The tale narrates how Nai Khanom Tom defeated 9 Burmese fighters, one after another, during his imprisonment after the Siam kingdom was under siege. One of the most famous stories of Muay Thai came via the great Nai Khanom Tom, during the Ayutthaya period. Over time, the evolution of this martial art gave us Muay Boran and Muay Thai as we know it today.ĭue to wars with neighboring kingdoms and tribes over the centuries, Muay Thai became a way of life for the people of Siam (as Thailand used to be called). As recorded in Thai history, the first Thai army was born out of a need to defend the kingdom and soldiers were taught both armed and unarmed combat. The history of Muay Thai can be traced historically to the Sukhothai dynasty of Thailand around the 13th century. Read this ultimate guide to Muay Thai to find out everything you need to know about the sport. Besides the 8-point contact, a key difference between Muay Thai and many other stand-up combat sports is its emphasis on traditional elements such as the pre-fight dance ritual known as Wai Kru Ram Muay, the head dress (Mongkon) and the Sarama music that accompanies each fight. Clinching, sweeps and throws are also allowed. Muay Thai is a stand-up striking sport, with two competitors in the ring throwing punches, elbows, knees and kicks at each other. During this period, fighters also ditched wrapping hands with ropes (“Kard Chuek”) and began wearing boxing gloves in competitions. The sport was influenced by British boxing where codified rules and the boxing ring were put in place. Taking elements from Muay Boran, the traditional Thai martial arts, Muay Thai as a modern combat sport was first formalized in the early 20th century.

“Muay” translates to mean “boxing” in Thai, so Muay Thai is literally Thai boxing. Today, Muay Thai is practised and competed not only in Thailand, but also all around the world. This differs it from other stand-up combat sports such as boxing (2 points - fists) and karate (4 points - fists and feet). Muay Thai is known as the “Art of 8 limbs” because it makes use of 8 points of contact namely, punches, elbows, knees and kicks. It is a martial art with roots originating from military use dating back to around the 13th century during the time of the Sukhothai Kingdom.

Muay Thai, which translates to “Thai Boxing”, is the national sport of Thailand.

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