What is Muay Thai? – 5 Muay Thai Gyms in Chiang Mai

Updated: 30 October, 2024

What is Muay Thai, origin, benefits and the 5 best Muay Thai gyms in Chiang Mai with prices and 1 Muay Thai camp.

Muay Thai is perfect if you like high intensity sports and specifically martial arts. Also, what better place than Thailand to practice Thai boxing?

It is the national sport par excellenceIf you don't like the combat part, you can also practice it alone to stay in shape (fitness).

Individual classes will help you test or improve your technique, while alternating with tourist visits. That is, a complete vacation.

If not, another alternative is to do a Muay Thai camp during a longer stay, because you can ask for a study visa to do Muay Thai.

After living in Thailand for 3 years, I can tell you that it is a positive experience.

I still don't know anyone who has come and returned to their country regretting it, quite the opposite, people look for a way to return or extend their stay.

Thailand has many things to offer, from paradisiacal beaches with crystal clear waters, beautiful waterfalls hidden in the middle of the jungle, a varied and delicious gastronomy, temples and amazing corners to discover.

And if that was not enough, The local people are friendly and always ready to help., they will make you feel at ease.

When you are in Bangkok if you fancy seeing a Muay Thai combat, I recommend these from the link which are VIP tickets for the Ratchadamnoen stadium.

Muay Thai – Origin and Benefits

Muay Thai means “Thai boxing”, also known as the art of the 8 members because fists, elbows, shins and knees are used.

The origin of Muay Thai dates back to the time when Siam (known as Thailand today) was at permanent war with its neighbors in Cambodia and Burma.

To defend themselves, in addition to developing techniques for using weapons, they needed others that allowed close-range hand-to-hand combat.

For this Muay Thai was developed, based on the ancient Muay Boran, which means “ancestral boxing.”

The practice of Muay Thai is becoming more widespread around the world every day and some of its techniques are even used in MMA (Mixed Martial Arts).

Nowadays, in addition, it is a sport that It has spread even to those who do not seek to fight, but rather as a fitness exercise.

Although it was originally a sport exclusively for men, Nowadays there are many women who practice it and even participate in fights.

It is a high intensity sport where the body is worked as a whole that:

• Tones the muscles
• It helps you lose weight
• Improves physical and mental agility
• Improves discipline
• Excellent as cardiovascular work
• Relieve the stress
• Teaches you how to defend yourself

Why choose Chiang Mai to practice Muay Thai?

When choosing a place to practice Thai boxing in Thailand, the options for me are clear, especially if your priority is Muay Thai, the options are Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket.

In those 3 places is where you will find the best gyms with the best teachers, whether to learn, improve or become a Muay Thai professional.

In case your priority is not Muay Thai, you simply want to take advantage of it as an extra while you are in Thailand, almost anywhere you will find a gym where you can practice it.

Why choose Chiang Mai?

Chiang Mai has some characteristics that make it an ideal place to spend a season:

• It is a quieter and more welcoming city
• The prices are cheaper in general, from housing, food and even courses
• You will not miss anything you can find in Bangkok, from nightlife, leisure, sports, gastronomy, good hospitals, shops and supermarkets
• A cosmopolitan city with a large expat community
• Breathtaking nature where you can take hiking routes such as the Path of the Monks
• Northern Thailand is ideal for adventure activities such as rafting and zip lines

5 Best Muay Thai Gyms in Chiang Mai

These are the 5 Best Muay Thai Gyms in Chiang Mai, they are in the order that I have visited them, it is not by score or anything like that. Surely there is one that adapts to what you are looking for:

1. Chiang Mai fight fit Muay Thai

Chiang Mai Fight Fit Muay Thai is located less than 10 minutes' drive from Chiang Mai Old Town, in the northeast area, near the Ping River.

In this gym they have 2 types of separate classes:

• 90 minutes open to all levels, for fitness training, retired fighters or if you just want a lower level of intensity
• 3 hours, it is a much more demanding class, perfect for active fighters to prepare for fights or if you want to train at the fighter level. If not, it's a real kill. 😅

Classes can sometimes be extended up to half an hour longer than the usual schedule, but this will be something that the coach will consult with the students beforehand.

The trainers have been practicing Muay Thai since they were children and are professional fighters with years of experience teaching.

