Italy's Mathias Gallo Cassarino (Mathias Sitsongpeenong) is the current WBC muay thai champion at 130 lbs (59 kgs). He defeated Cambodian nak muay Van Chan Seth by decision for the belt on January 5, 2013 on Ko Chang, Thailand. His current record is 40 fights with 25 wins (10 by KO), 12 losses and 3 ties. Mathias has never lost by KO. Mathias is 20 years old. You've had an interesting career as a nak muay. Unlike most foreign fighters, you started training at a very young age in Thailand. Let's start here. I have been coming to Thailand since I was born and I started training because my father used to train Muay Thai in Ko Samui. At first … [Read more...]
THAILAND
The Thailand traditional travel guides overlook. I spent 2.5 years living in Buriram. The last time I checked, my Lonely Planet guide had a few paragraphs that essentially said, skip it. Read travel stories and advice from others who experience The Land Of Smiles the same way.
Thailand Off The Beaten Path: An Interview With Alex Martin Of Off The Path Travel
Off The Path Travel is an American owned travel company that provides responsible, unorthodox travel tours in various locations in Thailand, Mongolia and India. Alex Martin is both the founder, international tour operator and a guide. We'll begin with your history of travel. Basically, what inspired you to start, continue and now guide others? I went overseas when I was 19 to volunteer in Thailand. I spent a lot of time in small villages on my first trip and fell in love. I figured out a way to come back to Thailand and also go to India with a student group, then stay in Thailand and teach myself for the remainder of my college years (long story). I maintained a relationship with the … [Read more...]
5 Tips to Book a Hotel, Guesthouse or Resort in Thailand
1. Book Ahead Through Agoda Agoda.com is widely used throughout Thailand. You'll find Thai hotels, guesthouses and resorts that aren't advertised on other English language booking sites. 2. Read A Lot Of Reviews Ideally locate independent blogs that have reviewed the hotel / guesthouse / resort you're interested in. Typically they're more in-depth and include photos of the establishment's current amenities (not promo pics that may be a decade old, or Photoshopped). 3. Understand Thai Transliteration Inconsistencies Many cities share the same name as the province they reside in. Should this be the case, the city will be listed as Amphoe Meuang (Ampeur Muang). Note, as there is no unified … [Read more...]
Are You A Woman Traveling To Thailand? Some Basic Things You Should Know.
In July 2012 a Dutch woman was allegedly raped and beaten in the Ao Nang district of Krabi by her Thai tour guide. In October the victim's father published a music video entitled Evil Man From Krabi to confront the issue. Local Thai police and Thai Tourism Minister Chumpol Silapa-archa responded that the incident is not being considered rape as the woman had consented to dinner with the man. Read more here and here. The situation provoked me to publish the following in an effort to educate you on some very basic realities in Thailand that may influence your time there. Feminism In Thailand Feminism hasn't hit Thailand. Neither has the dissolution of class … [Read more...]
Interview With WMC World Champion Teresa Wintermyr
Sweden's Teresa Wintermyr ( Teresa Sinbi Muay Thai) is the current WMC World champion at 118 lbs. She defeated Finland's Sonal Pattni (Sunanta Rawai Muay Thai) for the belt on November 30, 2012 in Phuket, Thailand. Let's begin with how you started training muay thai. It was a bit random to be honest. I was exercising a lot when I was in my teens but mostly for the sake of staying slim or getting slimmer as I was working as a model. In my twenties I stopped all exercise and got into a somewhat unhealthy lifestyle. At 27 I decided to take up training again but as I had been very fit before it didn't take long to get back into it. I felt I needed a … [Read more...]
