13 Coins Gym Review
Posted in 13 Coins Gym, Blog, Muay Thai Camps on May 23, 2010
Location
13 coins can be found in Bangkok Thailand. Only a short drive from Bangkok airport, 13 coins is located at Praram 9 Soi 57 (Visetsuk 3), Suanluang Bangkok, Thailand. There are cheap food stalls and a hairdresser on the same road, cafes, shops, big malls, pharmacies, doctor clinics and massage places are just a short taxi ride away and some nice nightclubs like RCA a bit further down. There is a huge Hospital called Samitivej Srinakarin literally just a walk away from 13 coins resort where you can also go to get access to an ATM , fruit smoothies, multivitamins and a small 7/11 type shop called family mart where you can buy phone credit, washing powder, shampoo and anything else you can think of.
The easiest way to get to 13 coins is to get in contact with the gym and have them send some staff down to pick you up at the airport. It will only cost you 300 baht which is nothing to pay just to avoid any confusion getting to 13 coins and having to drive aimlessly with your taxi driver while he pretends he knows where the place is. Be sure to take one of the hotels cards to give to taxi drivers when you need to go back to the gym.
Price and Accommodation
Staying at the13 Coins Resort is great if you only plan on staying for a maximum of 1 month twin share. For a month’s training and accommodation twin share it is 54,000 Baht a month. So 27,000 Baht each a month which is aprrox $900 USD so $30 a day for accommodation, training and free breakfast. That way the price won’t break the bank, depending on your budget of course. Staying at the gym provides you with a swimming pool, free water, free breakfast which can be anything under 100 Baht from the menu plus a drink, free Chinese tea, 80 baht to do a big load of laundry that can be split between you and your room mate and of course the chance to hang out with Saenchai, Pornsenah and Orono after classes since you can always find them nearly everynight at the snooker table. Mr. Coke is also a great person to have around if it’s your first trip to Bangkok. He can set you up with anything if you just ask nicely, as he always says he’s a big shot in Bangkok and everyone knows him.
The restaurant has a large menu of reasonably priced food with quick service. It also has 3 computers with internet access in the Lobby. Accommodation here is very nice, with Cable T.V, a small fridge, air conditioning, shower and bath with hot water and wifi. One thing about the wifi. It only works if you are in rooms 100 to the 200 buildings or if you take your laptop to the restaurant. If your in the 300 and 400 buildings, sorry but no connection for you. Make sure you ask for a room near the restaurant to make sure you get wifi from your room.
For long term stays, there are apartments that go for 6000 baht a month. They are really nice and come furnished. All you need to buy is a tv and fridge for cheap and your set. Most apartments are a 50 baht drive from 13 coins. You can leave your equipment in lockers at 13 coins gym so you can just run to the gym every morning for your warm up. Should only take you 20 mins at a reasonable paced jog.
Just to let everyone know, Mr.Coke is in the process of planning out some Budget accommodation for those on a tight budget. He will be setting it up right next to the gym where all the fighters actually live. Below is video i took of the accommodation and restaurant.
Accomodatin at 13 Coins from Michael Galvin on Vimeo.
Training
Training starts at 6.30 in the morning if you want to go run. Everyone meets at the gym and we all hop on a small truck that drives us to the running track near Rajamengala Stadium to run laps. After 30 mins to 45 mins we all drive back. Back at the gym, it’s totally up to you to skip, shadowbox and hit the bag. Once you wrap up and put gloves on you’ll eventually be called into the ring by a trainer to do pad rounds. The number and duration of pad rounds depends on how much your can handle. If you can make it, you can do 5 rounds of 5 mins. Between rounds there’s nice ice cold water for you to drink right next to the ring and a spit bowl if you have any loogies in your mouth you want to hock up Mmmm yummy.
