Muay Tu reporter Phonchai Udomsomphon did not quite get the unconventional payroll method of Lumpini Stadium.

As the stadium has a tradition of having reporters as official witnesses to its muaythai bouts, Phonchai was asked to sit for the muaythai light flyweight title bout of Fahrungrueng Sor Poonsawat and Mutu Kaiyanghadao Gym on July 21.

He might have done it before at Ratchadamnern, but this was his first time with Lumpini. The man had no clue the stadium prefers to slip the 2,000-Baht pay in the program leaflet, rather than handing it out directly to the reporters like Ratchadamnern would.

Thailand has secured at least five medals in muaythai at the first Asian Martial Arts Games, as four Thai female athletes and one male have received quarterfinal spots through lucky draws.

Muaythai, or “muay”, is one of the nine sports being competed at the Martial Arts Games, held in Bangkok and Suphanburi in Thailand on August 2-7. The sport sees competitions by 100 athletes from 19 nations, according to Sakchai Tapsuwan, chairman of the Amateur Muaythai Association of Thailand (AMAT).

Mr. Sakchai said although host country Thailand is expected to be the top powerhouse in the 16-event sport, China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and South Korea are considered fierce contenders in the sport as well.

Thai muaythai fighters who are working overseas are finally getting proper permits from the Thai government for their jobs, which will provide them some security and legal protection, says a Thai MP.

Samart Malulim, deputy president of the tourism and sports board of the House of Representatives, said he had a meeting with Department of Skill Development Director-General Nakorn Silpa-archa on July 30 and told him of the illegal status of the fighters due to the lack of proper work permits from the government, while Mr. Nakorn has agreed to grant the permits for the fighters.

Athens Games silver medalist bantamweight boxer Worapoj Petchkhoom, who has caused a stir in his home country Thailand for appearing nearly naked on the cover of a gay magazine, says the images are considered “sporty” rather than obscene, while the Thai amateur boxing chief General Taweep Jantararoj says he will conduct an inquiry session on the matter as national athletes are supposed to uphold good image.

Worapoj said he thinks his scantily-clad images in the gay magazine STAGE, including the one on the cover, are “sporty” and not obscene, and he did not think it was a serious matter when he agreed to model for his friend at the magazine.

“It is just a magazine. They wanted images that show aspects of the sport, so I went to the shooting. And I did not show my manhood or anything, it is just muscles and biceps, which I consider quite sporty,” said the boxer.

The first Asian Martial Arts Games starts in Thailand today with the opening ceremony this evening that will feature martial arts star Tony Jaa as the flame lighter.

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn will preside over the ceremony at the Huamark Indoor Stadium in Bangkok at 6.00 p.m. today and will be greeted by many important officials including Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silpa-archa, and Vice-President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Timothy Fox.

The event will be live broadcasted in Thailand by the Channel 11 network for about one and a half hour. It will feature three shows, namely “games of spirit”, “land of smiles”, and “flame of art”, which will be carried out by more than 500 performers as well as Thai rock singer Yuenyong Opakul, better known as "Aed Carabao" in his home country.

Muaythai is now offered as a university degree in Thailand with the first batch of students filled with well-known figures in the sport including fighter Anuwat Kaewsamrit.

Muban Chombueng Rajabhat University in the central Thai province of Ratchaburi is reportedly the only higher education institution in the world that offers degree programs in “Muaythai study” from Bachelor’s to PhD levels. The program is conducted in the English Language and includes theoretical study and practice, as well as language training.

One of its first Bachelor’s classes has about 30 students, some of whom are well-known muaythai figures in Thailand like former Lumpini champion Anuwat, former Lumpini and Ratchadamnern champion Charnchai Sor Thamarangsee, current Ratchadamnern title holder Diesellek King’s Boxing, and Kaewsamrit gym’s manager Srimuang Singsuanngeun and his wife Jiraporn Chantip, who is often known as “Big Sister Ouy” by fighters.

Chomthong Chuwattana will fight Nong O Sit O in the highlight match of the much-anticipated cross-stadium event in Bangkok on August 6, while the controversial fighter Thong Lukmakhamwan has been removed from the bout list.

The August 6 event at will pit visiting fighters from Lumpini Stadium against their counterparts from home stadium Ratchadamnern, as a sequel to the successful cross-stadium event on July 3 but with the two stadiums taking reverse roles as host and visitor.

A number of bouts are planned for the matches including the fights of many top fighters from the two rival stadiums, but the highlight match will be that of Ratchadamnern’s Chomthong and Lumpini’s Nong O.

Muaythai legend Saenchai Sor Kingstar says he may quit fighting in his home country Thailand at the end of this year, believing he will not be able to find fighters “in this era” who can withstand him in the ring.

Saenchai, who holds at least five national champion titles, is practically unbeatable and often has to agree to fight opponents who are much heavier. In his latest fight, he defeated two top fighters of the prestigious Ratchadamnern Stadium, Petchboonchu F.A. Group and Saketdao Petphayathai, in “the two vs. one bout” on July 3.

“Recently, I have been thinking that I should stop fighting in Thailand and only look to fight overseas, because I probably have no opponents left [in the country] in this era.”

Promoter Chuwong Rawee-aramwong is reportedly upset with the organizer’s decision to pick his fighter Thong Lookmakhamwan for the much-anticipated cross-stadium event next month.

Thong was initially proposed as a candidate for the sequel to the popular Lumpini-Ratchadamnern event that will be held in early August, but chief organizer the famed Songchai Ratanasuban ignored him in favor of having Rungruenglek Lookmakhamwan fight with Pakorn Sakyothin as the highlight match, said muaythai columnist Singdong.

However, the planned match ran into weight issues and Songchai decided to replace Rungruenglek with Thong, which upset his promoter Chuwong, who proceeded to make demand that Songchai must remove the match of his another top fighter, Chomthong Chuwattana, in order to have Thong.

Thailand’s amateur boxing chief General Taweep Jantararoj says he would support the decision of two-time Olympic medalist Manus Boonjumnong and his younger brother Non to leave the national boxing squad to turn professional. 

Manus, who became the first Thai to win two Olympic medals after earning a gold from Athens in 2004 and a silver in Beijing in 2008, was cited by several newspapers as saying he has been considering whether to shift career to professional boxing,

In response, president of the Amateur Boxing Association of Thailand (ABAT) General Taweep said he would allow the brothers “to follow their dreams” if they made a proper request to leave the national squad.