hmm, i'm new here and just looking around I noticed that there's no topic on the khmer martial art badai serei, where Muay Thai orginated from. Does anybody know of this art?
well i'm going to start off like this. Muay Thai is actually a Cambodian martial art, known as badai serei, and also know as Muay khmer. Muay Thai only came out when the khmers were going through war for 30 years. Lives were more important than a martial art. Muay means number 1 in khmer. Don't be fooled otherwise, cause Muay in Thai has no meaning, it was given meaning cause of the American media wanted to know what it meant. If you were to win a fight what would be the best way to taunt the loser. Yelling at the loser and saying i'm number 1, and so this is were Muay Thai came from, meaning thai number 1. In the 6th century BC. a country was forming and was known as Kampuja, this would be the begining of the KHMER EMPIRE. The khmers were very fierce, smart and strong people. They had many different types of martial arts, and one of the strongest was badai serei, meaning freestyle fighting in khmer. The main purpose of badai serei was to kill you're enemy quick, the muay thai you people see is just the first phase of training. There are 5 phase in badai serei, the last 2 are weapons. The elbows, knees, and head was a main weapon, and body conditioning. These are the basic that you people train in. When phase 1 is mastered you move into phase 2. This consist of grappling and bone breaking techinques added with phase 1. e.g When you have a person in the forearm lock around his head. It was meant to hold the person to knee and control. But adding phase 2, you are trained to twist his neck and snap it. another example is when you are kneeing the person you later thrust you're foot aiming for the knee cap, you're purpose is to break it, so he wouldn't be able to stand or walk. Phase 3, this is the fuel that makes the khmers deadly. It's a psychological training. I only now bits of this, cause the gru (teachers in khmer, and there's only a few left in the world, I know of only 5, becuase of the khmer rouge regein) refuse to mention the secret. But the main purpose is to controll you're rage and unleash it at the enemy. Phase 4 and 5 are weapons related, and it's a whole new matrial art in its self. training with swords, stick fighting, bows, and spears. This is basicly how they achieved to become one of teh most feared race and becoming the KHMER EMPIRE in the 10th-14th century, even the chinese were scared. The KHMER EMPIRE spread out to the islands which is known as Indonesia, Burma, and the Philippines, they all have some form of khmer blood in them. Just look at there culture and fighting styles, it has changed because of island isolation but there are things that are still there that are khmer. The chinese were smart, they used the art of war against them. They sent spies to KHMER EMPIRE, later through the years more chinese moved in and eventually the country seperated and was called Siam (now known as Thailand). The khmer culture can still be seen, the foods, the written language, art, etc. It's all from the khmer people. Later through the centuries, Siam broke up and became Laos. That's why they speak in the same tongue. Muay Thai is Khmer and the proof is in the temples of Cambodia all carved in stone. the head band has spells (Yantra) written in khmer, the history is also written in the chinese sand scripts claiming that the khmes used fierce fighting styles. All the tatoos and the music is all khmer. Every thing you see in Thailand is actually khmer related, the clothing, dancing, foods etc. so when you see something that's thai, it's actually khmer. I'm Thai and have little khmer blood in me, but I know where I came from. Even my own people have threatened me for my life and my families, cause they refuse to give the khmers the credit. My wife is khmer and they feel I have sold out in a sense. You got to give credit where credit is due. I'll just leave it at that for you to think
Hi Thaikicker welcome to the forum. I'm sorry to hear about the persecussion you've suffered, is this the reason you started to train in Martial Arts? Anyway, that was a lot of information there, you seem to know your stuff. I've heard the term 'Krabee Krabong' used to discribe Thai weapon systems, do you know anything about this? Is it the used of sword and knife? Thanx
