Ancient Muay Thai (Thai Boxing)

Muay Boran is the Other name of Ancient Thai Boxing.period) as "Muay Kaad Chuak" although at the time,
It is a traditional form of Muay Thai which is still taughtthis isn't the term people used. "Muay Kaad Chuak"
and practiced in Thailand. Muay Boran is still practicedbegan to decline around the 1920's, finally ending in
and taught in order to preserve the Boxing Techniques1929 with a death in the ring. Although the government
from Muay Thai's History before the introduction ofof the time prohibited this style of fighting(with wrapped
formalized rules and the introduction of gloves in thehands) people still continued to practice the arts and
1930s. Muay Boran is the ancestor of the modern dayfight underground. Eventually, by introducing rules, and
Muay Thai Boxing. Most of the Facts of Muay Boranproviding fighters with better protection, competition
have been extinct now, many of the original recordsbecame safer, and the sport of Muay Thai was born.
from Thailand regarding this fascinating subject wereHere are some information of the techniques used:
destroyed in the sacking of Ayuddhaya in 1767 andTechnique 6 (Buddhai Swan) - The boxer grabs the
others lost in the mists of time.opponent's neck twisting him from side to side, and
The late Arjarn Samai Messamarn from the Buddhaithen throwing a knee to the opponent's body, finally the
Swan Institute in Thailand was able to make a studyboxer will push the opponent away finishing with a high
of the Thai empty hand system using the scantkick to the opponent's neck.
resources available in Thailand. This research also tookTo clarify, the name given to the technique usually
him to Burma where he was able to gain access torefers to an action within that technique, not
historical records on the subject of the Siamesenecessarily the whole technique or even the end result
systems of warfare. Using this information and thebut for instance the action of breaking (hak) the neck
painstaking research done within Thailand, Arjarn(kor) in Hak Kor Erawan or the action of presenting or
Samai was able to document and confirm 60 Awudtoffering something up in Hanuman Tawai Wen. From
Muay Boran techniques and fighting methods. Only twothe 60 major techniques in the Buddhai Swan syllabus
records of the techniques, hand-painted on parchmentthere are other minor techniques plus many different
now exist. Arjarn Samai's son, Arjarn Werayutvariations and additional moves that can follow on
Messamarn recently visited England bringing with himfrom the main techniques. A good example of this is
one of these unique documents.the technique "GAA JIK KAI" translated Crow pecks
It is believed that the Siamese people had their ownthe egg which is basically fast jabs to the opponent's
styles of fighting, in each Kingdom a different style.face but from the jab one could choose any technique
These fighting systems have clearly been evolving fore.g. round kick (daet), front kick (teep), right uppercut
many hundreds of years and have been known under(uppercut kwaa) or many others.
many different names such as; "Arwut Thai" (meaningBesides the Buddhai Swan techniques, we have
Thai Weapons), "Pahuyut" (armed, unarmed combat).uncovered at least another 60 different techniques
Much later, at the end of the Ayuthaya Period, orfrom various sources including Arjarn Yodthong from
around the beginning of the Thonburithe Sityodthong Camp, Arjarn Panya Kraitus author of
Teaching Ancient Muay Thai" Period after a longthe book "Muay Thai Most Distinguished Art of
history of fighting against the Burmese, King PhraFighting", the late Khun Bunyuen Suvanatdha former
Thaksin "The Great" finally pushed all invaders fromhead of the Amateur Muay Thai Association of
the Kingdoms of Siam and with this the Chakri dynastyThailand and Kru Lang of the Sitpralang Camp in
began. The Chakri dynasty with King Rama I on theAyuddhaya.
throne, marked a period when nearly all of theThe discovery of Muay Boran in the West has taken
separate Kingdoms of Siam joined together tous on a journey back through time. The modern sport
become the country we now know as Thailand. Atof Muay Thai has been established here for nearly 30
the end of the 1700's, with wars against invadersyears, we are now moving backwards and have
over,fighters began to compete locally, and often indiscovered the time before sport when contests were
front of the King to see who had the best style. Mostfought for honour or freedom. It is merely a blink of the
people recognize this period in the history of Muayeye in time before we reach our final destination and
Thai as fighters used to wrap their hands in cottonfind the mother of the Thai martial arts - Krabi
twine.Krabong.
Today, people refer to this style of fighting (during this