Meet Mangkorn Yai, the pocket-sized Muay Thai sensation from Canada
The story of Mangkorn Yai, a little Muay Thai fighter from Canada, became the latest viral sensation among netizens on Friday.
A clip of the boy training posted on TikTok by his teacher, Jennarong Tortaksin, has been shared widely by social media users, who express admiration at the skills shown by Mangkorn Yai.
Many marvelled that the foreign boy, who looks to be about four or five years old, showed the same level of passion for Muay Thai as someone who was born Thai.
The video clip shows that Mangkorn Yai – which means “big dragon” – is also familiar with other aspects of Thailand’s culture. In it, he is seen talking and counting in the Thai language.
Muay Thai’s fame among foreign martial arts practitioners has been growing for decades. Nowadays, foreigners flock to Thailand for training in the traditional combat sport, which features a unique blend of attacks using fists, elbows, knees and feet.
Meanwhile Muay Thai gyms have mushroomed in many countries across the world, exporting Thai culture to millions more.
