Wai Kru Muay Thai Ceremony 2019

Thousands of martial arts fans from around the world gathered in Ayutthaya, Thailand, for the annual Wai Kru Muay Thai Ceremony on March 17, 2019. The event allows Muay Thai students, including many westerners, to gather and show their gratitude to their teachers with a 'Wai Kru' ritua, as well as celebrate the martial art. The Wai Kru Muay Thai ceremony involves students performig the ‘wai’ to their masters, a friendly greeting and traditional display of respect in Thai culture to people of seniority and higher status. Also at the event were boxing matches for men and women, tattoo rituals where disciples could be inked to show their dedication to Muay Thai and stalls with merchandise. The event was the 15th time it has been held. Thai tourism chief Sujitra Jongchansitto said that besides the sacred rituals to pay respect to Muay Thai masters, other highlights included be the "Wai Kru Ram Muay" war dance saluting the teacher, performed by famous Muay Thai fighters such as Sitthichai Sitsongphinong, Anuwat Kaewsamrit, and Panpayak Jitmuangnon.