For The Silk Road Kung Fu Friendship Tour Part 39, click here.

Those who have followed the Silk Road Kung Fu Friendship Tour series know this writer always tries to find, interview, photograph, and now video the masters of the local martial arts and explore the cultural substructures of their belief systems wherever I am. In this article is an ultra-brief introduction to Thai Folklore, a visit to a Traditional Chinese style school with a courtyard for Tai Chi and Qigong, interview with Thai Kru Cho about the traditional Thai weapons-based fighting art called Krabi-Krabong including history, philosophy, meditation and tigers, and visits to Muay Thai stadiums and schools.

Thai Folklore

The wisdom of a group is distilled within its histories, legends, myths, dance, martial arts and other major and minor forms of culture. To understand a culture, one must appreciate its heroes and villains, human or otherwise. In South Asia, one might want to read the Pannasa Jataka, an extraordinary collection of Buddhist allegorical tales beloved and revered in Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia. Today’s most common Thai collection of Paññāsa Jātaka has 61 tales. They tell the stories of the previous incarnations of the Buddha with each story carrying a moral message rather like Aesop’s Tales, except telling totally different stories. Self-discipline, sacrifice and devotion to parents are major themes. Usually referred to simply as the Jataka, these are artfully woven through many family, village and regions’ languages and cultures, and considered sacred books to some or many in Southeast Asia. There is plenty of action and powerful philosophies in those stories.

We encounter powerful classic folklore everywhere along the Silk Roads including our interview with Thai traditional weapons master Kru Cho December 14, 2022. But first a perfectly lovely and relaxing traditional courtyard Tai Chi and Qigong school in Chiang Mai tucked away in a small picturesque winding lane in the Old City.

Seventh Generation Tai Chi & Qigong Family School of Chiang Mai

December 7, 2022, about 11AM: The courtyard school is so peaceful and usually there is one teacher teaching one or two students in the courtyard with very, very soft flute music in the background. There is an outdoor yard too, steeped in age, tradition, and tranquility.

A search for oldest Taiji & Qigong school in Chiang Mai revealed one, the 7th Generation family of Master Jade, who usually prefers to be called “Jade.” I first visited November 26, and finally met him Thursday December 7.  He is a very powerful looking young man, friendly and easy going. We chatted briefly, then he had a class to teach.On google maps, the school is called “Tai Chi & Qi Gong Chiang Mai” and it has a good internet site.  On an earlier visit, I met and videoed Julie, the oldest of this Taiji and Qigong generation of siblings, during the Master’s break from teaching students Klaus Forster and his lovely wife Komang.

During break I briefly interviewed Shifu Julia and found she is the oldest of the three siblings, is married, has a couple of young children, and teaches primarily Qigong. Their father came from China to Thailand. Her brother Jade usually teaches the Tai Chi and weapons, I was told.

She shares with her siblings the inheritance of six generations of Tai Chi and Qigong learning and teaching experience originated in Tibet and Mongolia. They, along with senior students alternate teaching at the school. With permission I asked their students why they studied Qigong and Taiji. The answers were firstly, health and second, healing. Chiang Mai and this school are the right place for that. A short video of their class is here.

Small outdoor restaurants and cafes can be found all over Chiang Mai, so making new friends is 24/7 easy as it’s a festive but relaxed atmosphere. Every little local area however has its own unique blend of cultural characteristics and though half the foreigners around are tourists, the other half live here so learning about what’s going on is easy as can be.

However, when you are assaulted by an exceptionably large three-headed ogre with formidable windmill punches, the best thing to do might be look for a weapon.

Krabi-Krabong Traditional Weapons Training, Chiang Mai and Chaiya

Krabi-Krabong is a general label for a large group of truly ancient traditional weapons training martial arts in Thailand. Unarmed Muay Boran and Muay Thai are descendent unarmed martial arts. This fits historical world-wide trends given inter-tribal fighting almost always involved weapons, if not at the inception, very soon afterwards. Grandmaster Liu in Hainan in Part 36 of this series said the same thing: Weapons are always first.

Chiang Mai is in northeast Thailand. It was the capital of Lanna Empire and has its own interrelated branches of Krabi-Krabong but others are welcome.

Surat Thani and Chaya

Surat Thani is the name of a city and province in South Thailand. It has prehistoric roots going back millennia and was historically occupied by the Semang (known for being extraordinarily peaceful people and descendant of the hunter-gatherer Orang Asli) and Malays. It was officially founded in the 3rd Century and most believe was the regional capital during the Srivijaya period (c. 671–1288).

