Kiatmuu9 Gym For the third year in succession now the Sportswriters of Thailand voted to decide which camp got the award of best camp in Thailand for the year. The 1st award went to Por Pramuk camp, last years winner was Kaewsamrit camp. But this years winner Kiatmuu 9, proves that you don't need a big camp with the best facilities money can buy to produce top fighters! Situated in Buriram Northeast Thailand. Kiatmuu 9 offers an outlet for young kids in what is essentially a very poor region. The name Kiatmuu 9 comes from village (muu) number 9 of Takotaphi sub district, Prakonchai district, Buriram province. The Northeast is the heartland for Muay Thai providing many of the greats over the years and Buriram stands out more than any other province in Thailand. Often the only income is from farming and weather conditions often put paid to any real chance of making any sort of money, consequently there is a high level of poverty with Buriram suffering more than most provinces in this respect. The village is also in an area where Thai is the second language,with the first language being a form of Khmer or Cambodian dialect. The village is a long way from Buriram town and with not a lot for the local kids to do, it gives a real sense of pride to the community and an option for them other than falling into the lure of drugs. The gym was started 12 years ago by Mr Sutjai Pumprakhon. A fan of Muay Thai from a young age, Sutjai never actually fought himself, but with Buriram being such a hotbed of Muay Thai he got many opportunitys to learn the fight business inside out. He originally started out with a couple of bags hung from a tree and a mat on the earth floor. Sutjai originally wanted to have his two sons take up the art. He made steady progress with both his sons, Jedajaa and Chanaphon Kiatmuu 9, who both went on to fight under the promotional wing of SukoneSongchai. Unable to commit themselves 100% to Muay Thai both sons stopped boxing to continue their studys. It was after they finished their studys and went to help their father run the gym that they helped to develop two outstanding young prospects and turned Kiatmuu 9 into a very special camp. Starting out as a couple of ten year olds, Singdam and Panomrunglek have gone on to become two of the hottest fighters on the Bangkok fight circuit. Singdam was voted best fighter in Thailand for 2002 by the sportswriters of Thailand and is hot favorite to get the award this year, he has already been voted fighter of the year by both Lumpini stadium and The sports authority,and Panomrunglek won the Lumpini flyweight title to add to his collection of belts. The gym also has several other hot prospects coming through including Panomrungleks younger brother and Suadam Kiatmuu 9 younger brother of Singdam and with both Singdam and Panomrunglek being only 19 years of age, there are surely many more titles and awards on the way. The training is like most other gyms with a 10 kilometre morning run but has a distinct advantage over the gyms in Bangkok in being surrounded by green fields and fresh clean air. All the fighters are from the village and stay in their homes with their familys until they have a fight coming up and with the fight approaching they come to stay in Sutjai's house. The training also intensifies close to the fight with the boxers doing 8 rounds on the pads during the afternoon training session. All of the boxers are encouraged to get an education as well as there are no certainties that they will make the grade as a boxer. Many people will wonder how a tiny camp consisting of not much more than a ring on the side of the house and 3 bags, can go on to take virtually every award available for the year. Sutjai's approach to the sport obviously plays a big part! He runs the gym through a love of the sport and teachs the fighters not just the art of Muay Thai but how to be a good person outside the ring. Singdam came back from Bangkok recently after beating Samkor in a huge fight at Lumpini and went straight to help his mother with the yearly rice harvest. The whole atmosphere at the camp helps to keep the young stars level headed with both feet on the ground. Having both his son's as the trainers also helps as he can trust them to bring the fighters on 100%. The fact that the gym is a focal point of the community also helps, with everyone feeling part of a family. Only time will tell what the future holds for Kiatmuu 9 gym, but with Mr Sutjai at the helm and his team of young up and coming fighters, expect to hear plenty more good things about this camp in the heart of Isaarn! |
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