Editing Muay Thai (section)

===18th century===
In the 1702 reign of King [[Suriyenthrathibodi]]. The king questioned his vassals about the Siamese people festival held outside the boundary of Ayutthaya Royal Palace. The government official responded to the king that the temple fair will be held at Khwaeng Wiset Chai Chan<ref name="royal-chronicle-2015"/>{{rp|283}} (now [[Ang Thong province]], Thailand). Tomorrow, there are Buddhist monastery celebrations, grand competitions, and amusements. King Suriyenthrathibodi then responded back that he had not punched Muay boxing for a long time since enthroned, and he decided to join Muay boxing competitions tomorrow.<ref name="royal-chronicle-2015"/>{{rp|283}}

On the next festival day, King Suriyenthrathibodi disguised himself as the general public with a few royal police and went to the festival by boat to join the Muay boxing competitions, and he won both the first and second matches during the competition, as the ''Royal Chronicle of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya'' reads:

{{Blockquote|text={{lang|en|King Suriyenthrathibodi requested the second match; the boxing referee then rearranged another rival to compete with him. King Suriyenthrathibodi won again among loudly applauded by the general public and got an award for one baht fifty satang. Later, he got on his boat and enjoyed the result of the competition, then went back to Krung Sri Ayutthaya.<ref name="royal-chronicle-2015">''Phraratcha Phongsawadan Chabap Somdet Phra Phonnarat of Wat Phra Chettuphon. Truatsobchamrajagtuakhieant [The Royal Chronicle of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya : Version by Somdet Phra Phonnarat of Wat Phra Chettuphon. checked against original manuscripts.] : [https://dl.parliament.go.th/handle/20.500.13072/522521 พระราชพงศาวดาร ฉบับสมเด็จพระพนรัตน์ วัดพระเชตุพน ตรวจสอบชำระจากเอกสารตัวเขียน]'' (in Thai). Bangkok: Amarin Printing & Publishing, 2015. {{ISBN|978-616-92351-0-1}}</ref>{{rp|283}}{{refn|group=Note|The Royal Chronicle of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya is written in Thai: จึ่งดำรัสให้ข้าหลวงว่าแก่นายสยาม ให้จัดหาคู่มาเปรียบอีก แลนายสนามก็จัดหาคู่มาได้อีกแล้วให้ชกกัน แลคนมวยผู้นั้น ธารบุญมิได้ก็แพ้ในกึ่งยก คนทังหลายสรรเสรีญฝีมือพระหัถมี่ไป แล้วว่ามวยกรุงคนนี้มีฝีมือยี่งนักแลนายสนามก็ตกรางวันให้เหมือนหนหลังนั้น แล้วสมเดจ์พระเจ้าอยู่หัวก็ภาข้าหลวงคืนมาสู่เรือพระธินั่งค่อยสำราญพระราชหฤไท แล้วเสดจ์กลับยังกรุงเทพมหานคร ๚ะ๛<ref name="royal-chronicle-2015"/>}}}}
|multiline=yes
|author= Somdet Phra Phonnarat (Vanaratana) of Wat Pho
|source= The Royal Chronicle of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya: Version by Somdet Phra Phonnarat of Wat Phra Chettuphon (1795)
}}

The ''Royal Chronicle of the Kingdom of Rattanakosin: First Reign'', documents the arrival of two French boxing brothers in Bangkok in 1788.<ref>Chaophraya Thiphakorawong and Damrong Rajanubhab. (1935). "ฝรั่งเข้ามาพะนันชกมวย," [[:File:พงศาวดารกรุงรัตนโกสินทร์ รัชกาลที่ ๑ - ๒๔๗๘.pdf|''Phraratphongsaodan krungratnakosintha ratchakan thi nueng'' [Royal Chronicle of the Kingdom of Rattanakosin: First Reign] ''พระราชพงศาวดาร กรุงรัตนโกสินทร์ รัชกาลที่ ๑'']] (in Thai). Bangkok: Phra Chan. pp.154–56.</ref> They had come to compete in a boxing match for a monetary prize. Seeking to compete with a Siamese boxer, they enlisted the help of an interpreter to convey their request to a Siamese nobleman, [[Chaophraya Phra Khlang (Hon)]]. This nobleman then brought the matter to the attention of King Rama I. The King, in turn, consulted with his younger brother, Prince [[Maha Sura Singhanat]] of the [[Front Palace]], and made a plea:<ref name="wenk.1968"/><ref name="kraithat.1988"/>

<blockquote>Since the foreigners have made a challenge, it would be considered an insult if we did not come up with Thai boxers to compete against them. It would be said that no Thais in all the capital could fight. Our reputation would suffer. The dishonor would spread abroad. I beg you to find a Thai boxer skillful enough to inflict a resounding defeat.<ref name="kraithat.1988">Kraithat, Panya, and Kraitus, Pitisuk. (1988). ''Muay Thai: The Most Distinguished Art of Fighting''. (6th ed.). Phuket: Asia Books. pp. 23–24. {{ISBN|978-974-8-68419-2}}</ref><ref>Howard, Michael C.; Wattanapun, Wattana; and Gordon, Alec. (1998). ''Traditional T'ai Arts in Contemporary Perspective (Studies in Contemporary Thailand No. 7)''. (Originally prepared for a symposium on T'ai Arts held at the 6th International Thai Studies Conference in Chang Mai, October 1996]. Bangkok: White Lotus Press. p. 219. {{ISBN|978-974-8-43428-5}}</ref></blockquote>

[[File:Chintawannakhadi (p 531).jpg|thumb|A painting by [[Hem Vejakorn]] depicts a Frenchman challenging a Siamese man, Muean Phlan, to a boxing match in 1788]]

King Rama I accepted his brother's advice and asked a nobleman to inform the Frenchmen that a match would be arranged with a purse of fifty Chang (equivalent to 4,000 baht at the time).<ref>Patchana Boonpradit. (2010, 3 November). "[http://legacy.orst.go.th/?knowledges=%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B2%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%99-%E0%B9%93-%E0%B8%9E%E0%B8%A4%E0%B8%A8%E0%B8%88%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A2%E0%B8%99-%E0%B9%92%E0%B9%95 มาตราเงิน]". ''The Thailand Office of the Royal Society''. para. 2. Retrieved on 11 December 2024.</ref> Prince Maha Sura Singhanat personally supervised the construction of a suitable arena and prepared the Siamese boxer.<ref name="wenk.1968"/><ref name="kraithat.1988"/>

On the day of the boxing competition, King Rama I, his younger brother, and many members of the Siamese royal court were present as spectators near the western theater of [[Wat Phra Kaew]]. Prince Maha Sura Singhanat arranged for a Siamese boxer from the Front Palace King's Guard Department named Muean Phlan<ref name="kraithat.1988"/> to compete against the younger of the French brothers. During the match, Muean Phlan constantly evaded his opponent, making it difficult for the younger French brother to get a hold of him. As the elder French brother rushed to assist his younger sibling, Prince Maha Sura Singhanat also joined the fight and knocked the elder brother down. All the umpires rushed to help the Siamese boxer, and the Frenchmen were treated harshly. After Rama I had the two French brothers receive physical therapy, they soon departed.<ref name="wenk.1968"/><ref name="kraithat.1988"/>