This is where the ice cold water is
Water goes in here, then into your mouth
Dont drink out of this!! It's your spit bowl
After your pad rounds it’s entirely up to you to hang around for more bag work, clinching, sparring and sit ups. There are plenty of Thais to do all your clinching and sparring with. If you show commitment, the Thai trainers will start to call you in to clinch with the Thais. Training at 13 Coins is unlike any other gym i have been to in Phuket. Like Saengmorakot gym in Bangkok though, it is very unstructured. This can be a bad thing for some people but can be good for others. You wont have a Thai guy blowing a whistle and timing you on everything you do like Sinbi Muay Thai does. You wont even have instructors tell you to skip, then shadowbox and then go hit the bag. Everything is entirely up to you. If you have come to train, then train. If you feel lazy and just wanna hit the pads and leave then so be it.
Like Saengmorakot gym in Bangkok, you are expected to go do the run, then skip yourself and then hit the bag, wait to be called up by a trainer to do pads, then go hit the bag some more, then get in the ring yourself once the Thais start clinching and even ask them to spar if you want to, but the trainers aren’t going to tell you to go and do it all. You have to motivate and push yourself. Just like the Thais do at the gym. If they want to fight and get fit, then they have to show up and train. The trainers will notice your commitment and after a few days, they will come up to you while your working the heavy bag and tell you what your doing wrong and give you tips to improve and work on.
While training a waitress will come around usually twice during the sessions handing out some replenishing sugar cane drinks and even red Fanta for free to all those who are training and even visitors that are just lounging around watching. Mr.Coke is always sitting in his captains chair smoking on average 10 packets a day. While you train he’ll constantly be shouting encouragement and advice to you, telling you to go harder and kick the other guys ass. Sometimes I’m pretty sure he talks to the Thai guy your clinching or sparring telling them to let you kick their ass haha. Here’s a video of the yummy red Fanta we get during training.
red drinks from Michael Galvin on Vimeo.
Trainers at the Gym
There is about 8 Trainers/Padholders at the gym at gym right now. As for trainers you could say 20 since all the Thai fighters hep you out with your Muay Thai as well. The 8 Trainer/Padholders are Ton, Tik, Ou, Orono, Jar, Son, Lord, and Chouk (kwonpijet). I always hear great things about Son and Lord, though i have never been with them. I usually train with Jar who will work you hard on the pads. Every other training sessions i go with Ou because he is a technique master and will correct every little thing he can pick up on and make you feel like your technique means shit from wherever you learnt it. Chouk is also great to go with as he is a Boxer now and will work your hands to the max.
In the end i really enjoyed doing pads with Jar. He started to pick up the pace as i gradually improved, provided me with more variety on the pads and we both started to flow together a lot more. Finding a trainer you like is a very personal thing, and not everyone will favour the same one that you do. We all look for different things in trainers as well as gyms. So just remember, a trainer i like a recommend may not be the one you end up wanting to go with.
The Gym
The gym now has four rings. The fourth was built just before i left. Mr. Coke even bought all the padholders new Kaewsamrit pads. If you have ever used these or kicked them you’ll know they are great. There are a number of bags, floor to ceiling ball, 2 speed balls and a few treadmills and a home made sauna room with ginger and tea leaves in it..
Home Made Sauna Room
Deep and Meaningfuls in the Sauna
There’s limited room for skipping and shadow boxing, but this depends on how many people are using the open space. You’ll usually find that not many people use it and so it’s free, but isn’t very large compared to gyms in Phuket. Another small problem is the spacing between the ring and the punching bags. It leaves little space for people to walk through and occasionally you’ll have to briefly stop hitting the bag while someones walking behind you, otherwise they are likely to cop and elbow to the face.
Here’s a tour of the gym that i recorded.
GYM TOUR of 13 coins from Michael Galvin on Vimeo.
All the rings are surrounded by the Captains chairs for anyone who wants the lounge around and watch the training. You’ll always find mister Coke in one of them watching everyone train. The gym is covered in memorabilia of the muay thai fighters at the gym. Especially of Orono, Pornsenah, Saenchai, Kwanpijet and Toto who is a waiter by day at 13 coins and padholder by night! There’s numerous paintings on the wooden Thai style housing of the the gym and good old American tunes blaring out of the gyms speakers.
