#145 Thongchai Tor. Silachai - Muay Maat & Lowkick Legend (96 min) (Patreon)

I'm so excited to get Thongchai into the Muay Thai Library. He's one of these incredibly prolific fighters, who fought for like 28 years (starting at age 11) and was dangerous all throughout. He has a heavy-handed, low-kick Muay Bouk style that fits wonderfully within the sessions already laid out by his own teacher, Arjan Medprik, as well as Takrowlek Dejrat. A lot of westerners incorrectly attribute the hard-punching, low-kick style as being Dutch; but Arjan Medprik was a fighter inthe 60s, Lumpinee Champion in 1970, and his style is absolutely where Thongchai's style comes from and this legacy predates the Dutch taking anything from Muay Thai through Japan. The Muay Bouk style is very forward, "crowding" and snuffing the space to overwhelm the opponent. It's a painful style and it relies heavily on defense to be affective.

When we filmed with Thongchai, he'd been back in Thailand for a few years since teaching in China for a long time. He no longer teaches, but rather has been working in fields (farming) for the time he's been home. He looks like he's never skipped a day at the gym, despite not training Muay Thai. He's "farmer strong," in great shape, and picks up his movements with such muscle memory and natural fluidity that it's hard to believe they aren't as core to his person as, you know, walking.

Thongchai is the oldest awardee of the Fighter of the Year title, receiving it at 30 years old in 2001. He's the only fighter ever to have KOd Saenchai, and his last recorded fight was in 2009, when he would have been 38 years old. He was 4x Lumpinee Champion, at 105, 108, 112, and 115 lb; and Rajadamnern Champion at 115 lb as well. He fought through the Golden Age, and then well beyond it.

What to Look Out For:

1) Footwork: there is an immediate context added to the footwork that Thongchai starts out with, and that's cutting off the ring. As a Muay Bouk fighter, he's going to be tracking down his opponents and putting them into the ropes. He laughs and says this is necessary when chasing after an opponent who runs backwards, "like Saenchai."

2) Balance: I was struck, over and over again, by how constantly balanced Thongchai is. He is always directly over his feet, always lands off of strikes ready to strike again, loads every single strike from his previous movements, and never, ever breaks his frame. It is beyond what I've witnessed with other, incredibly balanced fighters. How I felt this in the session was when I noted that I wasn't ready to strike right away, coming off of movements, which indicated very subtle imbalances. So Thongchai starts touching my guard with his pads as I'm coming off of kicks and punches, just momentary but persistant balance checks, and suddently my balance was much better, knowing I had to face those constant checks. You can do this yourself in padwork by touching your trainer's pads, even if they aren't pushing on you like Thongchai is here.

3) "Designated Tension": this phrase is what I use to describe the intentional, purposeful tension in a fighter. You tense one area, so that other areas can be relaxed. For Thongchai, his shoulders are always protecting him, his lead shoulder is always touching his chin. So much so, that I noted in his slow-motion shadow that he checks kicks with his knee outside his elbow, which is highly unusual. I suspect the reason is because of how he holds his arms for his guard.

4) One Inch Punch (Knees): these are just incredible. I'm not entirely sure yet, feeling-wise, how he does this but they are powerful and sharp with absolutely no space. So, I call it the "one inch punch of knees," due to the comparison to the Kung Fu phenomenon. He doesn't bend, he doesn't cock his hips, he just raises the knee straight up and shoots it into his opponent's guts. It's absolutely from clinch range, not stepping knees.

5) No Switch Lead Kick: this is another one where I don't understand, feeling-wise, how he's generating so much force with this kick. Mechanically, he's just leaning his weight back, swiftly, onto his back leg and bringing the lead leg up into the kick. His shin hits the opponent's ribs, sharply (painfully), and it's very much like a "check hook" in boxing, in terms of how the timing works. The kick is for when an opponent is approaching you with punches, so you're kicking under the punch and loading your weight onto the back foot as a kind of slip.

