Chor Hapayak Gym - still closed off to foreigners?

[riveranton]

Thanks to Sylvie and Kevin, I've learned about Wangchannoi and I've been so impressed by his style of fighting. One of my goals this year is to train in Thailand, in particular with Wangchannoi at Chor Hapayak. But I had a few questions that I'd like to know in order to help me plan:

- Is Chor Hapayak still closed off to foreigners? I've heard it's quite exclusive/not open to farang

- Does anyone have an address or contact details that I can reach out to? In particular for privates with Wangchannoi or potentially booking general training sessions at the gym?

- Does anyone have any knowledge about how the training is structured there?

Thanks in advance.

[Kevin von Duuglas-Ittu]

When we spoke to them during our filming they at first said that they were closed to non-Thais, but a little while later they changed their mind and said they were open to it, but that if you trained there you could not come and go, ie, you would have to treat it like a camp, and train in the restricted Thai fashion. I think this would be very difficult to manage if you did not speak Thai, to be honest about it. Most western friendly Thai gyms have enough English to get by, but Chor Hapayak is very, very Thai, at least as we encountered it. Also of note, believe that Wangchannoi is no longer a trainer there, though Bangsaen Tor. Kotsan (who is also in the Muay Thai Library) still is.

[Sylvie von Duuglas-Ittu]

Wangchannoi is no longer at the gym, he has moved to a small gym in Cambodia. Bangsaen had indicated westerners were welcome to train with the gym, but it Isa true Thai gym and ther aren't many options nearby so staying at the gym seems most likely the only accommodation if you intend to stay beyond a couple days. They don't have social media in English, so I'd recommend just going to the gym and pleading your case:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/4N8wMms2sU3xkeBbA

[Snack Payback]

On 4/15/2024 at 2:42 PM, Sylvie von Duuglas-Ittu said:

Wangchannoi is no longer at the gym, he has moved to a small gym in Cambodia.

He told me he was teaching at a gym in Chong Chom, Surin - which is right next to the Cambodian border. 

Or has he decided to make use of the border crossing?