About Thai Boxing

In the days when Thailand was in the process of forming and gathering strength, wars were perpetually being waged with neighboring countries. I could almost be said that the Thai national profession at the time was to prepare for conflict. Attacks and invasions took place all the time. Combat methods differed from those used today primarily n that the weapons used were short-range ones. Spears, javelins, large, curved-bladed pikes called Khaw-ngao, ad even short wooden clubs, all of which, it should be remembered could only be used in hand-to-hand combat. Thus the earliest weapons, including natural weapons such as the fist, elbow and foot came into use in fighting enemies, and the systematized use of these natural weapons came to be called "Classical Thai Boxing".

Thai boxing has been studied regularly by soldiers since early times. Whether in times of war, when it was necessary to confront enemies, or in peaceful times, when emphasis was placed on preparation, self-defense techniques have always been of great importance to military leaders and to the monarchy. This is because, down through the ages, fighting wars has often come down to hand-to-hand combat in which weapons and methods of combat change rapidly and unexpectedly until a winner and loser emerge.