21/05/2023
What’s the story?
According to the legend, in 1774 Nai Khanom Tom was one of the thousands Siamese prisoners being held by the Burmese King Mangra after the Burmese invasion in the Ayutthaya Kingdom.
In occasion of a festival, the king wanted to see if the Muay Boran could be compared with the Burmese boxing and Nai Khanom Tom was selected to fight against the Burmese boxing champion.
After the ritual of the Wai Kru (the Burmese thought that was some sort of Thai black magic) Nai Khanom Tom fought the Burmese boxing champion and won by Knock Out.
The referee claimed the win not valid because he was distracted by the music and might be some kind of sorcery.
The king then sent other 9 fighters, one by one without time breaks between fights. They were all put on the ground by the hands (and knees and elbows) of Nai Khanom Tom.
Impressed by these abilities, King Mangra said: “Every part of the Siamese is blessed with venom. Even with his bare hands, he can fell nine or ten opponents. But his Lord was incompetent and lost the country to the enemy. If he had been any good, there was no way the City of Ayutthaya would ever have fallen“. Then he granted freedom to Nai Khanom Tom and all Siamese (Thais).
