Nai and his family made headlines at the end of 2010 when his 7 month old daughter, Tuptim, needed a liver transplant in order to have any chance at survival. The $50,000 dollars needed for the operation was well beyond what the family could afford. Nai’s students, coworkers and peers started doing everything they could to raise money and awareness for the cause.

In a brilliant act of desperation, one of Nai’s former students at Tiger Muay Thai, Ben Pittsley, posted a thread in the “UG” (a popular mixed martial arts discussion forum), calling on UFC president Dana White to pay for the surgery. He did! In his own words..

“On weekends I never get on a computer because I’m hanging with my kids. But one Saturday and I remember like it was yesterday, I walked by my computer at home and something just pulled me to it, and I know this sounds fucking weird and I’m not religious, but I got on the UG that day.

Ben talked to me that day in that post in a way that I communicate. He basically said, “Dana, a little girl is going to die in four weeks if she doesn’t have $50,000 for this surgery and you should pay for it.” I read that thing and it was like a punch right in the face and I said you know what “He’s right, I should fuckin’ do this.” And it was two of the greatest decisions I have ever made in my life. 1.To get on the computer that day. 2. To pay for that surgery. One of the greatest things that has ever happened to me!”

– Dana White

Because of Dana White’s act of generosity, as well as Ben’s determination to raise the money, Tuptim is in good health and can be found roaming around the gym with a big smile on her face.

Location

Rattachai gym is located in Chalong, just one street down from Soi Taied – which is where Tiger Muay Thai, Dragon and Phuket Top Team are located. To get to the gym from Soi Taied, you need to exit the road from the Tiger Muay Thai side, hang a left, then turn left again at the first set of lights. Rattachai will be on your right hand side a couple hundred meters down. The address is 49/3 Moo 5 Soi Luang Pho Chuang, Chalong, Muang, Phuket 83000 and the phone number is 0933-986-688.

Accommodation

There is an abundance of accommodation options on, and around, the Soi Taied road to pick from – all of which are suitable if you’re training at Rattachai since it’s so close. There is also an apartment called Nayai Resort which is located directly next to the Rattachai gym. Alternatively, if you wanted to save money, you could just cruise around the area on a motorbike and check out some places in person. The longer you stay the cheaper the rates will be.

Training Photos

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Videos

Rattachai Gym Videos

Rattachai Muay Thai Gym - Muay Thai Techniques #1 Up Elbow

02:02

Rattachai Muay Thai Gym - Speed kick by Kru Chaiyok

00:38

"Rattachai Muay Thai" GYM, Phuket, Thailand

02:52

(OneSongchai)Tukatathong Por.Pongsawang Vs Rattanachai Wor.Valaphol

02:40

Training Info

Like most gyms, there are two training sessions per day at Rattachai. The morning session starts at 8am and the afternoon session starts at 4pm. The sessions usually consist of some skipping and a brief warm up with some shadowboxing, followed by some technique instruction.

Students will then do 3-4 rounds of pad work with either Kru Nai or one of the trainers employed by the gym.

Following pad work, students will either do some conditioning exercises or some clinching to finish off the session. It’s a very laid back atmosphere.

With the growing popularity, they have been able to bring in some very accomplished trainers (details below) and develop a strong MMA fight team that competes throughout Asia and globally.

There’s a popular video series called Phuket Dreaming (viewable below) that is filmed at, and around Phuket Top Team by Issac Kesington (Genghis Con Films). If you’re thinking about training at Phuket Top Team, or Thailand in general, I’d recommend you check it out to get some insight to what it’s like here.

Location

Phuket Top Team is in Chalong; approximately 300 meters down the road from Tiger Muay Thai and about 200 meters down the road from Dragon. Having so many students living and training in such a concentrated area has triggered developers to build rooms, restaurants, massage shops etc. nearby to accommodate the needs of the hundreds of foreigners training here at any given time.

Accommodation

As mentioned above, there are plenty of accommodation options on the road where Phuket Top Team is situated (Soi Taied), and if you’d like to stay right at the gym, they have a limited number of rooms available on site.

Training Info

Phuket Top Team offers a full schedule of classes and a well rounded program overall. Their Brazilian Jiu Jitsu program is lead by Olavo Abreu; a 4th degree black belt and former head trainer at Brazilian Top Team.

The No-Gi classes are taught by Joao Paulo, who’s another BJJ black belt from Brazil.

