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Thailand Muay Thai Stadium | Thepprasit, Pattaya
January 1, 2017
The Stadium, The Stories & Muay Thai
During the summer of 2013 I was in Thailand and had the opportunity to film some Thailand Muay Thai fights over a couple nights in Pattaya. I was granted an all access pass to the venue and have to say I am very grateful for all the kindness and help I received from the staff, fans and fighters of stadium called Thailand Superfight Thepprasit, Pattaya.
The view of the stadium from the rafters. It’s loud, intense and the crowd wants blood from the modern day Gladiator.
As the lone filmmaker at this location there were a few times I had to leave my gear unattended; some very stressful moments. I would not recommend this in a foreign land but I had no choice in order to get the footage I was after. To my astonishment none of my stuff was ever disturbed I would like to say a very special thank you to the Superfight Thailand staff and the Thai military police for assisting and allowing me to film without worry.
As a fan of Muay Thai, I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this project, being ringside allowed me to capture some great shots (Lens used 17 – 40 mm, 100 mm and 24 – 70 mm – EF L series) theses lens got me up close and wide with really clean and clear shots. These fans and fighters were not there for the glamour of the lights and cameras, no they were there to witness in all its glorification the uninhibited pure excitement of a brutally entertaining fight sport. Most seats in the house are so close to the action that at the end of the night an inadvertent souvenir can be the blood and sweat from the bone crunching shots of the fighters.
Here is our story of the Muay Thai video that was featured in the May, 2014 issue of, “Digital Video Magazine”.
A night of fights usually begins with Thai league contenders competing to make their way up the ranks and is filmed by local and national TV broadcast networks. Very organized Thai television crews comes in and out without hardly a notice never impeding the view of spectators. After league bouts are finished the fun begins with matches that have Farangs (foreigners) pitted against Thais and brings the stadium to high levels of frenzied excitement. Muay Thai is akin to religion for Thai’s much like hockey is for Canadians.
The tough scowls of first time fighting farangs quickly disappear when they realize they may be in over their head even if their Thai opponent is much smaller in stature and size; bullies are out of their league here and not tolerated. On the other hand experienced farang fighters seem to have a great endearment for the sport, culture and people of Thailand. Fans will always show their love when after a fight, true sportsmanship and mutual respect is revealed between two fighters.
The calm before the storm starring into my lens. I guess this is what the other fighter must have seen,
A Great Stadium for Pattaya
I ran from end to end, locker room to locker room filming man, woman and child. The prevailing story; all the fighters wanted to test their skills push their limits and discover what they were made of. All had a sense of nervousness some kept it better disguised than others but all had a fear. Muay Thai is a beautifully vicious and entertaining sport.
The kids who fought seemed to be the bravest of them all. The kid-fighter in the beginning of the video was oblivious to my filming. His mom asked him to turn around and when he did he did not break nor smile he was focused ready and determined. He was the star of the show and maybe a champ in the making.
A female, Muay Thai fighter, shadow boxes backstage before her match.
During the post-production we found we needed to create another element in the underlying story to translate on screen. We wanted to convey a sense of the physical structure and mood of Pattaya’s ‘Superfight Stadium’ that the fighters and spectators congregated in. In its rawest form the stadium known as ‘Thailand Superfight Thepprasit Pattaya’ is not exactly the typical old weathered or dilapidated Muay Thai arena.
From the ropes up close the moment a fighter knocks his opponent out cold captured in a single frame.
Yes, its been around for a very long time but its well maintained. Any first-timer to the stadium will immediately have a feeling that the place has seen its epic battles. At the very least you’ll know you’re somewhere sorta special. This is a place where stories of legends are born told only by the people who witnessed them first hand. The stadium has its share of scares much like a veteran’s face of Muay Thai, like a true champ its got its own character it’s still standing after all the punches time has thrown at it. The good people who manage and maintain the building are to thank for giving Pattaya one of the best places to watch the art of 8 limbs in Thailand.
Visit Thepprasit Muay Thai Boxing Stadium Pattaya
Address: 193/15 Thepprasit Boxing Stadium Thepprasit Road Soi 2, Pattaya City, Bang Lamung District, Chon Buri 20150, Thailand
Thepprasit Muay Thai Boxing Stadium is next door to a very cool and well known gym that would be of interest to checkout if you are in the area called Honour Muay Thai gym. Information is below.
Official Website: Honour Muay Thai
Facebook Page: Honour Muay Thai
Phone: +66931981378
Hours: 7AM–7PM
Footnote:
(BANGSHOCKmedia was our previous company)
“BANGSHOCK Packs A Punch with Atomos Ninja” ~ Digital Video Magazine | May 2014
Thank’s to Atomos for the notification that our Muay Thai video “The Art of Eight Limbs” has been well received since its release and got a small feature in the May 2014, industry publication: “Digital Video Magazine” on page 44.
To license these images feel free to contact us.
