Muay Thai Wai Kru, Ayutthaya

March 2023

I took it upon myself to document the 5th International Martial Arts Festival & Tournament in Ayutthaya, Thailand - which not so coincidentally falls on National Muay Thai Day. Generally speaking, it's not the sort of event or topic I would usually photograph, not being overly keen on sports-related photography, but I was nonetheless interested in putting myself out there and watching my first Muay Thai fights, and curious to witness the spiritualism associated to the Wai Kru ceremony (being a form of prayer and show of respect to your teachers, monks, gym, chosen family); and 'Wai Kru' also being the term associated to the distinct ceremonial prayer/dance Muay Thai fighters perform before a fight. The morning of the day of fighting, to be held later in the evening, consisted of fighters from around the world attending the Wai Kru ceremony to congregate and pay their respects:

Following the initial ceremony and the showing of respect to aforementioned figures, a quick performance from a Thai troupe of young performers re-enacting Muay Thai based folklore, including an appearance of monkey god Hanuman:

Later in the evening is when the fiery stuff happens, and the televised fights commence. There's not much more to add in regards to the fights themselves; my captures generally being a mix of sports reportage, candid backstage glimpses and the odd portrait. Safe to say it was a tremendous amount of fun to document and to try something new for a change, the allure of Muay Thai certainly makes a lot more sense, and the dedication of every fighter - in which they literally bled for their victories - was more than admirable:

Many more shots of the fights were taken this night, but I'm trying to be selective. The sheer energy of this women's fight, and the following sportsmanship and warmth shown once it ended warranted it being shown over the others.

Overall, a great trip to Ayutthaya and a thoroughly enjoyable introduction to everything Muay Thai.