This post proceeds Part 1, Some Things To Consider Before You Go. In Part 1 the major question at hand was, What are you really looking for? The next step is to consider what you can take. What Can You Really Handle? It's imperative that you're completely honest during this part of your process. Refusing to be anything less than authentic will set you in the direction of choosing the wrong gym, the wrong living environment and essentially sabotaging your goals. How? You risk not being 100% present. You risk adding unnecessary drama to your life. You risk being overwhelmed by fear. You risk physical injury. Please don't pretend to be someone you're … [Read more...]
Interested In Training Muay Thai In Thailand? Some Things To Consider Before You Go.
For many of you, the idea of training muay thai in Thailand is akin to living the dream. Be it that you train in the gym of your choice for a limited number of weeks or you train in Thailand indefinitely, I suggest you consider the following before you decide where to go and how to get there. What Are You Really Looking For? This is the major question that will set precedence for all to come. Take the time to be introspective and reflect on what it is you're really after, not what you think you're after, not what others have told you to reach for but what it is that truly drives your desire to train in Thailand. If you're stuck, reflect on the daydreams you … [Read more...]
Muay Thai Fight: Kayasith Chuwattana VS Petake Look Bor Gor, Rajadamnern Stadium, October 1, 2009
Update Februrary 2, 2015: It has been years since I've seen Kayasith fight and as far as I'm currently aware of, he has retired from Muay Thai. During my approximate year at Chuwattana gym in Bangkok, Kayasith was my favourite fighter to watch. His intelligence in the ring was nothing short of beautiful to me. I caught him in the latter years of his fight career and have never been able to find footage of Kayasith as a young fighter. I'm happy to provide at least a peak into his fighting with the footage in this piece and in a previous piece on his fight against Petmahachon Kiatsorranan. I apologize for the quality of the footage. … [Read more...]
Muay Thai Fight: Jomthong Chuwattana, Rajadamnern Stadium, June 1, 2009
Ah, I filmed this back when I thought who Jomthong was fighting was of little importance...just details..if anyone knows the name of his opponent, please dial me in. Jomthong Chuwattana (BLUE) Rajadamnern Stadium, June 1, 2009 … [Read more...]
Ngaoprajan Chuwattana
His name means 'shadow of the moon' or 'moon's shadow' (NGAO - shadow; PRAJAN - moon). Standing at approximately 148 cm / 4' 10.5" and at thirty four years of age (born 1977), Ngaoprajan is not your average Rajadamnern fighter. There is a Thai term gae leaw, which means old (already). In Thailand, this term is generally used to describe anyone over the age of thirty. In the Thai sphere of muay thai, you can drop about five years off the age and use it to describe someone who is considered on the downslide of one's career. During my approximate one year stay at Chuwattana, I remember Ngaoprajan fighting regularly. This meant, roughly every four to six weeks, less an extended break after an … [Read more...]
Kayasith Chuwattana VS Petmahachon Kiatsorranan – Rajadamnern Stadium April 2, 2009
Welcome to the first installment of the Chuwattana Gym Fight 2009 - 2010 series that will showcase on MBSB. Bangkok's Chuwattana Gym is owned by Rajadamnern Stadium promoter Choocharoen Raweearamwong, who is also a part of the Suk Dawrung Choocharoen promotions team. Suk Dawrung Choocharoen sends talent to fight worldwide. As a result, there is a large and sometimes ever changing pool of proficient nak muays training at Chuwattana on any given day. Of all the fighters that trained at the gym while I was living there, Kayasith Chuwattana remains my favourite. His speed, the beauty and ferocity of his technique and his intellect silence me. For those … [Read more...]
Chuwattana Gym Fights 2009 to 2010
Sometime around end of February and beginning of March 2009, I stepped foot into Chuwattana Gym and didn't fully leave until, I believe May 2010 after a six week stay at a gym in Japan. The first four months of 2010 were spent between Chuwattana Gym and the defunct Tor Ratonakiet in Buriram. At the time, women weren't allowed to live on the Chuwattana premises, so I took a room directly, meaning a few metres across from it. Whenever I think of Bangkok, thoughts of Chuwattana Gym filter in. Most of my training, eating and socializing in Bangkok were conducted either there or with resident and / or visiting nak muays. In retrospect I realize I didn't take … [Read more...]
Muay Thai Wire: SIT-O GYM, BURIRAM CLOSURE 2011
My search for a new trainer brought me to the now defunct and abandoned Sit-O Gym. Approximately one year ago, I submitted a post on My Muay Thai stating the gym was closed. This was based on the testimonies of a number of people. We were all incorrect, it had moved. (Although, speaking to others in the business today, I was told it has been closed for the past three years...?) I suspect some of the confusion may be based in what is considered 'closed'. Regardless, being accompanied by a past Sit-O nak muay coupled with visiting a now unemployed Sit-O kru, I believe it is safe to say, Sit-O Gym Buriram is no longer in operations under any capacity in the city of … [Read more...]
Introducing Femii Thai
Femi Akinade, aka Femii Thai, is a singer/songwriter/thai boxer hailing from London, England. I met Femi in Bangkok in early 2009 while training at Chuwattana Gym. As that was over two years ago, my mind scrambles when I try to recall how long we trained together, I can't remember if it was for a few weeks, or over a month. Nonetheless, what I do remember is Femi's dedication to the art and the respect he extended to everyone around him. Femi also brought home a win from Rajadamnern Stadium that year. Since skipping back to England, Femi continues to train but has switched his focus to music, his most recent single being released without a … [Read more...]
Beginnings: The City – Buriram, Isaan
The Buriram I live, may not be the Buriram you know. More often than not, when I tell Thai nationals who aren't born of this region that I live in Buriram, my statement elicits a variety of mixed reactions - confusion, shock, and disdain generally being the top three. Adding that I train muay thai doesn't work in my favour. The region of Isaan, situated in the North East, is Thailand's poorest. Buriram, in the southern hemisphere is one of the poorest provinces of the region - it's also one of the major suppliers of sex trade workers to Pattaya and Bangkok. Among the lower classes, a proportionate number of females work the bars and … [Read more...]