This is the gym where we filmed most of our Muay Thai video instructions. First of all, a big thank you!
Muay Thai Santai is located in San Kamphaeng, Chiang Mai, about 20 km east of the Chiang Mai city center. You train in a friendly, family-like environment where nobody tries to be a tough guy, and the coaches give you some one-on-one time in every training session.
If you are on a low budget, you can live in a dorm at the gym, which makes Muay Thai Santai one of the cheapest gyms in Thailand. I also found it great that there is very little traffic around the gym. There aren’t many distractions, so you can fully focus on your training. If you need some party time on the weekend, you can still go to Chiang Mai (about 15–20 minutes by moped).
What the Training Is Like
At Muay Thai Santai, they train twice a day, six days a week. The morning workout usually starts at 5:45 a.m. and begins with a 5–7 km run. By the way, if you just want to get in shape or 7 km sounds like too much, you can also stay at the gym and skip rope.
The morning session is short (a bit over an hour) but very important. Because there are fewer students in the morning, you get more one-on-one time with a coach, and that’s what really improves your technique.
The afternoon workout lasts almost three hours and also starts with a run.
If you want to fight in Chiang Mai, they can organize a fight for you. Their own fighters compete almost every weekend and win most of their fights (at least they did while I was there).
Who Can Train There
Everybody. It doesn’t matter if you are new to Muay Thai or if you’ve been training for years—Muay Thai Santai is a good fit.
There is no age limit, and you can also go there to lose weight or simply to get to know Muay Thai.
I would not recommend this gym to free fighters or cage fighters, as they don’t teach Brazilian jiu-jitsu or other martial arts. Muay Thai Santai is a Muay Thai–only gym.
Girls can also train there.
What They Are Good At
They focus a lot on clinching (neck wrestling) techniques, and their clinching trainer, Kru Doh, is quite famous for his technique. Kru Phon is the head coach, and he’s good at everything. They don’t just stand in a corner watching you train with another foreigner—they actually train you.
How Much It Costs
Muay Thai training costs about 8,000 baht (around 200 euros) per month (prices from 2011).
A nice, big room with internet, a private shower, and cable TV costs 4,500 baht (about 110 euros).
You can also stay at the gym for about half of that, but I’m not sure about the current prices there.
Food in the Chiang Mai area is very cheap. You can easily eat for 150 baht a day (around 4 euros).
If you eat and live at the gym, or in one of the houses next to it, you can save even more money. Make sure you contact them in advance if you are on a low budget. Their website is http://muay-thai-santai.com, and they also have a Facebook group: Muay Thai Santai on Facebook.
How to Find Them
Option 1
Email them and ask if they can pick you up at the Chiang Mai train station, the airport, or your hotel in Chiang Mai.
Option 2
Take the white bus east of Chiang Mai to San Kamphaeng. If I remember correctly, the bus costs 20 baht. This is a good option if you already know Chiang Mai or speak some Thai.
Option 3
Take a tuk-tuk to San Kamphaeng—but be careful with this one. You need to go specifically to San Kamphaeng. Most tuk-tuk drivers don’t leave the Chiang Mai city center, and if you say “Santai Muay Thai,” they only hear “Muay Thai” and may take you to the next best gym instead, then charge that gym a commission for bringing you there. If you don’t want to end up in a gym where dogs piss on the mats and worms crawl out of the gloves, go with option 1 and give them a pick-up call.
Pictures
Muay Thai Santai – Gym
Muay Thai Santai – Inside the Gym
On the 7 km warm-up run. Not much traffic around the gym.
Road to the gym – San Kamphaeng, Chiang Mai
This is the 4,500 baht per month residence with cable TV and internet.
Same place—this one is in Bo Sang, 4 km from the gym. About half of the foreign students stay there, but you can also stay just a few meters from the gym or directly at the gym.
Suggestions
http://muay-thai-santai.com/
MT Santai FB Group
Muay Thai Videos
Muay Thai Main Page
Muay Boran
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