THAI CULTURE
Thai people are very religious and spiritual; they have different beliefs and customs that are built into Muay Thai.
There may be times when you unintentionally offend them, so it is very important to be aware of this at all times, both in boxing and in society.
This section will help you understand how they think and also why they fight. It will let you know what you are up against if you decide to fight them.
WHY THAIS FIGHT
Money, plain and simple. Contrary to popular belief among people in the Western world, Muay Thai is a sport mostly for poor people. Every fighter gets paid for their fight, and for people in the lower class, this is a way to make money; it's a job for them. Every fight in Thailand is for money. In addition, they also have belts for the professionals, but trophies were very rarely seen in the past, only becoming more popular in recent years due to the flow of foreign money passing through sponsors and into the boxing fights & events. Thai people like their trophies, but they prefer cash over plastic.
You may have noticed this: in pictures taken directly after a fight, if the winner has their gloves on, they will take the photo holding the money in their mouth. They will also proudly spread out the money and take photos; it’s their way of showing everybody how successful & professional they are at their job.
FACT - Thais DO NOT pay to train. Only foreigners do this.
Firstly - because most can't afford it.
Secondly - why should a fighter be paying when they are the ones doing the hard work?
This is how it works and how fighters and trainers get paid.
The trainers get paid by the promoters for the fights, and they pay the fighter from that money, the amount based on whether they won or lost, and how well they fought.
Remember that in Thailand, every Thai person training at a camp is a fighter. Ordinary people don't train for fitness or self-defence skills at a boxing camp; they go to a gym for this. Every Thai boxer trains and fights for money.
Put yourself in their position: do you want to work in the rice fields out in the hot weather or in a factory all day for money that only makes life a struggle? Or become a champion fighter earning big money, with the possibility of going on to become a trainer either in Thailand or overseas, living a wealthy life?
This is what drives them. That's their goal. Honour, respect, greatness - yes, they all fight for this, and you will need to as well. A fighter's results reflect on themselves, their trainers, camp, and family. No trainer will put a fighter up who's not ready for a fight, as this reflects directly on them. Reputation is everything for ALL involved in the world of Muay Thai.
MINDSET
This is how Thais think; you need to know and understand this.
For a Thai to fight a foreigner and lose is embarrassing to them in their society. It's their country, their language; they have more experience, and they will never let you win. The mentality of a nakmuay (Thai boxer) is that foreigners come from countries where life is easy; we are all millionaires who work in offices and don't know anything about hard times. That is why they won't let you win; they see themselves as above us in terms of hardness due to their lifestyle and the conditions they grow up in.
When you fight a Thai, they will want to soundly beat you and make an example of you. But do not take this personally because when you are focused and ready to fight, this is exactly what you will be doing to them. You will need to develop a mindset against them to give you an advantage over them, but do it in a way that's not personal. Enjoy the fight, enjoy the challenge, aim to knock them out, but respect your opponent at the same time.
You will need to be the dominant fighter to win the fight. That's what Muay Thai is about.
THAI SOCIETY AND MUAY THAi
You will need to learn to become two fighters, not only a fighter inside the ring, but also a fighter outside the ring. To make it in Thailand and be respected in Thai society, you will need to be very polite and respectful towards Thais, this is done in such ways by respecting elders and all people around you, lowering your head when you walk past a smaller person or someone sitting on the ground, by helping people in need both friends and strangers, by showing good manners to all, and watching your surrounds for the welfare of others. Remember, not every person can defend themselves; this is what people like you are here for: to stand proud and encourage others to follow, and to defuse bad situations. That's what I mean by a fighter outside the ring, someone who fights for the good of society. That's how you get respect from the people in Thailand. That's the personality of a real fighter, someone with self-respect, honour, and dignity. I’m not saying to get pushed around either; there will be times when you will need to stand your ground also. The trick is to be able to pick what is right for each situation. The more time you spend in Thailand will mean the more experienced you will get with this; it does take time.
