Muay Thai or Muaythai (, , ), sometimes referred to as Thai boxing, the Art of Eight LimbsMillman, Chad and Liddell, Chuck. (2014). Iceman: My fighting life. New York, NY: New American Library. p. 46. "Muay Thai is the original form of kickboxing and allows competitors to strike from eight different points: the hands, elbows, legs (shins and knees), and feet. It's actually called the Art of Eight Limbs." Loong, Lionel Loh Han. (2016). "Sensory Discussion," The Body and Senses in Martial Culture. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan; Spring Nature. p. 73. "Muay Thai, often affectionately known as the art of eight limbs, calls upon neophytes to reconceptualise the way they view their own bodies. As fighters utilise particular Muay." Lewandowski, Joseph D. (2021). "Outline of a constraint theory of sport," On Boxing Critical Interventions in the Bittersweet Science. London: Routledge. Note 3. Mcneely, Scott. (2012). Ultimate Book of Sports: The Essential Collection of Rules, Stats, and Trivia for over 250 Sports. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books. p. 127. or the Science of Eight Limbs,García, Raul Sanchez and Spencer, Dale C. (2013). "Authenticity, Muay Thai and Habitus," Fighting Scholars: Habitus and Ethnographies of Martial Arts and Combat Sports. London; New York, NY: Anthem Press (Wimbledon Publishing Company). p. 175. is a Thai martial art and full-contact combat sport that uses stand-up striking, sweeps, and various clinching techniques.– – – – The name "Art of Eight Limbs" refers to the combined use of fists, elbows, knees and shins. Muay Thai became widespread internationally in the late 20th to 21st century, when Westernised practitioners from Thailand began competing in kickboxing and mixed-rules matches as well as matches under Muay Thai rules around the world. The professional league is governed by the Professional Boxing Association of Thailand, sanctioned by the Sports Authority of Thailand.
Muay Thai is related to other martial art styles of the Indian cultural sphere such as Musti-yuddha,Sarao, K.T.S. "Contacts between Ancient India and Southeast Asia," in Chakrabarti, Dilip K. (2023). History of Ancient India Vol. XI: Ancient India's Interrelations with the World (Southeast, East, Central and West Asia, the Eastern Coast of Africa, and the Mediterranean world). New Delhi: Vivekananda International Foundation and Aryan Books International. p. 2. "Muay Thai, the art of eight limbs, which is also known as Thai Boxing and is a combat sport in Thailand, is the Thai version of the Brāhmaṇical-Hindu Musti-yuddha style of martial art." Muay Chaiya, Muay Boran, Muay Lao, Lethwei, Kun Khmer, Benjang and Tomoi. A practitioner of Muay Thai is known as a Nak Muay. Western practitioners in Thailand are sometimes called Nak Muay Farang, meaning "foreign boxer".
Etymology The term Muay Thai is a Thai termGrossman, N. (2009). "Glossary: Muay Thai", Chronicle of Thailand Headline News Since 1946. Singapore: Editions Didier Millet. p. 421. that is a compound word made up of two basic words; muay and Thai. The term muay is derived from the Sanskrit root wordWilliams, M. (1899). Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English dictionary. p. 1,072. Böhtlingk, O. N., and Roth, W. R. (1865). Sanskrit-Wörterbuch: Heraushegeben von der Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften. St. Petersburg: Vierter Thiel. p. 383. Liamputtong, P., La Trobe University Australia. (2014). Contemporary Socio-Cultural and Political Perspectives in Thailand. New York: Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht. p. 242. mavya, which means "to pull together," "to form into a single group or unit," or "unity."Prayukvong, Kat; Junlakan, Lesley D. (2001). Muay Thai: A Living Legacy. Bangkok: Spry Pub. p. 16. "Even the derivation of the term muay itself is unclear. According to one school of thought it comes from the Sanskrit mavya, meaning "to pull together". as in pulling hair into a pony-tail, "to form into a single group or unit", or "unity"." It is defined as "to tie"Bowonbannarak (Niyom Rakthai), Luang (1926). Sansakrit-Thai-Angkrit Aphithan [Glossary of Sansakrit-Thai-English] สํสกฤต-ไท-อังกฤษ อภิธาน (in Thai). Phra Nakhon [Bangkok]: Rongphim Thai. p. 915. "มวฺย. ธ. ผูก; to tie." and "sport boxing"Haas, Mary Rosamond; Grekoff, George V.; Mendiones, Ruchira C.; Buddhari, Waiwit; Cooke, Joseph R.; Egerod, Soren C. (1964). Thai-English Student's Dictionary. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. p. 393. "มวย ๑ muaj' N sport boxing. นัก - - boxer. ชกมวย chógmuaj' V to box. ต่อยมวย tɔ̀jmuaj' V to box. [sic]" in Thai. The alternative form of the Sanskrit word mavya is mavy (mavyati), () from its root term mav.Dikshita, Bhattoji; Vasu, Srisa Chandra (trans.) (2014). The Siddhānta Kaumudī of Bhaṭṭojī Dīkṣita Vol. II [The Sanskrit Grammar of Bhattoji Dikshita]. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers. p. 151. Wilson, Horace Hayman (1832). A Dictionary in Sanscrit and English Translated, Amended and Enlarged from an Original Compilation, Prepared by Learned Natives for the College of Fort William (2nd ed.). Calcutta: The Education Press. p. 647. () The term Thai comes from the word Tai, means "free" and "Tai-Kadai speakers."
