Muay Thai or Muaythai (, , ), sometimes referred to as Thai boxing, the Art of Eight Limbs or the Science of Eight Limbs, is a Thai martial art and full-contact combat sport that uses stand-up striking, sweeps, and various clinching techniques. The name “Art of Eight Limbs” refers to the combined use of fists, elbows, knees and shins. Muay Thai became widespread internationally in the late 20th to 21st century, when Westernised practitioners from Thailand began competing in kickboxing and mixed-rules matches as well as matches under Muay Thai rules around the world. The professional league is governed by the Professional Boxing Association of Thailand, sanctioned by the Sports Authority of Thailand.

Muay Thai is related to other martial art styles of the Indian cultural sphere such as Musti-yuddha, Muay Chaiya, Muay Boran, Muay Lao, Lethwei, Kun Khmer, Benjang and Tomoi. A practitioner of Muay Thai is known as a Nak Muay. Western practitioners in Thailand are sometimes called Nak Muay Farang, meaning "foreign boxer".

Etymology

The term Muay Thai is a Thai term that is a compound word made up of two basic words; muay and Thai.

  • The term muay is derived from the Sanskrit root word mavya, It is defined as "to tie" and "sport boxing" in Thai. The alternative form of the Sanskrit word mavya is mavy (mavyati), () from its root term mav. ()
  • The term Thai comes from the word Tai,

The term Muay Thai is successor of the term Ram Mut Ram Muay () since the reign of King Rama II (1809–1824), and has thus entered into the global vocabulary.

The oldest text of the term Muay ever recorded is found in the palm-leaf manuscripts in Northern Thai language called Mungrai Law 1839 BE, enacted 1296 AD. The term was adopted in the Law of the Military and Provincial Hierarchy 1998 BE since 1455, during the reign of King Borommatrailokkanat, and repealed during the reign (1851–1868) of King Mongkut.

Variant names

The term Muay Thai is also written in various languages, including , , , , , , and .

History

7th century

thumb|200px|Statue of hermit Sukatanata, the Muay Thai martial art's progenitor, located at Khao Samo Khon hermitage, [[Lopburi province, Thailand, as recorded in the Yonok Chronicle () included weapons and bare hands, showing the art of men's fighting, which is similar to Lei tai due to the war engagement with China for a long time. It is said to be the earliest stage of Thai people forming, and Muay Thai had been training for generations along the Fon jerng dance. The Fon jerng also became one of the recreational Thai classical dances in Northern Thailand, existing nowadays. Siamese Lavo, Xiān, or Siam at that time), and Mon-Khmer in the upper part of the Chao Phraya River basin, using their martial arts skills (Muay). The Tai people then moved down northwest and successfully established the Sukhothai Kingdom for the first time in the Lan Na Kingdom. In the folklore, the Legend of the Phayao Kingdom (1094–1338), the version by Wat Sriboonrueng mentioned the Tai martial arts (Muay) known as jerng tiw khui during the reign of King Chueang Maharat (1115–1162).

13th century

During the Pre-Ayutthaya era (Ayodhya period) before 1351, the Royal Chronicle of the North documented King Uthong's importation of Muay boxers from the city of Sri Phalo (now Chonburi province, Thailand) to the city-state of Ayodhya. This occurred during his reign from 1253 to 1289, and a Muay boxing match between a Siamese boxer and a Chinese boxer also took place during the late reign of King Suwanracha, who ruled Ayodhya from 1301 to 1310.

During the Sukhothai Kingdom from 1238 to 1268, Muay Thai was highly regarded as an art form and was even included in the curriculum for members of the royal family. It was seen as a way to train brave warriors with exceptional physical fitness, as well as prepare them for leadership and warfare against neighboring kingdoms. at Thep Isitana School, Khao Doi Duan. He then continued his training in liberal and martial arts (Muay) with the same instructor who had also taught King Ram Khamhaeng in Lawapura. After turning 16, he attended the Samo Khon School, established by a hermit named Sukatanata. It was here that he became comrades with King Ram Khamhaeng of Sukhothai, as they had both trained under the same instructor.

In 1698, according to the second French mission to Siam by King Louis XIV, who after appointed Guy Tachard to be in charge of the French ambassador to Siam. Muay Thai was being trained to prepare for an engagement with a French expeditionary force after the Dutch captain informed the Siamese Royal Court of the news about French battleships to siege Puducherry and Myeik seaports of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya in the reign of King Phetracha after the Siamese revolution of 1688.