A row has sparked between Thailand and Cambodia over the origin of Muay Thai. As a result, Thailand has withdrawn from the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games).
Cambodia, the host country of the 2023 SEA Games, changed the identify of the kickboxing competitors from Muay Thai to Kun Khmer and acknowledged that the origin of Muay Thai is Cambodian.
The result of Cambodia’s change has led to a ban from the International Federation of Muaythai Associations (IFMA).
Cambodia introduced on Saturday, January 21 that the upcoming SEA Games on May 5 to 17 would include 37 sports, and that the kickboxing competition will be modified to Kun Khmer.
Cambodia insists that Kun Khmer, or Bokator, is the county’s conventional martial art and the origin of Muay Thai. They added they’re altering the identify to have fun the country’s heritage but keep the entire authentic guidelines.
The IFMA objected to the change. IFMA President Sakchai Thapsuwan stated that the rules of the SEA Games state clearly that the kickboxing sport have to be named Muay Thai.
Sakchai acknowledged that the federation has despatched letters to the eleven member countries to ban the game. Any country that participates in Kun Khmer would be banned from joining the World Games, Asian Indoor Games, Asian Martial Arts Games, and World Boxing Championship.
The Muay Thai athletes from Thailand have withdrawn from the competitors in protest.
The concern is a sizzling subject on Thai and Cambodian social media. Netizens from both nations discussed and gathered proof to prove the origin of kickboxing.
A picture of Kun Khmer or Bogato fighters was circulated on Thai and Cambodian social media.
Cambodian netizens claimed that the two folks in the image are Cambodian Kun Khmer fighters. However, the individual in the image stepped forward and revealed that he, and the person in the snap, are one hundred pc, Thai citizens. The picture was also taken in Thailand, within the Isaan province of Surin.
The secretary of the Cambodian SEA Games Organising Committee (CAMSOC), Vath Chamroeun, advised the Cambodian information agency, Post Khmer, that Cambodia would use the title Kun Khmer even when Thailand was not happy with it.
Proven acknowledged that six member nations, together with Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos, Myanmar, and Malaysia, ignored the ban and confirmed they will take part in the game underneath its new identify.
Vath added that Cambodia is not going to be part of any Muay Thai competitions when Thailand hosts the SEA Games in 2025. Vath said…
“If Cambodia just isn’t allowed to make use of the name of the country’s martial arts in the SEA Games, Thailand should not be allowed to make use of it either.”