泰拳 – 泰國歷史文化遺產

泰拳 – 泰國歷史文化遺產
Muay Thai - Thailand's Cultural Heritage

泰拳或稱為泰式搏擊術(Muay Thai)在國際上享有盛譽,在世界多處地方不乏熱衷者。事實上,泰拳早已成為泰國的歷史文化遺產。泰拳的起源或有多久的歷史甚難查究,但泰國人民的祖先就是以這種徒手搏擊術保衛自己以及抵抗侵略者。約在公元一七七四年的「大城時期」,有一位名叫 Nai Khanomtom的當地泰國人徒手力戰而勝十名侵略者,當時的大王目睹這場戰鬥,有感而發地說:「泰國人即使手無刀劍,但徒手也能克敵。」此後,Nai Khanomtom便被人們譽為是「泰拳之父」。

學習泰拳不單可以旁身自衛,其實也是一種運動,甚至可說是修練藝術。因為學習泰拳初期,首先便要學習泰國的禮貌、平和的心態、紀律、勇氣和體育精神。每一位拳手都要佩戴由一束粗線和布條所組成的圓形頭飾(Mongkhon),在搏擊前佩戴Mongkhon是一種泰國傳統,寓意是向尊敬的師傅們獻上祝福和祈求吉兆。拳手們在與對手搏鬥前要佩戴着Mongkhon跳泰拳舞,完成這儀式後,拳手才卸下頭飾進行比鬥,在整個比鬥期間都會演奏着泰國音樂。因此,泰拳不單是一種藝術,同時亦是自古以來泰國人的一種優美傳統。


泰拳是一種很好的運動,可健身和旁身

泰拳禮儀式 寓尊敬師輩
凡初學泰拳者,首先便要學習禮儀式(Wai Kru),該儀式是表達向其父母、受尊敬的人以及曾教導他們的師輩的敬意和謝意。

至於泰拳舞則可體現一位泰拳師傅或一個拳會的風格和特點。當一位拳手發現對手進行相同的禮儀式、跳相同的泰拳舞,便明白到對手是出自同一師傅或拳會,在這種情況下,雙方通常是不會進行比鬥的。因此,跳泰拳舞既可觀察對手戰略,而本身也可放鬆身體以及作好比鬥的準備。

古代的大城(阿猶他亞)首都,現已是每年「世界泰拳禮儀式典禮」和「泰拳節」的舉辦地。該節慶是泰式武術藝術的重要節日,來自世界各地的泰拳拳手都會匯聚於此地,向他們的導師,特別是傳奇人物 - 「泰拳之父」Nai Khanomtom致敬,並在被列入世界歷史遺產的大城(阿猶他亞)遺址表演其美妙的泰拳藝術。


泰拳是泰國的傳統文化藝術

每屆「世界泰拳禮儀式典禮」和「泰拳節」舉行期間,項目包括:「泰拳禮儀式青年大賽」、「世界職業泰拳聯會(W.P.M.F.)腰帶錦標賽」以及學習和欣賞泰國藝術、手工藝和文化活動,包括傳統泰國紋身、製劍、泰國武術藝術表演和古代兵器展覽等。

隨着泰拳在世界上有越來越多人認識,前住泰國觀看泰拳比賽的遊客也年有增加。現時泰國多個城市,包括曼谷、巴提雅、清邁、普吉、蘇梅等多個拳會都設有泰拳學習班,歡迎世界各地的泰拳愛好者參加。學習班設有多項課程,由最短的一日課程至數周、數月不等,部分更設有深造班及職業選手班等,視乎學員的時間及目標要求程度而作出適當的安排。假若閣下到訪泰國,不妨前往參觀或學習泰拳,親身體驗泰拳這種泰國傳統文化藝術!

京勵

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Muay Thai - Thailand's Cultural Heritage

Muay Thai or Thai boxing has long been Thailand’s cultural heritage. There is no evidence to identify the time of its origin. Being one of Thailand’s identities, Muay Thai is not a thing for others to easily imitate. Thai forebears used the art of Muay Thai to defend themselves and fight their enemies and invaders to maintain the national independence to this day. In the Ayutthaya period (around 1774), a Thai native named ‚Nai Khanomtom‛ used Muay Thai in his solo fight against 10 invaders whose king who saw the fight said that ‚Thais without a sword but bare hands are still dangerous to be defeated‛. Nai Khanomtom is therefore praised as the Father of Thai Boxers and renowned to this day.

