Editing Muay Thai (section)

===19th century===
[[File:Muay Thai match in Siam 1865 John Thomson.jpg|thumb|Muay Thai match in Siam 1865 by John Thomson]]

The ascension of [[King Chulalongkorn]] (Rama V) to the throne in 1868 ushered in a golden age not only for Muay but for the whole country of Thailand. Muay progressed greatly during the reign of Rama V as a direct result of the king's personal interest in the sport. The country was at peace and Muay functioned as a means of physical exercise, self-defense, attacking, recreation and personal advancement.<ref name="AWESOME MUAY THAI">{{Cite web|url=https://tourismproduct.tourismthailand.org/file/ebook/488/mobile/index.html#p=1|title=Awesome Muay Thai |access-date=9 July 2020|archive-date=23 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923072918/https://tourismproduct.tourismthailand.org/file/ebook/488/mobile/index.html#p=1|url-status=dead}}</ref>

To increase interest in Muay Thai, King Chulalongkorn implemented nationwide tournaments and established a Royal Boxing Center, known as Muay Luang or Royal Boxers, similar to the Muay Fighters Regiment during the Ayutthaya Period, to administer the training of both Muay Thai and Krabi–krabong. He also bestowed the title of Muen, a [[Thai nobility]] rank, to the victor of each match. In 1887, the Department of Education (now the Department of Physical Education, [[Ministry of Tourism and Sports (Thailand)]]) was established by King Chulalongkorn, with Muay Thai being included as a subject in the national curriculum for both physical education teacher training schools and the [[Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy]] (CRMA).<ref>Prayukvong, Kat and Junlakan, Lesley D. (2001). ''Muay Thai: A Living Legacy Vol. 1''. Bangkok: Spry Publishing. p. 28. {{ISBN|978-974-8-85537-0}}</ref>