After the fall of Srivijaya, it was called Chaiya, now a district in Surat Thani city and province. Chaiya went on to become home to one of Thailand’s three most famous branches of Krabi-Krabong. Its history with earlier Siamese and more modern Thai martial tradition is well-known around Thailand.

December 14, 2022: Meeting young Krabi-Krabong Kru (Master) Cho

I hopped on my bike and rode about four kilometers to Master Cho’s backyard school. After introductions he kindly escorted me to a yard behind the house and we sat and chatted for a while so I could get up to speed with him and his arts which were mostly a mystery to me. I learned his given name is Chanuphon Yodsamai and he’s usually called “Kru Cho,” with “Kru” meaning teacher or master, and “Cho” he explained, meaning “bright,” in Thai.

Next, I asked Kru Cho about his master. “Who was he? Where from?” His master, Kru Praeng is a highly respected Krabi-Krabong master known all around Thailand. His school had a great website at the time of interview, however is under reconstruction now. https://muaychaiya.com

Kru Cho said he started learning the traditional Thai weapons art Krabi-Krabong at age 23. Though looking about age 30ish, he’s now 42 and so has studied these martial arts nearly half of his life. Because of personal and family background very near to Chaya District in Surat Thani city and province in the South of Thailand, learning Krabi Krabong for him was learning the legacy of his forefathers. His father learned Muay Thai, but not Muay Boran or Krabi-Krabong. Kru Cho became aware he wanted to learn Krabi Krabong reading histories of the art Krabi Krabong, combined with the legacy of his home town area. He then started his formal education in those arts at age 23. He wisely chose a great teacher, Kru Praeng now in Bangkok.

Kru Cho demonstrated for me a weapons form using two wooden swords, and then demonstrated the unarmed version. They were very similar forms, except the unarmed versions kept the elbows a bit closer to the body maybe and the whole upper body part of the form was “tighter,” however, the stances and steps, and upper body essential details otherwise were exactly the same as far as I could tell.

Kru Cho told the following story explaining some of the history of his hometown area.

Some Chaiya Muay history

In the early 1900s, one of King Chulalongkorn’s sons died. (I researched this and found out the king had 92 consorts and 77 surviving children until that point.) As part of funeral ceremonies, H.E.  King Chulalongkorn ordered his officers to gather the best fighters from all around the kingdom to compete in a championship.

Three fighters reigned supreme and were granted titles of “Muen” to further improve Muay kick boxing. The chosen fighters coming from different regions within the kingdom had somewhat different styles, and from them grew Lopburi, Khorat, and Chaiya Muay fighting styles. Other varieties survived, and more developed over time. But those three styles were the originals recognized under the Muay Boran banner.

Krabi-Krabong forms encoded in dance

I asked Kru Cho about routines or forms (Taolu in Chinese, Kata in Japanese, Poomse in Korean) and he said: “Forms are for training not for combat.” He went on to explain and demonstrate how the “forms” of armed Krabi-Krabong are also practiced and performed as dance. It was remarkable to see him demonstrate even briefly how a sword form can transform, without really changing, into a Thai traditional dance.

Differentiating Krabi-Krabong styles

Coach Cho explained an experienced Krabi-Krabong master can differentiate between different styles of Krabi-Krabong by their movements and by the rope they wrap around their hands and wrists for some competitions.

He told a story about meeting a man who said he was from Lampam with his hands and wrists wrapped in competition ropes. Kru Cho said he knew Lampam fighters don’t use rope (as hand wraps).

Q: Does Krabi-Krabong incorporate low stances like Pencak Silat in Indonesia and Malaysia and more southern styles of Chinese Wushu Kung Fu?

A: “Sometimes yes,” he answered.

I asked if he trained on earth & grass or cement when he was a child. “Earth and grass” he said. 

Fighting on earth wider and even very low wider stances can have advantages due to greater stability and traction, smaller more distant target, and it can strike from any combination of directions at any level of the opponent with any single or combination series of attacks so quickly the eye hopefully can’t see or brain respond in time to defend against it/them. Though, low stances do not appear to be a prominent part of Krabi-Krabong today from what I have seen, that may be very different in other southern regions of Thailand.

Krabi-Krabong masters must have a very high level of control to ensure they win without hurting the opponent regardless of regional variation, given it is a weapons art. He also mentioned Krabi Krabong styles have not changed in two or three hundred years at least.

