Muay Thai to make debut at Paris Olympics as demonstration event

Muay Thai, the national sport of Thailand, will be featured as a demonstration event in Paris for the first time in the history of the Olympic Games.

Fighters from 24 countries will have the opportunity to showcase their skills in a specially-constructed Muay Thai stadium at Club France, laying a foundation for the fighting style to become an official Olympic event.

Muay Thai is a martial art where grace and ferocity coexist. Each strike is delivered with devastating precision, fighters push themselves to their limits, and the audience is drawn into their struggle.

With dreams of the sport making its Olympic debut growing bigger, the progress also comes with concerns that Muay Thai could lose its ancient traditions, as fighters wear little safety gear and the sport allows some moves that are banned in other forms of kickboxing. But following the sport’s Olympic recognition in 2021 after a two-decade journey, there has been a concerted effort to enhance safety by standardizing rules and improving safety protocols.

For now though, Thais are rejoicing that Muay Thai is one step closer to its Olympic dream.

"Thai people have been waiting for Muay Thai to be included in the Olympics for a long time. If it is included in the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles, it would be a huge success that is most worth the wait," said Thana Chaiprasit, vice president of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand.

As Muay Thai's popularity continues to soar, its influence is spreading far beyond its birthplace. Today there are more than 40,000 Thai boxing gyms worldwide, a growing legion of fighters.

Yet, there is one whose name stands above the rest, synonymous with both the ancient art and its modern resurgence -- Buakaw Banchamek. Boasting over 240 career wins and 74 knockouts, his influence transcends the ring as he is set to perform a Muay Thai demonstration at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

"As someone who has helped promote this martial art around the world, I want people to appreciate the art of Muay Thai. We want to develop this to be an international sport where everyone accepts its rules and regulations. This important step excites our whole country as our fighters and our art form will be included in the world's biggest sporting event," said Buakaw.

Muay Thai to make debut at Paris Olympics as demonstration event

A scenic spot in Yiyang City of east China's Jiangxi Province introduced robotic exoskeletons during the Qingming Festival holiday to help visitors climb the mountains, offering them a futuristic hiking experience.

The Qingming Festival, a traditional Chinese festival for honoring ancestors, is also now a holiday for Chinese people to engage in outdoor activities and enjoy the spring scenery. To help elderly and young visitors enjoy hiking more comfortably, Yi Yang's Guifeng Mountain Scenic Area introduced 10 sets of robotic exoskeletons.

"I am over 70 years old now. At my age, hiking up the mountains is quite exhausting after all. But this device can help lift your legs, making the hiking less tiring. It saves a lot of energy and is a great invention," said Zhao Lanjun, a senior citizen visiting the scenic area.

The device, weighing only two kilograms, can support three to five hours of walking when fully charged, covering a distance of about 17 kilometers. During the Qingming Festival holiday, the scenic area offers the devices for rent at 120 yuan (about 16.5 U.S. dollars) for five hours.

"It better fits elderly people and young children. Equipped with the devices, they can also enjoy hiking in the mountains, making the trip more efficient and energy-saving," said Zheng Zhehan, a young visitor.

In addition to the futuristic devices, the Guifeng Mountain Scenic Area also introduced a series of services for tourists during the holiday, as Jiangxi sees a lot of rainfall during the springtime.

"We have introduced rainy season tickets, and we also provide free umbrellas renting and luggage storage at our tourist center as part of our convenient services," said Wei Chenlei, an official from the scenic area.

Robotic exoskeletons help Chinese tourists hike up mountains in Jiangxi