An American in Provence

After having seen the movie "Chok-Dee" about a French former inmate who moves to Thailand to learn Thai boxing and turn his life around and ends up being a star, Alain wanted to see real Thai boxing. He was embarassed to mention it to the others, but I went ahead and mentionned it. My sister had never been to a match either, so she was up for it.

She found out where the matches are held and when, so we had the option of Tuesday night, Friday night (Christmas eve), or Saturday night (Christmas night). The tickets ranged between 1000 and 2000 Baht (about 30 and 60$ for ringside seats).

We were recommended to go with the ringside seats, so that we wouldn't be squished in the standing-room only section with all the Thai men betting and drinking. So Alain, Dad, Leah, and I bought ringside tickets for Christmas eve, starting at 6:30 and finishing at 10:30.

We arrived and were shown to our seats, front row. There was a match of western-style boxing, then the Thai boxing started.
It was quite interesting.

They arrive with their brightly decorated shorts, red or blue, with a ring of flowers around their neck, feet protection, gloves, and bands around their heads and upper arms.
Each match began with the fighters going around the ring in a sort-of dance to the drum music, honoring their teachers and each other, as well as a warm-up. Here is a video I found on Youtube of the Wai Khru (not mine).



(By the way, the music you hear is what they played for each round. As the rounds advanced, the music got faster and faster.)

After that, they removed the ring of flowers and the thing on their head, and the rounds began. It was, if I remember correctly, five rounds of three minutes each.

One poor guy got knocked out and they took him, still dead to the world, off the stage in a stretcher.


<-- They had an exhibition round, where it was more of the old-style costumes and fighting (lots more jumping up in the air) that was only a few minutes.
The match ended around 10:30 pm, and we left to find a taxi.

Alain and I both bought authentic silk Thai boxing shorts. Mine is purple with Muaythai written on the front, and Alain's are blue. No, no way am I posting pictures.


Certainly a Christmas Eve to remember.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wai_khru_ram_muay