The never-ending rift between rivaling Amateur Muaythai Association of Thailand (AMAT) and the Muaythai Association of Thailand (MAT) has hindered much development of the amateur sport in this country, says Muay Tu magazine columnist Korn Kritsada.

The sportswriter says amateur muaythai, supposedly the national sport for Thailand, has never reached greatness and is still stumbling due to years and years of directionless development that so far has led to nowhere.

In particular, the blame is on the bitter fighting between the two muaythai associations, each of which so intensely focused on beating the other and claiming authority over the sport, although the two organizations are both legally registered and aims for the same stated goal of popularizing muaythai at the international level.

The effort of muaythai promoter Wirat Prai-anan, better known as “Shane Muangchon”, to revive the troubled cross-stadium event comes as a great boost to the sport in the time when promoters are mostly incompetent and the stadiums pay attention only on short-term benefits rather than development, says Banmuang newspaper sportswriter Thep Thammarat.

Thep said the stadiums tend to protect “sickened” promoters who are able to tender good bids for the stadiums but fail to offer the muaythai audience quality events.

“It is true that the sport today has tons of promoters but lacks magnet fighters like in the past. This is a shameful loss of both time and opportunity, not to mention the chance to promote or develop muaythai business,” he said.

Kameda, a Japanese word meaning “turtle”, is best known in boxing as name of a notorious Japanese boxing family, helmed by manager and trainer Shiro Kameda, his oldest son Koki Kameda who is holding the WBC flyweight title, his second son Daiki Kameda who has recently claimed WBA flyweight belt from Thailand’s Denkaosan Kaovichit, and his youngest son Tomoki Kameda who won a regional title from a fight in Mexico. 

Khao Sod sportswriter who goes by alias “Sodsroi Saosangwian” has summarized the relationship of the Kamedas and the Thai people and how they are perceived by the Thai media.

According to the writer, Shiro has been remembered for telling Daiki to use elbows and other prohibited moves against fellow Japanese pugilist Daisuke Naito when the two fought on October 11, 2007.

Boxing and muaythai promoter Naris Singwangcha of Thailand is hoping the Filipino boxers he recently recruited into his camp will help boost his international fame.

According to Naris, a number of Filipino boxers have agreed to fight under him and used “Singwangcha” as part of their ring names, which is customary for many Thai boxing camps.

Naris, upon returning to Thailand from his Philippines trip last week, said his new Filipino boxers such as “Donald Singwangcha” and “Ryan Singwangcha” have a good chance to gain international recognition in the footstep of Filipino boxing star Manny Pacquiao.