I’m on the tail end of a training trip to Thailand. I did the bulk of my time here with Phuket top team and a bit with Master Toddy Muay Thai in Bangkok. I’m going to check out Fairtex tomorrow.
Does any one have any strong opinions on schools in Thailand? I liked Master Toddy a lot but the intarweb seems to not have a high opinion of him. I thought he was fun to work with. Has anyone worked with him?
Also, any Thailand advice would be welcomed as I am planning on coming back next year.
I’ve been in Thailand since May, about 2 hours outside of Bangkok. I can vouch for Watcharachai Gym in Sutthisan and Fighting Spirit Gym in Silom being really solid places to train, but really, it’s Bangkok. There’s gyms all over the place. Check this list out and see what looks good to you. Someone will also be along shortly to move this to the right forum, because it’s not advanced technique discussion.
http://www.muaythailand.com/index.php?page=muay-thai-training-camps
Regarding Toddy, my coach’s fiancee tried out for the second season of Tuff Girls, and her experience with him was that he’s basically just a marketing machine for tourists, and you should probably go elsewhere if serious training is what you’re after. I also have an inherent dislike and distrust for anyone who insists on being called “master”.
Sorry about the misspost. I don’t post here much and I just read posts usually.
Yeah, I was wary of that with Toddy but I enjoyed my time there. It was a bit cheesy.
Neo Sigma, have you heard of any foreigners having good experiences with Sitmonchai? They have many Thai fighters I see at Lumpinee but do the foreigners they train do well?
I’ve never been myself, but I hear only good things about the quality of training. I’m pretty sure they just opened up to foreigners within the last year or thereabouts, so it’s still going to have that serious, old-school Thai feel to it. And you’ll have a leg kick like the hammer of Thor when you go home.
Sitmonchai is out in Kanchanaburi, which is a 2-3 hour bus ride from Bangkok. Make sure you check in advance with any camp you want to stay at, because we’re starting to get to what they call the “high season.” That is, it’s not raining every single day and it’s slightly less brutally hot. I’ve had to re-plan one or two training trips because I waited too long to ask about rooms.
I haven’t personally been here yet, but a group of students from our Muay Thai class went to 13 coins gym in Bangkok with our trainer and said ti was excellent. They train with Senchai and Long Ubon. check out 13 coins gym interview video on youtube, it should bring up a video by Long Ubon. Senchai is a Lumpinee champion as far as I know so they teach a good game as far as fight prep goes.
I am hoping to head out there soon, but again, have had no personal experience so take it for what it is.
Here’s a good review of 13 coins
I did a drop-in session at Carryboy Muay Thai in Bangkok this summer. It’s certainly not fancy or glamourous but I enjoyed my sessions there and all the trainers and students were very friendly.
The head trainer is former champ Lunamit (seen in the pics above). A handful of former Rajademnern champs have come from Carryboy and a handful of current Carryboy boxers currently fight at Rajademnern.
Here are some reviews and contact info:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carryboy-MuayThai-Gym-Bangkok
Hi…Did anyone here train at jun muay thai in koh samui??? It is cheaper than other gyms. But i would like to hear opinions.
By the time I got to Koh Samui this summer, I was still sore from the training I got in Bangkok!
Unfortunately, Watcharachai Gym will be closing down soon, but the fighters and trainers, including Yod from Lukbanyai and Bun from Sitmonchai, will be opening a new place sometime in the next few months near the Lad Prao MRT station. So it’ll be just in time for when you come back.
Hey Neo, wondering if i can get some advice from you too.
Girlfriend and i are heading to Changmai to vacation for 3 weeks. She’s an active boxer, I like to kick and grapple. Any suggestions for a gym?
Yo Sang!
Lanna Muay Thai has a school in the city as well as a camp in the mountains! You should give them a try!
I’ve trained under Andy, the owner of Lanna, when he visited Ottawa and I also visited his (city) school in Chiang Mai when I was there this summer. The place is modest but definitely has everything you need. Lots of good fighters have trained there. Here’s their info:
(Warning: There are a LOT of stray dogs in Chiang Mai and lots of them have rabies. Don’t take any chances: GET VACCINATED AGAINST RABIES BEFORE YOU GO.)
