Thai people always hold their teachers to very high esteem, no matter what discipline they have embarked on. Parents are believed to be everyone's original teachers and a special bond is believed to exist between those who study under the same teacher, which is regarded as being parallel to kinship. Wai Kru is an ancient Thai custom. It is a demonstration of respect and gratitude. There are a number of forms of the Wai Kru ceremony in Muay Thai.

This repect is paid to your Muay Thai instructor, your parents and all those people who have taught you throughout life.

Wai Kru is preformed before every Muay Thai fight and is followed by "Ram Muay" (boxing dance).

Ram Muay is use as a warm-up and also to psych out the fighters opponent.

After walking around the fighting area in a circular motion, checking out the ground for flaws the fighter kneels down with hand in "wai" position.

The fighter then puts both hands palms down on the ground in front of him, bows down to touch his head to the back of his hands......

Respect to Muay Thai instructors past and present.

Scoop the "earth" from the ground and bring back to wai position.