I first discovered Muay Thai 5 years ago in Sydney, Australia as a form of learning martial arts and a way of self defence. There was no turning back once I started in the journey of learning Muay Thai, also known as “the art of 8 limbs.” I was immediately addicted and after 1 year, I travelled to Thailand to learn more about the sport as Muay Thai originated in Thailand and is the country's national sport. 


Muay Thai is deeply rooted in its culture in Thailand, it is something truly special to be able to witness it in person. There are the training camps with the trainers and the relationships they build with their fighters - the shared knowledge and wisdom passed down, and the rigorous training regime involved in being a professional fighter. Then you have the stadiums hosting fights daily/weekly - with the sight and sounds of the supporters when the fights start, the traditional Thai music (sarama) usually played live and specifically for Muay Thai, the fighters performing wai kru (ritual performed by the fighters to respect their teachers) and the fights themselves - it is all encompassing to the senses. Some Muay Thai shows are televised which air the sport nearly every night and there are Muay Thai stadiums all over the country. Since the rise of MMA, Muay Thai has grown in popularity around the world and has made a name for itself as one of the top striking arts due to its effectiveness. So it comes as no surprise that this will bring the attention of foreigners looking at the sport to learn from the very best. With the growing demand of the sport, there are countless gyms (training camps) to be found all over Thailand. Majority of the trainers are retired Thai fighters, and some gyms will also have ex champion fighters as their trainers. 


Muay Thai has brought in people from all corners of the world into Thailand. From the novice beginner, amateur fighter to professional fighter. Some people come to the training camps for holidays - a break from their hectic life to do something different and to learn a new sport, some come to deepen their practice, and there are those who come to chase their dreams to make their way as a professional fighter in Thailand. 


Whilst working (and training) at the gym, I began to learn more about the intricacies of the culture of Muay Thai in Thailand. I noticed the hard work and struggles that fighters go through, especially within the female fight community. So I started to work on a photography project called She Fights. She Fights is an ongoing photo-documentary series highlighting the disparity between female fighters and male fighters in combat sports. Through my own observation, it’s apparent that a lot of female fighters do not get the same opportunities as their male counterparts and I wanted to bring this to light and to share their stories surrounding the issues faced.


Since the conception of She Fights in early 2019, I’ve interviewed and spoken to many people surrounding the project. The ladies that I have spoken with have kindly given me their stories with how they came to discover the sport, each one unique. But there has been a recurring theme with their thoughts; from their love and discovery of the sport, they came to Thailand to develop their fight career as they have discovered in their respective countries that they were not able to grow as fighter. Some have stated that they did not fight regularly as there were not many opponents for them, as Muay Thai is a male dominated sport. So their dream was to come to Thailand in hopes of bettering themselves to fight on a regular level. Most of the women with enough talent, grit and determination are able to receive sponsorship / agreements with the training camps to enable them to train and fight for the gym they represent while some women become dedicated customers of the gym they choose. However, in Thailand, even though there are more female fighters in the fight circuit, they still face certain struggles. Fighting at the local stadiums will yield a lower pay grade than their male counterparts, and some women are not able to get past fighting at the local stadiums onto bigger fight promotions as there is not much demand for female fights. One of the prestigious stadiums in Bangkok will not allow females into or even touching the ring due to old school superstition. This is simply part of the culture and history of Muay Thai. In recent years, promotions such as ONE Championship and UFC are starting to headline female fighters as their main events and we are starting to see a change in the industry. These are exciting times for female fighters and I hope to see more growth in the future.


Helen Tran is a documentary photographer based in Phuket, Thailand and Sydney, Australia. She has been living in Thailand for the past 2 years working at Revolution Phuket Gym as an office manager and photographer.

newshttps://www.revolutionphuketgym.com/news/she-fights/