Thailand is a rich culture with a very strong history. Up until 1939, Thailand was known as Siam. The kingdom of Siam was first founded in 1238 separating it from the indigenous tribes of the surrounding areas like Malaysia. Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country never to have been colonized or taken over by European power. Is borders are against the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma. A country slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming, Thailand is an exotic land with humid tropical climate.

Thailand is 20th in comparison to the world in population with close to 66 million (est. 2009). They sit at 150 for population growth in the world with a 0.6% growth each year (birth rate: 13.38/1,000 population, and death rate of 7.12/1,000 population). For life expectancy males live to be around 71 years and women at 75. The two major languages spoken are Thai and English (secondary language of the elite), with ethnic and regional dialects. There are many other languages spoken on account of great diversity of Asian culture in Thailand. Still, 75% are Thai, 14% Chinese, and 11% remain as the other diverse groups that live in Thailand.

The capital city, Bangkok, sits at the tip of the Mae Nam Chao Phraya River, which empties into the Gulf of Thailand. Massive bodies of waters surround the southern half of Thailand making the Thai people reliant on the natural recourses of the sea. With the north divided by long stretching rivers fishing is a popular profession. They also perform mining of other natural resources such as tin, tungsten, tantalum, natural gas, lead, and other valuable resources. Rubber and timber are also of great abundance.

One of the biggest natural problems they face today is land subsidence in Bangkok area because of drought. In 2007, a massive tsunami struck Thailand, destroying homes and devastating the lives of the Thai people. Thousands died as a result of the tsunami. From man-made problems they face horrible air pollution because of the lack of more efficient vehicle emissions technology and water pollution from organic and factory waste.

Like any country, Thailand has its ups and downs; however, Thailand isn’t known just for its delicious food beautiful temples, but is most famous for its fighting sport of Muay Thai--a unique fighting style that is the root of many militaries' hand-to-hand combat training around the world. This ring fighting style was once more brutal and, in one case, lethal. Muay Thai decended from Muay Boran which mean ancient style. You can read more about the different between Muay Thai and Muay Boran on the Arsenalbox Styles page.

Thailand fighting styles have been introduced in a few American films. In Rambo III, Ex-Green Beret, John Rambo, is living in Thailand where he earns money from warehouse fights to help provide for the local monks. He spends the rest of his time helping repair the temples, while at the same time repairing his own life ravaged by war and sorrow.

Later films coming out of Thailand showed the amazing abilities of Muay Boran expert Tony Jaa. In his movie Ong Bak, Ting (Tony Jaa) sets out on a quest to retake the head of the local Buddha statue, which was stolen by thugs from Bangkok. Ong Bak sparked a genre of martial arts films coming out of Thailand, taking a following around the world. Such films as The Protector, Dynamite Warrior, Spirited Warrior, Ong Bak 2, and other films sporting Muay Thai and Muay Boran, which have captivated the world by their powerful kicks, flying knees to the face, and bone breaking fighting styles.

Before Tony Jaa there was another Muay Boran legend: Nai Khanom Tom. He was born in 1750, in the period of Pra Chow Tai Sa, the King of Ayudhaya, at Ban Khum village, Ayudhaya. He was the son of Mr. Kerd and Mrs. Ei. In those days, it wasn't uncommon for parents to bring their sons to live with the monks so they can learn the ways of the Thai people and their religious rituals revolving around Buddism. He must stay in the temple since he was 10 year old because his father and mother were killed during this time that he was at the temple. He start training Muay Boran since he was young. Muay Boran was a typical training for monks, which offered a form of elitenment seldom felt outside the temple in other training grounds. In 1767, Ayudhaya was defeated by a warrior from Burma during one of the many wars between the two kingdoms. Nai Khanom Tom was captured during this time. On the 17 March 1774, a Buddist tower was built in the city of Rang Kung. This completed the rebuilding of a major city after the Thai-Burmese war. Pra Chow Aung Wa, the Burma king, had an opened festival to celebrated. During the festival, one of the Burmese knights told the king, “Muay Kaat Chuak is very skillful”. So, Pra Chow Aung Wa commanded a Burmese fighter to fight with Nai Khanom Tom, one-on-one to compare Muay Kaat Chuad with Muay Burma. Nai Kanom Tom battled ten Burmese fighters, each losing to the powerful Muay Kaat Chuak style from Siam. In the end, King Aung Wa said “That is very dangerous, although he fights with empty hands. He can win over ten opponents.”

---