A Trip to Thailand for Thai Style Boxing

There’s boxing and then there is Muay Thai – the thrilling Thai style boxing that uses fists, feet, elbows and even knees to render an opponent flat. An expert Nak Muay or Muay Thai boxer needs just about 3 minutes to overcome his opponent in the ring. Head to beautiful Thailand in March and catch the Annual World Thai Martial Arts Festival where Muay Thai boxers from all over the world will compete for the Nai Khanom Tom Belt.

An integral feature of the festival is the unique Wai Khru Muay Thai Ceremony, where students express gratitude to their teachers, and is a must attend event. Make note of the festival date for the Wai Khru Muay Thai Ceremony - March 17 - and start planning your trip right away so that you don’t get stuck in airport hell waiting for that odd timed flight or missing baggage! Before you go, here’s what you should know about Muay Thai and the thanksgiving ceremony:

The Festival

Muay Thai – the national sport of Thailand is not just about fury and destruction; it requires years of practice and a patient teacher. Today, the sport has left the shores of Thailand and spread across the globe thanks to enthusiastic tourists and the popular “Ong Bak” movies. The festival is hosted by the historic city of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, and attracts large crowds. Expect to be jostling for space to see more than 300 Muay Thai boxers from nearly 30 countries including UK, Russia, Korea and France fight it out for the Nai Khanom Tom Belt.

The star feature of the festival of Thailand is the bouts (and this is where you should go to get full value for your money), where each bout is divided into 5 rounds of 3 minutes each. That means 15 minutes of sharp bursts of fury: slamming punches, deadly kicks and uppercuts made by strong elbows! The agility of the Nak Muay is legendary and you have to see it to believe it.

At the festival you can also enjoy Thai arts like traditional Thai-style tattooing called Sak Yant, making of a traditional Thai Aranyik Sword and a visit to an ancient Thai weapons exhibit.

The Ceremony

Muay Thai is enmeshed in tradition and the most important one is the Wai Khru Muay Thai Ceremony where boxers show their gratitude and respect for their teachers. This solemn ceremony includes the Nak Muay presenting their teachers with flowers, money and clothes. Each pupil takes a vow of perseverance in studying the art, respecting the teacher and using his knowledge wisely.

A trip to Thailand during the Thai Martial Arts Festival promises to be a unique experience and while you’re here it wouldn’t hurt to look around and visit some new destinations in Thailand.