When you fight, that's when you become the other fighter. This is where you need to become a killer in the ring. If two even fighters fight the same, punch, kick, and knee each other the same, all fight long, the fight will basically be a stalemate, and the judges will give it to one for whatever reason. For foreigners fighting in Thailand, you will never win if you are equal to your opponent; they will always give it to the Thai on points. To win, you have to take it by convincingly beating them or make the result decisive with a KO or TKO. It's the only way. This is where you need to become the dominant fighter. Basically, you need to convincingly beat them, duel by duel, round after round. This is what Muay Thai is about. It is violent, but you need to become violent in a fight to win. This is when you need to be ruthless, turn the tables, and do everything to them that they would do to you. If you get a clean shot, take it regardless of what will happen to them; they will do it to you, and that is the sport. When the bell goes, become a killer; that's what you're there for, and that's how you win. Thatis a fighter inside the ring.
GAMBLING
Gambling is illegal in Thailand, but this does not stop them, as half the people in the crowd are there to gamble. This is big business for Thai people.
Professional gamblers will usually go around the camps during the week to see the fighters train and watch for their strengths and fitness levels. Each fight will have a wager between the camps. This is how they back their own fighters, with money. On the flyer, they used to have the wager amount written next to each fight. The names of the fighters would be written in Thai, but the numbers were readable. You might be surprised by the amount of each wager as well; some were fairly high.
The gamblers section of the crowd is always the loudest, and there is not much more I can say about this subject other than if you are fighting in Thailand, remember this: there will be people betting on you. Don't let them down.
FIGHTERS NAMES
Fighters in Thailand have fighter names. Usually, Thai people have two names, such as an official name on the birth certificate and also a nickname that they are known by most people in society.
Fighters also have a name on top of this.
Traditionally in Thailand, a fighter earns their name when they first fight. Their first trainer will decide on this, and it will have meaning to it, such as the background of their camp, origins, beliefs, traditions, and heritage. The fighter will generally keep that name out of respect, even if they change trainers. When this happens, they will insert the word "SIT", which is quite commonly seen if you look at the draw cards that are written in English. This acknowledges the fighter is now under a different trainer.
It is possible for foreigners to earn a fighter's name, but there are two requirements for this,
1 - You have to fight.
2 - You will need a Thai trainer for genuine heritage.
When a foreigner from the Western world holds a Thai fighter's name, it is because they have trained with and fought against the Thais in Thailand.
In Thailand, when you earn your name, that's who you are, and it’s yours for life.
UNDER OR OVER
Thais have a traditional way for fighters to enter the ring when they fight. Men go over the ropes; a trainer will walk along the side of the ring first and push the top rope down to help the fighter step over or climb over for a boy. Women go under the ropes; the trainer will lift the bottom rope for women to pass under when entering the ring.
This might sound sexist to people in the Western world, but Thailand has a different culture from us, and it is not only an acceptable practice, but it’s also a long-standing tradition for boxing. This is just one of many cultural practices when fighting in Thailand.
Mongkon
This is the headband that you see fighters wearing for Wai Kru (teachers' dance) when they enter the ring, walk to the four corners, and then perform a personal dance for their trainer.
These ceremonies are a very spiritual part of the fight for Thai people, and the Mongkon itself, worn by the fighter, belongs to their trainer. They will have different Mongkons for different fighters. For example, there will be a different one for professional fighters as opposed to amateurs and kids. There will also be a separate Mongkon for women.
Traditionally, a man can touch a woman's Mongkon, but a woman is not allowed to touch a man's. As with women entering the ring, this may come across as sexist, but there are thousands of women fighters from all over Thailand who accept this practice.
A Mongkon must always be kept high when not in use and held high during fights. Someone trusted by the trainer will take care of this.
INSURANCE
You will get injuries with this sport; it's a part of it. There will be the mild ones that you can handle yourself, but major injuries can occur. If you get injuries that need medical attention at a hospital, you need to check with your travel insurance for this type of cover. Generally, travel insurance will most likely not cover injuries of this type. We urge you in the strongest possible way to get insurance that will cover this. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.
An alternative is to get insurance cover through a private hospital near where you're staying and make sure it covers boxing injuries. This can be a better option for people staying long-term, and it can be more cost-effective IF the local hospital has this type of insurance policy. You will need a translator to help with this, such as a partner or friend, if you don’t speak Thai.
Riding Motorcycles in Thailand - Be very careful, even if you are an experienced rider. You can have a lot of fun doing this, but the possibility of an accident is always more likely than in your own country. It's very dangerous on the road in Thailand at times, particularly during peak hours and at night. DO NOT RIDE WITHOUT INSURANCE.
Aim for the best, be prepared for the worst.