Thailand a Go Go – Thai Molam and Beat Music from the 1960s and 1970s
What's a New Year's Eve party without some retro Thai tunes? The following is a mix of Thai and Isaan (Molam/Mor lam) songs from the 1960s and 1970s. Molam is a Laos form of music hailing from the country's North Eastern region of Isaan aka Thai country music. It's sung in the Thai Laos dialect / Isaan language. I spent two and a half years living in Thailand's North East. Molam is alive and well in Isaan - it's everywhere, on the television, emanating from homes and infecting an entire section of a city as it's blasted out of market and festival amps. That being said, Molam's current commercial manifestation differs in many ways from these treats while maintaining some structural … [Read more...]
Romaneenart Park, Bangkok, Thailand
When I first arrived in Bangkok to train Muay Thai, I wasn’t physically prepared to train twice daily. I had prepped myself for Chiang Mai, not Bangkok, which meant, I needed a few weeks to build stamina. Luckily I found Romaneenart Park, a lush chunk of green space on Siriphat Road, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok approximately two kilometers south of Khao San Road and near Little India and Chinatown. Park Facilities Soccer/football Basketball half court Skate park Track Weight area with a nominal admission fee Fitness installations/circuit Cardio machines Jungle gym Bocce ball area Tai chi, yoga, cheerleading, swords, dancing being practiced independently … [Read more...]
The Best Of Muay Thai And Thailand – The MBSB 2012 Roundup
2012 was a significant year for MBSB with an increase in published pieces, a site redesign and the launch of personal consulting. I want to thank you all for being a part of it. As traffic and subsequently subscribers have increased and we're on the eve of a new year, I thought now is as good time as any to showcase the most popular posts published in 2012. Tada! Sex For Free Or Sex For Cash? Understanding sexual cultural norms in Thailand and how they differ from Western ideals. The term free sex is discussed as well as having sex in exchange for money and gifts. What is considered more powerful … [Read more...]
Download A Free Thai 2013/2556 Calendar
Thai Visa's full-sized, printable calendar for the 2013 / 2556 (Thai) year is now available for download. This is a great resource for those of you planning a trip to Thailand as it includes all public holidays. Download yours here. … [Read more...]
What to Do for New Year’s Eve in Thailand: The Taskin Maharachanuson Fair, Tak
Chiang Mai seems to be 'the place to be for New Year's Eve' in Thailand, which is the main reason I wanted to run like hell from it. Not that I don't like crowds, I in fact love crowds, I just get really bored and annoyed with the repetitive nature of 'the party' by the time it becomes 'the place to be'. My bias is, by the time something blows up, it tends to morph into the mundane. Chiang Mai? Cancun? Some densely packed 'place to be' in any city, in any country, from any decade? Not much difference in my opinion and generally filled with people intent on making it so. How can I put this in music terms..... You're more apt to find me in a tightly packed, seedy bar in a … [Read more...]
Gratitude Sixteen Weeks Post Thailand
It has been approximately sixteen weeks since I removed myself from Thai soil and set forth on North American dirt. Three weeks have passed since I've escaped most days feeling like a leaky headed sideshow monkey, or perhaps, rephrased, I have reveled in three weeks of freedom from re-entry coma. In previous posts I had discussed the maladies and surrealism of my re-entry shock, today I will reflect on the improvements living in Thailand has made to my daily life. Note, I continue to have moments of less than linear thought, short attention span, extreme social anxiety and exasperation at the English language. I often take once comprehended words or phrases as rigid … [Read more...]
Authentic Thai Recipes: Easy Sticky Rice
Craving the Kao Niaow a.k.a. sticky rice you relished in Thailand? Perhaps you've never tried it but know as the cold weather approaches you'll be driven by food lust for the rich, starchy and addictive? Kao Niaw / sticky rice is a staple in Thailand, particularly in the North Eastern region of Isaan. While living in Buriram, I enjoyed it often. Traditionally, Thai sticky rice is steamed in a cone-shaped woven bamboo basket and an aluminum pot (specifically made for preparing the rice). The consistency is dense; the rice is meant to be eaten with your hands and, as I was told in Thailand, it's perfect for labourers. Sticky rice can be eaten in the fields and on job sites where … [Read more...]
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