Krabi Krabong

Krabi Krabong practitioners in Thailand
Focus	weaponry
Country of origin	Thailand
Olympic sport	no

Krabi krabong (Thai: กระบี่กระบอง, Thai pronunciation: [krabìː krabɔ̄ːŋ]) is a weapon-based martial art from Thailand. It is closely related to other Southeast Asian fighting styles such as Indonesian-Malay silat, Burmese banshay and the armed component of Cambodian bokator. The royal bodyguard corps of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) are said to be highly trained experts of krabi krabong.

The system's name refers to its main weapons, namely the curved sword (krabi) and staff (krabong). Typically, two swords are wielded as a pair. Unarmed krabi krabong makes use of kicks, pressure point strikes, joint locks, holds, and throws.

The weapons of krabi krabong include the following:

• กระบี่ Krabi - sabre/single-edge sword
• กระบอง Krabong - staff/pole
• ดาบสองมือ Daab song mue - double swords, one in each hand^{[more information needed]}
• โล่ Lo - shield/buckler
• พลอง Phlong - stick
• ง้าว Ngao - bladed staff
• ไม้ศอก Mai sok san - a pair of clubs worn on the forearms

Origins[link]

Krabi krabong was developed by the ancient Siamese military for fighting on the battlefield. It may have been used in conjunction with muay boran but whether the two arts were developed together or independently is uncertain. Archaeological findings and traditional dances bear testament to the myriad of weapons that were once used in Thailand. Some of them are no longer found in the country's martial arts today, such as the kris (dagger), hawk (spear), trisun (trident), daab (straight sword) and vajra. These weapons, their design and the pre-fight war dance in krabi krabong show evidence of Indian derivation combined with Chinese characteristics. South Indian scholars, holymen, settlers and traders were especially influential in the evolution of Thai culture and martial arts. The Tamil stick-fighting style of silambam was of particular importance to the history of numerous Southeast Asian fighting systems. During the colonial period, silambam became more common in Southeast Asia than in India where it was banned by the British rulers.^[1]

Elephants were an integral part of warfare in Siam. They would commonly be mounted by higher-ranking warriors like generals or royalty. Krabi krabong was often practiced by the palace mahouts or elephant trainers. From the back of an elephant, archers could shoot arrows at enemies below or, if he was wielding a polearm, engage in hand-to-hand combat with another mounted fighter. After the 16th-century introduction of gun powder, elephants served as tanks with cannons mounted on their backs. The legs were the war-elephant's weak spot, so they had to be guarded by up to four foot soldiers.

Today, reenactments of such battles are staged by performers who are often from families that have been training elephants since the Ayutthayan period. Mahouts in Thailand are often of Khmer descent and still issue their elephants commands in the ancient Khmer dialect of Kalae. It is therefore likely that elephant-training was brought to Thailand from Cambodia and that krabi krabong has some Cambodian influence, probably dating back to Ayutthaya's invasion of Angkor. While modern mahouts no longer practice martial arts, their legacy can still be seen in the attire worn by krabi krabong exponents.

As Indochinese trade extended to Japan, small communities of Japanese people were living and trading around the region. After the Battle Of Sekigahara in 1600, many of those from the losing side of the war came to Siam. Others were pirates or official traders who arrived on the Red Seal Ships. The Japanese fled Ayutthaya after the Burmese invaded in 1767 but they left their influence on the local fighting arts. Many of the techniques, stances, weapons and throws of krabi krabong are similar to those found in jujutsu and various Japanese weapon arts.

In Thailand, as with other countries in Southern and Southeast Asia, monks acted as teachers to their local community. Young boys would be sent to the temples where, aside from learning about Buddhism, they would be taught subjects ranging from languages to astrology. One such establishment was the Buddhaisawan Temple in Ayutthaya where the monks taught sword-fighting to their students. The origin of these monks is unknown but they are believed to have come from the kingdom of Lanna in northern Thailand. The modern Buddhai Swan Sword Fighting Institute was led by Sumai Mesamana until his death in 1998. His son Pramote Mesamana began training in krabi krabong at the age of 6. According to the younger Mesamana, the art was passed down in his family from father to son ever since the Ayutthayan era. Today he runs the Buddhai Sawan Krabi Krabong Association in Lad Prao.

