This year we spent three months in Thailand, where we checked out many Muay Thai and Muay Boran schools. The main purpose of our trip was to tape video instructions for flashmavi.com, but of course we also had time to practice Muay Thai. So if you plan to learn Muay Thai in Thailand, maybe this will help you make a decision on where to go.
If you are looking for the videos, we will upload them :) Check out the Muay Thai video section. The Muay Boran section is still in progress.
Thailand – The Country
Thailand was great. People were very friendly, Muay Thai was awesome, and we were surprised by how clean everything was. Our favorite parts of Thailand were definitely Krabi, Koh Phi Phi, and Chiang Mai.
In Thailand
We went to Bangkok, Phuket, and Chiang Mai and took a very close look at many different training camps and schools. We didn’t just look for places to train and party. We were there mainly for the videos and “some” training.
Before arriving in Thailand, we contacted over 20 schools from all over the country. Some replied immediately, others never got back to us. Most of them basically just said, “Come now or make a reservation online.” Most didn’t even ask what exactly we wanted to do. Tiger Muay Thai kind of stood out at first, because they told us we could tape Krabi and Muay Boran techniques.
After checking things online, we went straight to Chiang Mai, where I expected things to be a bit more traditional and quiet.
Chiang Mai – Chaiya Muay Thai
A friend of mine introduced me to Chaiya Muay Thai, which looked very friendly and interesting at first. But after a closer look, it turned out to be mainly one guy from Spain who almost convinced us to work with them. The owner of the gym seemed a bit unfriendly and unmotivated. Anyway, if you are in Chiang Mai and only speak Spanish, Chaiya Muay Thai is probably the right place for you.
Chiang Mai – Lanna Muay Thai
Another option would have been Lanna Muay Thai. We contacted them twice, but they didn’t answer or show any interest. We spoke to a few foreigners who trained there, and everyone said the equipment was very old and that the owner had dogs all over the place. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad gym, but it wasn’t for us. Lanna is the biggest and most commercial gym in Chiang Mai, and they are not known for good technique.
Chiang Mai – Lex Muay Thai
Then there was Lex Muay Thai and a few other schools, which I didn’t really research much, because I had already found Muay Thai Santai.
Chiang Mai – Muay Thai Santai
Muay Thai Santai is one of two places we would recommend in the Chiang Mai area. It’s located in San Kamphaeng, about 20 km from the Chiang Mai city center. If you rent a scooter, you can get there in about 20 minutes; by bus it takes around half an hour.
What I really liked was that they didn’t present themselves with a price list and a manager who doesn’t even train Muay Thai. I hate talking to managers who are only in it for the money. Many gyms won’t waste a breath on you unless you talk money from the very first moment. I’m not trying to take advantage of anyone, but if someone says yes to everything without asking any details, that’s not a good sign.
At Muay Thai Santai they showed us around, asked a lot of questions before we got started, and everyone was helpful, friendly, and professional. You feel welcome, and training there feels like working out in a family environment. None of the fighters try to impress with bad manners, and while I was there they won all their fights in Chiang Mai, including fights against Lanna, Lex, and Chaiya.
I shot my basic Muay Thai videos with Kru Phon and Kru Doh from Muay Thai Santai, and they did an amazing job. One more thing: Muay Thai Santai is also the cheapest gym in the area, simply because it’s not located in the center of Chiang Mai.
Vacation Time
Then my brother came to Thailand and we took a short vacation. We went to Koh Phi Phi, Krabi, and Phuket. After he left, we planned to start working with Tiger Muay Thai, since they were the ones who said I could tape Muay Boran and Krabi Krabong videos with them.
Tiger Muay Thai
Overall, we were really disappointed with Tiger Muay Thai. When we arrived, a manager—I think his name was Phil—received us. At Tiger Muay Thai, you always walk into their office first. They didn’t really show us around, probably because they have a virtual tour on their YouTube channel. It felt like the first thing they wanted us to do was sign up for a few weeks, without asking what we actually wanted. After all, they offer everything.
Then you’re supposed to buy new training equipment, because the gym doesn’t share gloves like other gyms in Thailand. That’s supposedly because of bacteria issues. We already had an apartment for one month in Karon Beach, so we didn’t need their rooms. What I really didn’t like was that all the manager’s questions were money-related. The whole conversation felt very impersonal.
In the end, he said he would email us his “price” for taping videos with their Muay Boran / Krabi Krabong instructor. He never got back to us, and even after we reminded him, he showed no interest.
