Muay Thai
The history of Muay Thai boxing
The history of Muay Thai is the history of the Thai people - both though are difficult to discover.
When the Burmese army sacked and razed Ayuddhaya to the ground, the archives of Thai history were lost. With them, much of the early history of Muay Thai also went.
The little we do know comes from the writings of the Burmese, Cambodian, early European visitors and some of the the chronicles of the Lanna Kingdom - Chiangmai.
What all sources agree on is that Muay Thai began as a close-combat battlefield fighting skill considered to be more deadly than the weapons it replaced. In olden days, national issues were decided by Muay Thai contests.
The first great upsurge of interest in Muay Thai as a sport as well as a battlefield art was under King Naresuan in 1854, a time known as the Ayuddhaya period. During this period, every soldier trained in Muay Thai and could use it, as the King himself did. Slowly Muay Thai moved away from its root in the 'Chupasart' and new fighting techniques were evolving.
The change in the art was to continue fighting under another fighting King - Prachao Sua, the 'Tiger King'. He loved Muay Thai so much that he often fought incognito in village contests, beating the local champions.
Thai boxing became the favourite sport and pasttime of the people, the army and the King. Historical sources show that people from all walks of life flocked to training camps. Rich and poor, young and old; people wanted some of the action. Every village staged its prize fights and had its champions. Every bout became a betting contest as well as a contest of local pride.
Muay Thai has always been a sport for the people as well as a military fighting skill. In all its golden ages, the people have trained and practiced the sport whether they were King or commoner. It was a part of the school curriculum right up to the 1920s when it was withdrawn because it was felt that the injury rate was too high. The people, however, continued to study it in gyms and clubs just as they do today.
During the reign of the Tiger King, the hands and forearms began being bound with strips of horse hair. This was to serve a dual purpose - protect the fighter and inflict more damage on the opponent. Later, these were replaced by hemp ropes or starched strips of cotton. For particular challenge matches and with the fighters agreement, ground glass was mixed with glue and spread on the strips.
The changes that the sport has undergone have been changes to equipment used rather than radical change. For example, Thai fighters have always worn groin guards. A kick or knee to the groin was a perfectly legal move up until the 1930's. In the early days, the protection was made from tree bark or sea shells held in place with a piece of cloth tied between the legs and around the waist.
The groin guard later became a triangular shaped pillow, red or blue, tied around the waist with a through strap between the legs.
The pillow went, after a boxer on a trip to Malaysia saw a groin box. He came back with the idea, which is close to the original idea of the sea shell and since then, Muay Thai fighters have used them.
The 1930's saw the most radical change in the sport. It was then that it was codified and today's rules and regulations were introduced. Rope bindings of the arms and hands were abandoned and gloves took their place.
This innovation was also in response to the growing success of Thai Boxers in international boxing.
Along with the introduction of gloves, came weight classes based on the international boxing divisions. These and other innovations - such as the introduction of five rounds - substantially altered the fighting techniques that the boxers used causing some of them to disappear.
Before the introduction of weight classes, a fighter could and did fight all comers regardless of size and weight differences. However, the introduction of the weight classes meant that the fighters were more evenly matched and instead of there being one champion, there became one for each weight class.
Most Muay Thai fighters belong to the lighter weight classes. Seventy percent of all fighters belong to the fly and bantam weight divisions. There are welterweight and middleweight fights but they are not seen that often and the heavier categories seldom fight.
The establishment of stadiums, instead of makeshift rings and courtyards, began during the reign of Rama VII before the Second World War. During the war, they gradually disappeared but mushroomed again soon afterwards - Muay Thai had not lost any of its appeal. The boxers from up-country once again headed toward fame and fortune in Bangkok.
The glory could be found at stadiums like Rajdamnern and Lumpinee. Later, they fought in full colour fury on television. Thailand's Channel 7 started broadcasting the fights in colour over 20 years ago. Today all four Thai television stations broadcast free to millions of Muay Thai fans throughout Thailand - four nights a week.
The battle art has evolved into a popular sport. Ruled, codified and now with five three minute rounds, each with a two minute recovery period between rounds.
Those old timers around today who fought before the second world war, lament the changes bought about by the standardisation of the sport. The three minute round and weight classes has, they say, changed the sport as they remembered it.
"We had to fight all comers," one recalls. "Had to know all the tricks of the trade. We used strikes and techniques these fighters haven't even been taught. We didn't have these breaks and instead fought 'till one of us dropped."
They are also right. Muay Thai has changed across the years. Changed and evolved from a battlefield close quarters killing ground technique based on a fighting tradition passed on from generation to generation up to the present time.
But despite the changes of history, Muay Thai has lost none of its exotic appeal and even mystique. Muay Thai is still the fighting art to beat. The fighting art that defeats all challenges from Kung Fu, Karate, Taekwando and the latest kickboxing fashions. They have all come to Thailand, not just once but many times and from many places to test themselves.
Muay Thai has lost none of its appeal in Thailand. The television fight broadcasts rate among the Kingdom's most popular programmes.
In the provinces, villages cluster around any available TV to watch. In the city, people disappear from the streets while Thailand is watching Muay Thai.
Thai Boxing is also becoming increasingly popular outside of Thailand. It has its enthusiasts and practitioners in the Americas, Australia, Japan, Europe, as well as in many other countries around the world.
The illustrious history of Muay Thai will continue as it receives greater recognition and gains in international popularity.
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