Muay Thai Chaiya
Encyclopedia
Muay Thai Chaiya or Chaiya is a 2007
Thai
drama film about two talented muay Thai
boxers, boyhood friends whose lives take divergent paths after they arrive in Bangkok
. The film is the solo directorial debut by Kongkiat Khomsiri
, who had previously been among seven directors on Art of the Devil 2
, and had written the screenplay for The Unseeable
.
It premiered as the closing film at the 2007 Bangkok International Film Festival
, and opened in wide release in Thailand cinemas on August 30, 2007.
, Surat Thani Province
, three boys, Piak, Pao and Samor, are followers of Pao's brother, Krang (Prawit Kittichanthira), a legendary muay Thai
fighter who is taught by Pao's father, Tew (Samart Payakaroon
).
After an accident partially cripples Samor, Piak and Pao train as boxers under Tew, but the boxing school is broken up when Tew and Krang are recruited for a gym in Bangkok
.
Eventually, Piak and Pao go to Bangkok themselves, bringing along Samor, and Sripai, a nurse who is engaged to Piak, but whom Pao secretly loves.
Piak's hot-headedness makes him a fierce fighter, but it is also a liability that costs him a fight and ends his career. He joins the world of underground bare-knuckles brawling, and he and Samor take on other jobs in the underworld as well, including helping out at go-go bar where the pretty Warn dances and seduces Piak. While working for the underworld, both of them ended up also doing dirty works for their boss.
Pao, meanwhile, begins training with his father, and works his way up the ranks, is put forward as a top boxer in a match against a fierce farang
, Diamond Sullivan, which places Pao at odds with the gangsters whom Piak and Samor work for.KRU PAIK. Sripai later saw Piak in bed with Warn and went to find Pao. Pao and Sripai live together since while Piak took over the underground business once his boss was killed by another rival boss.
Eventually the film climax at Pao's fight with Diamond. Pao was knocked down several times, but came victorious as he remembers the time three of them trained together as a young boy.
Muay Chaiya Style=
Although the film has received accolades for its action sequences, the films representation of the art of Muay Chaiya is not always accurate. The some depiction in the movie is more akin to the stadium style of Muay Thai, for example, where kicks are performed dropping one hand. A lot of the footwork doesn't utilize the yang saam khum that traditional Muay Chaiya uses. Muay Chaiya technique as espoused by the last surviving grandmaster Ajarn Ketr Siripatyai, does not resemble stadium muay thai in many regards.
There were only a few authentic Muay Chaiya practitioners in the movie, one of which was (Tey) Prawit Kittichanthira who played Krangsuk. He is one of the top students in the style, and one of the few people who have proved that the style can be used in, and out of the ring.
served as an uncredited art director on Muay Thai Chaiya.
2007 in film
This is a list of major films released in 2007.-Top grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2007...
Thai
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
drama film about two talented muay Thai
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
boxers, boyhood friends whose lives take divergent paths after they arrive in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
. The film is the solo directorial debut by Kongkiat Khomsiri
Kongkiat Khomsiri
-Film career:He graduated from the Faculty of Mass Communications at Bangkok University and started his career as a crew member on Mysterious Object at Noon, the first feature film by Apichatpong Weerasethakul...
, who had previously been among seven directors on Art of the Devil 2
Art of the Devil 2
Art of the Devil 2 is a 2005 Thai horror film directed by Kongkiat Khomsiri, Art Thamthrakul, Yosapong Polsap, Putipong Saisikaew, Isara Nadee, Pasith Buranajan and Seree Pongniti...
, and had written the screenplay for The Unseeable
The Unseeable
The Unseeable is a 2006 Thai horror film directed by Wisit Sasanatieng. The first film of another writer's screenplay by the director, the writer is Kongkiat Khomsiri, one of the "Ronin Team" credited with directing the 2005 Thai horror film Art of the Devil 2.-Plot:Set in 1934 Siam, the story...
.
It premiered as the closing film at the 2007 Bangkok International Film Festival
2007 Bangkok International Film Festival
The 2007 Bangkok International Film Festival was held from July 19 to July 29, 2007, at SF Group's SF World Cinema at CentralWorld. The fifth consecutive year for the festival, organizers planned a program of about 100 films, with an emphasis on Asian cinema....