Spending time in Thailand, its obvious Thai physiques vary widely in terms of height and weight, with skin tones spanning the rainbow and the only correct description of Thais is “quite diverse,” which appears reflected in Krabi-Krabong’s wide range of styles.

Buddhist Principles adhered to by Krabi-Krabong Masters

Kru Cho mentioned five Buddhist Principals, with the first sounding something like: “Biet Bien,” which means “don’t hurt or kill.” He also mentioned: “Can stop mouth from speaking” as part of that First Principle, rule, or law. The list of five rules he recited was: No kill, lie, steal, wrong woman, drinking and loss of control. He mentioned monks have 200 rules to follow.

“No hurt, no kill” does sound like an excellent first law. One must remember this is a collection of interrelated arts and philosophies of ancient and widespread roots designed to keep the peace, promote civil society and defend the Kingdom and innocent. He mentioned the First Principal like this: “Must protect the nation, but don’t hurt, don’t kill. If you do, something bad will come.” I assured him I agree completely. Thailand has a remarkable history of diplomacy.

Krabi Krabong, Meditation and Tigers

Kru Cho also spoke about the importance of meditation in Krabi-Krabong and I asked him if he preferred meditating with nature in front, a wall, mandala or something else. He said nature. He also said “Martial arts open the eye to meditation.” Then he told an amazing short story about tigers: “With a tiger, if you sleep, he kill. If run, he kill. If sitting (in meditation) he (will) not kill.” “Meditation is a gift,” he added. He also mentioned some groups’ belief in “letting go of,” (silencing) the inner dialogue/thinking as meditation. There are studies on mediation reporting heightened sensory perceptions and attention span, lowered blood pressure and so on.

Thai Tigers are nearing extinction

A 2021 article on “Thailand's forgotten tigers: assessment of the Indochinese tiger Panthera tigris corbetti,” published by Cambridge University Press found that “Dramatic population declines threaten the Endangered Indochinese tiger Panthera tigris corbetti with extinction.”

Sequence of weapons training and “spirits”

The weapons training of Krabi-Krabong begins with staff art. Some students and masters emphasize different weapons, though using two swords is popular and there are choices of long and short swords. The swords he trained with resembled Japanese bokken hardwood swords.

Within Krabi-Krabong there are at least 20 major kinds of weapons, he said. The last stage of training is unarmed fighting. “Are those weapons similar to the 18 classic Shaolin weapons?” “Most, yes, some are very different,” he added.

I asked about beliefs in the magical powers of some weapons, and he answered: “Thai weapons spirits some people believe are white and black. Maybe some black style people put hair and maybe bone inside the sword handle and bury it for some time. I don’t do that. White only – Buddha only. I don’t want people to be hurt.”

Thai Traditional Medicine

We briefly discussed traditional Thai medicine. He pointed to a Guava tree and said the leaf was bitter but contains good medicine for many things including mosquito bites. I looked up Guava leaf and found among other things, it’s an anticoagulant assisting in wound healing. He then disappeared around the corner of his house for a moment and presented me with five fresh Guava leaves that he had rinsed.  Also good for breath freshening, he invited me to try a taste and indeed it was agreeable enough.

Brief discussion of movies

He mentioned Jackie Chan invented a drunken monkey style for Kung Fu, and Tony Jaa invented a new Muay Thai drunken monkey for the Ong Bak movies as well.

Our discussion/interview lasted about an hour. His two children played quietly alongside the training courtyard during his demonstrations and parts of our interview.

Kru Cho visit conclusions

I took a short video while Kru Cho performed a Chaya Krabi Krabong sword routine and it can be seen here and here. He appears an extraordinarily talented and well-educated young master representing and transplanting his Kru Praeng’s branch of the ancient Southern Thai Chaya Krabi-Krabong Thai weapons arts here in the northwest of Thailand in Chiang Mai, former capital of the Lanna Dynasty. Kru Cho also previously taught in Phuket for some years. Many thanks to Kru Cho who was a very gracious host, conversationalist and teacher about the profoundly deep, broad-based, powerful and gentle nature of Krabi-Krabong during my visit. 

Muay Thai Stadiums in Chiang Mai Chiang Mai has four best known Muay Thai Stadiums,

1) Thapae Boxing Stadium Due possibly to its central location almost directly across from Thapae Gate (East Gate of the Old City) Thapae Stadium usually gets the most visitors. They also highly trained and strong young professional male and female fighters. The “Friday Night Fights” I went to January 6, 2023 were very professionally organized and the corner people were some of the best I’ve ever seen. The first two fights ended quickly in KOs so they were not fooling around.