Extensions for new Boxing Ring
What Sets it Apart?
I found at 13 Coins it wasn’t the trainers I had to look to, to push me to train, but instead I myself had to find my own motivation to train. This was a change from the norm but can be seen in a positive light in that I had learn to motivate and commit to something as grueling as training twice a day without someone on my back all the time. Though there were days where this didn’t work in my favour when i was feeling like a lazy bastard.
I found Mr. Coke to be the most inviting and welcoming character. If it wasn’t for him and his boundless generosity i wouldn’t have found my stay at 13 Coins as fun as it was. Mr coke is there from the crack of dawn to watch everyone train, then you’ll likely catch him hanging around the outdoor section of the restaurant or still at the gym during the day. When afternoon session comes aorund he’s right back in his captains chair keeping a keen eye on everyone while talking to them and asking questions to learn more about who they are. He will then stay and have dinner at the resort and a bottle of wine before retiring back home, usually quite late in the night. There were numerous occasions where Mr. Coke would shout us free food and wine, then he’d bring us all in the restaurant for some karaoke and to get down and jiggy with some dancing.
Mr.Coke can also set you up with an experience of a lifetime. If you don’t want to fight in the ring, whats the next best thing? Cornering for one of the Thai fighters at Bangkoks top stadiums, that’s what.
Brock getting ready to corner at Lumpinee
Tony just before cornering Saenchai
Me before cornering at Rajadamnern
And of course meeting, drinking, eating and hanging out with all the great famous fighters at the gym, like Orono, Pornsenah, Saenchai, and Asanee Suwan (Beautiful Boxer Actor who played Nong Toom)
tony and brock getting thier asses dumped from Michael Galvin on Vimeo.
Crazy Orono with Brock and I
Drunk after Saenchai's 3rd Rd Knock Out Win
Brock with Asanee
Me and Brock getting into Muay Thai Mag
All in all being at 13 Coins Gym for a month was an experience of a lifetime. I trained my ass off, made lifelong friends and will have amazing memories that I’ll keep forever.
For anyone thinking of coming to 13 Coins, i highly recommend you come down and I’m sure you’ll love it.
I want to train here. I am going for about a week. How do I get a hold of them to set it up? Do they have a phone number or do I just show up when I arrive?
Hi Steve,
You can find their website at
http://www.drsaenchaimuaythai.com/Dr._Saenchai_Muay_Thai_Gym/Homepage.html
and their email address is Saenchaimuaythai@gmail.com
Just shoot them an email to sort everything out.
Hope this helps
Mike
Watched The gods of muay thai.Orono is amazing.
I´m a true fan.Probably some fighters of mine in the future will visit 13 coins.
best
Åke Björkman
FIGHT CENTER SWEDEN
I intend to go there to train but i am curious about 2 things.
1) Do the trainers use English to train u ? cuz i do not know Thai hence i would like to know what’s the language barrier like
2) Since there are no trainings on Sundays, what do you guys do ?
Thanks.
Hi William,
1) The trainers have limited English, but have dealt with training foreigners for many years. They train people from all over the world and so are used to the language barrier. They have their ways of teaching you technique and correcting you. I don’t think you have to worry about the language barrier at all.
2) There is actually training in the afternoon on Sundays, but you dont have to go if you dont want to.
When we have days off you can do a number of things such as
Go to the Movies
Go to the water-park
Go to the Markets
Go to temples
Go to amulet markets
Take a trip to tiger temple
Relax and go get a massage
Go out to some clubs on pubs on Saturday night if you feel like it.
Theres plenty to do in Bangkok to keep you busy.
Hope that helps
Hi er…admin,
Thanks for the information.
That was reassuring. Thanks again !
