Overview
Nestled in the stunning town of Pai, Northern Thailand, Sitjemam Muay Thai offers professional training at an unbelievably affordable price. Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned fighter, all are welcome to relish Thailand’s beautiful countryside whilst receiving top-notch instruction from experienced fighters. Sitjemam delivers exceptional value with authentic training, comfortable lodging, and full equipment access. It’s a chance to connect with fellow travellers and immerse in the vibrant Pai Town scene. Hailed as the top budget camp in Northern Thailand, Sitjemam offers an unparalleled Muay Thai experience just a two-hour drive from Chiang Mai. Don’t miss this extraordinary chance to start your Muay Thai journey!
“Sitjemam has set me up on a lifelong fitness journey. The people I met there were wonderful humans, kind, patient, enthusiastic, bursting with character. Humans from all over the world and the wonderful Thai and International trainers… I felt very emotional leaving, I found something deep that was unlocked in my own sense of travel and my own confidence. I am sure I’m a better human for coming here, I can’t wait to come back in December.” – Testimonial by Jo Bernie, March 2025
Schedule
Muay Thai training sessions happen every morning and afternoon (2 hours) Monday to Saturday. Sunday is a rest day.
- Jogging every morning at 7.30 am (optional).
- Morning session 8 am – 10 am
- Afternoon session 4 pm – 6 pm
Daily Program Includes:
- Stretching/warm-up/rope skipping
- Techniques and shadow-boxing under a trainer’s instruction
- Bagwork/warm-up supervised by a trainer
- Padwork with a trainer
- Drills on the bag (punches/knees/kicks/push kicks)
- Sparring and/or clinching supervised by a trainer (advanced level only)
- Core conditioning (sit-ups, push-ups, back, neck, leg exercises)
- Cool down/stretching
More Info:
- All training sessions are optional.
- We focus on small group training allowing one-to-ones with professional trainers.
- We use partner training (note: you will be partnered with students of a similar level).
Accommodation
Staying at the camp is a safe, clean and comfortable solution with the bonus of meeting new people who are here for the same reasons – plus it’s also a lot more difficult to skip a session when you can hear everybody training! There are two accommodation options…
Economy Room (Fan) at the Muay Thai Camp
A basic private room located on-site on the camp grounds equipped with: single bed, wardrobe, shared bathroom, free WiFi, drinking water, No AirCon for this option. Check-in: 2 pm. Check-out: 12 pm.
Standard Room (AC) at the Muay Thai Camp* – Best for Longer Stays
Stay in one of the newly-built 22sqm AirCon rooms with double bed, fridge, kettle, en-suite bathroom with hot shower, free Wi-Fi and drinking water. Rooms are offered at a special all-year-round price for students – perhaps the best value-for-money accommodation here in Pai! *Can also be shared among up to 2 persons per room upon request.
Note: If there is no accommodation available on-site, students can be housed at the nearby resort, Baan Suan Violin for a similar price, depending on the season. Buan Suan Violin is a few minutes’ walking distance from the gym.
Food
Meals are not included in the price. There is an excellent and cheap local Thai restaurant right next door. Food Panda also delivers from several of the restaurants in town. Pai Town is a 10-min motorbike ride from the gym where you will find many different types of local and international restaurants, from Italian Pizza to Indian to Mexican. There are also many bars in town where you can enjoy a drink and live music.
Equipment/Gym usage
All students are given a Muay Thai kit of three pieces to use, free of charge, during their time at the gym (Booster or Yokkao gloves, Twins or Raja shinpads, Fairtex or Booster hand wraps (upon size availability).
- For sparring/clinching wearing a mouthpiece is compulsory for safety reasons (it can be bought in the on-site shop for approximately 450 THB).
- For hygiene reasons, if you want to buy your own hand wraps and gloves, they are also available at the on-site shop. (Gloves start at 1600 THB for 12 Oz (Booster leather). Hand wraps start at 400 THB.)
The gym is available for use free of charge after the normal class time (silence during rest time must be observed from 1.30 pm to 3 pm (lunch) and from 9 pm to 7.30 am (night-time)).
Location
Sitjemam Muay Thai is located in beautiful countryside just a short distance outside of the popular traveller hub of Pai, Thailand. You can catch a motorbike taxi or local songthaew into the town (10 minutes), or you can enjoy the walk (approx. 1 hour) or cycle (20 minutes). While you are here, we highly recommend that you hire a motorbike or bicycle so that you can explore the area and experience all of what beautiful Pai has to offer. We offer very good value for money motorbike or bicycle rental service on-site (2,500 THB per month or 100 THB per day) which we can organise from your first day with us.
