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Muai Thai
(Thai boxing), Thailand’s martial art, can
be traced back to the Suwanna-phum era. It emerged
more distinctly during the Thawarawadi era and has
thrived throughout history from the Sukho-thai, the
Ayutthaya, and the Thonburi to the present-day
Rattanakosin Era. In sports as well as in fighting or for
self-defense, Muai Thai makes coordinated use of the
nine body parts - hands, feet, knees, elbows and head,
which it calls Naowa Awut (the nine weapons).
Muai Thai is important to the Thai individuals,
communities, society and nation. It has played an
important role in maintaining Thailand’s independence
f rom the past to the present . In the past ,
all young men - the kings, princes, high-ranking
military officers and commoners alike-were trained in
Muai Thai for self-defense and for national defense.
The use of weapons such as swords, truncheons,
staffs, sabers, curved blade pikes, and lances
would be most effective when coupled with the skill
in Muai Thai, particularly in a face-to-face combat.
For optimum effectiveness in both the defensive
or offensive moves, Muai Thai integrates various
bas ic pr inciples and ski l ls at var ious levels:
Tha Rang, Choeng Muai, Mai Muai and Phleng Muai.
Tha Rang
refers to the stance, body movements,
and footwork.
Choeng Muai
refers to the techniques,
which are divided into those of the offensive mode and
those of the defensive mode. The techniques of the
offensive mode comprise punching, kicking, foot-thrust
or shoving with the foot, knocking with the elbow,
and head-butt; while those of the defensive mode
comprise guarding, brushing off, blocking, opening,
clinching, trapping, holding etc. Choeng Muai constitutes
an important foundation in the art of Muai Thai.
Mai Muai
refers to the tactics requiring the application
of both the Tha Rang and the Choeng Muai. The tactics
used in the defensive moves are called Mai Rap tactics;
while those used in the offensive moves are called
Mai Ruk tactics. Mai Muai is sub-divided into Mae Mai
Muai Thai
(the basic tactics), Look Mai (the applied tactics) and
the Mai Kret (the tricks).
Mae Mai - the basic or fundamental tactics for both
the defensive or offensive moves which are related
to three elements: force, Phuen Thi (the area) where
forced is used, and timing.
Luk Mai - the applied tactics - refers to the variations
that are derived from the application of the basic
tactics. Luk Mai varies according to the Tha Rang and
the Choeng Muai.
Mai Kret refers to the tricks that enhance the
effectiveness of the Mae Mai and Luk Mai.
Each instance of Mai Muai has poetic, expressive
or illustrative name to make it easy to remember,
by comparing it to the name or movement of
the characters, events, or mythical animals in
literature. For example, “Erawan Pushing up its
Tusks”, “Hanuman Presenting a Ring”, “Montho
Sitting on a Bench”, “Inao Thrusting his Dagger”.
Some tactics are named after a familiar thing or scene
that is common in the everyday life of the Thai people,
such as “Monk Sweeping the (Temple) Ground”,
“Waves Striking the Shore”, “Mouse Climbing a Pole”,
“Mon Propping a Pole”, “Yuan Casting a Fishnet”.
These names illustrate well the movements they
stand for.