A Very Chiang Mai Adventure.

A Very Chiang Mai Adventure.

May-June 2015.

After so many incredible experiences and so much ground covered across Thailand, it was great to finally be in Chiang Mai. In fact, I’d been looking forward to this from the beginning when I started planning my trip many months before back in China.

Do even a smidge of reading about Chiang Mai online and you’ll soon find people talking about this city (and indeed the province in general) as one of the country’s undoubted highlights. Keen to cross off two more quintessential Thai experiences, I had come with two major goals in mind. 1: To watch some Muay Thai, also known as Thai Boxing. And 2: To spend some authentic and ethical quality time with Asian elephants.

Photo courtesy of Supanut Arunoprayote.

The trip got off to a great start thanks to what proved to be a savvy choice of accommodation. Located in a long, leafy alley in the heart of downtown, Jonadda Guesthouse ticked all the boxes.

Indeed it was as quiet as one could hope for in such a central location. Moreover, the room was comfy and homely, the owners warm and accommodating, the WIFI zippy. The icing on the cake, meanwhile, was the little rooftop courtyard where I usually sat with a coffee and a pastry at the start of each day.

A Very Chiang Mai Adventure.

Without delay, I set off to achieve one of my Chiang Mai goals. On that first evening I paid a visit to Thaphae Boxing Stadium to take in a night of live Muay Thai. With virtually zero knowledge of the sport and its history, I definitely had to acquaint myself with some basic background bits.

Historians reckon Muay Thai dates back to the 16th century during a period of warfare between Siam and Burma. One of Siam’s most fearsome warriors of the time was a dude called Nai Khanomtom. At some point the Burmese captured Nai but eventually (and weirdly) offered him the chance to fight for his freedom. A matter of honour, perhaps.

Engaging in a personal and unique style of hand-to-hand combat, Nai defeated no less than 10 Burmese fighters, earning himself an immediate release. Returning to Siam, he enjoyed a rapturous welcome. Everyone wanted to find out how he had won and what techniques he’d used. Soon, thousands of warriors began adopting his style and before long his brand of fighting became Siam’s national sport.

Over the centuries Nai’s special style of combat morphed into today’s Muay Thai, a technique that features clinching and striking combinations of the fist, elbow, knee, leg and shin. As its popularity grew, so did the need for better facilities.

Thaphae Boxing Stadium, opened in 1955, is northern Thailand’s premier venue for Muay Thai. In fact, a string of fights takes place here just about every night, with entry priced from 600 Baht (around $17). As I entered that sticky June evening, I found myself sat among a sellout crowd of around 400 people. 

Thaphae Boxing Stadium.

From what I could gather I was about to watch two fights from some of the most skilled Thai boxers in the country. According to a local guy I chatted with, the bouts were part of Thailand’s national league, so there were valuable points up for grabs.

The first match was for the men’s league. Interestingly, both fighters entered the arena to little fanfare. There was nothing along the lines of: “In the blue corner… the tiger of Thailand…” They just kind of shuffled on without any introduction. Then the fight started and…. oh lord, they wasted no time in getting aggressively stuck into each other.

In truth, it was an exhausting watch. Legs flew, elbows sprang, saliva and sweat shot out of their bodies. Even as a spectator I felt grateful for the rest periods between rounds. I couldn’t tell you who won that contest. But I do recall how utterly knackered one of the fighters looked as he sat slumped in the corner during a timeout. His concerned coaches gathered around him trying to gee up the poor guy.

A Very Chiang Mai Adventure.

Next, two female boxers entered the arena. It took just a minute or so of their fight for me to realise that these gals were tough as nails too. Much like boxing in the western world, those who make it big often come from poverty and/or troubled backgrounds.

Somehow, I could feel that these women’s lives hadn’t been a bed of roses. And that Muay Thai was clearly a chance to climb the social and economic ladders. I think the girl in red won this one.

There was an extended break after the second fight. Thus I went to grab a beer and a burger. And found myself browsing through the amusing items for sale at the onsite store. “You wanna Muay Thai shorts?” asked the cashier. “Uh… no thanks” I smiled, trying  to imagine how ****ing ridiculous I would look.

At the beginning of the third fight I immediately felt as if something was amiss. The competitors were kneeling down in front of each other exchanging honourable bows. This hadn’t happened in either of the previous fights.

Right enough, this wasn’t a regular Muay Thai fight. Rather, these two had arrived to perform an exhibition of an ancient skill called Daab. Basically, competitors battle it out with arm-length swords. 4000 years ago farmers used truncheons and scythes to fend off Chinese invaders. Over time, these weapons of convenience were replaced by swords.

An Evening at Thaphae Stadium.

The swords looked pretty authentic to me. Although hey, what do I know, they could’ve been fake. Or blunted in some way? In any case the performers made it all look realistic, slicing away at each other with measured moves. “Ooooooh” went the crowd when, at the end, one of the two crashed to the floor with a grimace, having received a fatal blow.

Finally, it was time for the evening’s curtain closer. I don’t think I could have predicted what was coming, not if you’d given me a hundred guesses. Four fighters of all shapes and sizes (one was pretty fat) trooped into the ring to fight each other.

Eyebrows furrowed, I was wondering what the hell was about to transpire when I realised they were all blindfolded! What followed was five minutes of pure comedy as they all flailed around punching air, the ropes and sometimes even themselves. Nobody won, particularly when it came to their dignity. Bizarre, and fun.

The next day I awoke ready to book up an elephant experience. I’d found a sanctuary that offered a day’s trekking through the Chiang Mai jungle with a group of Asian elephants. However, as I walked to a nearby cafe for breakfast, disaster struck.

I had fished my camera out of my bag in order to shoot a roundabout monument when my trusty Sony Cybershot slipped out of my hand and fell, lens-first, onto the pavement. Crack. It took me the rest of the day to find a place that could fix it. When I did, they told me they could have it repaired and returned in 2-3 working days. Ah, nuts.

A Very Chiang Mai Adventure.

Not wanting to do the elephant trek without my Sony, I put my plans on hold and spent a couple of days wandering around the city. With just my shitty phone for a camera, I kept photographs to a minimum. Still, I did grab a shot of Wat Phan On Temple.

Located in the old walled city, the temple dates back to 1501. Dripping with bling, it features dozens of pillars and sculpted naga serpents in addition to a massive gold Buddha facing the main entrance.

One afternoon, I stopped by this curious massage parlour for a 90 minute treatment. Full body, traditional Thai style of course. I say curious because the centre’s therapists are all women and former convicted criminals!

The lady who treated me was incredibly kind, with a quietness about her that truly had me wondering what she’d been sent to prison for. Furthermore, the massage was great, I’m delighted to see they survived the pandemic.

I love Japanese food and I’m a devout disciple of The Beatles. Hence I had no option but to cancel my dinner plans one evening (another Pad Thai) for a delightful feast at Sushi in the Sky with Diamonds. They had an all-you-can-eat buffet and, happily, none of their pieces came with “kaleidoscope eyes“.

A Very Chiang Mai Adventure.

The phone rang early, jolting me out of blissful slumber. “Mr. Lay-town?” “Uh… yeah…. this is he”. “Your camera ready, you come pick up?” “Certainly!”

I was back in business.

So I jumped out of bed, grabbed a coffee and made my way to the repair centre. Paid my dues, picked up the camera, got back to the guesthouse and called the good folk at Elephant Nature Park. As it turned out, there was one spot left for the following day’s Sunshine for Elephants tour. But that, dear readers, as the old saying goes, is another story.

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