thnx for the welcome. I think you meant Krabi-Krabong? Yes this too is a khmer art. This is actually phase 4. It consist of swords, knives, a long staff with a knife at the end, clubs, two hand sword styles, and bows. When there is a dispute between leadership of a army they would fight in a round ring, with two coffins at each end. They would fight with two layers of silk clothing fitted on them, no buttons,no holes. Back then this acted like KEVLAR in bulletproof vest. It would start off with knives, and the silk would protect them from the jabbs, after I think 3 rounds or so it would move on to other weapons, and so on and so on. Phase 5 I just found out that it's only for the kings closest army troops. If you look at the stick fighting style in Indonesia, Burma, and the Philippines, this is what khmer fighting is like, cause their culture came from the khmers. And before a fight they would to the death they would get tatoos of Yantra written in khmer (spells to give luck and what not). Fighting in a ring also with 2 coffins is found in badai serei, when two fighters would fight to the death. They would rap their fists in rope and place it in broken glass. This acts as to cut the fighter, so he would basicily bleed to death in the ring. But theres a special training for this also. Back in the past when Siam(Thai) broke up from Cambodia they would have tournaments each year. And it would be in a city called Siem Riep (Siem is supposed to be Siam, the french couldn't spell, and riep means destroyed). Remember Muay Thai is basicily only 30-40 years old, cause it was given that name when brought to the Western world, and the media blew it up. I could write more but I think you're getting bored, lol I find the khmer culture so pure and rich it amazes me. Now archaeologist are even saying that the khmer culture is related to the Egypt and Mayans. If you really want to learn more of the khmer arts you should go to the Angkor temples. I myself is trying to learn to speak khmer, and find more of the culture.
welcome to the forum... great info u hav...thnx for sharing tho i hav heard but didn't knew the meanings n the name "badai serei" -TkdWarrior-
Hi Thaikicker, Very interesting information in your last 2 messages. Certainly I had not heard much about the Khmer history... in fact I think I only heard about it in terms of the language. Tell us more! Do you know anything about the Burmese system of Bando? As far as I know it is a bit like what we call Muay Thai (not surprising considering hte proximity and history between Thailand and Burma) but includes the use of the headbutt I think... I've also heard that there are animal sub-systems (Python, Boar etc etc etc). However when I've asked my friend's Dad (as he's Burmese) he says he never heard of it? I look forward to hearing more from you. Dred
origin The Ancient Indian Civilization....that's all I have to say. I actually wrote a beautiful long (I mean looong) post but the GOD DAMN PIECE OF SH*T dohickey said that I didn't log in when I F*CKEN did already...so just do some research and you'll understand what I mean. P.S. Indian like Hindi not Native American.
origin (for lazy researchers) here's a web page to begin ur research with: http://home.comcast.net/~radhac/kdtkalarippayattuintro.html but do more research, 'cuz u'll be damn interested ( I promise )
nope i mean kabri kabrong.. unless the website of my school is wrong whi9ch is highly possible.. theres more stuff bout the history on the site goto www.houseofmuaythai.com and click on muay thai
I guess it can either be spelled both ways or your webmaster's dyslexic A google search reveals 2,380 hits for my spelling and 52 for yours
Hi Khun Kao, So are you asking for evidence about the claims that Muay Thai is a derivative from the Khmer art... or about the spellings of Krabi-Krabong, Kabri-Kabrong, Grabi-Grabong... or the various other spellings I've seen? Personally I feel its a real shame for Muay Thai to succomb to the martial arts virus of "creation myths". Dred
Muay Thai IS a portion of Krabi-Krabong (sp), but Krabi-Krabong has a weapons and groundfighting system as well (as per Sandy Holt). SokKlab, how does Muay Boran fit into this? Is it a part of Krabi-Krabong as well? From what i already know, its more of a father to Muay Thai as it focuses on strikes, but has a wider range? That would make K-K the grandfather
I've also heard the term Pahuyuth used to describe the whole range of Thai martial arts (I think - although I can't remember where I heard it). From what I have remember I think this included Muay Thai, Muay Boran, Ling Lom (which may be simialr to Muay Boran), Krabi-Krabong and Awud Thai. This is just from my notes and I have no references to where it came from - bad practice on my part! Anyone?
