Muay Thai Boxing and the Wai Kru Ram Muay Ritual

I'll admit that when I first learned about what Muay Thai boxing entails, it wasn't something that I wanted to see live. Muay Thai is a combat sport of Thailand that uses stand-up striking and techniques using the fists, elbows, knees, shins. ZERO protective gear is used during a fight which means matches tend to get very bloody.

Brian convinced me not only to get a Fish Spa treatment in Thailand, but to also see a Muay Thai boxing match. He must be learning good techniques in his MBA program about negotiating skills!

We went to a Sainamyen Ring match on June 16th in Patong Beach, Phuket seated in VIP seats at the front. The 7 matches that night were considered "real fights" between a majority of Thai fighters, and a few Scottish and Australians fighters who were hardcore.

The essentials for a Muay Thai match:

1. Guards up

2. A few candid shots

3. Bottles of Chang Beer

What I didn't realize is that Muay Thai is not only a brutal boxing sport where fighters use zero protection. It's a cultural sport where traditional prayers and dances are incorporated before a match.

Muay Thai fighters, especially if they are of Thai descent, incorporate the Wai Kru Ram Muay, a ritual performed before fighting. The wai is a traditional Thai greeing with the palms together as a sign of respect. The kru is the Thai form of the Sanskrit word guru, meaning teacher. The ram muay shows respect and gratitude to the boxer's teacher, their parents, and their ancestors. When boxers fought in front of the royalty, the ram muay also paid respect to the king.

Upon entering the ring, fighters circle the ring in a counter-clockwise direction and pray at each corner. They bow their head at every corner 3 times in salutation to Buddha, Rama, and the sangha of monks. Then they commence the Ram Muay, a personal ritual containing hints about who trained the fighter and where the fighter is from. The Ram Muay is always accompanied by music and rhythms syncing to the boxer's movements.

Wai Kru Ram Muay ritual before a fight

After a Wai Kru Ram Muay ritual, then the fighters convene. There's no holding back when it comes to Muay Thai fighting.

A Thai and Chinese fighting match

The Chinese fighter concedes as the Thai fighters coaches cheer him on

I didn't capture a fascinating women's fight on camera, but this Scottish fighter knocked out this poor Thai girl that was half her size! The poor Thai fighter was knocked out cold for several of minutes until her coaches shook her back awake. In a half daze, she was escorted out of the ring as the audience cheered and clapped for her.

Although I'm not sure if I want to see another bloody Muay Thai boxing match again in person, I am glad that I went with Brian to experience the culture and tradition that is Muay Thai in Thailand.