Muay Boran is the Other name of old Thai Boxing. It is a primary form of Muay Thai which is still taught and practiced in Thailand. Muay Boran is still practiced and taught in order to preserve the Boxing Techniques from Muay Thai's History before the introduction of formalized rules and the introduction of gloves in the 1930s. Muay Boran is the ancestor of the modern day Muay Thai Boxing. Most of the Facts of Muay Boran have been extinct now, many of the primary records from Thailand about this challenging subject were destroyed in the sacking of Ayuddhaya in 1767 and others lost in the mists of time.
The late Arjarn Samai Messamarn from the Buddhai Swan invent in Thailand was able to make a study of the Thai empty hand ideas using the scant resources available in Thailand. This explore also took him to Burma where he was able to gain passage to historical records on the subject of the Siamese systems of warfare. Using this facts and the painstaking explore done within Thailand, Arjarn Samai was able to document and confirm 60 Awudt Muay Boran techniques and fighting methods. Only two records of the techniques, hand-painted on parchment now exist. Arjarn Samai's son, Arjarn Werayut Messamarn recently visited England bringing with him one of these unique documents.
THAI BOXING
It is believed that the Siamese habitancy had their own styles of fighting, in each Kingdom a different style. These fighting systems have clearly been evolving for many hundreds of years and have been known under many different names such as; "Arwut Thai" (meaning Thai Weapons), "Pahuyut" (armed, unarmed combat). Much later, at the end of the Ayuthaya Period, or around the beginning of the Thonburi
antique Muay Thai (Thai Boxing)
Teaching old Muay Thai" period after a long history of fighting against the Burmese, King Phra Thaksin "The Great" ultimately pushed all invaders from the Kingdoms of Siam and with this the Chakri dynasty began. The Chakri dynasty with King Rama I on the throne, marked a period when nearly all of the separate Kingdoms of Siam joined together to come to be the country we now know as Thailand. At the end of the 1700's, with wars against invaders over,fighters began to compete locally, and often in front of the King to see who had the best style. Most habitancy identify this period in the history of Muay Thai as fighters used to wrap their hands in cotton twine.
Today, habitancy refer to this style of fighting (during this period) as "Muay Kaad Chuak" although at the time, this isn't the term habitancy used. "Muay Kaad Chuak" began to decline around the 1920's, ultimately ending in 1929 with a death in the ring. Although the government of the time prohibited this style of fighting(with wrapped hands) habitancy still prolonged to institution the arts and fight underground. Eventually, by introducing rules, and providing fighters with better protection, competition became safer, and the sport of Muay Thai was born. Here are some facts of the techniques used: Technique 6 (Buddhai Swan) - The boxer grabs the opponent's neck twisting him from side to side, and then throwing a knee to the opponent's body, ultimately the boxer will push the opponent away finishing with a high kick to the opponent's neck.
To clarify, the name given to the technique normally refers to an action within that technique, not necessarily the whole technique or even the end ensue but for instance the action of breaking (hak) the neck (kor) in Hak Kor Erawan or the action of presenting or contribution something up in Hanuman Tawai Wen. From the 60 major techniques in the Buddhai Swan syllabus there are other minor techniques plus many different variations and added moves that can ensue on from the main techniques. A good example of this is the technique "Gaa Jik Kai" translated Crow pecks the egg which is basically fast jabs to the opponent's face but from the jab one could choose any technique e.g. Round kick (daet), front kick (teep), right uppercut (uppercut kwaa) or many others.
Besides the Buddhai Swan techniques, we have uncovered at least another 60 different techniques from assorted sources together with Arjarn Yodthong from the Sityodthong Camp, Arjarn Panya Kraitus author of the book "Muay Thai Most powerful Art of Fighting", the late Khun Bunyuen Suvanatdha previous head of the Amateur Muay Thai connection of Thailand and Kru Lang of the Sitpralang Camp in Ayuddhaya.
The discovery of Muay Boran in the West has taken us on a journey back through time. The modern sport of Muay Thai has been established here for nearly 30 years, we are now challenging backwards and have discovered the time before sport when contests were fought for honour or freedom. It is merely a blink of the eye in time before we reach our final destination and find the mom of the Thai martial arts - Krabi Krabong.
antique Muay Thai (Thai Boxing)