Historical practitioners[link]

[edit] Naresuan the Great

During the 16th century, the Burmese ruled over parts of Siam. Naresuan was born to King Maha Dharmaraja but until the age of 16 he was a hostage of the Burmese. Upon his return to Ayutthaya, he renounced allegiance to Burma on behalf of his father the king. Having studied at Wat Buddhaisawan, Naresuan was well-versed in fighting with the single-edge sword (krabi). The Burmese attacked the capital numerous times in succession but were always repelled by Naresuan's forces. In a final attempt to retake their Thai states, the Burmese sent an army of 25,000 warriors led by the crown prince of Burma atop a war-elephant.

Knowing he was outnumbered, Naresuan charged his own elephant through the Burmese soldiers and fought directly with the prince. Using a halberd (ngao) Naresuan cleaved the crown prince in two, from the shoulder to the hip. With their monarch now dead, the Burmese fled the battlefield and wouldn't become a serious threat to Thai sovereignty for more than a century. Naresuan ascended the throne in 1590 and under his rule Siam encompassed the Shan states of Burma, and part of Cambodia.

[edit] King Taksin

Ayutthaya became progressively weaker during the 18th century. The Thais and Burmese had been almost constantly fighting each other along the border territories since the time of King Naresuan the Great. In 1758 the Burmese began a siege which lasted nine years. Buildings, palaces and temples were laid to ruins while documents, archives and records were all destroyed. Royal treasures were stolen and all but 10,000 of the city's one million inhabitants were sold into slavery.

Taksin learned krabi krabong while studying in Wat Buddhaisawan as a boy. But more than his martial expertise, it was Taksin's skill as a military strategist that allowed him to quickly attain the rank of general. Before the capture of Ayutthaya, the young general Taksin fled with 500 followers to Rayong. He reorganised his forces and began attacking the Burmese invaders in small bands, destroying their supply routes. Word spread and within a few months Taksin rallied the Thai people to battle once again. Despite being only half the size of the Burmese army, Taksin's troops managed to drive out the conquerors and restored Siam to nearly its former size. With the previous king Ekatat now dead, Taksin was convinced that he was Buddha's reincarnation and proclaimed himself king in 1767. Seven years later, he decided to give up his role as military commander and instead sent out generals to campaign in his stead.

Among all the warriors under Taksin's command, the greatest fighter was Phraya Pichai Daab Hak, a nickname meaning "broken sword". Phraya Pichai was an expert with the dual swords (dap song mue) and acquired his moniker during a battle in which he continued fighting after one of his swords was broken. Another notable general was Chao Phraya Chakri. Though not as skilled a martial artist as Phraya Pichai, Chakri was as brilliant a commander as Taksin. Under his leadership, Siam captured the Lao kingdoms of Vientiane, Luang Prabang, and Chiangmai.

Taksin ruled from 1767–1782, but near the end of his reign he became increasingly dictatorial. He was said to have frequently flogged Buddhists monks and executed some of his concubines on false charges. A revolt broke out in the capital of Thonburi and it was agreed by both the army and the nobility that Chakri should take Taksin's place as king. The current royal family of Thailand is descended from King Chakri, also called Rama I. Taksin himself was put to death but not in a conventional beheading. Instead, Taksin was wrapped in a velvet bag and beaten to death by his ministers with clubs. This method of execution was instituted to avoid spilling royal blood, and Taksin is the only known Thai king to have been killed in such a way.

