FEFI

Hey guys,

I just replied to an user looking for Muay Thai camps in Thailand. After reading the answers he got, I thought I would start this new thread to clarify things a bit. Yes there are camps in Thailand, and sure any fighter will benefit of training in any camp in Thailand, but probably not as much as when you are trained by experienced Thai trainers, used to train foreigners, and coached by a foreign coach who has coached world champions, in the most famous Muay Thai camp in the world. Plus most people are not too comfortable with the idea of travelling to Thailand, not knowing where they will stay, what they will eat, and what will happen in case of accident or problem. Well, now there is one organisation, the only one as far as I know, who offers "keys in hands" stays in Thailand for Muay Thai training all year long. And not at any camp, at the sidyodthong camp. I am the co owner of this organisation. Check out my site, http://www.fe-fi.com.

I have been living in Thailand for over 7 years now. My partner and I organise the only Muay Thai competition created for foreigners to fight Thais, in Thailand. We have very good contacts to everything related to Muay Thai here. We have been working closely with the Sidyodthong camp for many years now.

I must say our training is more for fighters with some previous experience of Muay Thai, we offer quality training, and everything that goes with it, for people serious about making progress. We have big names coming to train at the camp, for a reason, and not only Muay Thai fighters.

If you have never been to Thailand, or even if you have, we will take care of everything for you, starting with picking you up at the airport. Check out http://wwwfe-fi.com . The site is a bit big, but it's worth taking the time to check it out. You should be convinced that's the place to go !

Looking forward to reading your comments !

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alexjxaver

I just got done reading the all the crap in your site.

And i definatly dont trust any of it.

From what i gather it is a tourist camp that isint training anyone but rich americans any more. You may have been the camp back in the day, thought i dout it, but from what i can tell, you dont even have any fighters that fight in bangkok anymore.

Your prices!! they are 2 or 3 time the price of even the best camps anywhere else. Why i cant figure out, you dont have any good fighters, you arent offering more that any other camp. WHY?!?

Anyway that is just what i think, and probaly most the people in the forum will disagree with me like always. Good luck with the camp.

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alexjxaver

i knew i was forgeting something and i could not think what it was.

Luckely i remembered

Western management?!?
If i am coming to thailand i am not coming to be tought by and hang out wiht, and overall see westerners. I am there to be with the thais, and i would want to train somewhere thai, ran by thai, tought by thai, not westerners

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Athecy

alexjxaver, hey bro, i trained at Sityodtong and it is definatly not a tourist camp!! I think what this FEFI guy has going on is seperate from the Sityodtong camp. Sityodtong carries a big name in Thailand. Samart Payakaroon and Gongtolanee Payakaroon are some of the biggest names in Thailand! Both from Sityodtong. And they still have many people fighting in Bangkok. I just saw one of their guys fight in Rajadamnern(sp?) when I was over there.
I do agree with you about the FEFI thing, it sounds kinda fishy. Why would i go to all the way to Thailand to have all my training overseen by a foriegner? And let me tell you Sityodtong is not run by foreigners. All the trainers are Thai. The only foreiners i saw there were the ones that were training. Thats it.

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FEFI

It's a fact that Sidyodthong still has some good fighters, including promising youngsters. More importantly, it's probably the camp with the most experienced instructors, this why fighters from other camps come to train there from time to time.
Regarding training supervised by foreigners, I think you are a little naive. Unless you are a champion and they expect to make money thanks to your skills, they won't teach you stuff that will allow you to beat them. They will hold the pads for you and make you sweat to get some money out of you. That's of course if you can communicate with them in the first place. All pads holders at the Sidyodthong are Thais, obviously. But they won't explain to you why so do such or such right, and why you do such or such wrong. They won't show you the big picture. And that's what you need. It's actually not easy to explain.
We don't own Sidyodthong, we don't direct it, we train people there, or should I say we have them trained there. We try to give them the best of both worlds. I believe we are the only ones who give information about the camp, definitly the only foreigners present there all year long, and again the only ones who offer training there. You are welcome to stick training with the Thais. That will benefit you. We think you could do even better with us.
And of course our service is not only about training. You have already been to Thailand. That's not everybody's case, and some people find it easier to go ahead with us.

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Python

Just checked out the site. I didn't get thru much of it yet, but will. Question: What is the exchange rate for the U.S. dollar and the Euro?

thanks

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Athecy

FEFI, Your experience at Sityodtong must have been different then mine. Becuase that was not the case when I was there. The trainers were very helpful in answering questions and explaining the techniques to you. Maybe part of it has to do with my Kru. He owns the Sityodtong camp in California. The training is excellent at Sityodtong. I can't wait to go back!

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FEFI

Regarding Python's question, the exchange rate is about 1 Euro for 1.25$. It has been stable for a while.

