Thailand at the 1996 Atlanta games

jtwarwagon4life

Green Belt
@Green
Joined
Jul 29, 2016
Messages
1,487
Reaction score
0
This may not be news to some of you, but I just realised that, beside the three that I knew of already, there were two members of Thailand's 1996 Olympic boxing team who were notable nak muays. Which means that the entire team may have been composed of nak muays, I cannot account for whether Thailand's representative at Flyweight was a nak muay or not. I don't view this as a particularly surprising discovery, but it may still be of interest to know who they were.

Light flyweight: Somrot Khamsing aka Pimaran Sithiran. Somrak's older brother. Not able to find much footage of his muay thai career but am told he was a skilled nak muay. I believe he fought both Buakaw and Panoomrung Por. Pichitchet. He lost in the quarter finals to, the reigning silver medallist and eventual gold medallist of the Atlanta games, Daniel Petrov (BUL).

Flyweight: Pramuansak Phosuwan. Wasn't able to find any information on him. He was Thailand's representative in the previous Olympiad at light flyweight. He was eliminated in the round of 32 by Khaled Falah (SYR).

Bantamweight: Vichairachanon Khadpo aka Chingchai Lookphraatit. Wikipedia has his muay thai name listed as Chingchai Lookphraatit, so who knows if that's right or not. I've never seen any footage of him as a muay thai fighter nor have I read about any of his accomplishments in muay thai. He's probably most know today for being the owner of Rachanon gym. He had been Thailand's Olympic representative in 1992 losing in the first round. In 1996 he managed to win a bronze medal, losing in the semifinal to eventual gold medallist Istvan Kovacs (HUN).

Featherweight: Somrak Khamsing aka Pimhiranlek Sithiran. Regarded, by those who were lucky enough to see him in his prime, as one of the best fighters of his time and maybe of all time. Beat the great Boonlai Sor Thanikul 3 times of 4 and also had wins over Chamuekpet Hapalang, Namkabuan Nongkeepayuth and others. Went on to run his own gym, which employed our next subject, and be one of muay thai's few celebrities. He had represented Thailand at Featherweight at the previous summer Olympics losing in the second round. In 1996 he became Thailand's first ever gold medallist beat Serafim Todorov (BUL) in the finals. He went on to represent Thailand at the 2000 and 2004 Olympic games failing to medal both times.



Lightweight: Pongsith Wiangwiset aka Wanwiset Kaennorsing. Rajadamnern champion at 126lb. It's difficult for me to say exactly what level Wanwiset was at. I don't get the impression that he would have been regarded as one of Thailand's best fighters but I have found footage of him mixing it up with some big names, so he probably wasn't too far below that level. Wanwiset like Somrak (and I presume Somrot) way a Jocky gym trained fighter. I believe that Wanwiset's father was Kaendaj Norrasing the owner of the Norrasing camp which trained Robert, Rolex, Kaoklai and others at a young age. Wanwiset went on to be an important trainer working at both Somrak gym and 13 coins/Dr. Saenchai gym, where I believe he acted as Saenchai's pad holder for a number of years. He made it to the quarter finals losing to bronze medallist Terrance Cauthen (USA). He represented Thailand again in 2000 losing in the round of 16 to the great Mario Kindelan. He won gold at the 1998 Asian games in Bangkok. Wanwiset also went on to have a professional boxing career.



Welterweight: Parkpoom Jangphonak aka M16 Bor Kor Sor. Like Wanwiset, it's not too easy for me to say exactly what level M16 was at. I've seen footage of him up against some guys who I think would have been highly regarded fighters at the time: Kongnapa, Panomrung, Pepsi and others. But it's difficult to say without having the exact context. It also would not surprise me at all, if M16 was a stadium champion. In the Olympics of 1996 he lost in the round of 32 to future WBO Super Welterweight Champion Sergiy Dzyndzyruk (UKR). In 1998 he won gold at the Asian games in Bangkok. In 2000 he again represented Thailand at the Olympics losing in the round of 16 to Serhiy Dotsenko (UKR). M16 also went on to have a professional boxing career.



 
See, that's great content. thanks for that, good read.
 
Wijan Ponlid, who won the gold medal at the 2000 games, had a decent muay thai background under the name Sukothai.



There was also Isaara Sakgreenin who placed 3rd in 1992



Btw that fight with m16 and panomrung was a war...god damn
 
Last edited:
Wijan Ponlid, who won the gold medal at the 2000 games, had a decent muay thai background under the name Sukothai.



