Muay Thai is the cultural martial art of Thailand. Known as “The Sport of Kings” Muay Thai is a discipline that has long been honored and practiced by both the royalty and the common people of Thailand for hundreds of years.
Muay Thai Origins
The ancient beginnings of Muay Thai remain unclear since the majority of records pertaining to the development of Muay Thai were lost in the 16th Century when invading Burmese troops sacked the capitol city of Ayutthaya. But historians agree that Muay Thai was, most likely, developed as a form of close-combat battlefield defense.On constant guard against attack from neighboring countries, soldiers and citizens alike developed skills that transformed parts of the human body into viable weapons. The shin was used as a staff to block and strike, the arms were twin swords, fists were spear points, elbows and knees were battle axes and hammers to smash and crush, and the feet were swift arrows, knives or pikes. These skills were taught from generation to generation by soldiers returning from battle who shared their skills with their families, villages and comrades.
The Sport of Kings
In the late 16th Century under the reign of King Naresuan, every soldier was trained in the art and skill of Muay Thai including the King himself. Legend tells of the King being captured by Burmese forces, only to win his freedom by defeating every Burmese soldier placed before him in single combat. Muay Thai developed as a competitive sport and a means of royal entertainment under Naresuan.
Muay Thai’s royal heritage continues under the reign of King Prachau Sua at the beginning of the 18th Century. Prachau Sua so loved to practice Muay Thai he would often disguise himself wearing the mask of a tiger in order to participate in local Muay Thai tournaments without being recognized. His prowess as a fighter and his distinct disguise won him the title “The Tiger King”.
Muay Thai is said to have had a “golden age” under the reign of King Rama V near the turn of the century. Muay Thai training camps were established, fight scouts scoured the country for fighters to represent the King, and grand Muay Thai festivals were arranged with tournament fights where the winner could gain military title as well as fighting prestige.
Muay Thai Fighting
Early Muay Thai matches took place in any open space or a dirt courtyard. Fighters were not separated by height, weight or age, and fighters often fought with bare hands. Time was kept through use of a coconut shell placed in water. A hole was drilled into the shell and the match was over when the shell eventually sank. The first wraps used were strips of horsehair and groin guards were created from sea shells or tree bark. Strikes to the groin were a legal move up until the 1930’s.
Strips of hemp eventually became the hand wrap of choice—known a Muay Kaad Chuek—often tied with intricate knots for adding striking advantage or coated with sap and dipped in broken glass to prove a greater threat or challenge.
By the 1920’s and 1930’s Muay Thai came to take on modern characteristics including the use of boxing gloves, a standard ring, and automated timers. A rudimentary ranking system was established and the first permanent Muay Thai arena was established, the Suan Khulab Boxing Stadium.
Muay Thai has swelled in popularity and is now part of the standard fight lexicon. But despite its prominence in the modern spotlight, Muay Thai is undeniably rooted in the ancient past and deep cultural identity of the people of Thailand.
Sources:
http://www.muaythai-fighting.com/the-history-of-muay-thai.html
http://www.horizonmuaythai.com/history.html
http://www.kombatgroup.com/html-muay-thai/history.html
http://www.phuket-muay-thai.com/thai-boxing-history.htm
http://www.muaysanghaindia.com/chronology
Jullie Chung - Jullie Chung has been a freelance writer since 2002 providing extensive copy for the industrial and medical fields. She has written copy ...