Muay Thai training begins from Thai courtesy, peace of mind, discipline, manhood, and sporting spirit. Every boxer will wear a ‚Mongkhon‛ (crown), which is made of a bunch of raw thread bound with cloth and formed into a circle. To wear the Mongkhon before a fight is a Thai tradition. The Mongkhon is a sacred crown consecrated and blessed with auspiciousness by the revered masters. Boxers will wear the crown throughout the respect paying ceremony accompanied by a Muay Thai dance, and take it off just before the beginning of the fight. During the period of the Wai Kru ceremony and throughout the fighting, Thai music will be played. Muay Thai is not only an art, but also a graceful tradition of the Thais since ancient times, and it cannot be lost in time.

World Wai Kru Muay Thai Ceremony and Miracle Muay Thai Festival
In March each year

For the Muay Thai training, the first thing for all boxers to do is to perform the ‚Wai Kru‛ or respect paying ceremony which has long been observed until this day. The Wai Kru ceremony is to show the boxers’ regard and gratitude for their parents, the sacred objects, and the masters who have taught them, which brings auspiciousness to the boxers and makes their minds calm and mindful.
As for Muay Thai dance, it is to convey the specific characteristics of a Muay Thai master or camp. Muay Thai boxers who perform the same style of Wai Kru and Muay Thai dance will usually not fight each other since they understand that they have the same master. Moreover, the dance serves as a way to observe the adversary’s tactic, and warm up the boxers to relax from stress in body and mind and be ready for a fight or competition.

The ancient capital of Ayutthaya is home to the annual World Wai Kru Muay Thai Ceremony and Miracle Muay Thai Festival. For individuals trained in the ancient Thai art of boxing or ‘Muay Thai’, the annual Wai Kru Muay Thai Ceremony held during the annual Thai Martial Arts Festival is the most important date on their calendar. Muay Thai boxers from around the world return to Ayutthaya to pay respect to their teachers, and to pay homage to the legendary Muay Thai folk hero, Nai Khanom Tom. Each year,Thai boxer from around the world will participate in the World Wai Kur Muay Thai Ceremony and Miracle Muay Thai Festival and show their appreciation for the beautiful art of Muay Thai at Ayutthaya World Heritage Site. There will also have many activities such as :

 The youth contest in the Wai Kru Muay Thai ceremony.
 Muay Thai tournament with boxers contending for the W.P.M.F. belt with a cash prize.
 Learn and enjoy the demonstrations of Thai arts, handicrafts, and culture, including the Traditional Thai Tattoo, making of swords, performing of Thai martial arts, and an exhibition of ancient weapons.

Muay Thai Camps
Muay Thai camps in Thailand not only provide original methods of training and techniques but also let students in on everything there is to know about this fascinating ancient martial art. You will also be learning series of training regimens to reinforce Thai boxing skills include running, rope jumping, bag punching, doing pushups and other exercises to strengthen the muscles and aid agility.

Some Muay Thai camps come with basic accommodations while others are equipped with luxurious guest rooms in an exclusive surrounding and full range facilities. Courses may last anywhere from a day to a few weeks or months, depending on the students, training is conducted by professional boxers / trainers in English and a few other foreign languages in a professional environment. All you need id the desire to learn and a commitment to intense training to enjoy your Muay Thai experience.

Central of Thailand
1. Baan Shang Thai Camp, Bangkok
Perhaps the only of school of its kind in the entire kingdom, Baan Shamg Thai was opened 15 years ago by HRH Princess Maha Chakri and exclusively teaches Muay Thai Chaiya, a very respected and ancient form of Muay Thai, which was used by the warriors to fight the invaders in the past. It is said that the practitioner of Muay Thai Chaiya can protect himself singlehandedly from ‚the tip of the toe to the tip of the hair‛
Contact : Website : www.samkhum.com E-mail : krulekrub@hotmail.com

2. Jaroenthong Muay Thai, Bangkok
If you are looking for a very traditional boxing camp with a grandly atmosphere where locals come and train the place is just right for you. Conveniently located in Bangkok, Jaroenthong camp puts emphasis on ‚no frills‛ Muay Thai training that focuses the traditional methods that have been handed down from generations after generations.
Contact : Website : www.jaroenthong.com E-mail : webmaster@jaroenthong.com

3. Master Chai Martial Arts, Bangkok
Master Chai Martial Arts does not only train Thai boxing, as its founded, Master Chalerm, is also qualified in several eastern martial arts forms such as Taekwondo, Hapkido and Poomsae. As; a result the school, with its 8 branches in Bangkok and one in Pattaya, also offer classes in those martial arts forms in addition to Muay Thai. On top of this, Master Chai Martial Arts also holds regular special on-going classes in self-protection, weapon disarming technique, VIP protection and teacher trining courses (Muay Thai and Taekwondo) for both amateurs and professionals. Additionally, the school also offer a fusion martial arts class, combining several eastern martial arts forms and unlike most schools, Master Chai Martial Arts olso offers courses for children. This school is perfect for guests who prefer to stay in the comfort and convenience of the vibrant Bangkok and those who do not have a lot of time to travel outside of the city.
Contact : Website : www.martialartta.com E-mail : master.chai@hotmail.com, kommanee@yahoo.com

