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| Camp News: August 21st, 2003 (Part 1) |
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A big welcome once again to our Camp update, this one is later than most and these past six months have had all the drama, highs and lows, that life can throw at us. We have past another Thai New Year, Song Khran, which was quiet for myself though not so for a few others, but that is another story! The Camp was very busy up to April but with Song Khran and then the combined elements of the Iraq war, Sars and the holiday hangover kept down numbers at the Camp through the end of the hot season. Now at the time of writing we are well into the rainy season though this one has not been so wet as yet! And people are returning to Thailand once again.
We are also beginning an exciting new project this summer with the opening of the first Muay Thai Gym in the United Arab Emirates city of Dubai. We are looking forward to the opportunity to introduce Muay Thai to a region where it is relatively unknown. Den and Sarah will be running the gym and anyone who is passing through Dubai will be welcome to visit and train with them. The opening should be in September and I will post all the details soon.
Sadly we have some bad news that I hope it will also serve as a strong warning, there has been the death of a friend of one of our visitors from England. He had been in Thailand but a few hours when he died in a road accident. Though we did not know him our thoughts are with his family. Unfortunately this is a grim reminder of the risks inherent in driving a small motorcycle in a foreign country, more especially late at night! Take heed all you boy racers!!
Amongst the troubling events at the Camp this past six months, one of the worst has been the outbreak of the mosquito borne Dengue Fever. We have had ten of our Thai boys and twelve visitors down with the fever over the months of May and June, the worst case being Dtung our youngest boy who was one of the first to come down with the fever, thankfully he made a full recovery and is back to training hard again! Then there are those, like myself, who though being bitten everyday, have escaped the illness. The worst of this strain of the fever seems to have passed now but we continue to watch everyone carefully.
Also Den and Sarah have had a nasty accident with Den receiving serious head injuries. I am very happy and relieved to say at this time that Den is making a good recovery and he will be back to full fitness in a few more months.
On a lighter note we have had several of our old friends returning to visit, with Piero from Italy returning for another of his regular visits, the first of which was more than ten years ago. And Dave Tew from England, author of the "approachingstorm" website. He is still building up his fitness but will once again be attempting another record run on the mountain and in the meantime still outruns us all on the flats!
One of the more positive happenings recently here in Chiang Mai has been the opening and upgrading of Muay Thai gyms in Chiang Mai. Along with Derrys' Chiang Mai Olympia in Sangkangpeng there is Ajarn Sutchart from Toronto and Chiang Mai, and one of my mentors in Muay Thai, Kru Buem, opening the second Siam #1 gym. In Chiang Mai city, Pedro Villalobos, co-author of the excellent book "Fighting Strategies of Muay Thai" has opened a small gym with private training in Muay Boran and Krabi Krabong, Chai Yai Gym in the city centre, Swiss Peter and the Bar Beer Centre are all now providing decent facilities and instruction for Muay Thai training. Chiang Mai is becoming a centre of learning for Muay Thai and I hope we will see the emergence of top-level fighters both Thai and Foreign who will compete on both local and international stages representing Muay Thai.
With all the events of the past few months and so little fights recently we have to go all the way back to February for the start of this updates fight. On the 5th Sompong traveled to Phinsanalouk with his friends and teacher from school and fought his first fight of the year to a five round draw.
On the 7th our next fight was at Gawilla Stadium in Chiang Mai, with Rueben from Toronto, he fought five rounds that had had much promise, but faded to a dance and Rueben lost the decision.
On Valentines Day I passed a big milestone in my experiences here in the Muay Thai life, I went for the first time to Lumpinee Stadium and though we were scheduled to have two fighters, JR was refused a fight due to excessive weight loss, he had had to come down too much to make the weight. He has now moved up a weight category and we will have more news on JR later. Meanwhile Solams fight had a twist to it. He had been asked to take part in a six round Boxing match but with JR's withdrawal he was switched to back to Muay Thai, and he pulled off a strong five round victory, not appreciated by the crowd for a lack of knees but he won nonetheless. The knees we are working on!
On the same night, but back in Chiang Mai at Gawilla Stadium, Yan Lei fought a hard fight through three rounds before losing steam and going out to a TKO, his lack of fitness was due to a long term health condition which I am very happy to say our Doctor was able to help him with and we are looking forward to a return visit from him soon. Next up, Gat, one of our "young lads" fought to a five round decision, easily out pointing his opponent. And last of the evening was Jay from Canada, fighting first time in Thailand, he had a very good fight throughout five rounds only losing closely on points.
The following evening after an all night drive back to Chiang Mai from Lumpinee Stadium and a sleep through the day we were in the small town of Hang Dong just south of Chiang Mai for Manat and Blake. Manat fought another strong fight with both boys were well matched and a draw was a good decision. Blake from New Zealand was taking on his first fight in Thailand and his opponent, who KOed Wang in the first round earlier in the year, came out in the same fashion and the fight turned into a furious two minutes of non-stop action, close range knees, elbows, and punches with Blake finally coming off on the wrong end of a blow to the chin. A wild fight with Blake showing lots of heart!
Next up on the 21st February was Wang, at Gawilla Stadium for his fifth fight, he fought hard for five rounds but could not find his way round the more experienced Thai fighter and lost the decision.
On the 27th February we traveled to Li, south about 150 kilometers. With Manat up first, he fought to a second round stoppage over a new boxer who had no answers! Yet! Next up Jin, and then Gat, both fought through five round wins, the "young lads" suffering from a lack of fitness but boxing smart to win! And at the end of the evening it was Thomas Krogh from Denmark, fighting his first ever fight and up against a big Thai lad of good experience but who still gave away a lot of weight. The fight went five rounds and to Thomas' credit he stayed the distance and only his lack of fitness, as with every new fighter, stopped him from finishing better!
