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Ritual and respect

Nak muay

นักมวย

What it means

A boxer, in the Muay Thai sense. Used for someone who fights, not for everyone who trains. Foreign fighters are often called nak muay farang.

The distinction matters at a camp. Calling yourself a nak muay after a week of holiday training will read as a claim rather than a description.

Nobody will correct you out loud, which is exactly why it is worth knowing.

Related

Words that go with it

  • Farang

    The everyday Thai word for a Westerner. It is descriptive rather than an insult in normal use, and you will hear it constantly at any camp that takes visitors.