, and opened in wide release in Thailand cinemas on August 30, 2007.
Plot
Growing up in ChaiyaChaiya
Chaiya is a district and town in Surat Thani Province in southern Thailand. The town itself has a population of 13,133 , while the whole district has a population of 47,750.-Geography:...
, Surat Thani Province
Surat Thani Province
Surat Thani is the largest of the southern provinces of Thailand, on the eastern shore of the Gulf of Thailand. Surat Thani means City of Good People, the title given to the city by King Vajiravudh ....
, three boys, Piak, Pao and Samor, are followers of Pao's brother, Krang (Prawit Kittichanthira), a legendary muay Thai
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
fighter who is taught by Pao's father, Tew (Samart Payakaroon
Samart Payakaroon
Samart Payakaroon, real name Samart Tiptarmai is a Muaythai boxer.-Thai Boxing career:Samart has an older brother, Kongtoranee Payakaroon, who induced Samart to start training in Muay Thai.Samart started Muaythai training when he was 11...
).
After an accident partially cripples Samor, Piak and Pao train as boxers under Tew, but the boxing school is broken up when Tew and Krang are recruited for a gym in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
.
Eventually, Piak and Pao go to Bangkok themselves, bringing along Samor, and Sripai, a nurse who is engaged to Piak, but whom Pao secretly loves.
Piak's hot-headedness makes him a fierce fighter, but it is also a liability that costs him a fight and ends his career. He joins the world of underground bare-knuckles brawling, and he and Samor take on other jobs in the underworld as well, including helping out at go-go bar where the pretty Warn dances and seduces Piak. While working for the underworld, both of them ended up also doing dirty works for their boss.
Pao, meanwhile, begins training with his father, and works his way up the ranks, is put forward as a top boxer in a match against a fierce farang
Farang
Farang , also spelled falang, is the generic Thai word for a Westerner. A general term for foreigners is khon tang prathet . There is no expressly negative or positive implication in the word itself. However when it is used along with other words, it can bring a negative meaning depending on...
, Diamond Sullivan, which places Pao at odds with the gangsters whom Piak and Samor work for.KRU PAIK. Sripai later saw Piak in bed with Warn and went to find Pao. Pao and Sripai live together since while Piak took over the underground business once his boss was killed by another rival boss.
Eventually the film climax at Pao's fight with Diamond. Pao was knocked down several times, but came victorious as he remembers the time three of them trained together as a young boy.
Muay Chaiya Style=
Although the film has received accolades for its action sequences, the films representation of the art of Muay Chaiya is not always accurate. The some depiction in the movie is more akin to the stadium style of Muay Thai, for example, where kicks are performed dropping one hand. A lot of the footwork doesn't utilize the yang saam khum that traditional Muay Chaiya uses. Muay Chaiya technique as espoused by the last surviving grandmaster Ajarn Ketr Siripatyai, does not resemble stadium muay thai in many regards.
There were only a few authentic Muay Chaiya practitioners in the movie, one of which was (Tey) Prawit Kittichanthira who played Krangsuk. He is one of the top students in the style, and one of the few people who have proved that the style can be used in, and out of the ring.
Cast
- Akara AmarttayakulAkara AmarttayakulAkara Amarttayakul is a Thai film and television actor. His films include Jom kha mung wej and Muay Thai Chaiya. His nickname is "Gof" or "Golf".-Biography:...
as Piak - Thawatchai Penpakdee as Pao
- Sonthaya Chitmanee as Samor
- Sarita Kongpech as Sripai
- Sangthong Ket-U-Tong as Warn
- Prawit Kittichanthira as Krangsuk
- Samart PayakaroonSamart PayakaroonSamart Payakaroon, real name Samart Tiptarmai is a Muaythai boxer.-Thai Boxing career:Samart has an older brother, Kongtoranee Payakaroon, who induced Samart to start training in Muay Thai.Samart started Muaythai training when he was 11...
as Tew - Don Ferguson as Diamond Sullivan
Production
Director Wisit SasanatiengWisit Sasanatieng
Wisit Sasanatieng is a Thai film director and screenwriter of Chinese descent...
served as an uncredited art director on Muay Thai Chaiya.