Buriram City, home of Khmer ruins, homemade silk, and Muay Thai will now be bringing you the first ever Muay Thai Expo. Scheduled for 4-7 October, the Expo will take place at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram City. Getting people out of the bustling metropolis that is Bangkok, this event will offer a refreshing change of scenery, and a warm welcome from the locals. Buriram is known for producing the most Muay Thai champions per capita, making it the perfect place to host the Muay Thai Expo. The event will take place over the course of four days and will feature Wai Kru demonstrations by local schools and will have kiosks that include everything Muay Thai, from historical … [Read more...]
About Frances Watthanaya
From Domestic Violence Survivor to Muay Thai Fighter: The Story of Casey Lynn
It’s become a regular occurrence for Casey Lynn to have to argue with the doorman at the fights. No one believes she’s a fighter. A fighter’s girlfriend maybe, but an actual fighter? Never. It usually takes a while, especially if her picture isn’t on the program, but eventually she gets in. Lynn is not your stereotypical Muay Thai fighter. She smiles a lot. She definitely doesn't dress the part, and usually shows up to fight in her cowboy boots and daisy dukes. Her two daughters, ages seven and twelve, are always by her side, whether at the gym or cheering her on at ringside. The girls have had to sacrifice a lot for their mom, who has been living the life of Muay Thai for the past five … [Read more...]
The Hidden Costs of Traveling Bangkok for a Day
Life in Isaan is okay. It’s this awkward balance of farm life and Western habits that my family must navigate through on a daily basis. What makes things a little more complicated is that everything is in Bangkok. Yes, in recent years there has been some great progress in Isaan, like more immigration check points and a passport centre in both Khorat and Khon Kaen, but for the most part, we must still make our way down to Bangkok at least three to four times a year for various reasons. During each visit to the capital, I am continually surprised at how much money my family and I are able to spend doing next to nothing. This last particular visit was on our … [Read more...]
301 Gym – A Muay Thai and MMA Camp in Thailand
The crisp, cool air is a drastic difference to Phuket’s humidity or Bangkok’s pollution. Situated in a mountainous range just 40 minutes south of Hua Hin, this is Sam Roi Yot. Literally translating as ‘300 peaks’, Sam Roi Yot is a sleepy little beach town complete with everything from camping at Monkey Island national park, intense hikes, gourmet coffee, to a fully functioning MMA and Muay Thai Gym. Recently, I saw on Facebook that one of my friends from Isaan had moved there. Abbie, originally from Scotland, had been living in Sisaket for the last 7 years, but when her husband was offered a job at the gym, she decided it was best for her family and … [Read more...]
Ya Kiatpetch Muay Thai Gym
Ya Kiatpetch Muay Thai gym is located in the Satuek Districk of Buriram Province. The gym has only opened in the last year, but don’t let that deter you, as it has a stable of large, active stadium fighters as well as a handful of kids making their start in Muay Thai. Ya, as the name suggests, works for Kiatpetch Promotions as a scout. Prior to opening his gym, Ya was one of the co-owners of Sak Buriram Muay Thai gym. Sak Buriram however, is over crowded and can’t accommodate children, so Ya decided to open up his own gym in his native, Satuek. The gym houses four to six active stadium fighters. In addition to that, there about ten active … [Read more...]
Muay Thai History – Words of Wisdom from Wun Watthanaya
"Do you want your kids to be fighters?" “Oh yes, of course.” I had to interject. We had three international students visiting the gym; they were studying Muay Thai as a way to alleviate poverty and currently were based out of Khon Kaen University. Along with interviewing the fighters, they wanted to talk to my father-in-law about his thoughts too. He wants his kids to be Muay Thai fighters? I’ve been married to his son for nearly ten years and have only heard the opposite from him. “Wait, Dad…what about Boom? You wouldn’t let him leave home to fight and you used to always tell me to … [Read more...]
Korat Hotel Review – Sripattana Hotel
I needed to find a hotel with a swimming pool in Korat (Khorat) city. This took my search results down from a hundred to just a handful. I was also working on a pretty tight budget as well which directed me to the Sripattana Hotel. Every ninety days I am required to make my way down to Thai immigration to ‘check-in’. Although married to a Thai national, this is still a process. I must complete whether I'm here on a marriage visa or with a work permit. As a family we try to make the most of these trips and will usually spend the night in Korat. Korat is the closest immigration check point to us, and is about a two hour drive from home. The … [Read more...]
Sit Phanom + Wor Watthana’s First Muay Thai Fight As A Gym
“Mali, where are you?” “I’m at work.” As I am every day, Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm. “Do you have any fighters yet?” “Yes! They are really new the gym just opened last…” “Yeah, I know, I know. Come see me at the temple. Write their names on a list with their weights. I’ll meet you at the fight ring.” Names? Our gym had only been open for two weeks, we didn’t even have a training mat, let alone fight names! I quickly wrote down a few localized names with some weights attached and jumped on a bike to head over to the temple. The temple tradesman who had made the call had already left, … [Read more...]
The Life Of A Bangkok Fighter Cut Short
We always trained late at Bor. Breechaa Gym. The trainers all had day jobs unrelated to Muay Thai, a situation rare in Bangkok gyms but a reflection of the surroundings: a working-poor neighbourhood in Sukhumvit 93, within walking distance of the legendary Sor. Thanikul Gym. The young fighters lived with their families at the apartment complex. Parents came to watch training, cook for the fighters, and bring rice from their relatives up-country. There was one kid, though, who always came alone. His name was Rambo. His parents had abandoned him. He lived a few streets away from the gym with his aunt, who did the … [Read more...]
Age Over Gender At A Muay Thai Gym
Training in Thailand is not only intense, it is very intimate also. Many gyms provide accommodation for their fighters. The accommodation usually consists of a large single room with a few beds, thus fighters end up sharing everything: bathrooms, equipment, clothing, and sometimes even toothbrushes. Unless a family member is closely attending to the livestock, the habit is almost always strictly male. In the rare case there is a female fighter living at the gym, she is usually taken care of by an older brother, uncle, or the matriarch of the gym. Living at the gym, versus living outside the gym can change how people interact with you. This goes for both foreigners … [Read more...]
The Switzerland of Northeast Thailand: Wang Nam Khiao
We ended up in Wang Nam Khiao on a whim. Initially we were planning a trip to Khao Yai, Thailand’s largest national park, and while I was looking for affordable, high-quality accommodation I came across Nicslongstay. It appeared to be exactly what we were looking for. Wang Nam Khiao is a district in Nakhonratchasima Province and is situated between two national parks: Khao Yai and Thap Lan. Wang Nam Khiao is guarded from development due to the fact that the national parks are protected land and you can only access the area by passing through a mountainous range. We arrived during the week; the area is slow moving but I’m told during the … [Read more...]
The Mutation Of Muay Thai In Isaan
“Sham is fighting the main event at Buriram iMobile Stadium," Mr. Dit, owner and head trainer of Giatbundit Gym, announces with a laugh. “Just like that, main event. Only one fight, main event…” He continues rambling on, mostly to himself. Giatbundit Gym began accepting foreigners just this past February and Mr. Dit is definitely still learning the ins and outs of it all. In Thailand there is a gradual progression into the big rings. All fighters must get their starts at either temple fairs or rice fields, and even with good connections, a spot at Lumpini or Rajadamnern must still be earned. For foreign fighters however, it is a … [Read more...]