The wrestling program at Phuket Top Team is currently being run by Derek Heckel, who was a state champion wrestler and has approximately 18 years of competition experience.

The Muay Thai program is run by an accomplished team of trainers including Nonsai Sor Sanyakorn; a 2x world champion, Lerdsila Chumpairtour; a 3x Rajadamnarn stadium champion, Laemtong Tor Ponchai; former channel 7 champion and Nampon PK; former Rajadamnern and WMC champion. No lack of talent here.

If you’re interested in Western boxing, Phuket Top Team has classes for that as well which are headed by a Thai national and WBC champion named Oleydong “The Deadly Candy” Sithsamerchai – who has a career record of 56-1.

In a typical day, Phuket Top Team offers Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (with a Gi), 2 traditional Muay Thai sessions, strength and conditioning, No Gi grappling and MMA sparring for those getting ready for fights or for those looking to just blend their skill sets together.

Photos

Phuket Top Team

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Sittichai Por Cherdkiat is a veteran of the major stadiums in Bangkok and has been working as a trainer at various gyms in Phuket for years.

Nokweed Davy is a 3x Rajadamnern stadium champion as well as a former WMC champion (a title which he won from Danny Bill of France).

Being so new, the gym is still relatively unknown to most. This may be a positive or negative depending on how you look at it.

I personally view quiet gyms as an opportunity to get more attention.

Considering the skill level of the fighters they’ve brought in to train the students, as well as the location, it probably won’t be long until the gym fills up.

Location

The Maximum training center in Patong is the closest gym to the beach in Phuket, but Nongnapat is most likely a close second.

The gym is located across the street from Rawai beach, and about 5km from the Nai Harn beach.

Click here to view the address and a map to the gym.

Accommodation

The gym has on-site accommodation available for students and at the time of this writing, they’re building an pool at the facility as well.

The rooms at the gym go for 25,000 baht per month. Alternatively, if you’re on a strict budget, you can tour the area around the gym on your own and try negotiating a deal at a local guesthouse.

Training Info and Photos

It seems as though they follow a standard, traditional form of training here. There are 2 sessions per day, each lasting approximately 2 hours.

The morning session is scheduled from 7:30-9:30am and the afternoon session runs from 4:30-6:30pm.

The sessions consist of skipping, shadow boxing, pad work, bag work, sparring and clinching. Pretty standard.

The website doesn’t mention anything about running but you could always add in a run on Rawai beach before the sessions start.

The costs for training are as follows..

– 1 SESSION 400 BAHT
– 1 DAY (2 SESSIONS) 600 BAHT
– 1 SESSION PER DAY FOR A WEEK 2,000 BAHT
– 2 SESSIONS PER DAY FOR A WEEK 3,000 BAHT
– 1 SESSION PER DAY FOR A MONTH 8,000 BAHT
– 2 SESSIONS PER DAY FOR A MONTH 10,000 BAHT

The trainers she has working here have been working in Phuket based gyms for several years and all have plenty of experience working with foreigners.

“Dam”, who is one of the trainers here (pictured below), is a past title holder at the major stadiums in Bangkok.

The current head trainer is “Kot”, and he’s awesome to work with. Nice guy and a really fluid pad holder as well.

Location

The gym is located in central Patong, right across from the Jungceylon shopping mall on the rooftop of a building called “The Sixth”. Look for the “Lebanese flower restaurant” as the gym is right above that.

Patong is the most populated beach area in Phuket, and it’s where the majority of the tourist oriented nightlife is situated.

The proximity of the gym to the “party” street (Bangla road) may be viewed as a positive or a negative depending on what you’re looking for.

If you’re looking for a conveniently located gym that near a beach and the nightlife, a gym like Nitah Muay Thai may be a good fit. The same holds true with the other Patong based gyms mentioned on this site.

If you want to dedicate yourself 100% to training and you know you’re the type to get easily distracted, it’s possible that you may feel drawn to Bangla road to party (this isn’t always the case of course.. just something to consider).

Accommodation

There’s no on-site accommodation available but Patong is rife hotels, apartments and guesthouses. Look further from the beach for cheaper deals. The guesthouse recommended by Anita is called “Cafe Siam Guesthouse”.

Training Info and Photos

The morning session at Nitah Muay Thai is from 9am – 11am and the afternoon session goes from 4pm-6pm. There’s a supervised run in the morning at 7:30 (one of the trainers joins the students).