Tiger Muay Thai is located in the Chalong area, which is the only place in Phuket without a nice beach. The nearest good beach is about 15 minutes south in Rawai, or on the other side of the hills in Patong. I also didn’t see any Thai fighters there. It’s mainly a business for foreign fighters and MMA athletes.
The only thing I liked was that you can get protein shakes at the gym. I also think I would have liked their Krabi Krabong instructor, but I never got to meet him. They fly in boxing instructors from the U.S. and Brazilian jiu-jitsu instructors as well, but it feels like they’re mainly there for the Phuket climate.
Dragon Muay Thai
Dragon Muay Thai is just a few meters away from Tiger Muay Thai. It’s a bit smaller and less popular, but pretty much the same concept.
Rawai Muay Thai
This is a training camp I didn’t even contact, because it’s for foreigners only and I heard they don’t have traditional Muay Thai trainers.
Sinbi Muay Thai
This gym looked much nicer because it’s located in the south of Phuket, close to the elephant camp. The beaches around Sinbi Muay Thai are very nice and quiet. The gym is smaller than Tiger Muay Thai, but bigger than most of the other gyms in Phuket. They have weights and two rings.
Chang Gym – Kata Beach
Kata Beach is one of the nicer places in Phuket, and Chang Gym is a very friendly place. It’s very small, and most foreigners who train there do so because their family or friends stay in Kata. I didn’t stay long enough to judge how good they are, but they gave me a lot of honest and useful information about other gyms in the area. They were actually the ones who sent me to Pra Pa Kata Muay Thai Gym, which turned out to be a jackpot.
Pra Pa Kata Muay Thai Gym
This gym was exactly what I was looking for. It was very friendly, one of their coaches was a famous fighter, and the owner knew Muay Boran. Muay Boran was what we were looking for, since we had already finished the Muay Thai videos.
The only downside for some people is that the gym is located between a few bars and restaurants on Kata Beach. If you don’t mind a few tourists walking by, it’s a great place. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to work with Pra Pa, because the owner was on vacation until the end of my trip.
Other Gyms in Phuket
If you rent a scooter and ride around Phuket, you’ll find a few more Muay Thai gyms. The ones mentioned here are probably the most well-known.
Back to Bangkok
Since our time in Phuket mostly consisted of beach runs and three Pad Thais a day, I contacted the Rangsit Muay Thai Institute near Bangkok. It’s one of the biggest Muay Thai schools in Thailand, and many coaches and fighters from all over the world train there. It’s not a tourist place like most gyms in Phuket.
I knew about Rangsit from the beginning, but I also knew they didn’t teach Muay Boran. Still, I contacted them to see if they could introduce me to someone who did. They replied quickly and suggested we check out the National Stadium near Hua Lamphong Railway Station in Bangkok.
The Muay Thai Conservation Center of Thailand
When we arrived, we found ourselves in front of a huge government-owned stadium with offices for different Thai sports associations. I thought there was no way they would help us with our videos. It looked more like an administrative place. But we decided to ask anyway.
A guard showed us the way to the Muay Thai office. Inside, it was a small place full of official papers and certificates. This was the Muay Thai Conservation Center of Thailand. They had the top Muay Boran coach, Suphan Chabairam, there. Pretty much everyone who learns Muay Boran in Thailand today has learned from him. They also had a ring, a small training area, and Muay Boran photos everywhere.
Foreigners come there from time to time. It’s not a tourist place, but I think anyone can ask Coach Suphan to learn Muay Boran. Most foreigners just go to Phuket, where they find some of the worst and most unfriendly gyms, along with plenty of beer and prostitutes.
The next day we started taping videos, and they turned out amazing. We will upload them as soon as possible. Next time, I’ll definitely stay longer in Bangkok and focus even more on Muay Boran. This time we recorded about 40 Muay Boran instructions, but I could easily have spent more time there.
Other Muay Thai Gyms in Bangkok
There are probably hundreds of Muay Thai gyms in Bangkok. Bangkok is definitely the best place to learn Muay Thai. The only real downside is the smog.
If you decide to stay in Bangkok for Muay Thai only, go to Rangsit or the National Stadium. Yes, foreigners can train there, but contact them before you go. Always stay away from tourist gyms. If there are no Thai students training in a gym, that’s a very bad sign.
Here are the Muay Thai gyms I recommend:
Rangsit Muay Thai Institute
Suphan Chabairam at the National Stadium (for Muay Boran)
Muay Thai Santai
Pra Pa Kata Gym
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