6) Clinching: this is another area where you see his incredible balance. He shifts his weight for angles and leverage, but he's always very balanced over his feet and is incredibly hard to move. On top of that, he's almost always ready to strike because of his balance. I throw some air knees, because it's practice, but that's not his style at all. Every single knee will touch, even though he's taking the power out.

7) Knees to the Thing and Leg Kicks: these are all very nasty. Thongchai's leg kicks are notable, and he was able to break Dtilek's leg in round 1 of their 2nd fight together. Not the shin... the femur. His knee comes to the center of the opponent's body a millisecond before his shin crashes into the leg of the opponent. His kicking leg stays bent while he's landing those leg kicks, it's very much like a chop, but he doesn't jump or perceptibly angle the shin to be coming "down" onto the leg, although that is a truth of the trajectory... it's just very subtle. For the knees to the thigh, you really see how this works at the end of the session when we're practicing them on the bag. Your hip opens, then you kind of flick your foot outward to drive the kneecap into the thigh of your opponent.

Other Sessions Referenced, study them with my commentary on this session:

#142 Arjan Metprik Silachai 2 - Relentless Pace & Low Kick Attack (69 min)  watch it here or podcast here

#143 Takrowlek Dejrat - Master of the Low Kick (90 min) watch it here 

#29 Pornsanae Sitmonchai - The Power of Hooks & Low Kicks (74 min) watch it here

#84 Yodkhunpon Special Intensive 3 - The Whole Elbow Style (70 min) watch it here

#76 Dieselnoi Chor Thanasukarn 4 - How to Fight Tall (69 min) watch it here

#69 Sagat Petchyindee 4 - Muay Maat Tigers & Snakes (67 min) watch it here

#139 Chamuakpet Hapalang 3 - Vertical Attack, Control of Space (95 min) watch it here or podcast here 

#90 Arjan Surat 2 - His Old School Tough & Defensive Style (94 min) watch it here

#83 Thailand Pinsinchai 2 - The Beauty of Clinch (57 min) watch it here

#73  Namsaknoi Yudthagarngamtorn 2 - Overcoming Distance (61 min) watch it here

#21 Rambaa Somdet 1 - Clinch Trips & Throws (34 min) watch it here

#42 Boraphet Pinsinchai 2 - Muay Khao Fighting Techniques (50 min) watch it here

Study Thongchai's Fights

Here are survivingt videos a few notable fights of his. Some of these are losses vs legends, but losses also preserve his incredible style.

Samson Isaan (red) vs Thongchai (blue), 1991 (Samson won FOTY this year). Watch it here. Thongchai told me that he regrets not physically preparing better to face the incredibly tough Samson. Both were Muay Maat/Buuk/Khao fighters, style vs same style. If you scroll down you'll see a photo of them both, Thongchai was visibly undersized against Samson.

Thongchai (red) vs Namsaknoi (blue), 1997. A prime example of a smaller Muay Maat fighter facing a tall, legendary Muay Khao fighter. Namsaknoi was coming off his 1996 FOTY. One of the great fights of Muay Thai history. watch it here.

Thongchai (red) vs Teelek (blue), 1997. Round 1 destruction of the very confident Teelek for Thongchai's 115 lb Lumpinee belt. See how boxing relates to and support clinch fighting, lots of uppercuts, some body, some hooks, as the smaller fighter, and then the low kick. watch it here.

Thongchai (red) vs Saenchai (blue), 1996. A young Saenchai gets knocked out for what would be the only time of his career. Thongchai was 2-1 vs Saenchai. watch it here.

A YouTube Playlist of available videos of Thongchai's fights. watch them here.

Thongchai in the "123 Greatest of All-Time Fighters of Thailand" anthology.

With his 4 Lumpinee titles, and 115 lb Rajadamnern title (on his waist).

Samson (left) vs Thongchai (right).

If you enjoyed this session, here are related sessions on similar themes or styles:

#123 Samson Isaan 4 - Secrets Of His Pressure Fighting (122 min) watch it here

Our most extensive documentation yet of one of the most relentless pressure fighters of the Golden Age of Muay Thai. 2 hours of work on all the small things, the weight transfers, angles, tempos and techniques that made the 1991 Fighter of the Year such a wrecking ball with heavy hands and endless clinch.

