Thai boxing, called Muay Thai, is an ancient art about which little is known prior to the 20th century. Its traditions were passed down orally, but the few records that do exist establish Muay Thai as a martial art as early as the Sukothai era in the 13th century, according to Horizon Muay Thai, a training camp on the island of Ko Phangan in the Gulf of Thailand. Early development of Muay Thai was largely regional, as infrastructure projects linking the country together didn’t begin in earnest until the 18th century, resulting in a number of distinctive styles.
Whai Khru and Ram Muay
Regardless of the style or influence at work in the match, every proper Muay Thai competition begins with a Whai Khru and a Ram Muay. These are signs of respect bestowed by each competitor upon his opponent, the spectators and the ring itself.
A whai is a greeting executed by pressing the palms of the hands together at chin level, fingers pointing upward. A fighter should whai before entering the ring and again from the center, once each for the four directions. After both fighters complete the ritual, the music begins and the fighters execute the Ram Muay, a ceremonial combination of dance and exercise often unique to the fighter’s training facility or region, according to Christoph Delp, author of "Muay Thai: Advance Thai Kickboxing."
Muay Chaiya
Muay Chaiya is a southern style originating in the province of Surat Thani. It is nicknamed the “Durian Style” after the fruit with prickly skin. The fighting posture is defensive, with a low center of gravity and arms bent in an “L” in front of the body. Fighters sometimes lead with one leg or the other, but often the feet are side by side. Elbows and knees are used for blocking until it’s time to attack, which is usually executed with a series of rapid blows delivered in combinations.
Paak Eesaan
Korat, a city in east central Thailand, is the home of Paak Eesaan, a unique style that uses offense as the best defense. The fighting stance is linear and straight with locked legs planted one in front of the other. The fighter leans forward placing his center of gravity over the front leg. The feet point forward and the hands are also one in front of the other at chin level.
A fighter defends from this position by striking a blow, intercepting incoming attacks and repelling them with force, a departure from the wait-and-strike style of Muay Chaiya.
Muay Paak Klang
Fluid movement characterizes Muay Paak Klang, the style from the central region that includes Bankok. It is sometimes called the “ghost steps,” according to the Thailand Art Institute in Chiang Mai. Fighters rely on footwork to defend against attacks and to confuse and wear down the opponent.
The posture is balanced, though sometimes the right foot is held aloft, pointing at the opponent. The movements are a combination of shuffling the feet—closing the stance, then completing the move by extending one foot outward again—and protecting the body with the arms. After each shuffle is complete, the boxer lowers the guard into the standard position, extending from the body.
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