Muay Thai

[steelepulse]

I have seen 4 new muay thai camps open up in the south part of the island recently. I know some of the original guys that opened up camps years ago, but there seems to be a goldrush to open up camps. One friend told me he makes more at his camp than at his hotel, and that was years ago when there weren't so many rooms.

Anyone know how many camps there are now in Phuket?

[g00dgirl]

James Goyder (local Muay Thai journalist) has a good list of camps in Phuket:

http://www.mtpmagazine.com/links.htm

[stevenl]

Quite a few of the new ones are not in that list. In Rawai alone there are I think 3 new ones (so not including Rawai Muay Thai and Sinbi).

[angiud]

In Koh Phangan we have eleven thai boxing rings and one camp...

[g00dgirl]

Quite a few of the new ones are not in that list. In Rawai alone there are I think 3 new ones (so not including Rawai Muay Thai and Sinbi).

Promthep is on the list, Nai Harn boxing club is on the list, Lion is on the list, they are 3 new ones in South Phuket.

There is another small new one close to Rawai, thats not on the list.

[BillR]

I heard massage/salons are also kicking A$$!

[steelepulse]

There was also a Japanese named gym in Rawai, but can't recall the name. I also see a gym called Chang something or other in Kata on the back road by Kata view guesthouse ( which has no view).

[g00dgirl]

There was also a Japanese named gym in Rawai, but can't recall the name. I also see a gym called Chang something or other in Kata on the back road by Kata view guesthouse ( which has no view).

Chang Muay Thai Camp in Kata is also on the link list I posted, yes, thats also a new one.

[Atmos]

they're a great scheme to base a holiday around, cycling/running round Chalong area I say hi to as many of them as I can - easy to spot out running in their shorts. There were three from Australia, one from USA, on my Thai language course when i arrived here - a totally different type of tourist to the 'Patong/Pattaya etc' ones.

Some aren't here to 'fight' at all, some gyms offer what are basically weight loss/fitness programmes in a structured environment.

I once thought about it but I hurt too easily.

A punching bag would win in a 1-1 contest.

[stevenl]

GoodGirl, you're right, the list is better than I thought. I was confusing the number of new Muay Thais in the area (some) with the new gyms in Rawai (even more).

[steelepulse]

I've also heard you can get an ED visa based on learning the national sport, so that could also help fuel the biz.

[KarenBravo]

From what I have seen, there has been an explosion in the Muay Thai business.

In Chalong, the Soi between the two Chao Fah roads which comes out near a HomePro on Chao Fah east, has several camps with all the attendant restaurants, accommodation and shops. The place is booming.

I'm in temporary accommodations due to a house renovation. I'm staying in one of my neighbour's small houses. He tells me he has three small houses permanently rented by Tiger Muay Thai.

You can now see foreigners fighting at rings in Patong and Parlai. The promoters must be making a buck, too.

[Atmos]

I've also heard you can get an ED visa based on learning the national sport, so that could also help fuel the biz.

I'm unsure on this, and happy to be corrected, but the four on my Thai language course (see post #9) got ED visas to do the language course as a way of covering them for 3mth muay thai training.

This was mid 2009, may have changed. Regardless, if you're correct it's a good scheme.

[maxjay]

I've also heard you can get an ED visa based on learning the national sport...

Shhh.

[LivinLOS]

You can get an ED visa back in the west for almost anything you can dream up, scuba diving, studying thai culture, etc etc etc..

But you cant get one from an embassy or a local SEA consul. Only the known friendly western ones.