#138 Detduang Por Pongsawang - Close Range Counter Power (91 mins) watch it here or podcast here 

A stand-in, closing pressure style that anyone can benefit from is what Detduang is all about. He was a shorter fighter so if you want that low-kick, punishing energy this is the session for you. One of the top fighters at his weight in the Golden Age, discover what made him so difficult to face.

#143 Takrowlek Dejrat - Master of the Low Kick (90 min) watch it here 

One of the great low kicking fighters of the Golden Age teaches his squared up, pressuring, Muay Beuk fight philosophy which uses an extremely fast, vertical low kicking technique that keeps the opponent exactly where you want them. This punishing style, built on defense and ring control is extremely effective, using techniques that are not often taught. Study the low kick in a way you haven't seen before.

#142 Arjan Metprik Silachai 2 - Relentless Pace & Low Kick Attack (69 min)  watch it here or podcast here

 This is really an invaluable session as it really captures one of the oldest, most effective branches of Thailand's Muay Thai. Arjan Metprik of Khorat, who was Lumpinee Champion in 1970, and kru of the famed Thongchai Tor Silachai (FOTY 2001), really goes through all the elements of his advancing, pressuring, highly defended Muay Maat and lowkick style. One of the great coaches in Thai history. 

#43 Kongsamut Sor. Thanikul - Muay Mat Style (74 min) watch it here

This Lumpinee champion is perhaps most notable for when he lost a fight for the 102 lb Lumpinee belt, against famed Samart. Samart winning his first belt of many. Kongsamut has a beautiful Muay Mat (punchers) style that he mixes with low kicks, very differently than the Pornsanae style. He fights in close, and is constantly twisting, hitting high and low. Any Muay Thai puncher would benefit from the principles in his style.

#29 Pornsanae Sitmonchai - The Power of Hooks & Low Kicks (74 min) watch it here

A whole system of low kick and hook attacks is taught in this one session. Rajadamnren and 2x Lumpinee Champion Pornsanae is known for his brutal power fighting and this is how he gets it done. Cutting angles, lead arm control, invading space. Pornsanae teaches his philosophy.

#140 Weerapol Sahaprom - Symmetry and Power in Boxing & Muay Thai (1 hr, 40 min) watch it here or podcast here 

The absolute legend Weerapol shares the principles behind his amazing career. 3 times he was the Rajadamern Champion in the Golden Age, and then he went onto become a WBC and WBA World Boxing Champion. 15 years of Muay Thai, 15 years as a boxer. Discover the beauty and power of his style, one of the best Thai fighters in history.

#86 Rambaa Somdet M16 3  - The Art of the Stinging Attack (67 min) watch it here

Rambaa, whose name means "lunatic" in Thai, was one of the most colorful fighters in Thailand's history. In this session you learn the method to his madness, the way in which a constant stinging attack can lead to big shots and fight enders. This session is full of art and wisdom, from Thailand's first MMA World Champion and Golden Age Lumpinee fighter.

Bonus Session 4: Hippy Singmanee Ultra Violence | 30 min - watch it here

Hippy is all about building power and aggression in strikes. In this session he really tries to create a conversation of violence in our padwork, and then in our light sparring he teaches elbows with incredible fluidity and invasive power.

#116 Samson Isaan 3 - Dern Pressure Fighting & Defense (44 min) watch it here

There was nobody tougher and more relentless than Samson Isaan in the Golden Age. Winner of the 1991 Muay Thai Fighter of the Year, undefeated as a World Champion boxer, he was famed for his pressure fighting. But beneath all that heart were the techniques that make it happen. Here he shows how he likes to pressure, his footwork, the keys to balance, and how hands and knees work together. This is his 3rd session in the Library.

#74 Samson Isaan 2 - Muay Khao & Western Boxing Excellence (59 min) watch it here

In 1991 there was no fighter more of a force than Samson Isaan, who took Fighter of the Year then. His relentless style combining Muay Maat punching aggression with Knee Fighting pressure and clinch made him a wrecking ball. In this session discover what made this little fighter so impossible to handle.