The training format consists of the usual 3-5 rounds of bag work, 3-5 rounds of pad work (up to your stamina) and there is allotted time where beginner students will do 3 rounds of technique instruction while the more advanced students shadow box.

The prices for training are as follows..

1 Month (1 session per day) 6,000
1 Month (2 sessions per day) 9,000
3 Months (1 sessions per day) 16,000
3 Months (2 sessions per day) 25,000
6 Months (1 session per day) 25,000
6 Months (2 sessions per day) 45,000
12 Months (1 session per day) 45,000
12 Months (2 sessions daily) 80,000.

One awesome thing about the pricing structure at Nitah Muay Thai is that they offer special rates for expats (just show your work or business visa). The rates for expats are 20,000 baht for 6 months or 35,000 baht for a year. This is something that I wish more gyms would offer.

Their current fight team is a who’s who list of some of the top names in the sport. I feel like they have a good chance to capture UFC titles in 3 weight divisions with Cain Velasquez (heavyweight), Daniel Cormier (light heavyweight) and Khabib Nurmagomedov (lightweight).. but we’ll see how things play out.

The notable fighters representing AKA in competition are too many to list, but one name you may be familiar with is Mike Swick. Mike has been coming to Thailand to train since 2000 (I recall watching video footage he uploaded from Sitpholek Gym back in 2001) and now, nearly 15 years later, he’s opened a gym of his own.

Things seem to be off to a good start as they’ve been bringing in some talented trainers. The Brazilian Jiu Jitsu program is being run by a 2nd degree black belt out of the Checkmat camp named Marco “Sharpei” Machado. Marco is a 10x Brazilian state champion, 2x American national champion and once ranked 3rd at the World Jiu Jitsu championship (Mundials), which is the most competitive and prestigious BJJ tournament there is.

On the Muay Thai side, they’ve brought in Fahsuchon Sit-O to head up the program. Fahsuchon has captured multiple Lumpinee stadium and Thailand national titles and was the recipient of the prestigious “fighter of the year” award in 2000. He has a very technical style of fighting and still fights actively against past veterans of the sport on special event cards at Lumpinee stadium. If you have the opportunity to train with him, request that he spend some time working on front kicks because that’s one of the techniques he’s mastered and known for.

They’re just starting out, so they don’t have a big roster of Muay Thai trainers at the time of this writing, but another one of the trainers they’ve brought in was the trainer to Doug Anderson in Ayutthaya on the “Fight Quest” Muay Thai episode (easily found on Youtube).

Mike Swick, who has been fighting for the UFC for nearly a decade, will be coaching the MMA team and they’ve brought in a strength and conditioning coach as well.

Location

The gym is located in the Rawai district of Phuket, within walking distance from a beach. The address is 47/31-32 Moo 4, Rawai and they’ve uploaded a video showing how to get to the gym from Chalong circle via a motorbike..

Accommodation

They have plans to build a variety of on-site accommodations but in the meantime, they’ve partnered with some nearby accommodation providers. They have an overview of some of the options near the gym on their website.

Training Info and Photos

From the looks of their schedule, they have a variety of classes running throughout the entire day. There’s strength and conditioning classes, beginner/intermediate/advanced BJJ classes (both with and without the Gi), MMA specific fighter training and the standard morning and afternoon Muay Thai sessions.

With so many sessions throughout the day, there’s a variance in the pricing depending on what you want to do. You can check out their website for pricing info on the training packages.

The concept is to provide a serious training atmosphere in a tropical environment. All skill levels are welcome, but everyone that trains here can be expect to be pushed during the sessions (to their own limitations of course). There are some kids training at the gym, both foreign and Thai, and its has a family feel to it.

The location in Bangkok is stacked with top fighters (Kem, Sittichai, Bovy, Tongchai) and I believe a lot of the fighters will be going back and forth between the two gyms.

The head trainer at the Phuket location is “Pi Pah”. Pi Pah has personally trained multiple champion fighters during his years at the famed Jocky Gym in Bangkok. A multiple time Raja stadium and Thai national champion himself, Pipa played a major role in the development of champions such as Saenchai (pictured together here), Lerdsila, Somluck, Dany Bill, Kaoklai, Jean Charles Skarbowsky, Silapathai and several others.

Before moving to the Phuket location, Pi Pah spent some time at the original Sitsongpeenong location (Bangkok), where he was working with their stable of fighters. He teaches a very illusive, technical style of fighting (Muay Fimeu), and those teachings are evident when watching guys like Saenchai and Lerdsila in action.

