All about Muay Thai, Thailand’s national sport

Muay Thai or Thai Boxing is Thailand’s cultural martial art and national sport. The origins of Muay Thai date back hundreds of years ago as modern-day Thai people needed a strong form of close-combat that used the entire body as a weapon to fight off those in neighbouring countries who were constantly trying to invade Siam, the former name of present day Thailand. Although there is much debate among modern scholars as to when Muay Thai was born, there are historical signs that point to as early as the 14th century when Myanmar invaded Thailand’s old capital of Ayudhaya.

Through training and military exercises, Muay Thai techniques were honed, with the goal of each strike to deliver a debilitating blow to the opponent. This hand-to-hand form of combat evolved by being an integral part of the survival of the fittest. Formal muay Thai techniques are divided into two…