Aikido Night in Bangkok

Aikido Seminar in Bangkok

Aikido of South-East Asian Nations Fellowships will take place between 18-21 April 2008.

The Aikido seminar will be hosted by the Aikido Association of Thailand at ChaoPhya Park Hotel. The event was organised by Fukakusa Shihan, who invited Waka Sensei to be the guest of honor. Although also invited as a guest of honour, Fujita Shihan will not attend the seminar due to heath problems.

Fees:
- US$250/person - accommodation, daily breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners (Welcome party and farewell party) and seminar.
- US$150/person - welcome party, farewell party and seminar.

Schedule:
Sat, 19 April
06:30 - 08:30 - Breakfast at the Hotel
09:00-10:00 - 1st session with Motohiro Fukakusa Shihan (7 dan)
10:15-11:15 - 2nd session with Freddy Khong Sensei (5 dan)
11:30-12:30 - 3rd session with Rosso Fernandez Sensei (6 dan)
12:30 - Lunch at the Hotel
14:30-15:30 - 4th session with Harry Ng Sensei (6 dan)
15:45-16:45 - 5th session with Lucio, Jr. Alejo Sensei (5 dan)
17:00-18:00 - 6th session with Jun Yamada Shihan (7 dan)
Free time (Dinner on your own)

Sun, 20 April
06:30:08:30 - Breakfast at the Hotel
09:00-10:00 - 7th session with Mineo Tominaga Sensei (6 dan)
10:15-11:15 - 8th session with George Chang Sensei (6 dan)
11:30-12:30 - 9th session with Takao Hattori Sensei (6 dan)
12:30 - Lunch at the Hotel
14:00-15:30 - Special training with Mitsuteru Ueshiba Waka Sensei
15:45-17:00 - Demonstrations
19:00-22:00 - Farewell Dinner Party

Mon, 21 April
06:30-09:30 - Breakfast at the Hotel
12:00 - Check-out

Bangkok Fight Club

It's not a fight club like the one in the motion picture Fight Club (what a great movie!) but a place in Bangkok where those who are into martial arts can train Muay Thai kick boxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, MMA , International Boxing and Self Defense.

BFC was formed in 2001 by Alex Berezovik and Todd Barlow as an informal training group. At the time the club had only 6 members. Numbers has steadily grown to the fairly large group of followers and today 17 different nationalities are represented at the Bangkok Fight Club.

In December 2002 BFC got it’s very own training facility in the downtown Bangkok right in the middle of Asok road (Petchburi MRT station or Asok BTS station).

In January 2003 BFC got it’s trade mark dog logo.

Since August 2003 BFC is proud to be affiliated with Cesar Gracie's "Gracie Fighter Jiu-Jitsu" to become the first ever Jui-Jitsu school in Thailand to carry the Gracie's name and Gracie's logo.

Members of BFC were invited to teach the course of close range combat and ground fighting to the personnel of the Brinks Security (Thailand) one of the major security services providers in Thailand.

In March and April 2004 BFC instructors were also teaching a course of Brazilain Jiu-Jitsu and Self defense to the members of the Royal Bangkok Sports Club.

BFC was the very first martial art school ever to introduce and to showcase the art of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and Mixed martial arts to the Thai TV audience. Since December 2002 BFC appeared in several popular programs on Thai TV.

The above information was taken from: http://www.bangkokfightclub.com/. Click on this link for schedules, fees and exact location. The website in in English, Thai and Japanese.

Aikido movement in Thailand

In 2504 (we are in year 2550 now!) Aikido has arrived Thailand by Tamura Shihan, an aikido teacher of the Asia University , Tokyo. He sent graduated students holding black belt rank to teach aikido at the College of Physical Education (The National Stadium). We have consistently obtained about technical support from the Aikido World Headquarters, Tokyo.

1962 – 1968
Teaching aikido mainly outside class at the College of Physical Education .

1968
Moving to Budokan dojo ,Yaowarat, Samyod Crime Suppression Division Thai Police, Dolwittaya school, and Engineering Faculty of Chulalongkorn University.

27 May 1968
Demonstration Aikido at the Amporn Garden.

1970
Founding Renbukan, patronized by Kawasaki Thailand , on the 4 th floor building opposite the general post office, Bangrak, Bangkok .

10 Jun 1975
Asking for permission to establish Aikido Association of Thailand leading by Mr.Prapant Chittaputta as the head of the group.

5 Aug 1975
Registering for setting Aikido Association of Thailand and since then Aikido being popular among soldiers, polices, and students.

1 Jan 1982
Moving dojo to Y.W.C.A., Sathorn Road, Bangkok; having Aikido club throughout Bangkok such as Cadet Academy, Royal Thai Navy Academy , Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy, Kasetsart University, Wat Leap branch Metropolitan Electricity Authority, Thai-Japan Youth Center and so on.

3 Jan 1982
Praticing aikido at the first day of Aikido Club, Thai-Japan Youth Center and in that year at Chiang Mai University , Wachirawuth School ( Songkla Province ), Ubolrachathani Military camp.

3 Apr 1982
His Majesty the King visiting Thai-Japan Youth Center on the day of Grand opening.

9 Jun 1988
Registering for relocation the association to 893 Pattanakarn Rd. , Klongton, Suan Luang. (Fukakusa Shihan has taught since 1964; now occupies a post of the president of Aikido Association of Thailand and Mr.Prapant Chittaputta is a secretary-general of the association)

1 Jan 1996
Ending dojo of association at Y.W.C.A. because of the building demolished; then temporarily moving dojo to Thai-Japan Youth Center for 3 years ( 1 Jan 1996 – 26 Nov 1998 )

26 Nov 1998
Relocating the Aikido Association of Thailand on 2nd floor , 1521/3 Sukhumvit Rd. , (between Soi 67 and 69) North Phrakanong, Klong Toey, Bangkok 10110 and setting up Renbukan dojo be practicing center of membership till present.

Source: http://www.thaiaikikai.com/ (Aikido Association of Thailand)

Aikido in Thailand

After quite a long break, of about two months, I went back to the aikido dojo.

There are two placers where I have trained until now. One of them is at Thai-Japan Youth Center (aka Thai-Ippun Gym - website is in Thai only!) in Din Daeng area, near the Ministry of Labour. Here the yearly registration fee is 40 baht (yes, that's right, just 1 USD!), and foreigners need to show a valid passport and two small sized photos (one for the membership card, and the other for the application form). The form is bilingual, Thai - English, but the card will be in Thai only, as they have only a typewriter with Thai script.

The Japanese government sponsored the building of Thai-Japan Youth Center on the occasion of 200 years of Rattanakosin (1982). His Majesty the King of Thailand was present at the opening ceremony.

Rembukan, the other dojo, is the headquarters of the Aikido Association of Thailand. For a timetables and additional fees (and two other dojos), check out http://www.thaiaikikai.com/.

I'll write more about aikido in Thailand in a different post!