TMTG 078: Paul’s Top 10 Rules of Travel in Thailand (and Asia)

Traveling to a foreign country - especially Thailand - can be a bit stressful if you're not sure exactly what to expect. Fortunately, Paul and I have traveled to Thailand a combined 12 times and have spent over 3+ years combined in "The Land of Smiles", so we decided to share some lesser known travel rules to consider when making to journey to the mecca of Muay Thai:

1. Going Panty-Less Commando - Yes, that's right. At first it might seem counterintuitive, but after spending enough time in the blistering heat of Thailand you soon begin to realize how not wearing any underwear can make things a bit more comfortable for you.

2. Butt Guns on Arrival - What is a "butt gun" you might ask? Well, instead of the traditional toilet paper you would use in the western world, you have butt guns to hose yourself down after taking a crap. Very eccentric.

3. Unlock and Sim Card Up - Instead of getting charged ridiculous international costs by your home phone provider, unlock your phone so you can grab a cheap SIM card to keep connected at all times and have a Thai phone number to connect with other locals.

4. Uber and Grab Taxi / Lyft Apps - Getting a taxi can be a struggle in Bangkok, especially since it's likely that your cab driver doesn't speak English. Avoid the confusion and just download one of these apps to make traveling in Thailand a bit easier.

5. WhatsApp and LINE - The premier messaging apps in Thailand are a must if you want to stay in contact with everyone local and abroad. Instead of using minutes, you can use date (which is really cheap if you get a SIM card).

6. Basic Pricing on Sunglasses, Hotels, Clothing, Food - Don't get ripped off at the local markets or hotels and make sure you know what the costs are for the basic stuff.

7. Finding the Best Food and Cafes - You're in Thailand, somewhere you've never been before, so how do you find the best foods and cafes? You can explore yourself or ask the locals because their isn't going to be any Yelp reviews to help you out.

8. Learn the Names of Your Favorite Dishes in Their Native Language - If you're able to speak even "nit noi" (a little) Thai, the Thai people will love you for trying. Plus it will make it easier for you to order foods without getting something you didn't expect... which is bound to happen either way!

9. The Daily Adventure - Most of us go to Thailand to train Muay Thai, but don't forget about the other aspects of Thailand that make it so unique and beautiful.

10. Visa Recap - Knowing what types of visas you can get will make your trip that much more enjoyable and less stressful

Click Here To Listen

http://traffic.libsyn.com/muaythaiguy/TMTG_078__Paul_s_Top_10_Rules_of_Travel_in_Thailand_and_Asia.mp3

<enclosure url="http://traffic.libsyn.com/muaythaiguy/TMTG_078__Paul_s_Top_10_Rules_of_Travel_in_Thailand_and_Asia.mp3" length="57384381" type="audio/mpeg" />

TMTG 077: If I Fight In Thailand... Am I A Pro Fighter Now?

A hot topic nowadays is whether or not you automatically become a pro fighter if you take a fight in Thailand.

Recently, MTG writer Angela Chang wrote about her thoughts on the topic in this post, but now it's time for Paul and I to discuss our thoughts and breakdown what we think fighting in Thailand really means. We discuss things such as:

• The different levels of fighting in Thailand
• Why every fight in Thailand is technically "professional", although it's not professional level
• What type of promotions and shows are professional level in Thailand (and which ones are not)
• Whether or not fighting in Thailand makes you a pro when you come back to your home country
• The different levels and categories of Muay Thai (amateur, semi-pro, pro etc.)
• Our experiences fighting in Thailand and how we differentiate our amateur fights vs. our pro fights.
• And much, much more!

Click Here To Listen To TMTG 077: If I Fight In Thailand, Am I A Pro Now?

http://traffic.libsyn.com/muaythaiguy/TMTG_077__If_I_Fight_In_Thailand_Am_I_A_Pro_.mp3

<enclosure url="http://traffic.libsyn.com/muaythaiguy/TMTG_077__If_I_Fight_In_Thailand_Am_I_A_Pro_.mp3" length="48610576" type="audio/mpeg" ></enclosure>

TMTG 076: An Inside Look At The Lion Fight 37 Championship Title Fight

The Muay Thai Guys Podcast - Episode 76

This past Friday night was yet another great night of fights put on at Foxwoods by Lion Fight promotion. With two high level title fights on the line there was an incredible show of technique, heart, respect and skill.

Co-host of The Muay Thai Guys podcast, Paul "The Reaper" Banasiak was in the co-main event where he faced off against another undefeated pro fighter, Chip Moraza-Pollard. After a tough, technical, fast paced 5 round war Chip's hand got raised as the new cruiserweight title holder for Lion Fight.

In this podcast, Paul discusses his thoughts on the fight including:

• What his game plan as going into the fight and how it played out.
• How he feels ok about the performance he put on because he left it all out there.
• Why he felt like he was down going into the end of the 5th.
• What type of plans he has in the near future.
• A look inside the mind of what he was thinking throughout the context of the fight.
• And much, much more!

Click Here To Listen To TMTG 076: An Inside Look At The Lion Fight 37 Championship Title Fight

http://traffic.libsyn.com/muaythaiguy/TMTG_076__An_Inside_Look_At_The_Lion_Fight_37_Championship_Title_Fight.mp3

<enclosure url="http://traffic.libsyn.com/muaythaiguy/TMTG_076__An_Inside_Look_At_The_Lion_Fight_37_Championship_Title_Fight.mp3" length="34290463" type="audio/mpeg" ></enclosure>