THE MONKS AND THE MUAY THAI
THE MONKS AND THE MUAY THAI
Special report by Serge TREFEU (2014)
The Buddhism is the majority religion in Thailand, 94 % of Thai are Buddhist of the tradition Theravada. The Islam is the second religion practised in Thailand with 6 % of the population which is Muslim.
Even if certain temple are more and more deserted in particular in countrysides because of repeated scandals which affected his last years of the high Buddhist representatives, the financial scandals, sexual and the drug trafficking, the Buddhism is in good shape in Thailand. The country counts neighborhood 30 000 monasteries and more than 200 000 monks. Very few nuns because the ban on the feminine ordination is registered in the Thai laws governing the worship. But whether he’s a man or a woman these members of a religious order are enormously respected by the population….
The Thai people are altogether attached enough to his culture and his religious traditions. Normally every man has to become a monk during short period in his life, moment is called “Ngaan Bouatnâk” (Ceremony of ordination,”งานบวชนาค“). The man makes his Ngaan Bouatnâk generally before being married or beginning a professional career, he can make him throughout the adolescence or when he became an adult. The young people can become novices at any age but to become Bonze it’s necessary to have reached the age of 20 years. Then the person can remain a monk the time when she wants, a few days, a few months, all her life…
During his Ngaan Bouatnâk, the Thai becomes a monk (Phra in Thai, “พระ“) for a while, as a rule the duration of the time spent within a monastic community is of minimum three months. But today most of the men stay one couple of weeks or only one week…
The bonzes adopt a simple life which begins very early in the morning. At about 4 am they get up to meditate. At 6 am they leave going round charities in streets, people their offer of the food what is a good deed for all good practising Buddhist. At 8 am the bonzes lunch together to the temple (Wat). Just before noon, the monks take a light meal which will be the last one authorized before the next sunrise, the next day. After noon till 8 pm is dedicated to the education of the Buddhism, the meditation and the prayers…
A MONASTIC COMMUNITY IN CHIANG MAI IN THE NORTH!
HIS YOUNG BONZES WALK IN A NATURE RESERVE OF THE REGION OF THE NORTHEAST!
THE MONKS CROSS THE STREETS TO RECEIVE FROM THE FOOD!
THE MEALS ARE SHARED IN A DINING HALL OR IN A TEMPLE!
The Buddhist boxers thus make all at a moment of their life their Ngaan Bouatnâk, during a few days they become of simple bonze. Sometimes they remain a monk during several years as legendary Dieselnoi Chor Thanasukarn who was a monk for a long time!
PHRA DIESELNOI CHOR THANASUKARN (LUMPINEE CHAMPION, BEST FIGHTER OF THE YEAR IN 1982)!
Certain boxer even found the redemption by means of the religion as the champion of Boxing, Ratanapol Sor Vorapin. Ratanapol conquered the title of champion of the World IBF and defended 20 times triumphantly, during several years he remained unconquered. But this great champion after his boxer’s career had turbulent years, to such a point that he has to try to commit suicide, finally he has to find the light by going into the Holy Orders, today he became a monk for the life…
PHRA RATANAPOL SOR VORAPIN (WORLD CHAMPION IBF)!
The day of his ordination, the novice, after had the skull and the eyebrows shaved, is dressed in a white costume decorated with brilliant ornaments, dresses up is sensible represented prince Siddharta, prince who gave up his throne to leave in the search for the truth and became The Buddha.
Before having the skull completely shaved by a monk, the parents of the novice cut symbolically locks of hair of their child. Then, the novice dressed in “Prince” begins a procession through the village. The monks receive him at his home and offer him a dress and other presents. He abandons his rich costume and dressed in a white linen to receive the blessing of the monks.
While festivities are organized in the village, the novice spends at night in the temple with his white clothes. The next day the ceremony of ordination takes place, he receives his saffron dress and is going to join his monastic community to begin his monk’s life…
THE CHAMPION OF BOXING KAEO PRONGPAYOON (SILVER MEDAL IN THE GAMES OLYMPIC 2012) IS CUT LOCKS OF HAIR BY HIS PARENTS!
THE PARENTS OF KAEO PRONGPAYOON (SILVER MEDAL IN THE GAMES OLYMPIC 2012) ARE VERY PROUD OF THEIR SON WHO HAS JUST TAKE ON HIS « PRINCE’S DRESS » FOR HIS CEREMONY OF ORDINATION!
TO SURROUND WITH HIS FAMILY, THE CHAMPION PAKORN SAKYOTIN (RADJA CHAMPION, THAILAND CHAMPION, BEST FIGHTER OF YEAR 2013) WEAR HIS « PRINCE’S DRESS » DURING HIS CEREMONY OF ORDINATION!
CEREMONY OF ORDINATION OF KAENSAK SOR PLOENCHIT (LUMPINEE CHAMPION, RADJA CHAMPION, BEST FIGHTER OF THE YEAR 1989, 1990)!
