Hi Samadhi_fire,
I suspect you might have misread my post. I wrote 15+ years
on and off. If you
accumulated all the serious training I've done for the past 15+
years, it adds up to about....er.....one week? 
It means I'm still a
novice lah.
I've always loved to travel and thats what I did during my
schooldays (just after NS). If you add this to 15+ years, you'll
know my rough age now....and you'll easily realise that I'm way
overaged too.
Bangkok was the furthest I could go, without needing visas or
air-tickets (which were extremely expensive back then). So being a
cheapo, I always ended up at the backpacker's joint in Bangkok,
Kaosarn Road....and always stayed at PB Guest House, owned by a guy
called Mr. Lu. His Thai name is Surapon or something like that. We
got along well because of lingo association (we're both Teochews).
He owns S.Vorapin (then called Jitti's) and one day, he asked me to
try training.
Well, I did. Having had years of TKD and some other martial arts
experiences, I thought nothing of it. But heck, I was so wrong. On
the very first day at the gym, there was this skinny 16-year-old
S.Vorapin figher who sparred with me (just a light, friendly,
playful one). Throughout the whole session, he hit me around like
roti prata....and I only managed to hit him....well, just once. And
that was an accidental kick too . Since
then, I knew that muaythai was for me.
I got a bit addicted to it and kept going back. My visit frequency
increased tremendously when I started dating a Japanese girl at the
gym 
. Good incentive to
train. Unfortunately she decided later that she wanted someone more
permanent and married a Thai (boxer too), moved back to Japan and
now had 3 kids already. We're still in touch, as friends. So now,
you know how serious I was at training muaythai....hahaha...
I still go back once in a while now....I was at S.Vorapin's just
last week and met Mr. Lu and his son Peeraphan again. His son is a
very gentle guy and quite a salesman. His trainers are also a bit
joker conmen type. They always try to con me to buy them drinks,
etc....and in return, sometimes they would offer to smuggle me into
the stadium on fight nights (as part of the gym's entourage). Thats
free ringside seats, worth 1000 baht!
I like training at S.Vorapin because of the atmosphere there. There
are all nationalities, lots of serious fighters and lots of people
like myself who go there to shake-shake and make friends only
. People are
relaxed, easy-going....but of course the are a few stuck-up ones
too (especially the Jap and angmoh serious fighters, who were just
interested in serious training and not socialising). Other than
that, the rest of us got along just fine, including the Thais.
Well, at least there was no sicko talk-big macho shit who went
around criticising others, like we have here (you know who I mean -
you've just had a run-in with him too right here in this forum
).
I've never fought competitively too and never intended too
(remember, my main incentive was dating that girl lah). Sparring,
of course was part and parcel of it and thats as far as I'd
go.....although I'm always the one who gets whacked. I've gotten
whacked by Thais, angmohs, Jap guys, Jap girls, a French girl,
Singaporeans (eg. Joe of BXG, Johnnie of Hilltop, etc.). You just
name any person in this world and they've probably whacked me
before . Geee...did you say
that I can be sifu? hahahaha....
Er.....I need to insert here that the French girl cheated. She told
me that she only had karate experience. It was at S.Vorapin and she
asked to spar (hands only, no legs). I said OK. She said slowly and
lightly only. I said OK. So we started relaxed for about a
minute....then suddenly and unexpectedly, she came in with a flurry
of full-strength, full-contact hooks, which skillfully went around
my guard and hit my jaw, cheeks and ears. Basket!! My face felt
really blur already and if she had continued, I would've been
KO-ed. Later, I found out that she was a semi-professional boxer
(Queensbury rules) back home. Double basket!! But nevermind lah,
because she bought me pizza later. Yep, I'm a cheap guy....I'll get
whacked by girls for a free dinner with them.
Besides S.Vorapin, I also train occasionally with a friend in
Bangkok. He's 23 years old and an ex-fighter. As usual, a typical
Thai - very gentle and humble. But he's a monster.....he could go
on the pads for 50+ minutes and still smile, joke and talk normally
with you. I think maybe he's not human.
When First Muaythai opened in Singapore, I joined their gym to use
the facilities (never took any classes there). It was there that I
got to know Johnnie, Zach, Darren, Thomas, etc. (I never really
knew Darren...we just said "hi" to each other during that time).
And soon after, I trained with Johnnie for about two years (it was
convenient for me because I worked in that area). About 4-5 years
ago, I changed jobs and stopped training at Hilltop too. Nowadays,
I train with a friend, or use BXG's facilities (I didn't sign up
for classes - no money), or train by myself at any gym with a bag
to hit (eg. Planet Fitness Suntec, etc.). Muaythai is just a hobby
and a form of exercise to me lah.....it was never my ambition to be
a top expert in it.
Hey, thanks for the info about Thai camps. The reason I asked was
to see if I could try a different camp next time....but I'm looking
for something in Bangkok area (convenience for my work).
I have a friend's husband who just returned from 2 weeks at Lanna
(in Chiang Mai). He seemed to have enjoyed his training
there.
Hey, we Singaporeans can learn to relax a bit. In a Bangkok traffic
jam, just close your eyes and fill your mind with the cheap and
wonderful buffets, shopping and massages coming later.....and
everything will be fine. I'd go through those
jams a thousand times for the said pleasures of life!
In Bangkok, if you go to MBK Centre, Future Park (Rangsit), Victory
Monument, etc....you can find jeans for 300+ baht. You'll have to
look for the shops at the obscure corners though...and they're all
locally made jeans, but they're nice and comfortable. I've got a
few pairs myself.