If I train here for two weeks, is it possible to get a fight set up? I am 200 pounds and 6’4 but only training for a year, is there anyone they can match me up with? Also, how far is nightlife from this place? Is it possible to have fun and train hard?
Hey SP,
With most Muay Thai Gyms in Thailand, they require you to train with them for a minimum of one month before they allow you to fight for them.
There is an exception if you are an experienced fighter.
In Thailand it is hard to get a real good fight at the larger weights. Because most Thai’s are so little, they can out you against one with alot more experience than you.
Another option is that they match you up with another foreigner,
As for the nightlife, from 13 Coins it’s just a 10 min taxi ride to get to RCA.
RCA stands for Royal City Avenue i think it was. This place is lined with more nightclubs than you can poke a stick at. You’ll find ones with foreigners and others predominately with Thai in them.
Plenty of booze and women haha.
Yeah you can defiantly train all week then have a night out on Friday or Saturday. Depends on the person I’d say.
Mike
And a banana split!
Yes!
SP you can also pig out and have some wicked banana splits at 13 Coins, and have lunch with Mr.Coke which would include wine and karaoke.
Mike
Just a quick question about the free water while your training.
Is it the from tap. Any tummy bugs or runs from it?
What’s up jason.
Free water is bottled your your safe.
In Thailand, never drink tap water!
If you do, you’ll be shitting all day.
Sweet, Thanks Mike.
I’m heading there soon.
How long you there for Jason?
I’ll probably pop in around November.
Hey guys great web site!
Listen I want to go to 13 coins to train I’m planning on going by myself and I’m a bit worried about not being able to communicate in thailand. Not just at the gym but every were else in thailand. Let me know if you think that this would be a trip worth doin myself or if you think it would be worth waiting untill I have some one else to bring.I typically vacation by myself but never out side of the U.S. Any info you can give I would appretiate thanks Pat.
Pat!
How’s it going man.
Don’t worry about the communication in Thailand. It’s simple enough to communicate with both trainers at the gym and people you meet out and about.
I think going on the trip by yourself is a great idea. By the time you get to the gym you’ll meet a tonne of people willing to help you out.
We even had the trainers come out with us at times to go get muay thai gear, buy new mobile phones and even have a few drinks at the clubs.
Plenty of people take these sort of Muay Thai trips by themselves all the time.
Mike
Thanks Mike
Hey one more queastion. What is the best way to get intouch with them to book my trip? I looked but I can’t seem to find the info I’m looking for. Thanks again.
Hey pat,
I used this email
Saenchaimuaythai@gmail.com
Tell me how it goes
Yeah Mike,
I’m going to head there next week.
Only be there a week then might return
in February 2011.
Great review Mike.
Thanks for your work
I’d like to go there for two weeks January/February 2011. I’m trying to estimate the costs. How could I best figure this out. Are there any additional costs for training, extra sessions, etc..?
Airline + (Regular Room rate x number of days) + (Food x # of days) + (Bangkok travel and entertainment = Total ? Does this sound right?
How much is a reasonable amount to budget for food (vegetarian)? Any of you guys that have been, recommend an airline?
That sounds about right.
For the room rate and training, it’s cheaper if you pay for a whole month.
When i calculate meals i usually estimate it as 3 meals a day at 100 baht a meal.
You wont have trouble ordering Vegetarian food. They don’t really have vegetarian places there, but you just have to order some things and learn how to say “no meat” in Thai.
Check here for some prices on accomodation and training. Much cheaper if you have a twin share.
http://www.drsaenchaimuaythai.com/Dr._Saenchai_Muay_Thai_Gym/Prices.html
Besides that it looks like you’ve sorted everything else out. You wont have to worry about visa as you’ll get one on arrival. And water is free at 13 Coins.
For a private Muay Thai lesson, the website says 600 baht, but in my experience and that of many friends at 13 coins, after a private session the trainer really leaves it up to you and even sometimes refuses payment!
