CAMBODIA KUN KHMER

  Cambodia’s Disappearing Art of Business Signs Every year since 1999—except during the COVID-19 pandemic—Arjay Stevens has spent six months or so in Cambodia, taking photos as he crisscrossed the country. When asked what he photographed, he would respond “everything,” he said. Having grown up in post-World War II time in West Germany in the 1950s, Stevens knew how a country may get transformed when peace returns and economic development restarts. Still, “everything” has often meant photographing the arts in the country, from the sculpted scenes on the walls of the monuments at Angkor, to Khmer classical dancers and Lakhaon Kaol masked dancers. This has also included everyday art such as signs that people had commissioned from artists to advertise their shops or stores or restaurants. Stevens’ photos of these signs are being exhibited at the Aroma Gallery in Phnom Penh. Entitled “Look Up Billboards, Cambodia’s Vanished Art,” the exhibition features photos of signs ranging from one ...

  Kun Khmer Trainer Defeats the Language Barrier PHNOM PENH –Tit Phalla teaches Chinese students Kun Khmer fighting skills but says the language barrier is a challenge. The 44-year-old says he tries his best to present the sport through his body movements. Phalla, a Kun Khmer fighter during the 2000s in Koh Kong province, said his students have good physiques, height, and strength. He knows that from holding the focus mitts for them during training. Sometimes, body movements can speak for themselves but a translator is sometimes needed and the translator can find it hard to explain technical words.   “I also face difficulty because I don’t speak Chinese. I explain to them by using my body movement for them to understand Kun Khmer,” he said. Phalla, from Koh Kong province, has 10 students who are all Chinese. Even though the students are busy with their businesses, they are still interested in learning the fighting skill after seeing Kun Khmer promotions. Foreigners will be abl...

  Knockout! Kun Khmer replaces ‘Muay’ for Phnom Penh Games PHNOM PENH  – Cambodia has decided to officially remove the word Muay from the programme of the 32nd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games 2023 in May. “Kun Khmer” will instead be used to represent the Southeast Asian sport of kickboxing, in accordance with the wishes of the Cambodian people. Vath Chamroeun, secretary-general of both the Cambodian SEA Games Organising Committee (CAMSOC) and the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC), told The Post that the official decision was in line with public opinion. Officials have already written to the Olympic committees of the participating nations to inform them of the decision. “We have told the committees that we will replace the term ‘Muay Thai’ with ‘Kun Khmer’ when we host the games. We do not care what anyone thinks, we have made it clear that, as hosts, we will use Kun Khmer,” he said. Prior to the decision, CAMSOC toyed with idea of referring to it as “Kun Khmer (Muay)”....

  Thai refutes points loss to Khmer fighter Thai boxer Sami Banchamek has refused to accept his points decision loss to Cambodian fighter Thoeun Theara, drawing heated reactions from local fans. The March 18 bout was part of the National Television of Cambodia (TVK) Fighter event in Poipet town of Banteay Meanchey province. Theara and Sami were both conscious of the fact that their previous bout ended in a drawn points decision, with the pair feeling each other out through the first rounds. The lack of willingness to engage closely meant there was little chance for either man to employ their heavy knee strikes and look for a knockout. Theara began to emerge as the aggressor through the middle of the five-round bout, with Sami appearing standoffish and unwilling to brawl with his Cambodian opponent. In the final round, the different mindsets of the two pugilists became clearer, with Theara chasing his Thai opponent around the ring, looking to engage. Sami resisted the chance to take...

Cambodia in branding Kun Khmer in SEA Games 2023 Cambodian martial arts “Kun Khmer” has recently been officially included for the 32nd SEA Games – a historical branding of the Khmer ancient martial arts in the event. The official inclusion of the sport to the games also reflected the effort of the Cambodian SEA Games Organising Committee (CAMSOC) in preserving the sport. Kun Khmer is categorised in mixed martial arts that also includes Arnis, Jiu Jitsu, Kickboxing, and Vovinam. CAMSOC set the sport’s gold medal index at three and approved 19 disciplines of Kun Khmer: 11 weight categories for men, 6 weight categories for women, and men and women Kun Krou. Addressing in the press conferences earlier this month, Heng Sokhorn, Secretary General of the Cambodia Boxing Federation, underlined the federation’s plan to train Cambodian Kun Khmer national athletes to sharpen their capacity for the SEA Games-ASEAN Para Games 2023. Kun Khmer athletes are ready and highly committed to overcome the g...

  Cambodian combat sport Kun Khmer working for IOC recognition The International Federation for Kun Khmer (KKIF), the Cambodian combat sport, is working with its National Olympic Committee (NOCC) to seek International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognition. A total of 75 nations need to become members of the KKIF for it to secure IOC recognition, and only 25 more are needed in order to guarantee a sport that is an integral part of the country’s heritage. Vath Chamroeun, the NOCC secretary general, claimed Cambodia has a clear plan to achieve the goal. "Our goal is to attract the support of more than 75 countries," he told  The Phnom Penh Post. "As soon as the traditional sport of any country has more than 75 member nations, it is officially recognised. "We have a very clear goal, and a strategy to achieve it. "I believe we will be successful." Cambodia claims that Kun Khmer is the spiritual founding martial art of kickboxing, which Thailand disputes ©KKIF A r...

  In Pictures: Cambodian fighter beats Russian strongman Khmer boxer Prom Samnang stunned his Russian opponent yesterday with a decisive win in Thailand Prum Samnang’s second appearance in the international arena did not disappoint the fans, as he beat 21-year-old Firdavs Zhon Naimov to raise the profile of Khmer martial arts on the international stage. This is the second time that the 38-year-old Khmer boxer has beaten his opponent in the Thai Fight arena.