Internal links[link]

• Muay Boran
• Muay Thai

See also[link]

• Banshay
• Bojutsu
• Kbachkun boraan
• Silambam
• Silat

References[link]

• Tony Moore (2004). Muay Thai: The Essential Guide. New Holland Publishing. 
• Donn F. Draeger and Robert W. Smith (1981). Comprehensive Asian Fighting Arts. Kodansha International. 

External links[link]

• Antonio Graceffo writes about krabi krabong in Thailand

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Street view from Krabi Town, Krabi, Thailand.

Krabi (Thai: กระบี่; Malay: Grahi) is a town (thesaban mueang) on the west coast of southern Thailand at the mouth of the Krabi River where it empties in Phangnga Bay. As of 2005 the town has a population of 24,986. The town is the capital of Krabi Province and Krabi district. Tourism is an important industry.

Administration[link]

The town covers the tambon Paknam and Krabi Yai of Krabi district, and is subdivided into 10 communities (chumchon).

Location[link]

Krabi is a southern province on Thailand's Andaman seaboard with perhaps the country's oldest history of continued settlement. After dating stone tools, ancient colored pictures, beads, pottery and skeletal remains found in the province's many cliffs and caves, it is thought that Krabi has been home to Homo Sapiens since the period 25,000 - 35,000 B.C. In recorded times it was called the 'Ban Thai Samor', and was one of twelve towns that used, before people were widely literate, the monkey for their standard. At that time, c. 1200 A.D., Krabi was tributary to the Kingdom of Ligor, a city on the Kra Peninsula's east coast better known today as Nakhon Si Thammarat.

Climate[link]

Facing the Andaman sea, like Phuket, Krabi is subject to a 6-month rainy season between May and November^[1] often with sustained very heavy rains for days at a time during the monsoons. In March, 2011, a severe storm caused a massive mudslide in Krabi, killing 10 people.^[2]

History[link]

Kaewkorawaram temple in Krabi Town.

At the start of the Rattanakosin or Bangkok period in the late eighteenth century, when the capital was finally settled at Bangkok, an elephant kraal was established in Krabi by order of Chao Phraya Nakorn (Noi), the governor of Nakhon Si Thammarat, which was by then a part of the Thai Kingdom. He sent his vizier, the Phra Palad, to oversee this task, which was to ensure a regular supply of elephants for the larger town. So many followers emigrated in the steps of the Phra Palad that soon Krabi had a large community in three different boroughs: Pakasai, Khlong Pon, and Pak Lao. In 1872, King Chulalongkorn graciously elevated these to town status, called Krabi, a word that preserves in its meaning the monkey symbolism of the old standard. The town's first governor was Luang Thep Sena, though it continued a while as a dependency of Nakhon Si Thammarat. This was changed in 1875, when Krabi was raised to a fourth-level town in the old system of Thai government. Administrators then reported directly to the central government in Bangkok, and Krabi's history as a unique entity separated from the other provinces, had begun.

Tourism[link]

Phra Nang beach covered with tourists.

Much of the province has been the seat of several national parks. The topmost destinations are Hat Noppharat Thara, Ao Nang, Railay, Ko Phi Phi National Park. Yet over 80 smaller islands such as Lanta islands,or Koh Lanta, Phi Phi islands - made famous as the ideal location for adventurers, yachtsmen, scuba-divers, snorkelers and day-trippers from Phuket.

The Ko Lanta National Park, also in Krabi province, includes several coral-fringed islands with well-known diving sites. The largest island, Ko Lanta Yai, is the site of park headquarters, and is also home to Chao Le, or sea gypsies who sustain themselves largely through fishing. The islands are best visited during the non-monsoon months of October through April.

Kayaking, sailing, birdwatching, snorkeling are also among top activities. In the interior, two predominantly mainland national parks, Khao Phanom Bencha and Than Bokk-horani, offer inland scenic attractions including waterfalls and caves, and opportunities for trekking, birdwatching and eco-tours.

