You don't need to look very far
to find proof of muay Thai's
worldwide appeal: Just log on to
the World Wide Web, where
there are at least a dozen web
sites -- admittedly, some seem
to be defunct -- with information
about this action-packed sport.
To be honest, I don't know much
about muay Thai myself, so I
started off by checking out
Thawat Watthana's Brief
History of Thai Boxing page at
http://www.chiangmai.ac.th/SG/muaydef.html.
It contains many details about
the origin of the sport and its
historical importance to various
Thai kingdoms. In the 16th
century, for instance, the future
King Naresuan the Great was
once a hostage of the Burmese,
but used his muay Thai
know-how to gain his freedom.
One of the best Internet
sources for information on the
boxing scene in Thailand itself
is the Muay Thai World
newsmagazine, which has a
website at
http://www.siam.net/muaythai/index.html
.
There are news stories and
features on many of the latest
Thai boxing stars, including a
list of current champions at
Lumpini and Ratchadamnoen
stadiums, along with a directory
of different muay Thai
associations found in dozens of
countries all over the world.
This points to the most
surprising feature of any
web-search for muay Thai sites:
the sport has become incredibly
international. In fact, most of the
web sites which are actually up
and running predominantly
cover the kick-boxing scene
outside of Thailand.
You can see just how far and
wide the sport has spread by
logging on to a directory of
muay Thai schools at
http://www.shoto.com/pop/school.html
. It turns out there is even a
school in Latvia.
In Canada, furthermore, there is
another Lumpini Stadium. It has
a website at
http://www.interlog.com/(tilde)lumpini/main.html
. The US Muay Thai Academy,
meanwhile, has a homepage at
http://www.nauticom.net/www/muaythai/index.htm
. It, too, contains a history of
the sport, where it explains that
the term kick-boxing actually
refers to a Japanese derivation
of the sport, and urges us all to
call it by its proper name, muay
Thai.
A homepage set up by the
United World Muay Thai
Association based in Los
Angeles seems to be the most
interactive site available.
Located at
http://www.muaythai.com/
, it
has a message board where
people like to write in about
various events going on around
the world.
There are also links to other
related sites, information on
training camps, displays of
equipment for sale, and some
articles on the sport. ''Muay
Thai, A Cultural Trip'' describes
an opening ceremony of a
match, and confirms that it's
one of the fastest growing
full-contact sports in the world.
The list of sites could go on and
on. There is the Kick-boxing
Ring Report set up at
http://www.tapout.com/
, while a
homepage at
http://www.mikemiles.com/
has
been set up by a tough-looking
Canadian ex-champion. It
includes profiles of international
stars, including women fighters.
If you're into the spiritual aspect
of martial aspects, look up the
US Muay Thai Academy's
website and click on to a page
which explains the ''benefits'' of
muay Thai, which it describes
as a sport, a science, an art,
and a form of self-defence.
Physically speaking, muay Thai
training will provide you with a
well-apportioned body, strength
and agility and even resistance
to illness, it claims. Mentally,
you will gain more courage,
wisdom and discipline.
Finally, Thai boxers are
destined to gain respect for
rules, good manners, good
spirit, honesty and a sense of
justice.
Mmmm. It sounds like we could
all use a good dose of muay
Thai training. If only we didn't
have to get pummelled while
we're at it!
Have any suggestions?
Complaints? Picks? Pans?
Utterly random thoughts you'd
like to share? Please send
e-mail to
jfahn@nation.nationgroup.com