How to get there
To reach Pai Town you can take the bus from Chiang Mai Arcade Bus Station. Minibuses depart every hour from 6.30 am to 5.30 pm and cost 150 THB per person (the journey is two hours). Once in Pai town, you can either grab a motorbike taxi to reach the camp or call us for a free pick-up to the camp. If you’re arriving at Chiang Mai Airport and want an easy way to get here, we can also arrange a taxi directly from the airport to the camp for a very reasonable price. Or, for another travel option, Wisdom Air flies from Chiang Mai to Pai (20 minute flight) daily.
Other activities
Pai is famous for its beautiful countryside. Around the local area you can visit hot springs, waterfalls, Pai canyon, ethnic hill tribe villages and elephant sanctuaries. Trekking, mountain biking and rafting is available and tours can be booked from Pai centre. The town itself has a daily walking market where you can find a variety of delicious local foods, handicrafts and souvenirs. There are plenty of spa and massage centres in town offering massage for as little as 200 THB per hour ($6 US), pedicures, manicures and other spa treatments are available.
What’s Included
Included:
- Muay Thai Training (2 hours) twice per day
- Accommodation
- Free use of gym
- Free equipment usage
- Water refills (please bring your own bottle).
- Free pick-up from Pai Town
Not included:
- Food
- Soft drinks or alcohol
- Travel insurance
- Transport to the gym (apart from free pick-up from Pai Town)
Instructors
At Sitjemam, each member of the training team has their own speciality. Thanks to the variety of styles that you will train with each of them, you’ll progress in many ways at once, resulting in a more balanced fighting style.
Kru Yai Joe – Head trainer
Kru Joe comes from the world-renowned Yokkao Saenchai Muay Thai Team Bangkok and is a feared Nak Muay currently representing Sitjemam on international and national stages with his distinctive Muay Fimeu style. He has extensive experience having formed numerous champions in Thailand and abroad.
Ajarn Mam – Co-Founder-Gym Manager-Trainer
Mrs Mam is a former fighter and is now the General Manager of the camp. She is an ‘A-License’ Grand Master recognised by the Thai government, International Registered Referee and a Promoter. She is also Kru Muay Boran and specialized in training kids.
Kru Dudee – Trainer-Fighter
Kru Dudee has been part of the Sitjemam family since the very beginning as a fighter, and later, a trainer (still active in the fight scene). Kru Dudee is a classic example of a Muay Mad fighter (a focus on punches)
Kru Ron – Trainer-Fighter
One of the latest additions at Sitjemam, Kru Ron specialises in another traditional Muay Thai style, Muay Khao (knee fighter). Full of character, Ron is a former Central Thailand Champion and proudly represents Sitjemam on both national and international stages.
Mr. Em – Co-Founder, Fight Manager
Mr. Em takes care of the matchmaking and fighters’ preparation, working as a scout and referee for several top promotions. He is a former top fighter, having fought some of the biggest events in Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, Cambodia, China, and Europe. Mr Em has worked as a trainer in Europe, Australia, Japan and South Korea.
FAQs
What’s the best way to get to Sitjemam Muay Thai School?
If you are flying internationally, the cheapest flights are likely to be direct to Bangkok. From Bangkok, you then need to get to Chiang Mai, in northern Thailand. There are 3 ways to do this:
- The easiest way is to take a cheap internal flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai with a Thai budget airline, such as Air Asia or Nok Air. (You can use Skyscanner to compare cheap prices.) The price will be around $30-$50 US and the flight time is around 1 hour.
- You can also take the train from Bangkok Hua Lamphong Train Station to Chiang Mai (12-13 hours).
- You can also take a bus (10 hours) to Chiang Mai. For buses and trains, you can book tickets in advance 12GO Asia.
- Depending on the time of your flight, you may need to spend one night in Bangkok and travel the next day. (You can check out a list of great hostels to stay in Bangkok here.)
From Chiang Mai, it’s just a short journey to Pai, where the gym is located. The journey takes 2 and 1/2 hours and costs 150 THB (approx). Minibuses run regularly from Arcade Bus Station in Chiang Mai. You can book this online at 12Go.Asia. When you arrive at the bus station in Pai, you can then make your own way to Sitjemam Gym via motorbike taxi or songthaew (taxi). (It’s just a 10-minute drive from the bus station to the camp.)
Do I need a visa to train Muay Thai in Thailand?
Regarding visas for Thailand, if you plan to train Muay Thai for less than a month, there is no need for a visa as most citizens get 30-day free entry pass upon arrival into Thailand (This depends on your nationality). More general info on visas here if you need it.
If you are planning to go for more than a month then you will need to apply for a longer visa in your home country before you fly. You can read more information on longer visas for Muay Thai Training here.
How long should I book in advance?
Sitjemam is an extremely well-regarded Muay Thai School and is therefore very popular. We always recommend that you book as soon as possible in order to avoid disappointment, especially because the school strictly limits the number of students for good quality training.
The busiest time of year is the high season (October to February) and April is also a busy month (Thai new year holidays). As we cannot give you an exact forecast of future bookings, we advise you to secure your spot as soon as you have the dates that you would like to travel in mind.