4. Sor Vorapin Boxing Gym, Bangkok
Sor Vorapin Boxing Gym is located in the old part of Bangkok, right in the touristy area of Khaosan Road and the gym specializes in providing courses of Thai boxing especially to froeigners, using their own unique systematic approach and each training session is directly supervised by skilled coaches at every single step to ensure the quality of the students. And due to its convenient location and solid reputation, the gym has a large number of loyal students who return regularly and still continues to attract new students from all over the world
Contact : Website : www. thaiboxing.com E-mail : info@thaiboxing.com

5. Master Toddy, Samut Prakan
A world famous coach in Muay Thai, Mr.Toddy has over 40 years of experience in teaching the sport and has trained over 45 world champions. He return to Thailand to establish his own school ‚The Fighter Academy‛ and teach the correct Muay Thai techniques to enthusiastic students from all over the world as well as to train new instructors on how to teach judge and run Thai boxing camps outside of Thailand. There are actually many teacher training courses available at Master Toddy’s, upon which participants become certified instructors in Muay Thai at the end of their courses. All courses available at the academy are approved by the Ministry of Education and World Boxing Council
Contact : Website : www.mastertoddy.com E-mail : nick.mastertoddy@gmail.com

Easthern of Thailand
6. Combat Group, Pattaya, Chonburi
Emphasizing their training in ‚the old school‛ way, Kombat Group has been attracting many foreign students to its camp in Pattaya for many years. The school or ‚Fight Club‛ as it is often called by students, has two formal training sessions per day like every camp, however students can embark on their own training on sandbags or weight machines at any hour of the day as the boxing area and the gym is opened 24 hours for its resident fighters.
Contact : Website : www.combatgroup.com E-mail : combatgroup@yahoo.it

7. Fairtex, Pattaya, Chonburi
Fairtex Muay Thai Camp has been in the business for over 40 years and is undoubtedly the biggest Muay Thai gym in Thailand. Today, it is a world class training facility with a 5,000 square foot, state of the art training center, offering Muay Thai and Combat Sports. Fair is located in Pattaya and accommodates the needs of all students of all levels of fitness abilities and backgrounds. They have a large team of professional kick boxers on duty to heop the students to achieve their personal goals, may it be for professional fighting preparation to weight loss and body sculpting programs. Moreover, the combative sports training area boasts 4 Olympic sized rings, 16 heavy bags, a large professional wrestling area and a fully equipped gym with cardio and weights equipment.
Contact : Website : www.fairtexpattaya.com E-mail : fom@fairtex-pattaya.com

Northern of Thailand
8. Kiat Busba, Chiang Mai
Established over 20 years ago by Mr.Andy Thompson, this boxing school, also known as Lanna Muay Thai, is idyllically situated on the way to Doi Suthep in the Northern Province of Chiangmai. Today it is known as one of the best Muay Thai training centers in the north of Thailand. The school opens everyday and has two training sessions in a day, one the morning and the other in the afternoon. Instructions are given by Muay Thai experts and many hold a university’s degree and speak good English.
Contact : Website : www.lannamuaythai.com E-mail : andyboxing@hotmail.com

9. Sit Dhabwhad Muay Thai Gym, Chiang Mai
A traditional boxing camp, Sit Dhabwhad Muay Thai Gym was established 6 years ago by a group of veteran Muay Thai trainers to teach the arts of Muay Thai to both locals and expatriates. Sit Dhabwad Muay Thai Gym emphasizes their trainings in a very traditional way and students who wish to immerse themselves in the authentic traditions of this sport will not be disappointed if they choose to come here. The school train by teachers who have been Muay Thai champions in the north of Thailand.
Contact : Website : www.sitdhabwhadmuaythaigym.com E-mail : info@ sitdhabwhadmuaythaigym.com

Southern of Thailand
10. Promthep Muay Thai, Phuket
Another traditional Muay Thai camp with an international flare, Prommthep Muay Thai has been famous for many years amongst visitors to Phuket who wish to learn kick boxing. Here, guests can train comfortably in the open boxing area which enjoys cool ocean breeze throughout the day. And there is also a lot of area on the premises where students can unwind and relax after a hard training session. All teachers here are undoubtedly experts in the sport and give lessons to all levels of students who wish to fulfill either leisure or professional goals.
Contact : Website : www.thailandmuaythaicamp.com E-mail : tawat9169@hotmail.com