Transport[link]

Since 1999 the town has been served by the international Krabi Airport. Passing through the town is Phetkasem Road (Thailand Route 4).

Panoramic view over Krabi from Tiger Cave Temple.

Airport Transfer[link]

There is a shuttle bus from the airport to Krabi town and on to Ao Nang. 150 baht per person to Ao Nang. Buy tickets at the counter inside the terminal. There is also a counter for taxis. Taxi to Ao Nang is 500-600 baht. They seem to be pretty reliable for both ways airport to / from hotel and also serve other destinations such as Suratthani, Krabi, Phuket and the South of Thailand. Another transfer operator is KrabiTaxi.com ^[3]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Krabi Town

• Krabi at the Open Directory Project

Coordinates: 8°3′33″N 98°55′8″E / 8.05917°N 98.91889°E / 8.05917; 98.91889

This article contains Thai text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Thai script.

Tony Jaa
Tony Jaa in 2005
Born	Worawit Yeerum[1] (1976-02-05) February 5, 1976 (age 36) Surin province, Isan, Thailand
Height	5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)

Tatchakorn Yeerum^[2] (Thai: ทัชชกร ยีรัมย์), formerly Panom Yeerum (Thai: พนม ยีรัมย์ [pʰanom jiːram]; born February 5, 1976 in Surin province, Isaan, Thailand), better known in the West as Tony Jaa, in Thailand as Jaa Panom, is a Thai martial artist, physical educator, actor, choreographer, stuntman, director, and spent time as a Buddhist monk.^[3] His films include Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior, Tom-Yum-Goong (also called Warrior King or The Protector) Ong-Bak 2: The Beginning, and Ong Bak 3.

Early life[link]

Tony Jaa was raised in a rural area, 200 km from Bangkok^[4] and as he grew up he watched films by Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Vince Lam and Jet Li at temple fairs, which was his inspiration to learn martial arts. He was so inspired by them that while he was doing chores or playing with friends, he would imitate the martial arts moves that he had seen, practicing in his father's rice paddy. When he was 10 years old, he threatened his father that he would kill himself if he was not taught Muay Thai.^[2]

"What they [Chan, Lee and Li] did was so beautiful, so heroic that I wanted to do it too," Jaa told Time in a 2004 interview. "I practiced until I could do the move exactly as I had seen the masters do it."^[5]

At age 15 he requested to become a protegé of stuntman and action-film director Panna Rittikrai.^[2] Panna had instructed Jaa to attend Maha Sarakham College of Physical Education in Maha Sarakham Province. He has trained for an unspecified time in Taekwondo^[2][4] although there are no details regarding if this was in formal Taekwondo training or as part of his stunt team member apprenticeship. Likewise, he is highly skilled in Muay Thai but there is no evidence at present to suggest a formal training history or competitive career.

Jaa was also trained in Aikido and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and he was a successful high jump athlete at university.^[2][4] He is still able to jump two meters high.^[4]

Career[link]

Stunt work[link]

Tony initially worked as a stuntman on Panna's team, Muay Thai Stunt, appearing in many of Panna's films. He doubled for Sammo Hung when the martial-arts actor made a commercial for an energy drink that required him to grasp an elephant's tusks and somersault onto the elephant's back.^[6] He was also a stunt double in the Thai television series Insee Daeng (Red Eagle).^[7]

Acting[link]

Together, Panna and Jaa developed an interest in Muay Boran, an ancient style of Muay Thai and worked and trained for one year at the art with the intention of developing a film around it. Eventually they were able to put together a short film showing what Jaa could do with the help of instructor Grandmaster Mark Harris. One of the people they showed it to was producer-director Prachya Pinkaew, who was duly impressed.