The term Muay Thai is successor of the term Ram Mut Ram MuayLawniczak, L. "Historical Basis And Evolution Thai Martial Arts – Muay Thai And Krabi-krabong (Up To The 20th Century); Historyczne Podstawy I Ewolucja Tajskich Sztuk Walki – Muay Thai I Krabi-Krabong (Do XX W.) (in Polish)", Gdanskie Studia Azji Wschodniej 3(2013):140. Cusick, P. (2013). "Genesis of A Global Fighting Art", Muay Thai Lords of the Ring: World Champions and Greatest Heroes The Chronicles of Muay Thai from Ancient Battlefields to 21st Century Warriors. [n.p.]: Booksmango. p. 15. () since the reign of King Rama II (1809–1824), and has thus entered into the global vocabulary.Bolton, K., Botha, W., and Kirkpatrick, A. (2020). The Handbook of Asian Englishes. Hobokem, NJ: John & Wiley & Sons, Inc. p. 637.
The oldest text of the term Muay ever recorded is found in the palm-leaf manuscripts in Northern Thai language called Mungrai Law 1839 BE, enacted 1296 AD. The pronunciation of the word Muay existed in Thai people since prior Nanzhao period (738–902 AD) said in The History of Muay Thai by The Institute of the Art of Muay Thai, Department of Physical Education National Stadium of Thailand (DPE).
The historical term Tha Nai Lueak (, ), meaning "Nak Muay for the King's guard, the name of division to be in charge of Nak Muay."Ploinoi, S. "Archaeological Knowledge Tips of Boxing Division by Sombat Plainoi (National artist of Literature) เกร็ดโบราณคดี เรื่อง กรมนักมวย โดย ส.พลายน้อย (ศิลปินแห่งชาติ สาขาวรรณศิลป์) (in Thai)", Warasarn Wattanatham, 8(1968):36. Kritphet, T., Thai Studies Center, Chulalongkorn University Thailand. (1994). The Development of Gymnastics in Thailand during 2325-2525 BE พัฒนาการของพลศึกษาในประเทศเทศไทยระหว่าง พ.ศ. 2325-2525 (in Thai). Bangkok: Chulalongkorn University. p. 37. The term was adopted in the Law of the Military and Provincial Hierarchy 1998 BE since 1455, during the reign of King Borommatrailokkanat, and repealed during the reign (1851–1868) of King Mongkut.