Where abouts are you coming from?
Oh maybe add travel insurance. Find an online one for cheap. Price can vary greatly.
Maybe keep $100 USD for 10 massages after a hard session
Hi,
First of thanks for the great review!! Highly appreciate it! I just have a question regarding the pricing for accomodation and training. I will be travelling alone, so to have a private room to myself for a month would be $30,0000 baht? But if I bring another person with me the cost is $54,000 baht split between two people correct?
I just want to make sure the cost to have my own room and not share a room. Thanks! And is 13 coins far away from tourist areas where I can pickup gear and visit temples and stuff? Thanks alot!
Hi Ken,
Yes your correct about the pricing.
13 Coins is a 10-15 min taxi ride from the bigger shopping malls, gear stores and temples.
There’s some great temples and amulet markets near Rajadamnern stadium. I’m sure someone at the gym can help you out with finding these places.
Check out my guides on where to buy Muay Thai gear to help you find the cheaper places. Or if you are going out to watch the fights at Lumpinee and Rajadamnern and don’t care for the small price difference then you might as well buy your gear at the stadiums.
Hope you have a wicked time
Hi there,
I’m looking to hopefully train at 13 coins mid next year. Just wondered if you had heard of many female fighters that have trained there – and if so, how they found the gym. I’m a pretty open minded person, but curious all the same
Thanks! (and awesome page btw)
Hey Alice,
There is a girl that trains there and has fought for the gym. She’s been training there for around 6 months now and is still currently there. We are close friends and i can tell you that she loves it there.
While i was there in May there was also a canadian girl, an english girl and maybe 3 americans girls there.
Good to know you’ve found this page helpful
Hi Mike,
Thanks for taking the time to write such a great and helpful review. I’m going to spend a week at 13 Coins in November and had a few questions I was hoping you could help with.
1. I understand that there’s about a 6 hour break between the morning and afternoon training sessions. What do most people do during the break? Do you think it’s enough time to head to downtown and do some sightseeing and be back in time for the afternoon session?
2. As for travelling around, I assume cabbing it is the best option? Doesn’t look like there’s a metro station nearby. Do you know generally how much cab fare/time would take to go to downtown?
3. Is sparring normally done with the Thai trainers/fighters? Do they also pair you up with other visitors, or is it up to you to ask other visitors to spar?
Thanks in advance!
Hey Sean,
Looks like quite alot of people have found this review and made there way to 13 Coins recently, which is great.
1.Between session you can hang around the hotel and swim, shoot some pool/snooker or surf the web. Even sit down and have a chat with Mr.Coke, he’s a really cool dude. Always time to go for a massage as well. as i posted in the comments above you can
Go to the Movies
Go to the water-park
Go to the Markets
Go to temples
Go to amulet markets
Shop for Muay Thai Gear
Just be sure to quickly have a shower, chuck on some cloths and head out straight after training. In Bangkok nearly everything is only 15-20mins away.
2.Just to head downtown will cost you around 100 bath one way.Once your there you can always use public transport and the tuk tuks easily.
3. As for sparring it’s usually done when you ask one of the Thai fighters if they can practice with you. They are really approachable and friendly so while clinching just ask them. The only trainer that likes to spar with the student is “Ou”. He’s the skinny one who’s all about technique so you get alot out of him when you sparr. All the other trainers are too old or getting too fat to sparr haha.
Only visitors i saw sparring each other were people who knew each other.
Hope you have an awesome time out there!
Mike
Thanks for the info Mike
Hey i like to go to 13 coins in 2011 i have not ben training in like 4-5 years im now 26 and fell old in the body
hehe. i like to train hardcore but i like to know when you are sparring vs thais do they try to kill you ore how hard dos they sparr??
sorry my bad englis hope you can read what i mean
one more thing AWSOM site !!! i was introduc to 13 coiners at youtube and found this side after on google… and now i cant sleep i just want go train hehe tanks !!
how were you able to corner at Lumpini thats Insane
Mr Coke is the man, if you get along with him he can do wonderful things for you. We just asked if it was cool with him and he was more than happy to let us corner at Raja/Lumpinee for his fighters.
are the trainers serious with correct your technique?? and learn you new technique..??
