History Of Muay Thai

[AiLao]

Who invented the art of Muay Thai, Thai (Siamese) Khmer or AiLao?

About 4,000 years ago, nomads called the Ai-Lao (as the Thais were called by the Chinese) settled in West-Central Asia, having fought their way up from the Indian continent. Their federation of Kingdoms grew and flourished until 200 B.C., when the Han-dynasty of China began their wars of expansion. Vastly outnumbered, the Ai- Lao managed to hold off wave after invading armies, thanks mainly to their great skill with weapons, but eventually, the greater numbers of the Chinese won out and the Ai-Lao became vassals to the Szechuan-empire. Rather than live under Chinese rule many of the Ai-Lao gradually migrated south into the forests and jungles of Southeast Asia. The wandering Ai-Lao-people divided into three branches; The Shans who settled in Burma, The Ahom who went East into Vietnam and the Lao-Tai who wandered into Laos. By the 7th Century A.D, the Ai-Lao tribes still in China had become the so-called independent Kingdom of Nanchao. And for the next 100 years, Nanchao and China were constantly at war usually as enemies, but occasionally as allies against the Tibetan tribes to the west. (One Tibetan tribe in particular, the Burmans later became Thailand's worst enemy). By the end of the 9th century, Nanchao had been absorbed into the Chinese empire but at the same time, the first Thai states were forming into today's Laos and Siam, the name of ancient Thailand.

The Ai-Lao became a powerful force, ready to expand and conquer. By the year 1350, northern Siam and Most of Laos was united into Kingdom of Lan Xang and prince Uthong of Ayudhhya began a new dynasty, which was to last for 400 years. This was the Golden Age of Thailand, but with its prosperity came constant warfare against the Burmese to the west and the Khmers to the South East. To ensure the survial of their country, the great warriors of the nation were brought together and distilled the vast combat- knowledge of their people into a training-method called the Chupasart. Because the methods of combat-training were recorded and kept up to date, the martial art of Thailand never fragmented into different styles and systems. There were improvements and innovations added to the text, but every change was first proven on the battlefield or in the ring.

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Edited August 26, 2007 by AiLao