On the 1st March Alex Ricci was our only fighter at the local Lamphun Stadium, fighting against an experienced boxer from Lampang, Tha Harn Ek, and though Alex pushed hard he could not find a way into his opponent and lost the decision.
And on the following Wednesday Kem fought at Rajadamnern, winning a hard fight with a third round KO, his trademark combination hands and high kicks doing the job.
The next Friday at Gawilla Stadium, Carlos from Mexico stepped into the ring for his first fight in Thailand and though his Muay Thai skills were limited he had excellent hands and KOed his opponent in third round with a combination of crosses and hooks.
The next evening was a big night for us with JR fighting for a Northern Champions Belt at Jr. Lightweight. We traveled to Hang Dong district and the new Tamako Stadium with four fighters. Gat up first and won in five, again lacking fitness but showing great heart and style to stay the distance and take the decision. Boon fought to a five round loss, though most felt he had won but taking on a hometown boy is always difficult! Sompong too went the distance and lost to the more aggressive fighter in the next bout before JR stepped up to take on an old opponent of Solams, Utta Pom from Lampang, the reigning Champion. JR used his low kick punch combinations to great effect gradually wearing down Utta Pom and though the fight ended without much action JR took a deserved decision to become our newest Northern Champion.
On the following Friday, 14th March, we had five boxers fighting at Gawilla Stadium. First up was Manat, taking a good five round decision in a very evenly fought match. Chun, Manats' older brother came out of semi-retirement to put on a superb show of style and control but lost to a poor refereeing decision, at least in our eyes! Sompong, the middle brother of the latter two fought next and once again though his defense is excellent Sompong did not do enough to take the decision. Gat came next and though he was fit for this fight the promoter had thrown in a last minute replacement who proved much to good for Gat and the ref stopped the fight in the first to save him any further punishment. Finally, in the last fight of the evening, Alex Ricci KOed his opponent in the first round with a neat elbow to the jaw.
The very next night we traveled to Lamphun, with Dtung, our youngest lad having his second fight but unfortunately he was outmatched and the referee stopped the fight in the first round. Next up was Alex, as his fight had been short and sweet the night before, he took on this evenings fight to fill in for an injured fighter and went through five hard rounds to take the decision. Last of the evening was Blake, in his second fight in Thailand, he fought well but caught the edge of an elbow in the third and the doctor had no choice but to stop the fight. Blake returned home shortly after this second fight but returns to the Camp in only a couple of months to continue his fight career here in Thailand. More on him later.
Boon returned to Chiang Mai in March after his extended stay in China and on the 19th March with Sompong, they went to Chang Dao north of Chiang Mai, Boons hometown, to fight at a village fair. Sompong won his fight with a rare KO in the fourth, the result of a good combination kick knee! And Boon returned to his village after a year away a winner, taking a five round decision with a good display of fight control and clean combinations.
On the following Friday Solam fought at Gawilla, against an unknown fighter from the south and though both fighters were cautious in the first, no holds were barred for the next round and a half until Solam won with a straight right to the chin, Sweet!
Two days later on Sunday the 23rd at a small village in Lamphun district, Wang fought his sixth fight and won with a second round KO knee against a younger but enthusiastic opponent! Melissa, from Canada, next fought a local girl who though out weighed, put up a good fight against her taller opponent. Melissa showed good technique and control to win in the third with a TKO.
The next Friday, 28th March, at Gawilla, Brandon, from Australia, stepped in the ring for his first fight in Thailand and fought an excellent five round fight showing good basic technique and strong heart to take his more experienced Thai opponent the five rounds and closely lose the decision.
At this point we had a break of two and half weeks before the beginning of the fights through the holiday season of Song Khran. The next fight night came on Friday the 11th of April with six fighters at Gawillla Stadium. Gat, first up and set the tone for the night with a comeback win in the fifth. Next up were two of our youngest ever fighters from overseas, Jason and Adam, from Knuckles Muay Thai in Oldham England. Jason was first up and showed good basics and a lot of strength in fighting and winning the five rounds against a good Thai lad. Adam followed next buoyed by Jason's win, but quickly overcome by the stadium, the lights, and a much better young Thai lad, the ref stopped the fight in the first round. And though he was shaken, Adam will climb back in the ring again in a few days time! Next up on this night was Joe, from New York, back with us again for his second visit and fighting a good strong three rounds before winning with a KO knee. Next up, Ole, from Norway, fighting his first fight against a new Thai lad and it was a battle of the swingers with Ole connecting first. Not bad for his first fight now we will try and add some technique! Last of the night, Wang, fought a hard five rounds and again found it tough going against a more technical opponent, losing the decision, but not his heart!
On Sunday 13th in the midst of Song Khran celebrations, with madness and mayhem reigning all around, Solam and Boon both fought in Uttaradit, to five round loses and they then traveled onto to Tak, where JR fought the next day on a televised broadcast going to a five round draw against a tough opponent from Isan.
The next night, 15th April, we were able to hastily arrange for Jason and Adam to fight again at the Song Khran Fight Night in Thapae Bar Beer Centre and despite the name of the place the fights were properly sanctioned. Jason was first up again and showed increased confidence and taking the fight to his opponent recorded a second round KO. Adam followed next and this time he rose to the occasion with power and belief in himself and took on a good young Thai lad to win the three round fight convincingly. For both Jason and Adam, though their visit was short they manage to experience Muay Thai training and fights at the grassroots of Muay Thai and with a good attitude showed themselves to be excellent young ambassadors of the sport.
(Pictures at the end of Part 2)
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