This led to Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior in 2003, Jaa's break-out role as a leading man. Jaa did all the stunts without mechanical assistance and computer-generated effects and it showcased his style of extreme acrobatics and speedy, dance-like moves. Injuries suffered in the filming included a ligament injury and a sprained ankle. One scene in the film involved fighting with another actor while his own trousers were on fire. "I actually got burned," he said in a 2005 interview. "I really had to concentrate because once my pants were on fire the flames spread upwards very fast and burnt my eyebrows, my eyelashes and my nose. Then we had to do a couple more takes to get it right.".^[8]

His second major movie was Tom-Yum-Goong (The Protector in the US), named after a type of Thai soup and including a style of Muay Thai that imitates elephants.

In August 2006, he was in New York to promote the US release of The Protector, including an appearance at the Museum of the Moving Image.^[9]

Next projects[link]

Sahamongkol Film International advertised that Tony Jaa's third film would be called Sword or Dab Atamas, about the art of Thai two-sword fighting, with a script by Prapas Chonsalanont.^[10] But due to a falling out between Prachya and Jaa, which neither have publicly commented on, Sword has been cancelled.^[11]

On March 2006 it was reported that there would be a sequel to Ong-Bak, Ong-Bak 2. With Jaa both directing and starring, it started pre-production in fall 2006 and was released in December 2008.^{[11][12][13][14]}

While Jaa was working on Ong-Bak 2, director Prachya Pinkaew and action ya choreographer Panna Rittikrai were working on Chocolate, starring a female martial artist, Nicharee Vismistananda, and released February 6, 2008.^[11] Jaa had been cast in a small role in a third installment of the King Naresuan film series directed by Chatrichalerm Yukol, although the film was ultimately cancelled. Ong Bak 3, The Battle to end all Battles was released in 2010 and provides an explosive conclusion to this Thai trilogy.

Other developments[link]

His films captured the attention of his hero, Jackie Chan, who asked director Brett Ratner to cast Jaa in Rush Hour 3. "I gave the director videos of Tony Jaa because I think Tony Jaa is the most well-rounded of all action stars," Chan told the Associated Press.^[15] "The director liked him a lot," Chan said.^[15] However, Jaa said he'd be unable to participate because of scheduling conflicts with the shooting of Ong Bak 2.^[15][16]

Additionally, veteran Hong Kong martial arts coordinator Lau Kar-leung has mentioned Jaa as someone he'd like to work with.^{[17][relevant? – discuss]}

Tony Jaa demonstrates martial arts at the American Museum of the Moving Image on August 20, 2006, during a promotional tour for The Protector.

Tony Jaa also released Ong Bak 3, as a sequel to the prequel Ong Bak 2.

Monasticism[link]

On May 28, 2010, Jaa became a Buddhist monk at a Buddhist temple in Surin, Thailand.

Return to acting[link]

After leaving the monastery, it came as a surprise to all that Jaa accepted a deal with Sahamongkol film company. He is set to film Tom-Yum-Goong 2 in the near future, with Chocolate star Jija Yanin in a major role too, the first time Jaa has shared the big screen with another international martial arts star. Director Prachya Pinkaew and choreographer Panna Rittikrai are set to return for this film.^[18]

Filmography[link]

• Mission Hunter 2 (aka Battle Warrior (US))
• Spirited Killer
• Hard Gun
• Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior (2003)
• The Bodyguard (2004) (as Panom Yeerum) (Cameo)
• Tom-Yum-Goong (aka Honor of the Beast or Warrior King (UK) or The Protector (US)) (2005)
• The Bodyguard 2 (2007) (Cameo)
• Ong Bak 2 (2008)
• Ong Bak 3 (2010)
• Tom Yum Goong 2 The Protector 2 (2012)

Stunts[link]

• Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1996) (stunt double for Robin Shou)
• Ong Bak 2 (2008) (stunt coordinator)

See also[link]

• Panna Rittikrai
• Muay Thai Stunt

References[link]

External links[link]

• Tony Jaa at the Internet Movie Database

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Tony Jaa

Interviews[link]

• Suicide Girls Interview
• retroCrush interview
• Kicking Butt with Tony Jaa FilmJerk.com