There was also Isaara Sakgreenin who placed 3rd in 1992


Wijan Ponlid is actually Silatchathai Taximeter, Sukhothai's brother.
 
Wijan Ponlid, who won the gold medal at the 2000 games, had a decent muay thai background under the name Sukothai.



There was also Isaara Sakgreenin who placed 3rd in 1992



Btw that fight with m16 and panomrung was a war...god damn

There's been alot. Of the ones I can confirm and find footage of, who won medals:


Suriya Prasathinphimai aka Suriya Sor Ploenchit. Bronze medallist in Athens.



Somjit Jongjohor aka Silachai Wor Preecha. Gold medallist in Beijing. See 25 minutes for Somjit and 36 minutes for Wijan.



Dhawee Umponmaha aka Kaopong Sittichuchai. Silver medallist in Los Angeles. By the sounds of it he was particularly good. Beat Dieselnoi and Pud Pad Noi and other who's who of the late 70's and early 80's.




That isn't including tons of guys like Amnat and Chatchai, who were muay thai fighters and very good amateur boxer but didn't win medals. Most of these guys we don't even know, maybe we know them as muay thai fighters but we don't realise that they were good boxers too.
 
Last edited:
Dhawee Umponmaha aka Kaopong Sittichuchai. Silver medallist in Los Angeles. By the sounds of it he was particularly good. Beat Dieselnoi and Pud Pad Noi and other who's who of the late 70's and early 80's.

he stopped Dieselnoi as well didn't just beat him on points, he is one of the main commentators on the Channel 3 Omnoi show now
 
Lightweight: Pongsith Wiangwiset aka Wanwiset Kaennorsing. Rajadamnern champion at 126lb. It's difficult for me to say exactly what level Wanwiset was at. I don't get the impression that he would have been regarded as one of Thailand's best fighters but I have found footage of him mixing it up with some big names, so he probably wasn't too far below that level. Wanwiset like Somrak (and I presume Somrot) way a Jocky gym trained fighter. I believe that Wanwiset's father was Kaendaj Norrasing the owner of the Norrasing camp which trained Robert, Rolex, Kaoklai and others at a young age. Wanwiset went on to be an important trainer working at both Somrak gym and 13 coins/Dr. Saenchai gym, where I believe he acted as Saenchai's pad holder for a number of years. He made it to the quarter finals losing to bronze medallist Terrance Cauthen (USA). He represented Thailand again in 2000 losing in the round of 16 to the great Mario Kindelan. He won gold at the 1998 Asian games in Bangkok. Wanwiset also went on to have a professional boxing career.



Welterweight: Parkpoom Jangphonak aka M16 Bor Kor Sor. Like Wanwiset, it's not too easy for me to say exactly what level M16 was at. I've seen footage of him up against some guys who I think would have been highly regarded fighters at the time: Kongnapa, Panomrung, Pepsi and others. But it's difficult to say without having the exact context. It also would not surprise me at all, if M16 was a stadium champion. In the Olympics of 1996 he lost in the round of 32 to future WBO Super Welterweight Champion Sergiy Dzyndzyruk (UKR). In 1998 he won gold at the Asian games in Bangkok. In 2000 he again represented Thailand at the Olympics losing in the round of 16 to Serhiy Dotsenko (UKR). M16 also went on to have a professional boxing career.

Wanwiset won the Sports authority of Thailand boxer of the year award back when he was in his Muaythai prime. M16 was also very highly regarded, he was if I remember right seen as a rare entity as he was the son of the gym owner and the family fairly well off, unlike the majority of fighters at the time, being from poor backgrounds.
 
Somrak was a great boxer but he wouldn't of won gold in 1996 if Mayweather wasn't robbed against Serafim Todorov in the semi finals. He was very lucky.
 
great thread, hopefully I'll come up with the time to watch all that footage.
 
Somrak was a great boxer but he wouldn't of won gold in 1996 if Mayweather wasn't robbed against Serafim Todorov in the semi finals. He was very lucky.
I disagree. Todorov beat Mayweather or at least tie. Then Sonrak owned Todorov.
 
I disagree. Todorov beat Mayweather or at least tie. Then Sonrak owned Todorov.
Well everyone's entitled to their own opinion but your the first person I've heard say that. A lot of people were very upset after that decision. One judge even resigned.
 
Wasn't an Olympic boxer on that 1996 team but I'll be driving Samart Payakaroon to a seminar today for what it's worth lol.
 
Back
Top