Muay Thai is one of the most popular and influential martial arts in history. Thai Boxing’s history and cultural significance go way back in the past. Eventually, it got so popular and significant that Thailand made it their national sport, which is the primary reason for the massive tourism to train Muay Thai in Thailand.
Muay Thai is one of the most popular martial arts globally and its attraction is constantly rising, as more and more people are starting to learn it. It got more popular in the last couple of years primarily because of Thailand, which is the origin of Thai Boxing. They’ve opened many gyms, which attract tourists.
That said, you’ll be surprised that Thailand isn’t the only country that invests resources into tourism related to Muay Thai. Other countries, who are also in Asia, do it as well. So Muay Thai isn’t only popular in Thailand, although there’s no other place where it’s more popular.
Anyways, what we’ll cover in this article is how popular Muay Thai is, where it’s most popular, and why. We’ll cover everything regarding The Art of Eight Limbs and its popularity. So without further introduction, let’s dive into the first part.
Table of Contents
How Popular Is Muay Thai?
Today, martial arts are more prominent than ever. Many countries have adopted their “own” fighting style and are now promoting it to boost tourism, which in turn, boosts the popularity of the particular martial art. But what about Muay Thai?
Compared to other martial arts, such as MMA, Boxing, and Judo, Muay Thai isn’t as popular. However, it has an upward trajectory when it comes to popularity. There are now more Muay Thai competitions and training centers than ever before, which attracts more people to start their fighting journey.
So the quick answer I have as to how popular is Muay Thai is that it’s not as popular as other martial arts, such as MMA and Boxing, but it’s definitely more popular in certain areas of the globe, such as Thailand and Singapore.
Where Is Muay Thai Most Popular?
Let’s now review in which places on the globe Muay Thai is most popular. The data I’ve used examines search data worldwide and compares them to see which one’s the largest. I have a list of 20 countries but have decided to only show five.
Here are the countries.
#5 – Cambodia
With a respectable score of 31/100, Cambodia, located in Southeast Asia, is the fifth most popular place regarding Muay Thai.
#4 – Brazil
I was surprised when I found out that Brazil is the fourth most popular place regarding Muay Thai. The reason I was surprised is because it’s the origin place of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (as the name suggests.) As a result, I didn’t expect Thai Boxing to be so popular there.
But, with a solid score of 33/100, Brazil is #4.
#3 – Singapore
#3 on our list is Singapore. Located in Southeast Asia, it’s one of the most popular homes for The Art of Eight Limbs. Like Brazil, Singapore also has a score of 33/100.
#2 – Laos
Located in Southeast Asia, Laos is the second most popular place for Muay Thai globally. With a solid score of 66/100 (2x more searches than Singapore and Brazil), Laos comes in second place.
#1 – Thailand
As you can imagine, #1 on our list is Thailand. Thailand is in the heart of Southeast Asia. Cambodia and Laos border the country to the east and northeast, which is part of the reason Thai Boxing is so popular there.
With a score of 100/100 (most popular), Thailand got the number one spot.
Why Is Muay Thai So Popular?
For the last part of this article, let’s review why Muay Thai’s popularity is vast globally. While it’s mostly popular in Southeast Asia, it’s also taught worldwide, including in Israel, the UK, the US, Australia, and Canada.
There have to be solid reasons for that popularity, as you can imagine.
Without further ado, let’s dive into the five reasons Muay Thai is so popular.
Reason #1 – Rich History and Cultural Significance
Muay Thai originated in Thailand and has a long and storied history dating back centuries. It is deeply rooted in Thai culture and tradition, and many practitioners value its historical significance.
This is why it’s most popular in the same area of Thailand. However, its cultural significance is also why it’s taught in the West, such as in the US and Canada. It’s also widely prevalent in the UK because it’s such an influential martial art globally, and not just in Thailand.
Reason #2 – Community and Camaraderie
Many Muay Thai gyms and schools foster a strong sense of community and camaraderie among students. The shared experiences of training, sparring, and challenging oneself create strong bonds between practitioners.
Furthermore, with the rise of social media and international travel, Muay Thai has gained more exposure worldwide. People from different cultures and backgrounds have embraced the sport, leading to its growth and popularity beyond Thailand’s borders.
This is what I love about martial arts and the fighting community. You can meet someone who’s the opposite of you ethnically and culturally and develop a good conversation about Muay Thai. That’s why martial arts, in general, are getting more and more popular.
Reason #3 – Fitness and Conditioning
One of the most desirable achievements in today’s world is to get fit. However, not many people are fit today because of the many distractions that surround us. For instance, many people are unable or unwilling to tackle their overeating issues. A primary reason for that is social media.
While social media has brought Thai Boxing to the spotlight and have made it a global combative sport, it has also got many people sitting on their couches and not participating in any sport whatsoever.
Training in Muay Thai is an intense physical workout that helps practitioners improve their strength, endurance, flexibility, and overall fitness levels. Many people are drawn to Muay Thai for its ability to help them get in shape and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
I hope you start your Muay Thai training as soon as possible so you can start noticing the many physical results it’ll bring to your life.
Reason #4 – Self-Defense
Muay Thai techniques are practical for self-defense situations. The emphasis on powerful strikes and clinch work can be valuable in real-life confrontations.
Muay Thai is known for its powerful and effective striking techniques that utilize fists, elbows, knees, and shins. The combination of punches, kicks, knees, and elbows makes it a versatile and formidable striking martial art.
It’s an extremely powerful fighting style that you can learn to boost your fighting skills. I can only describe how fulfilling of a feeling it is to know that you’re a better fighter than most people you’ll encounter in your life. This feeling will feed your confidence and self-esteem, which is always welcome.
Reason #5 – Competitive Sport
Throughout the years, Muay Thai has kept on developing and got more and more popular, with more competitions every single year. As a result, the audience has kept on growing, which brought even more fans to the sport.
Muay Thai has become a popular sport worldwide, with numerous competitions and events taking place across different countries. Its inclusion in mixed martial arts (MMA) has also contributed to its popularity.
Final Words
This is the how, where, and why of Muay Thai’s popularity. I hope you enjoyed this article and have been able to understand the direction I chose to take with it.
My aim with this article was to show that Muay Thai is growing—because it is. Knowing that it’s growing might bring and convince people to become novice trainees and commence their training in this awesome, fierce martial art.
I have no doubts that you’ll be able to reap endless benefits from your Muay Thai journey. So make sure to start training, if you haven’t already!
If you want to start your Muay Thai training at home, including all the equipment you’ll ever need, follow this link.
Here are other articles you’ll benefit from reading:
Do You Need to Be Strong to Do Muay Thai? The Hard Truth
Here’s How Long Learning Muay Thai REALLY Takes (Timeline)
The Pros and Cons of Muay Thai – Is It Worth the Risk?