Category: Thailand

Winding through the roads of one of the oldest neighborhoods of Bangkok, the driver turns into a narrow street and suddenly stops. “Your destination is on the left”, the GPS navigation announces in Thai. I quickly get off the motorcycle, thank him, and look around. I don’t see any sign of a Muay Thai gym nearby. I open up Maps on my phone, and it looks like the gym should be just a short walk away. Feeling a bit unsure, I walk through the gates of a nearby temple and ask a woman selling food if she knows where the gym is. She responds clearly and simply, telling me to keep walking straight and that the gym will be on my left. “You’ll see it,” she says confidently. I start walking deeper into the temple grounds, passing by a school and some monks. The nerves set in. Maybe I’m in the wrong place? Still, I trust her directions and keep going. Sure enough, there was a gym. Tucked behind a large shrine and lush tropical plants, Sangmorakot Muay Thai Academy (“The Shining Emerald”) greeted me with the creaks of swinging heavy bags.