BOXING CLEVER
Muay Thai kick boxing is going global, while preserving its ancient roots. Movies and live matches are making the sport a ‘must-see’ , while ever more visitors study this beautiful blend of force, dance and devotion.
The colourful boxer’s shorts arrayed at souvenir stalls show what a icon muay thai (Thai kick boxing) has become. Many visitors who wouldn’t ordinarily see a sporting event while on holiday -- and might not boxing fans at home -- seek out a muay thai match for the rich experiences it offers. Every bout combines ancient ritual with celebrity , brute physicality with balletic grace, fierce competition with modest respect.
WHERE TO SEE MUAY THAI
Adopting the title of their boxing gym as their , prospective boxers (nak muay) chance their arm at provincial arenas. As in centuries past, many get their first bouts at makeshift rings on the circuit of temple fairs. Some engage in demonstration shows at tourist centres. But the most accessible and thrilling matches alternate between Bangkok’s two showpiece , where all nak muay dream of competing -- and one day heading the bill.
On Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, attention falls on Ratchadamnoen , a gem of art-deco architecture in the historic district of Dusit. Downtown on Tuesday and Friday-Saturday, the arguably more famous Lumphini Stadium holds prize . The stadium will relocate in late 2005 to a modern stadium a couple of miles away at Nang Linchee Road, off Sathorn Road, but retain the name Lumphini.
These are the bouts seen televised in bars, restaurants and shops nationwide. Still, nothing beats watching the action live. Benches cheaper in the stands, but a ringside pass offers the added liberty to move around, view the skills in close-up, and snap photos as punches fly.
Each bill runs from late afternoon until nearly midnight. First the punters urge on a roster of children-in-training. Then as the crowd , come junior pairings, professional match-ups and, usually on weekends, contenders for championship titles. In the frenzy of the fight, some in the audience find too hard to resist the urge to bet on the outcome. There may also be a novelty bout played for laughs, a match involving foreigner, or a demonstration of old-style muay boran boxing.