SFUK
Guide : Thailand
Kickboxing
training in Thailand
The
following guide is a composite of posts about training
Muay Thai in Thailand taken from a thread on the http://www.axkickboxing.com
forum. I've cleaned it up a little to remove references
to posts that aren't reproduced here. I'd recommend
anyone with an interest in kickboxing check out the
forum. None of the content is mine, I don't know enough
about this stuff - Nikuraba.
(all
sections written by Alan Wong except where noted otherwise)
Overview
There
are 3 types of Camps in Thailand - my opinion anyway.
I must stress that I am just stating my observations
from my experience visiting and training in some of
these camps.
1)
Camps where the locals train. These can be found all
over Thailand. Some of these are located at the local
temples or in the property of the trainer/manager. Most
of these camps trains local boys who fights in provincial
shows, some looking to fight in the big stadiums in
Bangkok. These camps are difficult for foreigners because
only Thai is spoken and if you don't speak Thai then
you will find it hard to get by. I find that most of
the trainers/managers are very polite. However they
can be suspicious as well. these days they tend to be
more liberal because they can see many foreigners actually
wanting to learn and train.
2)
Camps where lots of foreigners train with the local
boys. These camps train fighters and like all fight
camps they tend to concentrate on people who are serious
about fighting. If you just want to train for fitness
then it will be better for you to look for the third
type of camp.
3)
Camps that cater for tourists. I find some of these
camps aren't that bad. They do teach and you do learn
quite a lot. If you want to train seriously, you will
find that these camps are not suitable because people
who trains in these camps won't put in 100% and can
be frustrating.
In
most cases you will have to show the Thais that you
are serious about training. How you do that will vary
from place to place. Some will start showing interest
after you fight for the camp and prove that you can
do it. Others will start taking notice if you turn up
to train every session. Mostly, it will take quite some
time before you get to train with the "boys". One has
to remember that a lot of these camps depend on their
fighters to survive. If they don't fight then there
is no income so you being a foreigner who will only
stay for a number of weeks do not interest them. Of
course they will teach and train with you because you
are a paying customer but most of the attention goes
to their fighters.
Contact
list
I
can only give you addresses of camps that actually gave
me their address in English. Some of the camps that
i have visited are so far away from the tourist haunts
that all of the street names are in Thai and I cannot
read Thai.
So
Vorapin Boxing camp
Manager:Surapol
Rangsikulpipat
704/4
Sriyan Soi 1
Nakornchaisri
Road, Dusit, BKK
Tel:
+66 2 2433651
Sangmorakot
Boxing Camp
Manager/Owner
Thitipong Am-anun or Jar-Tui
87/102
Tedsabansongkrog road
Lad-Yaw,
Chatuchat, Bangkok
Tel:
+66 2 2816468
Rompo-Gym
115
Rimtanroadfai Road,
Klongtay,
Bangkok
Tel:
+66 1 6479391
Mai
Moungkorn Boxing Camp
Sorry
no address...
Tel:
+66 1 9156237
Sityodtong
Boxing Camp
90
moo 6, Nongprue
Pattaya
City
Chonburi
Tel:
+66 38 730039
ISS
Boxing Camp
Lost
their address but not hard to find. Located in Pattaya
on Sukhumvit Highway on the north side of Pattaya City,
not far from the bus station to BKK. This is where Daniel
Dawson and sometimes Peter Aerts trains. I have the
personal number of the owner but I don't think he will
appreciate it if I put it here.
WMC
Boxing Camp
Lamai
Beach, Koh Samui
I
like this camp because they sponsored and looked after
my fighter Paul Slowinski (WMC Light Heavyweight World
Champ) for a total of 9 months. Mark Hunt, John Halford,
one of the Keddles and lots of good fighters trained
here at one time or another. We cannot forget Julie
Livet who is currently training there. Not hard to find
as it is at the end of the main road of Lamai Beach.
Provides
training and accommodation (bungalows)
Jitty
Gym BKK
near
Khao San Road in bangkok
Fairtex
Gym - Good camp with quite modern equipment (weights
and so on). caters for fighters locals and foreign.
Far away from the big smoke and have living quarters.
Of
course there are other famous camps like Saengtien Noi's
Gym where JWP trained. I have never been there but would
be on my hit list on my next trip.
I
like to give you guys addresses of the provincial camps
in the North or South of Thailand but I don't have it
in English. Sorry
Phuket
Yes
there are camps in Phuket. There is one in Patong (Nanai).
The trainer/owner is
Pahyap
OngPoo.
Just
ask any taxi drivers to take you to the Nanai Boxing
Camp. I was there recently. Trained with Pahyap many
years ago. Good guy and very funny. The camp is frequented
by lots of French guys. Pahyap spent a number of years
in France and speaks French and English. He fought Ronnie
Green at one stage too.
In
Phuket Town, I think there is a gym run by an ex-French
fighter who lives there. Can't remember his name.
There
is lots of Western Food to eat in Koh Samui. It is a
holiday island after all and there are lots of white
faces around.If you go to any of the provincial camps
you must be prepared to eat the local food. If you don't
like Thai food then you have a problem. And you can
forget about getting the same type of Thai food you
can get from your local Thai Restaurant!!!
There
is a camp in Patong,it is on Nanai road,top location
as there is a long twisting road that loops around to
the beach and back to the camp,everymorning i saw a
group of kids from the camp going for a run around the
loop,i just road my moped round and round!!!i saw a
few foriegner there and i also saw them fight,they were
well matched fights too so dont be too scared to give
it a go,after the fight the foriegners looked really
happy and seemed to enjoy their experience!!it also
goes under the name of pitbull gym,from what i have
seen this is a top little camp for those who want to
train hard but still enjoy what is happening close by
(this
paragraph written by adammic01)
Training
tips
I
really don't like training in BKK. It is OK while training
but it is the roadwork that kills. The pollution is
bad but somehow a lot of foreigners do train in BKK
and they seem to handle it quite well. Honestly I think
one has to look at the long term effects of pollution
on our respiratory system if one has to train in BKK
for a long period of time.
Lanna
MT sounds good, never been there so can't comment. The
MT Institute in Rangsit is not there anymore, I may
be wrong but the last i heard, they are re-locating.
