Muay Thai Chaiya (2007)
Muay Thai Chaiya or Chaiya is a 2007 Thai drama film about two talented Muay Thai boxers who are childhood friends whose lives go their separate ways after arriving in Bangkok. The film is the solo directorial debut of Kongkiat Homsiri, who was previously one of seven directors and wrote the screenplay for Unseen. The film premiered as the closing film at the 2007 Bangkok International Film Festival and was released in wide theaters in Thailand on 30 August 2007.
Plot:
Growing up in Chaiya, Surat Thani Province, three boys, Piak, Pao and Samor, are followers of Pao’s brother, Krang (Prawit Kittichanthira), a legendary Muay Thai fighter who is taught by Pao’s father, Tew (Samart Payakaroon). After an accident partially cripples Samor, Piak and Pao train as boxers under Tew, who teaches them the Muay Chaiya style, but the boxing school is broken up when Tew and Krang are recruited to a gym in Bangkok. Eventually, Piak and Pao go to Bangkok themselves, bringing along Samor and Sripai, a nurse who is engaged to Piak, but whom Pao secretly loves. When they arrive, it is revealed that Tew has become a monk after Krangsuk committed suicide for being accused of throwing a fight.
Piak’s skills in Muay Chaiya and hotheadedness make him a fierce fighter, but it is also a liability that costs him a fight and ends his career. He joins the world of underground bare-knuckle brawling, where he flourishes using his Muay Chaiya skills. He and Samor also take on other jobs in the criminal underworld, including helping out at the go-go bar where the pretty Warn dances and seduces Piak. While working in the criminal underworld, both of them end up also doing the dirty work for their boss. Sripai later finds Piak in bed with Warn and goes to find Pao.
Pao and Sripai begin living together while Piak takes over the underground business once his boss is killed by another rival boss.
Meanwhile, Pao begins training with his father and works his way up the ranks. He is eventually put forward as a top boxer in a match against a fierce farang, Diamond Sullivan, who uses performance-enhancing drugs. This places Pao at odds with the gangsters whom Piak and Samor work for, Kru Paik. Pao loses the first fight with Diamond. Piak and Samor are later tasked with killing Pao, but Piak intentionally shoots him non-fatally. Afterwards, he is arrested and sent to prison.