THE SIT O CAMP
The Camp SIT O
Special report by Serge TREFEU (2010)
Sit O Gym opened he it approximately 16 years, before this camp was called Kiatmonthep, camp of famous Samkor Kiatmonthep. Mr Sia O, former promoter in Lumpinee resumed the structure of the camp to make Sit O Gym. The camp is in the Northeast of the Thailand in the city of Buriram, not very far from the central station, in soi (alley) quiet.
The surface of Gym is vast but very dilapidated. The big boxing ring and both punch bags of the camp are more than worn. The bad weather of weather, the sweat and the knocks of the boxers damaged well places. The place where lives nakmuays is not very clean, certain rooms are on the verge of the abandonment. Some cocks walk in the camp because the boxers are passionate persons of fight of cock. They raise about ten fighting cocks in the camp.
Certain boxers sleep here, the others live close and come in motorcycle to train everything in daytime. They are a dozen to walk on the boxing ring in everyday life, for the greater part rather young, they have between 13 and 17 years. Three trainers who supervise these nakmuays are very competent but often party in the evening. In the morning, it is sometimes a little bit hard to hold paos to the fighters. But they are always present and with the smile. In this camp trainers as well as boxers are very welcoming. In spite of very hard trainings in hard conditions, there is always a good atmosphere in Sit O Gym. We bicker, we laugh by looking at the son of Palungpol, who in only three years already threads the pair of shorts to hit on paos. The son of the star of the camp has to be a born of fighter!
But in period of fight, that does not laugh any more, a redoubtable training begins at the crack of dawn with a 10 km jogging. The boxers make then five rounds of bags, then without time of recuperation they pass in paos. Here the rounds are of 4 minutes, every fighter will make seven rounds, on the eve of a fight, they can make until 10 rounds!
The end of session is always ended with the clinch, 30 minutes at least. Some nakmuays makes then of the rope or skipping about on tyres to eliminate toxin, very well after an intensive training…
After noon, the same torture is imposed on the boxers with more a testing heat. The training begins only at 4:30 pm to finish at about 7 pm. Indeed, to Buriram the temperature often reaches 40 degrees in the beginning of after noon!
In this camp, great champions trained as Fasuchon Sit O, Thailand champion in 1999, 2000 and 2001, Lumpinee champion in 2001 which was elected « Best fighter of the year » in 2000, Nontachai Sit O, Radja Champion in 2007 which fought a lot abroad because he weighs 70 kg. And Jomthong Chuwattana (World champion WBC, Three times Radja Champion) who is at presents one of better boxers of the Thai circuit. Jomthong stayed four years in Sit O Gym before going to the camp Chuwattana to Bangkok.
At the moment the champions of the camp are Palungpol Piriyanoppachai(Radja Champion in 105 and 108 lbs, Lumpinee Champion in 105 lbs), at present N°1 of Lumpinee and N° 2 of Radja in 112 lbs, Kaimukkhao(White Pearl) Sit O (Radja Champion in 126 lbs) at present N° 2 of Radja and Kaimukdam (Black Pearl) Sit O (Radja Champion in 115 lbs) at present N° 4 of Radja. Although they are in the camp Sit O in Buriram, this nakmuays carries as fighter’s name the Chuwattana Gym of Bangkok. Because they were bought by the promoter Chujarean Raveearamwong who is the boss of the camp Chuwattana. The manager of the Sit O, Narongsak Mahakasuwan, works so permanently with Chuwattana Gym. As most of the boxers of this camp fight very often in the stadium of Radja some also fight for Songchai Rattanasuban, the other big promoter of the Radja.
Several foreigners already came to train here but not for long period. It is necessary to count 300 – 400 bahts for two daily trainings without the accommodation of course. The hotels of Buriram will be more comfortable than the rooms of the camp. ‘Farangs’ is welcome in this fimeuu camp (technique) but what they do not expect the luxury, here we are in the heart of Isaan, the camp is just like the region, very rough…