Variant names The term Muay Thai is also written in various languages, including ,Hetmańska, Aurelia Red (2011). "TABL. 11 (158). ĆWICZĄCY I KADRA SZKOLENIOWA W KLUBACH SPORTOWYCH (cd.)," Rocznik statystyczny województwa śla̦skiego ["TABLE 11 (158). TRAINERS AND TRAINING STAFF IN SPORTS CLUBS (continued)," Statistical yearbook of the Silesian Voivodeship] (in Polish). Katowice: The Poland Statistical Office. p. 255. Boks tajski (Muay Thai)............... Muay Thai" ,Bergemann, Karl W. (2018). Das Wörterbuch Schwedisch-Deutsch / Deutsch-Schwedisch 28.000 Stichwörter [The Swedish-German / German-Swedish Dictionary: 28,000 Entries] (ebook) (in German). [S.l.]: Benjamin Maximilian Eisenhauer. para 7. "thaiboxning -- Muay Thai" ,Bergemann, Karl W. (2018). Das Wörterbuch Finnisch-Deutsch / Deutsch-Finnisch: 42.000 Stichwörter [The Finnish-German / German-Finnish Dictionary: 42,000 Entries] (ebook) (in German). [S.l.]: Karl W. Bergemann. para 5. "thainyrkkeily -- Muay Thai"Eisenhauer, Benjamin Maximilian (2022). The Great Dictionary English - Finnish 80.000 Entries. [S.l.]: Benjamin Maximilian Eisenhauer. para 11. "Muay Thai [/mu:el 'taI/] { noun } thainyrkkeily" ,Eisenhauer, Benjamin Maximilian (2022). The Great Dictionary English - Russian: 60.000 Entries. [S.l.]: Benjamin Maximilian Eisenhauer. para 11. "Muay Thai [/mu:el 'taI/] { noun } муай - тай" ,Gwon, Seokmu (2020). Taeguk ui hon, Mue Tai [The soul of Thailand, Muay Thai] 태국의 혼, 무에타이 (in Korean). Seoul: Pubple. p. 24. ,Otagaki, Haruko; Ishikawa, Tomoko (2009). Tai: Taigo + nihongo eigo [Thailand: Thai + Japanese ・English] タイ : タイ語+日本語・英語 (in Japanese). Tokyo: JTB Publishing. p. 72. and .Newton, Anna; Jue, Hou Jia (2023). Zhi gan sheng huo bian ji shu : rang 48 wan fen si xin ren de an na zhu bian, yi dian yi di chuang zao ni de li xiang ren sheng [The Art of Quality Living: Anna, the editor-in-chief trusted by 480,000 followers, helps you create your ideal life step by step.] 質感生活編輯術: 讓48萬粉絲信任的安娜主編， 一點一滴創造你的理想人生 (in Chinese). Teipei: Daejeon Publishing. para 2. "泰拳( MUAY THAI )"
History 7th century
The earliest origin of Muay Thai dates back to the 657 AD Haripuñjaya period of a hermit named Sukatanata who established his school of liberal and martial arts consisting of Muay Thai, which will be mentioned in order of history compiled officially by The Institute of the Art of Muay Thai, Department of Physical Education National Stadium of Thailand (DPE).
From 738 AD in the Nanzhao period. Muay Thai had been trained from variant movements of dance; Fon jerng or jerng means "tactics" or "finesse",Mianlamai, Soonyata and Mongkolrat, Tayud. (2022, 25 October). "Jerng: The Martial Art of Northern Thailand." Thailand Foundation. Retrieved 26 January 2025. () included weapons and bare hands, showing the art of men's fighting, which is similar to Lei tai due to the war engagement with China for a long time. It is said to be the earliest stage of Thai people forming, and Muay Thai had been training for generations along the Fon jerng dance. The Fon jerng also became one of the recreational Thai classical dances in Northern Thailand, existing nowadays.
10th century
After the Northern Thai people, led by King Lavachakkaraj, who ruled the town of Fang () (now Uttaradit province, Thailand), founded the Singhanavati Kingdom, known as Yonoknakhon (757–1188), they continued to expand their territory by seizing and establishing kingdoms, such as the Lan Na Kingdom, Phayao Kingdom, Haripuñjaya, and Lampang.
From 947 AD onward, they conquered various ethnic groups, including the Khom ethnic groups, aboriginal Siamese (known as Siam-asli, Saimi-mandala,Sirgar, D.C. (1971). "Puranic List of Rivers," Studies in the Geography of Ancient and Medieval India. (2nd ed.). Delhi; Varanasi; Patna: Motilal Banarsidass; Shri Jainendra Press. p. 66. Siamese Lavo, Xiān, or Siam at that time), and Mon-Khmer in the upper part of the Chao Phraya River basin, using their martial arts skills (Muay). The Tai people then moved down northwest and successfully established the Sukhothai Kingdom (1238–1438) under the rule of King Si Inthrathit, who was a descendant of King Phrom, a descendant of the Singhanavati Dynasty (King Lavachakkaraj). This is mentioned in the folklore, the Legend of Singhanavati.