The gym is owned by an Australian named Tim Fisher. Tim has experience both as a fighter and a promoter, and is always around the gym to give feedback and arrange fights for students (should you wish to compete).

In addition to Pi-Pah, Tim has recruited a few other top notch fighters/trainers to work in the camp. Yodvisanu (a former WMC champion) was brought in from the “Sor Kittichai gym”, which is one of the top camps in Southern Thailand.

Prior to arriving at Sitsongpeenong, Yodvisanu was working as a trainer in Japan, where he played a role in the development of 5 champions, one of them being Masaaki Noiri. Masaaki Noiri is currently ranked as the #1 lightweight kick-boxer in the world according to LiverKick.com

Also working as a trainer here is Sayannoi Kiatprabat. Sayannoi captured lumpinee belts in 2 weight divisions as well as a Thailand national title.

There has been a few new trainers added to the roster as well. Pettawee Sor Kittichai; former Rajadamnern, Thailand and S1 champion and Jomyut Pitakkruchaydan; former Lumpinee stadium and Thailand national champion.

A recent addition to the roster of trainers is Pentai SingPatong. Pantai is a 2x lumpinee stadium champion, a channel 7 champion and a Thailand national champion.

For the bigger students, there’s a prospect training out of the gym named Weythern “The Demon” who will be on hand for clinching and sparring. Weythern walks around at approximately 78-79kg and is fighting both at Lumpinee stadium (72kg) as well as internationally (France and Australia so far). Other Thai fighters include Attisak, Sarortong and Tawanchai.

Things seem to be off to a good start.

Location

The gym is located in the Kamala area of Phuket. The area has a laid back, relaxing atmosphere, so there’s little in terms of distractions so you can focus on your training, but if you’re in the mood for some entertainment, Patong (main nightlife district in Phuket) is about a 10 minute drive away. The beach in Kamala is very nice, as are the Surin and Laem Sing beaches which are also nearby. Click here to view a map, directions and the address for the gym.

Accommodation

There’s a small resort complex nearby the gym that houses some of the guests. The complex has has a pool, jacuzzi and WiFi. The rates (including training) are 1600 baht per night or 33,000 baht per month (this price for a King size room, which can be seen by clicking here).

There are twin rooms available for 1050 baht per night or 20,000 baht per month (also including training). Some of the rooms are studios and some have kitchens. Your best bet is to contact the gym to see what’s available.

They also have some bunk beds available at the gym to accommodate those those on a tighter budget, but I’m told that these spots are limited to maintain a high standard of training.

Photos

Sitsongpeenong Phuket

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Training Info

The vision for the gym is to have a serious training atmosphere, much like the gym in Bangkok, only in a tropical location. That being said, you can expect the same focus on intensity at the Phuket location that the Bangkok location has become known for (this means short rest intervals between rounds).

The morning sessions are kicked off with either a 5km run or an 8km run (different routes) and there’s also a route that takes you over the hills from Patong to Kamala. The morning sessions also include technical sparring sessions (mix between Western boxing and Muay Thai), pad work as well as a shorter clinch session.

The afternoon session consists of 30 minutes of skipping, a long clinch session, bag work and 5-7 rounds on the pads with one of the trainers. There is also a conditioning circuit that focuses on developing explosive power implemented into the training routine 3x per week.

They have private lessons available for 1000 baht per hour and day passes for the group sessions for 500 baht per day.

Training Videos

Sitsongpeenong Phuket Muay Thai Highlight 2014

02:28

Muay Thai Training Highlights Sitsongpeenong Phuket 2015

02:43

The concept seems to be a combination of a commercial type fitness facility (huge selection of free weights, treadmills etc.) with a Muay Thai and MMA gym. They have an MMA cage, a BJJ area with top of the line Dollamur style mats, two rings and an assortment of Fairtex bags.

Location

Maximum is probably the closest gym to a beach anywhere in Thailand. It’s in Patong, which is the most developed beach in Phuket. There are plenty of food, shopping and nightlife options within walking distance. Keep in mind though that it’s easy to get distracted in this area so if you’re serious about training, you’ll probably need to exercise some serious self restraint to avoid the temptation of going out to the clubs.

Training Info and Photos

The majority of the trainers here have worked at Patong Boxing Gym at some point. They’re all very experienced and one of them in particular, Dam, is an accomplished fighter who holds a belt from Rajadamnern stadium. He’s also an accomplished Western style boxer who once fought for a million baht.

