My Experience with Muay Thai Boxing

Last July (okay, so I’m a little behind in updating my blog), I went to a professional Muay Thai boxing match in Bangkok with a colleague from work, Gerry Dube, and a Thai friend, Seng.

Muay Thai (which means "Thai boxing" in the Thai language) is the national sport of Thailand. Considering how peaceful the culture is, the popularity of this brutal sport is a bit of a mystery to me. I’m sure I’m leaving a lot of important rules out when I say that the only restriction I observed in the match was “no biting.” Virtually everything else appears to be allowed: kicking, elbowing, shoving, kneeing, head butting, and, of course, punching.


Seng was an excellent guide, since he’s producing a reality TV show involving Muay Thai and is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the sport. He got us ringside seats (right behind the officials) and patiently commented on what was going on throughout the night. Several things were particularly memorable:

• Seng explained that all the fighters we saw were only 14, 15 or 16 years old. Anyone older is generally considered to be over the hill, due to a slowing of reflexes with age. (It also occurs to me that, as fighters get a little wiser with age, they might start wondering whether routinely getting kicked in the head is such a hot idea after all.)

• Throughout the match, the fighting is accompanied by instrumental music performed by a small group of musicians (pictured below) who play traditional Thai instruments and match the pace and intensity of the tunes to the action in the ring.

• Lumpinee Stadium, where the fights were staged, is the premier Muay Thai boxing venue in Thailand, but in typical Thai fashion, the facilities aren’t elaborate. On the way to the restroom, for example, one must walk through the fighters’ changing room, where fighters are getting dressed, being taped, receiving massages and getting medical treatment after their matches.