What should I bring with me?
Comfortable sports clothes that you can move in, running shoes, a small towel, refillable water bottle.
Prices
| Accommodation | Duration | Price | Daily Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | 3 Days | $94.00 | $31.33 |
| Economy | 1 Week | $147.50 | $21.07 |
| Economy | 2 Weeks | $295.00 | $21.07 |
| Economy | 3 Weeks | $442.50 | $21.07 |
| Economy | 1 Month | $482.00 | $16.07 |
| Economy | 2 Months | $964.00 | $16.07 |
| Economy | 3 Months | $1,305.00 | $14.50 |
| Economy | 6 Months BEST VALUE | $2,520.00 | $14.00 |
| Standard | 3 Days | $130.00 | $43.33 |
| Standard | 1 Week | $193.50 | $27.64 |
| Standard | 2 Weeks | $387.00 | $27.64 |
| Standard | 3 Weeks | $580.50 | $27.64 |
| Standard | 1 Month | $590.00 | $19.67 |
| Standard | 2 Months | $1,180.00 | $19.67 |
| Standard | 3 Months | $1,675.00 | $18.61 |
| Standard | 6 Months BEST VALUE | $3,100.00 | $17.22 |
Payment:
To reserve your dates at this Muay Thai camp you will need to pay a deposit on this website via credit or debit card. You will then receive confirmation of your reservation directly from Sitjemam Muay Thai Gym. The remaining payment will be due (in Thai Baht) 14 days prior to your start date via Wise (easiest), Western Union or Bank Transfer.
Hi, I’m Nikki. I started this website in 2008 after my first solo backpacking trip to Asia. A trip that changed my life. My vision was to create a travel diary for everyone – a place for all travellers to share their experiences. After living in Southeast Asia for over 10 years, I saw the opportunity to provide backpackers with the kind of experiences that I’d treasured myself in the region.
Sitjemam has set me up on a lifelong fitness journey. The people I met there were wonderful humans, kind, patient, enthusiastic, bursting with character. Humans from all over the world and the wonderful Thai and International trainers.
The gym is set in a beautiful location, just beneath the Himalayan foothills, its wonderfully green, birds sing, dogs chase you playfully and sometimes scarily lol (as they do locals), but the village of Na Chalon is quaint and peaceful. I would walk to the gym everyday at 8 and begin my warm up, sometimes the mist hung around from the rapid sunrise, it would chill the air and give you the extra umph for a hard train.
Around 11 after training the sun is shining and you take some rest and brunch, maybe chicken from the catfish grill lady on the Pai town outskirts. It was class
Evening training would be sweat filled and the heat rise up in all the fighters, creating a group sense of competitiveness and desire to push each other.
I felt very emotional leaving, I found something deep that was unlocked in my own sense of travel and my own confidence. I am sure I’m a better human for coming here, I can’t wait to come back in December.
some photos of my trainers at Pat Fight Night
Definitely recommend! I really enjoyed my one week Muay Thai training at Sitjemam. Its located in a beautiful, quiet village. I was given accommodation in an old timey bungalow, it was basic but lovely and spacious! As a complete beginner to Muay Thai, I received all the help I needed throughout. It’s intense but fun! The corrections may sound/feel a bit harsh for some at the beginning but you’ll find it all in good spirit and humour once you settle in. Mam is a fantastic trainer and she really made sure I was well taken care of, even at the accommodation. The entire team of thai and non-thai trainers were great, especially Harry, who’s really patient and kind. Would surely visit again when I’m in Thailand.
Wonderful experience at Sitjeman. Me and my partner were complete beginners so thought we’d trial 3 intensive days with 2 x day sessions. Hard work but a lot of fun, with a really good focus on technique alongside conditioning, provided by the whole team of coaches. Mam who owns the gym has a wry sense of humour, with a penchant for endearing nicknames and obviously very passionate about what she is doing here. The setting is lovely, tucked away in the mountains and an additional treat is Mam’s 6 adorable kittens roaming the periphery. Overall couldn’t fault the experience and accommodation, would highly recommend!
Loved the experience training Muay Thai at Sitjemam. Really great classes and amazing trainers for all levels (I was a total beginner) and very supportive environment. Met really nice people. Location is amazing and accommodation is really nice as well – Would definitely recommend!
I came here for a month, I am already planning to be back next year.
I wasnt really into thai boxing myself, but I wanted to have the real experience while in Thailand, and Sitjemam fullfulled my dream.
The lessons are held in a training area facing a valley out of a postcard, with Mam and the team creating a supportive and high-energy athmosphere, focusing on any level – from fighters to beginners.
The training group is relatively small and so its easy to socialize and hang out together after training times.
Good fun, great memories and felt part of the family since day one, can’ t wait to be back ❤