Also working as trainers here are “Kot” and “Wut”. Kot used to be the “master trainer” in PBG before heading to work up North in Pai. He has a lot of experience and will always give you a good workout on the pads. Wut is Kot’s son in law and he also used to work at PBG. After his stint at PBG, he worked at Dragon Muay Thai for a few years. So, all members of the training staff are very experienced training foreigners. In addition to the Muay Thai, they also offer fitness memberships (weights, treadmills etc.), crossfit, Yoga and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

Location

The “KYN” in the gym name stands for “Koh Yao Noi”, which is the island where the gym is located. The island is approximately 30 minutes away from both Phuket and Krabi via speed boat. The island is small at 50 square miles but according to the website, there are plenty of restaurants and other conveniences (7 eleven, ATM’s, mobile phone service etc.) on the island. Here is some detailed information on how to get to the island/gym as well as direct contact information.

Accommodation

There are quite a few accommodation options at KYN. The gym offers “affordable fan rooms”, “deluxe air conditioned rooms”, “apartments” and a “luxury bungalow”. The rooms are rented out as part of the training & accommodation packages that they offer. The prices range based on how long you’re staying, which room you pick and which time of year you’ll be staying there (high season vs low season). The KYN website, which is linked below, has all photos of the different rooms available as well as the prices.

Training Info & Photos

The morning session at KYN gym runs from 8am-10am and the afternoon/evening session runs from 5pm-7pm. The training structure is similar for both sessions. The training kicks off with a 9km run (optional for guests but mandatory if you plan on fighting). After the run, it’s back to the gym for skipping, stretching, shadowboxing, sparring and clinching, bag work, pad work and then some stretching and oftentimes a light swim in the pool to close out the workout.

In terms of the facility, there are currently 11 rooms and 2 guest houses. There are two rings, a large open training area, new Twins bags throughout the facility and there is a swimming pool on the property as well.

Location

Sumalee Boxing Gym is located about 15 minutes from the airport along the East coast of Phuket (North of Patong). The nearby beaches are nearly deserted and the area around the gym is quiet as it`s not very developed yet. In the nearby area, there are restaurants & some bars so you`ll be able to get food outside the gym or just relax and have a beer. Here is a map to the gym.

Accommodation

As mentioned above, there are 11 on-site rooms at Sumalee as well as 2 guesthouses available for rent a few kilometers from the gym. Here is an overview of the accommodation options as well as a price list.

Training Info & Photos

There are two 2 hour sessions at Sumalee. The morning session starts at 7:30am and the afternoon session starts at 4pm. The sessions include a warm up, stretching, 5 rounds of pad work, bag work, sparring, clinching and a cool down (pretty standard routine).

Manop Gym is just opened up in 2012 and it was founded by Manop (otherwise known as “Kru Ou”) and his Brazilian partners.

This is not meant to be a large commercial gym and it’s currently equipped and staffed to accommodate approximately 20 people. The concept is a Bangkok style gym located in the tropics of Phuket. Manop used to be Saenchai’s trainer at the 13 coins gym before moving on and setting up this new business venture.

Location

The gym is located in Chalong, near Tiger Muay Thai, Dragon Muay Thai and Phuket Top Team; though not on the same road. Here is a map and the contact information for the gym.

Accommodation

The gym has 8 rooms on-site that are available for rent. For a spot in a double room (shared with 1 other person), the rate is 350 baht per night or 5000 baht per month. If you want your own room (with a double bed), the rate is 500 baht per night or 8000 baht per month. Each of the rooms have cable TV, internet, washroom with hot water shower and a fridge. These rates of course are subject to change so be sure to check out their website for updated rates.

Training Info & Photos

The morning session starts at 7am and finishes at around 9:30am. The session is kicked off with a non-mandatory 6-10km run. At around 8am, people make their way back to the gym and stretch, shadowbox and hit the bag for about 5 rounds to warm up. 3-5 rounds of pad work follows and after pad work, there is some technical sparring (3-5 rounds) and then some conditioning exercises and a cool down to finish off the session.

The afternoon session runs from 3:30pm-7:30pm. Things start off with a run (3-6km) and then students start skipping when they get back to the gym. After skipping, students will stretch, shadowbox, do bag work, do pad work and then clinch for about 30-45 minutes. After clinching, students will do some conditioning exercises and a cool down.