Traditional Training in Thailand

[Chance Weston]

Hello,
I am trying to locate a gym in thailand which teaches Muay Thai traditionally. I am preferably looking for a rural gym which is in no way commercial. I would like to train, not to learn how to fight in a competition but to experience thai culture.

I would like to attend one near the coast but I appreciate how unlikely this is.

Is anybody able to suggest a suitable camp or provide some advice please?

Thank-you in Advance.

 

[pliftkl]

I am trying to locate a gym in thailand which teaches Muay Thai traditionally. I am preferably looking for a rural gym which is in no way commercial. I would like to train, not to learn how to fight in a competition but to experience thai culture.

The vast majority of Muay Thai camps in Thailand exist to create competitive fighters, because that's what Muay Thai is. Bear in mind that most people in Thailand are dirt poor, and there is very little domestic market for "traditional Muay Thai" that is taught out of a competitive context. No poor Thai farmer is going to go send his kids to go train in a camp that isn't producing fighters who are going to potentially send money home. There are some schools that specialize in traditional Thai fighting arts, but I wouldn't call them Muay Thai, in the sense that Muay Thai is a sport by definition.

If you really want to experience Thai culture, then go live in one of the camps, the way the Thai fighters do. You probably won't like it.

 

[Ryukyu Damashi]

What do you mean traditional Muay Thai?

 

[sdjudoka]

He probably means kicking banana trees, splashing water onto your eyes, and dodging lemons.

 

[Payak]

you will not find a camp that teaches for any other reason then the sporting aspect.
The reason is Muay thai is a sport and the camps are financed by the fighters purses.
believe what you are looking for is Muay Boran (Ancient Boxing)
not widely taught any more at all, very few true masters teaching.
the wmc institute in Bangkok will teach The traditional arts.

 

[Rado]

To experience Thai culture is enough to just live in Thailand for a while so you will experience it if you are training Muay Thai as well. Any reason why you don't want to learn how to fight?

 

[Chance Weston]

Thank-you everyone for the advice.

I appreciate that Muay Thai is for competition and it is Muay Boran that I am looking for (I do also understand that Muay Boran was traditionally used in competition aswell). I do want to learn how to fight.

I have a fair amount of experience in martial arts and am sick of all the commercial approaches to training, fighting, etc.

I'm not an idiot and looking for kicking banana trees etc. I'm just looking for a school that has a strong focus on the traditional aspects of the sport (and thai culture in general) where they trained for more than just fighting for sport. I dont really want a school that just teaches 20 people at the one time how to fight in a ring.