11. Rawai Muay Thai Camp, Phuket
Situated on the tropical island paradise of Phuket, Rawai Muay Thai Camp has been hailed as one of the best boxing schools in the south as well as being one of toughest in the country as the residents fighters are required to train up to 6 hours per day. The trainers at Rawi Muay Thai Camp include many highly respected boxers who have won countless of matches all over the country and the students can be assured of the top notch quality training at this camp. Rawai Muay Thai Camp offers comfortable a wide range of accommodation right on the property.
Contact : Website : www.rawaimuaythai.com E-mail : info@rawaimuaythai.com

12. Tiger Muay Thai, Phuket
Tiger Muay Thai has 6 boxing rings, hundreds of meters of matted space for training, 23 workout stations and over 30 instructors working within the compound. The camp on the island of Phuket, offers classes that supplement Muay Thai training such as boot camp fitness and running programs, in addition to ancient Thai martial arts known as ‚Krabi-Krabong‛
Contact : Website : www.tigermuaythai.com E-mail : info@tigermuaythai.com

13. Petch Buncha Lamai Muay Thai Camp, Surat Thani
Ideally locate right on Lamai beach on the lush island of Samui, Lami Muay Thai Camp has been in the business for over 20 years and has produced a few world famous boxers including ‚Mardsua‛ and Mastafa Abdollahi who have recently appeared on the prime time reality TV show ‚ The Challenger Muay Thai‛, and ultimately, ‚Mardsua‛ was the winner of the show.
Lami Muay Thai Camp offers traditional Muay Thai training twice a day by a team of professional trainers who are also famous around the world. Daily training usually consists of jogging, shadow boxing, weight training and individual personalized coaching with one of the trainers.
Contact : E-mail : petchbunchasamui@hotmail.com, suangsamui@gmail.com,

14. Superpro, Samui, Surat Thani
Priding itself in combining ‚sports and holidays‛ as the attraction point for prospective students, Superpro Samui, located on the beautiful island if Samui in the Gulf of Thailand, offers both superb Muay Thai training and beautiful accommodation on its resort style property or spend relaxing time to the sandy Chaweng beach.
Contact : Website : www.superprosamui.com E-mail : robbie@superprosamui.com

15. Khong Sittha Muay Thai Camp Bangkok ค่ายคงสิทธา กรุงเทพฯ (แมทธิว ดีน)
Khongsittha aims to promote the martial art of Muay Thai as a healthy lifestyle to customers of all experience levels, With state of the art equipment, experienced trainers, and a unique training system, Khongsittha aims to provide both effectiveness and entertainment to all students. This means that both recreational and competitive fighters are able to hone their skills and achieve optimal conditioning here at Khongsittha.
Contact : http://khongsittha.com/ e-mail: khongsittha@gmail.com
Phone: +66 2932.9911 Mobile: +669.1229.0088 Mobile: +668.7800.9456
Address : 3/42 Moo 3, Sukonthasawat Rd., Ladphrao, Bangkok 10230 Thailand

16. Popteeratham Muay Thai Camp / Samart Payakaroon MuayThai Martial Arts School
ค่ายมวยภพธีรธรรม โดย สามารถ พยัคฆ์อรุณ
Samart Payakaroon is a renowned boxer in Muay Thai art and in a host of other circles in Thailand such as in entertainment, acting and music. Thanks to his Muay Thai finesse, genius, who was also successful in several other occupations that bring reputation to Thailand and; in particular, in the realm of Muay Thai .
Contact : http://www.samart-payakaroon.com e-mail : samart_payakaroon@hotmail.com
Mobile : +668 47077094 Phone / FAX : +66 2996 3645 Address : 44/9 Moo.4 Soi Saimai 31 Saimai Rd. Bangkok 10220 ,Thailand

17. The Establishment of SitYodTong Boxing Camps ค่ายมวยศิษย์ยอดธง
Sityodtong Boxing Camp was founded in 1959 at Mabtapud, Rayong. Master Yodtong was then only in his age of 23. He had supported and trained his students until many of them became famous, which made Sityodtong Boxing Camp to be renowned in the boxing field. The camp had developed continually, up to the point when Master Yodtong has a lot of students until his boxing camp at Mabtapud, Rayong had closed and relocated at Naklue, Pattaya City, Chonburi. Many of his students had reached to the top for example, the sibling star, Kongthoranee and Samart Payakarun that became extremely popular.
Contact : www.sityodtongmuaythai.com e-mail : ploy_sityodtong@hotmail.com
Address : 36/7 Moo 6 Nongprue, Banglamung, Chonburi, Thailand

For more infomation please visit: www.tourismthailand.org