Muay Thai, the most popular sport in Thailand

Thai boxing, called Thailand Muay Thai is certainly the most physical and spectacular of the boxing-fists because it allows kicks, fist, elbow and knee. Muay Thai is also for SpeedBoat Xperience a great opportunity to share with you, a bit of the culture of Thailand !

The origin of Thai boxing, is rather uncertain, but one thing is certain: Muay Thai was first and foremost a military technique of close combat used by kings to settle their differences.

As the martial art of kings became a very popular sport, Muay Thai became part of the education of young people until 1920 but the frequency of injuries forces the authorities to prohibit it. It reappeared in 1930 by adopting the principles of English boxing: ring, gloves, weight categories … Nowadays, thanks to the development of tourism in Thailand, Muay Thai became a global sport.

Muay Thai borrows from English boxing its main rules of competition. The blows can be carried on the whole body (figure, bust and legs). The Thai boxer wears gloves like in English boxing and shorts. On the other hand, it is barefoot.

The fighting takes place 5 times of 3 minutes with 2 minutes of pause between each round. As for English boxing, the game is won either by KO, or at points. Three judges count the points of the opponents, and, in the absence of KO, the one who has the most total is declared the winner.

The fights take place according to a fascinating ritual. The boxers, before fighting, kneel and bow three times: it is the Wai Kru, a mark of respect towards their coach. This is followed by a dance around the ring, the Ram Muay, which also serves as warm-up. The boxers wear a headband around the forehead and arms. The one of the front is called “mongkhol”, it is reputed to bring luck. He is removed before the start of the fight.

The whole game takes place on a traditional throbbing musical background, played “live” by a small band of Thai musicians, the rhythm of the music adapting to the intensity of the fighting in the ring. But the show is also in the room: the frenzy of the bettors around the ring is by itself an attraction!

Muay Thai remains to this day, the most popular sport in the country. The fights are part of the most watched television programs of the kingdom, from smallest villages to main cities. If you are wondering why some days, the streets are empty, it’s surely because there’s a big fight happening !