One man’s fight to save traditional Muay Thai boxing
Wisarut Wat Suksiriwararak is struggling to preserve a traditional art form as Thailand’s culture becomes exceedingly more commercialized.
Wisarut Wat Suksiriwararak is an old Muay Thai fighter from Pai in Northern Thailand. He now runs his own gym in Pai, passing down his knowledge of Thailand’s traditional martial art to both locals and visitors from around the world. (Watch traditional Senegalese wrestling.)
Over the past few decades, the authentic practices of Muay Thai have slowly begun to fade away. This historic martial art now centers around financial incentives and entertainment as Thailand’s culture becomes increasingly commercialized. Filmmaker Marko Randelovic shows Suksiriwararak's fight to preserve the traditional aspects of the sport in his short film "Fighter: The Legend of a Muay Thai Boxer."