I can't really talk about experience at Sidyodthong ! I live in Pattaya, I have been going there often for the past 2 years, even if not really for training since I am more the computer guy in the organisation. I think this is not really an "experience", it's more like the camp and the trainers have been part of my almost daily life, particulary late last year when we organised our first competition, battle at the beach. That's because I have been looking a lot and talking to a lot of guys that I dare to talk about the benefit of foreign supervision. But actually, shall I understand your Kru is a foreigner himself ? I think to remember the owner of sidyodthong california is a foreigner. Maybe there a re several partners, including a Thai, then obviously at least someone very much used to deal with foreigners and lives among them. That would explain it. It is true that the instructors are very helpful and good willing, particulary when they are teaching someone brought by a partner, who is watching and knows what needs to be done. And that's my point. Anyway, thanks for pointing out the quality of the training at the camp. And glad you had a good experience there.

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Python

Athecy, looking at your pic, you had several guys make the trip or trips to Thailand. Let me ask you a dumb question: For a week stay, including flight and spending money for personal stuff or gear, and figuring I would train at Sityodtong, what is a reasonable amount of $$ I should figure on spending? Did all you guys take about the same amount? I looked at Fe-fi and from what others have told me, it seems kinda high. Did you do a package like that or have other means? Any info would help. I would like to make the trip this coming winter.

Thanks man!

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alexjxaver

another thing that set me off was the new student thing. What the fu*k is that. Now you can buy your way into the close family of a thai gym. You get there and pay your money and you automaticly get a mongkol and prajat and a big serimony? without even proving yourself or anything. That makes me sick!!!!

A few things i did like.

the "any westerner can kick a ball, and thai can kick" phrase is preaty good

ramon dekkers, asuming you are not just paying him to come there, and he actualy comes because he thinks it is a good gym, that is good

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Athecy

I would recomend staying at least 2 weeks if you can. Even 2 weeks felt real short. It will take you a couple days to get used to the heat and humidity. Anyways, I dont know really how much you need. A lot of things we did we got hooked up on cuz we are from the Sityodtong camp in California. And my trainer knows a lot of people! I would say if for only 1 week if you had about $1,500 that would be more then enough. And that is if you are spending a lot.
One thing that will help you save some cash is if you stay at the bungalows that are right across from the camp instead of a hotel. That way you can train twice a day. Now the only thing about that is if you wanna go out in the city at night you gotta get a taxi. And a lot of them will try to rip you off. They will try to charge you anywere from 300-400 baht to take you to the city. 400 baht is about $10 US. You gotta learn how to haggle with them and insist on no more then 100 or 150 baht which is still high but I wasnt really complaining about $2.50 to get a ride to the city.

Thats all i can think of now... Let me know if you have any other questions.
See ya

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FEFI

alexjxaver, traditionally, when a Thai boxer joins a camp, it's a long term commitment. The young boxer travels to the camp with his family, and he may not seem them much in the coming years. His food and lodging is provided by the camp, the other boxers become his second family and the head of the camp his mentor. If the boxer wins fights, he will make money and the camp too. That's the wat it still works. Thai boxers at the camp live a strict life and follow all Mr Yodthong's rules.
Actually, when a tourist, a guy who comes all by himself, arrives at a Thai camp, they will take him in just like that, as long a he pays 150 bahts an hour. They will teach him enough to make him happy, in certain cases even appreciate him, and exceptionally respect him. That's not what we want for our students, and to start with we want people who are serious about their training. The way to be accepted, to show one's motivation, is to be introduced when possible, and do this ceremony.
So, alexjxaver, I am afraid you got it wrong : the tourist buys his way in the camp. The guy who does this ceremony, and you don't just need to ask for it, gains respect by showing his commitment.
I realise it's easy to criticize, but actually when I started this thread I was hoping to answer to positive questions.

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Damian Mavis

Python, email me if you want some more info on Thailand trips and money. I live here.

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

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alexjxaver

Yea but the only comitment he has to show is his financial comitment. He could show up the first day, get his ceremony work out get up the next morning and decide he is to sore and go about his fun tourist times in thailand. But he still got himself a ceremony that he in no way deserved

If i am somehow mistaken about how this ceremony thing works, that would be wonderful. But from what i can tell i am not.

I am not just a negative responce monger. If something deserves a positive responce i will give it one. I just dont think your stuff merrits any. To me it seams like something not right is going on and all i know is you will never see me training there.

But as i said before Good luck

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FEFI

Well, I expected I wouldn't see you there, I just hope some people had a chance to read this, and maybe be more happy than you with what I wrote. Anyway, about the ceremony, you can get married one day and fill for the divorce the next.

I am in Japan at the moment, but when I return, I shall post some pictures of people who are happy they came to train at the camp, if find out how.

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