Thailand bans mixed martial arts Discipline deemed to be too 'brutal'

"It is brutal and it is not boxing," said SAT deputy governor Sakol Wannapong who oversees professional sports.

"It is against the 1999 boxing law."

SAT officials met this week to discuss whether holding an MMA event was lawful or not following a request from a private company and they finally agreed that under the 1999 boxing law, it is unlawful to stage an MMA event in Thailand.

"Organising a MMA event here would hurt the image of Muay Thai," Sakol said.

There have been two MMA events held in Bangkok and neither were approved by the SAT, according to Sakol.

He said the SAT was asking the Interior Ministry's legal advisors to consider action against any MMA organisers.

"If you want to do this kind of business, you should do it in another country," Sakol said.

"Organising MMA here could mislead the public into believing that Muay Thai is brutal."

MMA is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, while standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Muay Thai, kickboxing, taekwondo, karate, judo and other styles.

Buakaw can't fight

The Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) said yesterday that Muay Thai superstar Buakaw Banchamek (formerly Buakaw Por Pramuk) can't take part in next month's Thai Fight unless he formally registers his new camp with the authorities.

Buakaw has severed ties with former camp Por Pramuk and has since set up his own camp.

He has also changed his fight name to Buakaw Banchamek following the split.

SAT deputy governor Sakol Wannapong said Buakaw cannot fight until he files a complaint with the SAT which will investigate if Buakaw was unfairly treated by Por Pramuk.

If his claim is proven true, then he will be allowed to fight, Sakol said.

The Thai Fight event will be held in Pattaya on April 17 and Sakol said Buakaw still has time to clear up his legal problems.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/spor...d-martial-arts

Dam that Junie Brownie had to fuck it up for everyone else!!!

Great mentoring Renato!

Anything involving elbows to the face it brutal. Thailand has a lot of Muay Thai/MMA camps too I wonder what that will mean for the schools? Will they still be aloud to teach? We'll see.

Sounds like a repeat of when alot of boxing and other traditional art schools tried to gang up against MMA (and jiu-jitsui to a certain extent). What is it that Eddie says "when it's your family on the line, you're like no MMA's too dangerous!!"

It's still legal to train MMA in Thailand. It looks like the big MMA organizations like DARE are going underground for a little while, or until somebody gets paid off at least.

Originally Posted by Dave Cran18

Anything involving elbows to the face it brutal. Thailand has a lot of Muay Thai/MMA camps too I wonder what that will mean for the schools? Will they still be aloud to teach? We'll see.

I think it will be like New York. They can have camps just not sanctioned events. Also by dismantling MMA camps, some of the larger Muay Thai schools (Fairtex, Golden Glory Thailand) have embraced MMA camps that attract a lot of tourist which generates a HUGE source of revenue for those areas. I doubt they will shut down schools that are already established but it will probably be more strict to start one in Thailand.

This is ironic.

Hmmmm...
First he says MMA is brutal

Originally Posted by Jack LaBarge

"It is brutal and it is not boxing," said SAT deputy governor Sakol Wannapong who oversees professional sports.

Then he acts as if Muai Thai is NOT brutal, when (imo) it IS brutal.
(Brutal is a good thing in my books)

Originally Posted by Jack LaBarge

"Organising MMA here could mislead the public into believing that Muay Thai is brutal."

But the real issue is that I believe these guys are afraid that Muai Thai puritans who enter the contest may get beat, and that would tarnish their reputation and tradition. He alludes to that with this statement:

Originally Posted by Jack LaBarge

"Organising a MMA event here would hurt the image of Muay Thai," Sakol said.

What I don't get is all this talk about "authorities" forcing Buakaw to register to a "camp" before this guy can compete. Are they under communist rule or tyranny or something? I admittedly don't know the first thing about Thai politics, (other than the death sentence for drugs, but it's OK for women prostitutes to have dicks) or the jurisdition and "lawful" power of their Sports Authority. but they make it sound as if the SAT has the power to allow this guy to fight or not.

Originally Posted by Jack LaBarge

The Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) said yesterday that Muay Thai superstar Buakaw Banchamek (formerly Buakaw Por Pramuk) can't take part in next month's Thai Fight unless he formally registers his new camp with the authorities.

Buakaw has severed ties with former camp Por Pramuk and has since set up his own camp.

He has also changed his fight name to Buakaw Banchamek following the split.

SAT deputy governor Sakol Wannapong said Buakaw cannot fight until he files a complaint with the SAT which will investigate if Buakaw was unfairly treated by Por Pramuk.

Can a fighter not enter as an independant? Maybe I am reading this wrong, but if he has started his own thing, it's kind of like saying Eddie Bravo couldn't enter unless he was affiliated with the Gracies or Machado JJ or something, even though he is the founder of 10thP. Correct me if I'm wrong.

It's also kind of like the if WTF (World TaeKwonDo Federation) had the authority to stop a fighter from entering a UFC because he didn't train at a WTF club. I don't know. Maybe I'm just confused.

WTF WTF WTF @ might THINK muay thai is brutal?????????????/!!!!!!

Pure ignorance.