Training at a Muay Thai camp

Muay Thai is a national sport, and many ค่ายมวย (camps) welcome foreigners for a single session or a month. Training usually runs early morning and late afternoon to avoid the midday heat: skipping, running, pad work with a trainer, clinching and many rounds of kicks. Trainers are addressed as ครู 'teacher', and respect goes a long way: a wai at the start and end of the session, no shoes on the mat, and never stepping over someone. Before fights, boxers perform the ไหว้ครู ritual dance to honour their teachers. Prices and intensity vary widely, so visit first, watch a session and ask to try: มาลองก่อนได้ไหม.