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Boxing pride is global
Bangkok Post
|October 13, 2025
As Thailand prepares to host the 2025 SEA Games this December, a controversy has emerged over the use of the term “Muay” instead of “Muaythai” for the boxing event.
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Some argue that dropping “Thai” strips the sport of its national identity, given that Muaythai is widely regarded as Thailand's national martial art.
The issue has now reached Parliament, where Tourism and Sports Minister Artthakorn Sirilatthayakorn vowed to push the SEA Games Council to restore the term “Muaythai” to the listing, claiming it represents Thailand's soft power and national heritage.
Such remarks, however, reflect a troubling pattern — one that prioritises nationalist sentiment over sound reasoning and global perspective.
Sport, by its very nature, is universal. Turning an international competition into a platform for asserting national ownership risks alienating neighbours and undermining regional unity.
This story is from the October 13, 2025 edition of Bangkok Post.
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