Yes and Yes.
Hey Mike, where can I get contact info for 13 coins? I’ll be in Bangkok next month and would like to check it out.
Thanks
Try and use this email Tariq
Saenchaimuaythai@gmail.com
Thats the one i used
Hi,
My partner trained there about a month ago on his own, but he wants to go again in about 6 months time and bring me. I will not be training at all, so am i able to stay there with him and not train. Also would the price be different if i was not training?
Thankyou
Hannah.
Yes you are able to stay there with him and not train.
And yes the price would be different without training. You’ll only pay for the accommodation which includes free breakfast.
I think accommodation for you would be 10,500 baht a month each if you share a room.
It’s finally here, in one week i’ll be flying to 13 coins. i hear that ‘most’ laptops, ipods, and major electronics operate 110-220v. I also understand that Thais use a & c type flat prongs, however, i’m a bit hesitant risking my electronics i.e. laptop, camera, ipod, flip cam… Etc..
Any input?
you can buy an adapter for like 20 baht, works fine for my macbook!
Tariq speaks the truth.
I use my macbook, iphone and everything else electrical just using an adapter. Never heard of anything going wrong from people coming from all other countries either.
Thanks guys. 20 Baht is a lot cheaper than I’d find anything here. I fried a couple of electric things the last time I visited another country. I don’t want to take any chances.
Hi, I am just wondering how much the overall training plus accomadations(rooms, food, etc.), if i do stay I will be there for about 6 days. I will be arriving in Bangkok on the 6th of May, and I was wondering if the gym provides any pick up from the airport. Also one final concern; I want to know, since I am traveling with my father, he will not be training so I will be the only one training at the gym. So my question is- if the price will differ or are the prices the same either way if you choose not to train and just want to use the rooms. Please let me know as soon as possible.
thanks.
I’m at 13 Coins now, finally. After just reading through the above review, all I can say is that everything in this review is dead on accurate. When I get some time, I’ll write up a bit more about this trip. Hopefully, it will help anyone thinking about coming here, or training in Thailand.
THE TITLE OF THIS PAGE “ATTENTION: 13 Coins is no longer in operation and has shut down” AND THE RUMOUR THAT 13 COINS GYM IS CLOSED IS INCORRECT… THE GYM IS STILL OPERATING AND KRU SORN IS STILL IN CHARGE
PLEASE edit the title asap
thanks
Dave HELL!
Thanks Dave.
I talked to Pii A yesterday and what you say is true. He said that they attempted to close it but foreigners kept coming to train and so they had to keep it going.
Will change it ASAP.
Hey, do you know if there are different rates for travelers that already have a place to stay? I’m staying at a buddy’s place for 2 weeks and would love to train there, just not live there. Thanks in advance.
Yep, you won’t be charged for the accommodation and only for training.
Hi there, first of all great review! I have been trying to find the website for 13 coins but can not find anything on this gym. Do you know if they closed down or are renamed? Would be great to know. Thank!
http://www.13coinsgym.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=44&Itemid=53
follow the above link.
From what i know it’s the newest webpage they have brought out with all the relevent info you’ll need
I just returned from 2 weeks at 13 Coins and I must say it was an incredible experience. I would highly recommend going to train there to anyone!
Ate at 13 Coins, was rushed to hospital for severe salmonella poisoning, and when i spoke to the owner Mr Koh about this he brushed me off rudely and with zero compensation or apology. Very very bad experience.
Im looking to stay at 13 coins and im wondering around how much it is going to cost me Canadian. if i were looking to stay at the 13 coins for a month how much money should i bring with me to thailand. i intend to get as much training and sparring done as i can.