I was looking for latest news to write about today, but I just found this instead. And I think it’s more interesting than news today actually. I just found out from reading an article at muaythai.co.th that on March 17th every year is “Boxer’s Day” or “National Muay Thai Day” or known in Muay Thai world as “Muay Thai Day”.

So here is a little bit of history. On this exact day in 1774, Nai Kanomtom, the greatest Muay Thai fighter at that time defeated 9 or 10 Burmese opponents with his bare hands when he was captured in Myanmar because of Ayutthaya, the capital city of Thailand back then where Nai Kanom Tom lived was invaded by the Burmese and burned down the city.

Before that you should know what his name came from. Nai means “a man”. And “Kanom Tom” means boiled snack or dessert. He was a hawker in the ancient city of Ayutthaya. However he was also trained Muay Thai.

If you have seen “Ong Bak”, you can see how tough Thai boxers were back in that time. They fight till they drop or till the opponents pray for their life. They don’t have gloves to safe themselves and the other fighters, only ropes (bound-fist-boxing). There were rules but no limits, they fought till they counldn’t.

Anyway, back to Nai Kanom Tom, on that day the King of Myanmar wanted to test his own fighters against Thais to see which one is better; Thai boxing or Burmese boxing. Nai Kanom Tom was chosen to represent the Thais. He fought and defeated 9-10 (according to Wikipedia) opponents.

Of course the King was shock and impressed. He offered him 2 choices of rewards, Money or 2 wives. He chose wives as he thought that money was much easier for him to find. After that he and other Thai prisoners were set free and returned to Thailand as a hero.

Until today, the name of Nai Kanom Tom’s still told and passed on generation to generation as Muay Thai still lives. And March 17th is celebrated “Muay Thai Day” for his feat in his honor and for Muay Thai.