2) Loi Kroh Boxing Stadium with a wide variety of pool halls and beer bars all around, Professional fights at Loi Kro Stadium are likely to be lively events whatever happens. In any case, the fighters were excellent and decisions generally on the mark.

3) Chiang Mai Boxing Stadium is reported by some to be the most professional of the Muay Thai competition arenas around the city and

4) Kalare Boxing Stadium organized by Fairtex Fight Chiang Mai a five-minute walk from Halal Street.

Videos by the Silk Road Kung Fu Nomad about Thaphae Boxing Stadium can be found here: YouTube I and II/ TikTok / Silk Road Kung Fu (SRKF) Friendship Tour internet site.

Similarly, videos about a visit to Loi Kroh Boxing Stadium can be found here: YouTube / TikTok, and SRKF internet site.

Both ran well managed professional looking bouts with very good care for the contestants.

Visit to Taywin Muay Thai School in the Old Town

Dec. 15, 2022: Biking around between the Ping River and Old Town I caught glimpse of a Muay Thai  school in a row of shops alongside the road. Walking in I met Kru Taywin a seasoned and accomplished Muay Thai international fighter and Kru (master, teacher, coach). More than just a local pro fighter, Kru Taywin lived outside Thailand for longer periods like years for example in New York and mentioned “CT Combat.” Being in his mid-fifties, and this being Chiang Mai, I wasn’t too surprised to find a 70sh subtheme in his school, including reggae as part of its musical subtheme. Given his personal career as a competition fighter, and decades of working as a Certified Kru, he probably knows every trick in the book and then some. Also, on his CV he studied Animal Science at Mei Zhon University, and has several large, framed certificates from national level organizations on one wall of his school.

The first time I stopped by was early afternoon and students had not yet shown up. The second time I visited, Dec. 29, he was training what appeared a well-experienced and unquestionably very strong Muay Thai student named Osher. Many thanks to both for permitting me to photograph and video their enthusiastic training session.

Master Taywin appears a highly experienced international competition Kru enjoying life in an environment he likes while passing on traditional Muay Thai training to visitors and residents alike. On Google maps he’s “Taywin Muay Thai.”

Other Muay Thai gyms I visited included: Chiang Mai Muay Thai Gym, and A Class at Dang Muay Thai.

The following are top ranked:

1. Buakaw Banchamek Village

2. Santai Muay Thai

3. Hong Thong Muay Thai

4. Boon Lanna Muay Thai Gym (AKA Kiatbusaba, said to be one of the oldest gyms in Chiang Mai Province.)

5. Chiangmai Muay Thai Gym

There are many Muay Thai clubs with pro fighters in Chiang Mai.

I was surprised there is no Sanda here that I could find, maybe because Muay Thai is not just a sport here, it’s one of very few very special spiritual rites of passage for so many young men and women that can have a powerful influence on their futures. Win or lose, they are considered a winner in almost all cases for the discipline and courage to try.

In Chiang Mai there are about 20 or Taekwondo schools, Kaizen Jiu Jitsu, Chiang Mai Fencing Club, Lanna Kendo Club, and so on, which for a multi-martial-art-maniac like me, is just about perfect. But alas, never enough time to explore so much.

At the end of the day, be so happy you took some classes at a Thai cooking school or two

Some commercial travel sites (like tripadvisor.com) have good lists of Thai cooking schools in Chiang Mai with descriptions. This nomad found one by accident called “Coconut Shell Cookery School,” and after one bowl of Kao Soi, knew it was the real McCoy.

Near my apartment at that time was also the “Thai Akha Kitchen - Chiang Mai” with food from Eden I also bumped into by accident. They also have a rather unusual minority story.

Armed with the secret knowledge of ancient and modern Thai cooking, finding, and keeping a good partner and/or vital role in any society should be easy. Add Kung Fu skill and one becomes the rarest of gems.

Chiang Mai Part III - What’s next?

The ridiculous thing is I know I have just scratched the surface here. Part 41 of this series is a bit unusual because if focuses mostly on Thai, Chinese, other alternative and complementary medicines, and their clinics here in Chiang Mai, including a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) pharmacy with an unusual name, splendid old Shanghai atmosphere and impressive Master (Zhōng​yī) of Chinese herbal medicines (zhōng​yào, Caoyao) and a marvelous traditional wholesale herbal/plant-based medicine shop unchanged from ancient Silk Road days.

Details of the next stop on the Silk Road Kung Fu Friendship Tour are being researched and mapped. But today I must do laundry, rare gem or not.