[QUOTE=Sang;2729873]Hey Neo, wondering if i can get some advice from you too.
Girlfriend and i are heading to Changmai to vacation for 3 weeks. She’s an active boxer, I like to kick and grapple. Any suggestions for a gym?[/QUOTE]
I hear good things about Lanna and Chay Yai. But if you need boxing and grappling, between the two of you, it sounds like your best bet might be hitting up Team Quest. They opened a location in Chiang Mai this past year, and their prices are surprisingly reasonable and it’s apparently pretty close to the Chiang Mai airport. Grappling is pretty tough to find here outside of a few places in Bangkok, but you might just catch a break here.
Check them out and see if it looks like what you’re after. http://teamquestthailand.com/
If that doesn’t strike your fancy, just head here and see if anything looks good. http://www.muaythailand.com/index.php?page=muay-thai-training-camps#3
Thanks both of you. I’d heard of Lanna but wasn’t sure that they would have decent boxing coaches. The GF fights every 2 weeks so she gets priority of training camps.
Lanna is a tourist trap. The local joke is that the only thing they teach is how to run. If rumor is true be prepared for your padholders to be taking nips of whiskey in between rounds. I trained at KC muay thai, just south of the airport, and had a really excellent experience. When BKK flooded last year a super legit boxing team moved up there for a month to train for their upcoming fights, so the boxing instructions pretty good too.
As far as Bangkok, kiatphontip is where my friends have trained. There are apparently a bunch of legit fighters there and they have a strong emphasis on the clinch. I have heard good things about their program.
[QUOTE=LiamSP;2731854]Lanna is a tourist trap. The local joke is that the only thing they teach is how to run. If rumor is true be prepared for your padholders to be taking nips of whiskey in between rounds.[/QUOTE]
shrug
I can’t really defend Lanna because I haven’t trained there myself; I only visited their camp while I was driving by. I trained under the owner when he visited Ottawa and I liked his coaching style. And one of our local Muay Thai / BJJ / MMA schools (which produced a UFC fighter and a handful of other pro fighters) is affiliated with Lanna. Take that for whatever it’s worth.
This is no slight against the owner, he’s apparently a great coach, but a prospective student will not get to work under him unless they come with a significant pro record. And then only when he’s not off in his ridiculously priced mountain training camp.
BTW this not based on my personal experience, but entirely on what I’ve heard from other fighters and coaches who trained there.
I know its a big commercial gym and not an ‘authentic’ MT camp but if you are after grappling Tiger in Phucket now have Brian Ebersole in charge of their MMA programme and apparently his classes are excellent.
[QUOTE=Kambei Shimada;2732310]I know its a big commercial gym and not an ‘authentic’ MT camp but if you are after grappling Tiger in Phucket now have Brian Ebersole in charge of their MMA programme and apparently his classes are excellent.[/QUOTE]
Dam, that sounds good.
I just wish Phucket wasn’t so seedy, my girl is Thai so we can’t walk around there without everyone treating her like a hooker.
[QUOTE=Sang;2732319]Dam, that sounds good.
I just wish Phucket wasn’t so seedy, my girl is Thai so we can’t walk around there without everyone treating her like a hooker.[/QUOTE]
They are actually located in a pretty quiet little corner of Phucket so it’s not too bad.
Also Dragon Muay Thai is situated a few few hundred metres down the road and they offer FAR cheaper authentic MT. So you really can get the best of both Worlds!
[QUOTE=Sang;2732319]Dam, that sounds good.
I just wish Phucket wasn’t so seedy, my girl is Thai so we can’t walk around there without everyone treating her like a hooker.[/QUOTE]
I’m sorry to hear that, man. That’s really sad. It must be hard for you two. Unfortunately, there’s so much sketchiness in Thailand that I’m sure it’s really difficult for people not to assume the worst whenever they see a foreign guy with a local girl.