THREE CHAMPIONS OF THE SAME CAMP, THE FAMOUS POR PONGSAWANG GYM, PHRA DEDOUANG POR PONGSAWANG, PHRA DOKMAYPHA POR PONGSAWANG AND PHRA TUKATHATONG POR PONGSAWANG!
THREE LEGENDS OF THE MUAY THAI, PHRA DAOTHONG SITYODTHONG, PHRA PUD PAD NOI WORAWUT AND PHRA PHUT LAOLEK!
PHRA KANGWANGLEK PETCHYINDEE (THAILAND CHAMPION)!
PHRA RUNGRAVEE SOR RUNGROT!
PHRA SAM-A KAYANGHADAO (LUMPINEE CHAMPION, THAILAND CHAMPION)!
THE PROCEDURE FOR THE CEREMONY OF ORDINATION OF THE GREAT CHAMPION SAM-A KAYANGHADAO HAS IS IN AN ARTICLE OF ONE OF THE MAGAZINES OF MUAY THAI THE MOST KNOWN IN THAILAND!
PHRA WANCHALONG SITSORNON (LUMPINEE CHAMPION, TV7 CHAMPION)!
PHRA WANGCHAINOI SOR PALANGCHAI (LUMPINEE CHAMPION, BEST FIGHTER OF THE YEAR IN 1993) !
PHRA BUAKAW POR PRAMUK (WORLD CHAMPION, TOURNAMENT CHAMPION THAI FIGHT, TOURNAMENT CHAMPION K1 MAX)!
Foreign champions of Muay Thai, lover of the Thailand and his culture also became one time the monks such as Australian John Wayne Parr (World champion, Winner of the Tournament S1) or French Fabrice Payen (World champion, Europe champion) who is him always a monk and follows the rules of the Buddhism on a daily basis, Payen today when he goes in Thailand stays in temples…
THE CHAMPION JOHN WAYNE PARR WAS A MONK FOR 7 DAYS!
THE CHAMPION FABRICE PAYEN RECEIVES OFFERINGS!
So, certain bonze teach the art of Muay Thai in temples, it’s more and more rare but there are still some monks “masters” of Muay Thai…
One of the most famous monks who teaches Muay Thai in Thailand is the bonze Neuachai Khosito. Khru Khosito is a former professional boxer who created a temple in the mountains of Chiang Rai, in the North of the Thailand. The temple is called ” Wat Tham Asha Thong ” (The Temple of the Cave of the Golden horse). Khosito based a monastic community the peculiarity of which is that the monks move on horseback to go to villages, they make even on horseback their tour of the charities to receive offerings, mainly food…
Phra Khosito also created a school of Muay Thai for the orphan children who come from numerous very poor villages of the region. The education of Muay Thai allows his children lost of stayed in the straight and narrow, of them avoided the fatal temptations of drugs because there is a great deal of traffic of amphetamines and heroins in this region of the Thailand…
PHRA KHOSITO!
PHRA KHOSITO WITH HIS FOLLOWERS!
KHRU KHOSITO WITH HIS PUPILS BOXERS!
When they were children, some great champions were to introduce to the art of Muay Thai by monks as Krongsak Prakong Boranrat (Lumpinee Champion, Thailand champion, World champion), Petchboonchu Fa Group (Lumpinee Champion, Thailand champion, World champion), Pairojnoi Sor Siamchai (Lumpinee Champion), Sagat Petchyindee (Lumpinee Champion, Radja champion, World champion) and Naruenart Siangsimewgym (Best fighter of the stadium TV7 in 2008 and 2010)!
KRONGSAK BORANRAT!
PETCHBOONCHU FA GROUP!
PAIROJNOI SOR SIAMCHAI!
SAGAT PETCHYINDEE!
NARUENART SIANGSIMEWGYM!
In the world of the boxing in Thailand, the religion has an important place, when a new camp of boxing created, before its opening the persons in charge of the camp organize a religious ceremony so that the monks bless the camp. The bonzes recite incantations, prayers for chased away evil spirit and ask the good spirits to take care of the place and the boxers…
RELIGIOUS CEREMONY FOR THE OPENING OF THE CAMP SINGPLAPAKNOI!
A BONZE BLESSES ALL THE IMPORTANT PLACES OF THE CAMP OF THE GREAT CHAMPION HIPPY SINGMANEE, THE POR SUWAN GYM!
There are also camps of boxing which are downright to install in the monastic centers, we can quote for example Seangmorakot Gym which is in the monastic center Wat Sitaram in the center of Bangkok or Sit Itisukato Gym who is situated to Hua Hin, a sea resort in the province of Prachuap Khiri Khan in approximately 200 km in the South of Bangkok. Sit Itisukato Gym is implanted in the monastic center of the sumptuous temple Wat Khao Itisukato!
THE CAMP SEANGMORAKOT GYM !
THE CAMP SIT ITISUKATO GYM !