Extra information:

• Where:  3/1 Pa Tan Alley, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50300, Thailand
• Facebook
• Price: single class for 300 bahts; also weekly and monthly passes (see photo of prices); price per semester and annual to consult
• 90 min class schedule: Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. (mainly beginners); Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
• Schedule of 3-hour classes (wrestlers): Monday to Friday from 5 to 8 p.m.
• Language of classes: English
• Training Type: combat and fitness
• Women training: Yes, it is surprising that in the night classes sometimes even 50% are women, there are also women who train to fight
• Minimum age: 12 years, even minors under that age to be agreed between the gym and parents
• Education visa: not available
• What to bring: comfortable clothing and water; The rest of the equipment is available in the gym

2. Chiang Mai Muay Thai gym

This Muay Thai gym is located in the northwest area of the old town of Chiang Mai, on the second floor, in a spacious and well-ventilated space.

It has a Muay Thai training camp and is approved by the Ministry of EducationTherefore, they can offer education visa as well as educational certificate.

They have 5 programs with different levels: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Trainer and Referee; For each level they can support up to 1 year of education visa (they confirmed this to me by email).

Founded by Kru O, who in addition to the Muay Thai school in Chiang Mai They have another one in the United States.

The trainers (kru in Thai) have been practicing Muay Thai almost all their lives, some have started at an early age, from 8 or 9 years old.

Since the arrival of coronavirus in this Muay Thai gym, they have taken it very seriously and for safety they take the temperature before entering training, they also have disinfectant gel available.

Extra information:

• Where: 76 Wiang Kaew Rd, Tambon Si Phum, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
• Facebook
• Price: single class for 390 baht and different passes depending on the number of classes and monthly passes (see photo above)
• Working hours: Monday to Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Language of classes: english and basic muay thai words
• Training Type: combat and fitness
• Women training: Yeah
• Minimum age: 6 years old, even under that age if they understand and can follow the instructions of a class
• Education visa: yes, up to 1 year for each of your training programs
• What to bring: comfortable clothing and water; The rest of the equipment is available in the gym

Advice from Kru O (owner and trainer of Chiangmai Muay Thai Gym) for beginners:

"Dare yourself! Muay Thai is not just for fighting, it is healthy, it is excellent exercise, as self-defense and excellent discipline.»

3. Sit Thaharnaek Muay Thai gym

Sit Thaharnaek Muay Thai Gym is located just a 15-minute walk from Tha Phae Gate, near the Ping River., in the Night Bazaar.

This gym was founded by Kru Hua and his family, where they train all levels, from beginners, intermediate, advanced and professional fighters.

Kru Hua has participated in more than 500 fights in his Muay Thai career and has been among the best fighters at Rajadamern Stadium in Bangkok.

All the trainers at Sit Thaharnaek Muay Thai Gym have started training when they were very young and it has always been part of their life, which is why they have a very special affection for Muay Thai.

Extra information:

• Where:  the Night Bazaar place hotel, 41 Kalare Night Bazaar, 2nd floor, Changklan Rd, 50100, Thailand
• Facebook
• Price: 400 baht per individual class, they have weekly and monthly passes (see photo above)
• Working hours: Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Language of classes: English
• Training Type: combat and fitness
• Women training: Yeah
• Minimum age: 6 years, even younger than that age, but it depends on the parents and each child
• Education visa: not available
• What to bring: comfortable clothing and water; The rest of the equipment is available in the gym

Tip from Kru Hua (founder and former professional wrestler) for beginners:

“It's a great way to exercise and train both your body and mind, while learning about Thai culture. Regardless of whether your goal is to improve fitness or fight.

“Muay Thai is for everyone.”

4. Team Quest Thailand Muay Thai & MMA training camp

In Team Quest Thailand is one of the Muay Thai schools with the most complete training in Chiang Mai with different martial arts.

There you can do Muay Thai, MMA And if that were not enough, in the same gym is the Carvalho team, specialists in Brazilian Jui Jitsu.

It is located a 10-minute drive from Chiang Mai Gate, near the Central Plaza Airport shopping center and is a very large and open space.

The gym specializes in high level training, although if you prefer you can also practice it as fitness and they train all levels from beginner.

