Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau or TCEB, together with five other partners, are inviting fans of Muay Thai (Thai boxing) from around the world to experience the Amazing Muay Thai Festival 2023 at the seaside resort town of Hua Hin and join the 5,000 performers scheduled to perform the largest ever ‘Wai Kru’ ceremony and earn themselves a place in the Guinness World Records.
The festival will take place from 4-6 February, and the ‘Wai Kru’ ceremony will be on 6 February.
‘Wai Kru’ – paying tribute to the teacher – is a series of movements performed by Muay Thai boxers to limber up and calm down in preparation for a fight. Accompanied by traditional Thai music, the ritual is a gently-paced exercise that any fans of Muay Thai can learn quickly.
This is the first festival dedicated to Muay Thai organised at this scale. It expresses the Thai government’s policy to publicise Thailand’s soft power through food, film, fashion, fighting (martial art), and festivals. The government has designated 6 February as National Muay Thai Day, and the Amazing Muay Thai Festival 2023 has been planned to celebrate Thai heritage and promote cultural tourism. For TCEB, the festival also fulfils our mission to create and support unique Thai cultural events and festivals that can add value to the economy.
TCEB President, Mr Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya, said: “TCEB is joining forces with the Royal Thai Army, the Ministry of Culture, the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the Sports Authority of Thailand and Prachuap Khiri Khan Province to organise the Amazing Muay Thai Festival 2023 from 4-6 February in Hua Hin. We expect that the Amazing Muay Thai Festival 2023 will generate over 100 million baht in revenue for the local economy.” The festival will feature activities at Rajabhakti Park, Suan Son Pradipat Beach, and Hua Hin District.
The festival’s highlight will be the world’s most significant open-air ‘Wai Kru’ ceremony and a showcase of the Mae Mai Muay Thai techniques. The ceremony will be performed by some 5,000 participants comprising boxers from the Thai Boxing Club, the Royal Thai Army, and overseas visitors on the evening of 6 February at the spacious Rajabhakti Park. A large number of performers is set to earn this ‘Wai Kru’ ceremony a place in the Guinness World Records.
As part of TCEB’s Thailand MICE to Meet You Year 2023 campaign, TCEB will also be setting up an exhibition booth at Rajabhakti Park from 4-6 February to provide information on MICE venues and attractions in Hua Hin and Prachuap Khiri Khan Province. The performance will be witnessed by Mr Mauricio Sulaiman, President of the World Boxing Council (WBC), and Muay Thai enthusiasts from more than 20 countries who have confirmed their attendance.
TCEB will extend its MICE Lane Service at the airports in Bangkok to WBC guests for fast-track immigration clearance when they arrive in Thailand.
Other than the record-setting ‘Wai Kru’ ceremony, the Amazing Muay Thai Festival 2023 will also feature:
- A ceremony to honour Phra Chao Suea (the Thai king best known for his mastery of Muay Thai) and the Seven Great Kings of Thailand
- Demonstrations of the four regional styles of Muay Thai
- An exhibition on the history of Muay Thai and Thailand’s first world boxing champion and Hua Hin native, Pone Kingpetch (1935–1982)
- An OTOP (One-Tambon-One-Product) fair showcasing the best local products
- A food festival
- An award presented to distinguished persons in the Muay Thai community at Rajabhakti Park.
- An international Muay Thai contest
- The WBC Muay Thai World Championship Showdown
- Muay Thai tutorials with top boxers
- Training sessions at Suan Son Pradipat beach with famous Muay Thai boxers
- A street-fighting boxing activity at Hua Hin Soi 51.
For more information, please visit the Website: www.amazingmuaythaifestival.com.
Written by: Supaporn Pholrach (Joom)
