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Different place, different style - Locations of Thai Fighting Styles

SunAndSteel
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SunAndSteel Nong

SunAndSteel

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I have read that certain areas of Thailand produce certain styles of Muay Thai.
Unfortunately, I couldn't find any detailed information, but from what I could gather, it seemed that in a particular region of the country more emphasis will be put on a certain aspect of the fight ( for example: clinch), while in another a fighter will use a particular guard. It would be interesting to try and draw a map of the different fighting styles according to the different areas of the country.
I don't think this has to do with the actual style of the single fighter (Muay Khao, Muay Mat, etc.): it rather seems to be something more "at the source", it seems to have to do with how every part of Thailand developed its own branch of Muay Thai.

Does it make sense?

 

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Sylvie von Duuglas-Ittu Fellow Traveler

Sylvie von Duuglas-Ittu

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1 hour ago, SunAndSteel said:

I have read that certain areas of Thailand produce certain styles of Muay Thai.
Unfortunately, I couldn't find any detailed information, but from what I could gather, it seemed that in a particular region of the country more emphasis will be put on a certain aspect of the fight ( for example: clinch), while in another a fighter will use a particular guard. It would be interesting to try and draw a map of the different fighting styles according to the different areas of the country.
I don't think this has to do with the actual style of the single fighter (Muay Khao, Muay Mat, etc.): it rather seems to be something more "at the source", it seems to have to do with how every part of Thailand developed its own branch of Muay Thai.

Does it make sense?

 

I don't think this is the case. It might be that the way Muay Thai is watched and scored in the provinces allows for more clinch, so the fighters rely more on clinch, whereas fighting in Bangkok the clinch is broken more quickly, so fighters need to make adjustments to that, etc. But it's not divided by style in any way that a casual, or even familiar eye would detect. 

A few of the men I've talked to who are of the Golden Age age (meaning now they're in their mid-40s and older), talk about how Central Thailand (Bangkok, Chachoengsao, Chonburi and maybe stretching into Ayuthaya area) the fighters are both skilled and strong (i.e. the best), with a nod to the South for being the same; but they complained that Northeastern fighters are strong but not skilled, and Northern fighters are skilled but not strong. I honestly always register these assessments as being bias toward one's regional identity. No Northerner would say the same, nobody ever says nice things about Isaan and yet, tons of the best fighters come from Khon Khaen (Karuhat, Pudpadnoi, Somrak) who are very skilled and yet there's no credit given. 

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Kevin von Duuglas-Ittu Mentor

Kevin von Duuglas-Ittu

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3 hours ago, SunAndSteel said:

it seemed that in a particular region of the country more emphasis will be put on a certain aspect of the fight

We have noticed that the Long Clinch, as Sylvie studied from Tanadet - in the Muay Thai Library here - seems like a Northern technique, at least at this point in time. You can see the Long Clinch in the first part of this video:

But, we are just guessing that this is a Northern technique, based on where we've seen it used more often.

As to regions, back when Muay Boran was codified in the early 1900s, sure there were regional styles, but today styles and the adoptions of techniques seem much less in terms of region, than in terms of krus or padmen, who disseminate their own tool box in a particular gym. Because Krus and padmen move all over the place, they take their tool box everywhere they go.

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Kevin von Duuglas-Ittu Mentor

Kevin von Duuglas-Ittu

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2 hours ago, Sylvie von Duuglas-Ittu said:

No Northerner would say the same, nobody ever says nice things about Isaan and yet, tons of the best fighters come from Khon Khaen (Karuhat, Pudpadnoi, Somrak) who are very skilled and yet there's no credit given

this is the craziest thing, Isaan seems like it's the bread-basket of amazing techniques, but it is saddled with rural stereotypes.

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JMorgan Nong

JMorgan

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On 6/9/2019 at 6:59 AM, Kevin von Duuglas-Ittu said:

this is the craziest thing, Isaan seems like it's the bread-basket of amazing techniques, but it is saddled with rural stereotypes.

Are there any Isaan trainers of note who you'd receommend?

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