Strongly ritualistic, shockingly violent, and followed with real passion throughout Thailand, Muay Thai is one hell of a spectacle. Catch a fight in Bangkok, where clamorous, hard-gambling crowds and hammering percussion serve as the backdrop for nightly fights. You can even undertake training yourself – with no obligation to actually step into the ring.
Muay Thai is a combat sport that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. This discipline is known as the “art of eight limbs”, as it is characterised by the combined use of fists, elbows, knees and shins.
Muay Thai became widespread internationally in the late 20th to 21st century. When Westernised practitioners from Thailand began competing in kickboxing and mixed-rules matches as well as matches under muay Thai rules around the world. The professional league is governed by The Professional Boxing Association of Thailand (P.A.T), sanctioned by The Sports Authority of Thailand (S.A.T.).
Muay Thai is related to other martial art styles such as musti-yuddha, Adimurai, muay Chaiya, muay boran, muay Lao, lethwei, pradal serey and tomoi. Muay Thai developed from the traditional muay boran. A practitioner of muay Thai is known as a nak muay. Western practitioners in Thailand are sometimes called nak muay farang, meaning “foreign boxer”. Wikipedia