng to study martial arts, where he met and trained with others who would become important leaders.

15th century

In 1431 AD, King Borommarachathirat II led forces including Muay Thai fighters to battle the Khmers. He later inscribed a record of the victory and the fighters involved.

From 1455 AD, Muay Thai became part of the royal court's guard duties under King Borommatrailokkanat. Skilled fighters were chosen to protect the king and participate in competitions.

16th century

Muay Thai continued to develop as a form of self-defense. King Naresuan learned fighting techniques after being held in Burma and later improved Muay Thai strategies upon his return to Ayutthaya.

French diplomat Simon de la Loubère wrote in 1687 that Muay Thai was a common skill among the people of Siam.

18th century

In 1702, King Suriyenthrathibodi joined a Muay Thai competition during a festival and won matches disguised as a commoner.

In 1788, two French brothers challenged Siamese fighters. King Rama I arranged a match where a Siamese boxer named Muean Phlan fought against them, with help from Prince Maha Sura Singhanat.

Folklore of Nai Khanom Tom

A popular story tells of Nai Khanom Tom, a Siamese fighter captured after the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767. He was asked to fight ten Burmese champions and won all battles, impressing the Burmese king.

19th century

King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) became very interested in Muay Thai in 1868. He organized tournaments and created a Royal Boxing Center to train fighters. He also included Muay Thai in school curriculums.

20th century

Muay Thai became officially recognized as a distinct martial art in the early 1900s. It grew in popularity and was taught in schools and military academies.

King Rama VII introduced official rules for Muay Thai in the 1920s. The first boxing ring was built in 1921, and fighters began using modern gloves and protective gear.

By the 1980s and 1990s, Muay Thai reached its peak popularity with top fighters earning large sums of money.

21st century

In 2006, Muay Thai changed its spelling to "Muaythai" to meet international requirements.

It was included in the World Games in 2017 and the first University World Muaythai Cup was held in Bangkok in 2015.

Today, there are over 3,800 Muay Thai gyms around the world.

Rules

Muay Thai is a full-contact sport using fists, elbows, knees, and feet. Points are scored with clean strikes that land on the opponent’s body. Strikes to the groin were allowed in the past but rules now vary. Fights can end in a decision based on points or knockout.

Olympics

Muay Thai has been working toward Olympic recognition. It was included in the World Games in 2017 and received full recognition from the International Olympic Committee in 2021. It is expected to be a demonstration sport in the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Traditional wear

Before a fight, fighters often wear special headbands called mongkhon or mongkol and armbands called pra jiad. These pieces of clothing have a long history. They started when Siam was often at war. Young fighters would take pieces of clothing, like a mother’s scarf, to wear for luck and protection.

Today, the mongkol is a symbol of the fighter’s training gym. A trainer gives it to the fighter when they believe the fighter is ready to compete. After a special ceremony called the wai kru, the trainer might place the mongkol in the fighter’s corner for extra luck. Many fighters, whether they practice Buddhism or not, will ask a Buddhist monk to bless the mongkol before they fight.

Techniques

Muay Thai has two main groups of techniques: major techniques and minor techniques. Fighters often trade blows in traditional matches, but this style is less common today. Almost all moves use the whole body, turning the hips with each punch, kick, elbow, or block.

Punching (Muay Mat)

originally, punching in Muay Thai was simple, using just crosses and a long circular strike. Now, it includes many punches from Western boxing, like jabs, hooks, and uppercuts.

Elbow (sok)

Elbows can strike in many ways, such as horizontally or diagonally. They are very powerful and can hurt opponents badly, even causing cuts or stopping them.

Kicking (te)

Two common kicks are the foot jab and the roundhouse kick. The roundhouse kick turns the whole body for power and is used in many other fight styles too. Fighters block kicks with their shins to protect their feet.

Knee (ti khao)

Source:

• Khao dot (Jumping knee strike) – the fighter jumps on one leg and strikes with that leg’s knee.
• Khao loi (flying knee strike) – the fighter steps, jumps, and strikes with that leg’s knee.
• Khao thon (Straight knee strike) – the fighter thrusts the knee forward.

Foot-thrust (teep)

The foot-thrust is used to control distance or block attacks. It should be quick but strong enough to upset the opponent’s balance.

Clinch and neck wrestling (chap kho)

Unlike Western boxing, fighters in Muay Thai can hold onto each other. This is where knee and elbow strikes are used. Fighters use stands-up grappling to strike and hold the opponent.

Muay Thai has several types of clinches, such as arm clinches, side clinches, low clinches, and swan-neck clinches.

Defence against attacks

Defences in Muay Thai include blocking, parrying, avoiding, evading, disrupting, and anticipating attacks. Fighters use their shoulders, arms, and legs to stop the opponent. Blocking is very important and needs strong conditioning. Low kicks are blocked with the shin, and high strikes are blocked with the forearms or shoulder. Punches are blocked like in boxing, and hooks are blocked by raising the elbow. Advanced blocks can also counter-attack the opponent.

Child boxers

In 2016, around 10,000 children under 15 were registered to box in Thailand, with some estimates suggesting the number could be much higher, including children as young as four.

Studies have shown that young boxers can face serious health risks. Research found that children who box for several years may have lower intelligence levels and possible brain damage. Experts have called for changes to protect young fighters, suggesting that children under twelve should not be allowed to box, and that direct hits to the head should be avoided for younger competitors. There are ongoing concerns about the safety and fair treatment of young boxers in the sport.

Injuries

Muay Thai is a sport where fighters use their fists, elbows, knees, and shins, so injuries happen often at all levels. An injury is noted if a fighter needs to rest for more than one day. Many injuries might not be noticed right away, or fighters might not tell anyone because they are worried about how their instructor will react.

The most common injuries are to soft parts of the body, making up 80 to 90 percent of all injuries. These happen from repeated hits with little padding during matches. The next most common injuries for beginners and amateurs are sprains and strains, which can often be prevented with better warm-up routines. Fractures are the third most common injury and happen more often in amateur and professional fighters because they fight with full contact, unlike beginners. The nose, hand bones, finger bones, and ribs are the most common places for fractures. As fighters get better, they face stronger hits, use less protective gear, and train harder, which leads to more serious injuries.

Gambling

Muay Thai matches are often influenced by gambling, with some saying it brings in a lot of money. Some people believe that without gamblers, the sport might not survive.

Unfortunately, there have been cases where fights were fixed, meaning some boxers were paid to lose on purpose. This has caused problems in the sport.

Conditioning

Muay Thai focuses a lot on building a strong body, which can make it challenging for new learners but helps them get fit quickly if they train properly. Common training activities include running, shadowboxing, rope jumping, body weight resistance exercises, and abdominal exercises. Sometimes, weight training is also used.

Fighters practice with coaches using special pads, focus mitts, and heavy bags, as well as sparring with partners. These training methods help improve techniques, speed, and strength. Thai pad training is important, where fighters practice punches, kicks, knees, and elbow strikes on a trainer wearing thick pads.

Perspectives

Some scholars say that the history of Muay Thai was created to support Thai national pride. Because of this, Muay Thai became closely linked to Thai culture and is different from similar martial arts in nearby countries like muay Lao in Laos and lethwei in Myanmar.

Famous practitioners

For practitioners of Muay Thai, see List of Muay Thai practitioners.

In popular culture

For popular culture, see Muay Thai in popular culture.