The trainers have all started practicing Muay Thai at a young age and have been teaching for at least 10 years.

If you want to take advantage of your stay and train as much as possible, you can choose to stay in their own facilities, They have accommodation at very competitive prices.

They have shared rooms with bunk beds and a fan and single rooms with a double bed, fan and TV; Prices are per day, week and month.

Extra information:

• Where:  1 114/3 Pa Daet Sub-district, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand
• Facebook
• Price:350 baht for individual classes; They have a pass per week, month and 3 months (see photo above); in addition to multiple passes – discipline (consult the website)
• Working hours:Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Language of classes: English
• Training Type: combat and fitness
• Women training: Yeah
• Minimum age: children only in private classes, from 16 years old in group classes
• Education visa: not available
• What to bring: comfortable clothing and water; The rest of the equipment can be rented (see prices below) or purchased there.

Tip for beginners:

“Come try, you'll love it!”

5. By Silaphai Thai Boxing gym

Prasit Silaphai is the founder of this Muay Thai gym also known as Khrue Sith, he is a certified trainer with B license and recognized by the Sports Boxing Board of Thailand.

This allows them to support the education visas for a maximum of 15 months.

The gym is located 15 minutes drive from Chiang Mai Old Town and their facilities are brand new, having moved in February 2020.

All trainers have extensive experience teaching, from beginner level to professional fighters, with extensive experience in the world of Muay Thai.

The gym is designed for those who want to train for at least a week, although there is the possibility of specific classes.

If you want to make the most of it, you can also stay there, the gym has accommodation in the same facilities.

You can also check prices for the different packages they offer that include training and accommodation.

Extra information:

• Where:  157 WangTan Village, Soi 3A/1 Moo 5, Mae Hea Meung 50100, Thailand
• Facebook
• Price: They have a weekly price of 3,500 baht, also available for several weeks or months, as well as a class to try with transfers included (see price table above; in addition to specific classes for professionals (consult the website).
• Working hours: Monday to Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Language of classes: English
• Training Type: combat and fitness
• Women training: Yeah
• Minimum age: 6 years
• Education visa: yes, between 12 and 15 months
• What to bring: comfortable clothing and water; The rest of the equipment is available in the gym

Best Muay Thai Camp in Chiang Mai

If you are thinking about train seriouslyI recommend you go somewhere Muay Thai camp.

In the north of Thailand I can recommend this one in the province of Phetchabun, which is halfway between Ayutthaya and Sukhothai.

The teachers are mostly Muay Thai champions with hundreds of fights won.

The advantages of this camp are that they have 2 training sessions a day, Muay Thai, meals, accommodation, plus other activities to complement (crossfit, mountain bike outings, swimming and hiking)

Additionally, they have options for 1 week, 1 month, 3 months or even 1 year to become a Muay Thai machine. 🥊

⭐ You may also be interested in this article about 4 Best Muay Thai Camps in Thailand, with all the details, including the price.

Muay Thai Equipment

If you simply want to try some Muay Thai class, you won't need much more than comfortable sports clothing.

At these Muay Thai gyms in Chiang Mai They have all the equipment available to the students, either free of charge or rental for a small amount.

If you plan to take a course or go to a Muay Thai training camp It is important that you buy your own equipment for hygiene reasons., at least: some gloves like the ones in the link, bandages and protections.

In Chiang Mai you will find many shops selling clothing and equipment, especially in the Night Bazaar area.

Final Thoughts

These are the 5 Best Muay Thai Gyms and Best Muay Thai Camp in Chiang Mai, although you will find many more options in this city as well as in the rest of Thailand.

If you are in Thailand, take advantage of doing some Thai boxing class, even if you have no interest in getting into a ring to fight.

This is a sport that will allow you to stay in shape like few others due to its high intensity.

If you have any questions, leave me a comment below, I always respond. 👋😃 Good training!

More about Chiang Mai and Thailand

• 4 Best Muay Thai Camps in Thailand
• 7 Best Day and Night Markets in Chiang Mai
• What to see in Chiang Mai: 14 best plans
• Tips for Moving to Thailand: pros and cons
• Diving in Koh Tao: tips and prices

Useful sources and links

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand

Yellow fever - Spanish Association of Vaccinology

Vaccines for Thailand – Spanish Association of Vaccinology