Tiger Muay Thai Chaing Mai Gym
What does this mean for Muay Thai in Chiang Mai? I think it's a great thing. For the gyms currently in Chaing Mai, they'll just have to step up their game and continue to improve their quality of training and their facilities. People will always go to the small local gyms for the Thailand experience as long as they are reasonably priced and offer good training. But what TMT Chiang Mai will add is a big brand new facility with all new rooms and equipment and a reason to go up to northern thailand which in my opinion is my favorite part of the country.
Lots of open space at the new TMT Chiang Mai
Phuket vs. Chiang Mai - Where should you train?
Well, that's up to you really, and there's no reason why you can't do both places. But here are the pros and cons of each. Phuket is a large island and has beaches and is a day trip away from the legendary Phi Phi islands. Chiang Mai is in the northern mountains and has some amazing jungle treks.
Cost of living and food is cheaper in Chiang Mai and touristy stuff is much cheaper in Chiang Mai. For example you can do a three day, two night jungle trek including 2 nights stay, all your meals, white water rafting and riding an elephant for 1,500 baht which is about $50US. In Phuket the same trip is exactly 10x that price. Or you can just ride elephants for an hour for that price.
For a lot of people, especially if you're only here for a few weeks, Phuket and the tropical islands is the clear choice. You just can't get that amount of beauty at home. But if you're here for a few months, Chiang Mai is a nice laid back place to visit.
As for getting Professional Muay Thai Fights - Phuket is the winner as there are 5 fights a week at two different stadiums, meaning it's easy to get fights and get paid.
Tiger Muay Thai Chiang Mai is going to be another option to consider when coming out to Thailand to train Muay Thai or MMA. I'm curious to hear everyone's thoughts on where you'd prefer to live and train, Phuket or Chiang Mai?
Update: Tiger Muay Thai Chiang Mai has opened it's doors for Muay Thai classes and will officially open the beginning of 2013
"Tiger Muay Thai Chiang Mai Muay Thai training is open...the full gym with MMA and on-site accommodation will be open in the new year!"
Warm Regards
My Fight Camp
Hi Johnny,
ReplyDeleteWow, blast from the past! I randomly came across your blog via some Internet surfing and dang it I'm so jealous you're having all that fun training and diving in Thailand! I just started doing beginning Muay Thai in SF and boy was my out-of-shape body suffering. Your blog is awesome and makes me want to visit a MT training camp in Thailand some day. =) When are you returning to the States?
-G
Hey Grace, what's up. Where do you do Muay Thai in SF? I know how it is to get back in after not working out for a long time. Glad you like my blog, come visit sometime and do a training camp.
ReplyDeleteI won't be back until at least July 2012, but just for a month or two. =)
Wow
ReplyDeleteLove your blog man. You've inspired me to do the same.
Might run into you in phucket in May if you're still around. ;)
-Klobbersauras
Hi Johnny,
ReplyDeleteFnF in SF. How's the training for the Tough Mudder race coming along? I saw some Youtube clips of previous races. Have fun in the Chernobyl jacuzzi. =) While you're doing the race, I'll be at the UFC Fan expo in Vegas!
-G
I actually finished the NorCal Tough Mudder last July, 2011 and it was tough! We'll see about this year. I haven't been training as much as I'd like as I'm teaching scuba diving full time in Borneo. Have fun at the UFC Fan Expo, I've always wanted to do one of those.
ReplyDeleteThis is an awesome blog man. Keep your stuff coming. I live in Dubai and trained at Tiger, Dragon, Phromtep and Phuket Muay Thai. Love that life. Never been to Chiang Mai, but now it looks like I have a legit excuse to make the trip up there. BTW I see that Team Quest has opened up a gym there as well. Looks like Northern Thailand might be developing as well.
ReplyDeleteHere's Team Quest's website in case you're interested...
http://teamquestthailand.com/
Hey Johnny, do you know where TMT will be located at in CM? I lived there for 3 months last February and really like the city.
ReplyDeleteI would just like to point out that it's a bit missleading to say that Phuket is the obvious choice for fighting as Chiang Mai has 3 fighting venues + plenty of festival fights going on out in the sticks.. fights everyday (except maybe Sundays). The purse is better in Phuket sure, it goes hand in hand with living costs. But not many foreigners care about the (relatively small) purse in Thailand anyway, unless they are at least semi-resident and and can fight at a level where the pay is higher. It's easier to fight other foreigners in Phuket, but I think Kalare behind the night bazaar in Chiang Mai have started putting on some farag-farang fights recently...
ReplyDeletewhere are you teaching diving in borneo malaysia or indonesia as i have dived there and would like to go back
ReplyDeletealso did you say you are going to tmt this july ?
I was working at Scuba-Junkie in Borneo Malaysia, great shop and excellent diving. I'll be going back somewhere to train in October, not sure where yet.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteJonny Do you know the best way to get in contact with those running the Chiang mai location camp?
ReplyDeleteAs far as I can tell they do not have a seperate website/Section to the Phuket site and I wouldnt want to sign up and pay only to be told I had paid for the Phuket location and not Chiang Mai.
You can get them through http://www.tigermuaythaichiangmai.com/
DeleteAnd they also have a separate facebook which is a bit hard to find but it's out there.