July 25, 2026

Saencherg Pinsinchai's Hands and Eyes - a photo series (pre-study for the next MTL session)

[Kevin writing] There is something when you are in the presence of training with a legend of the sport, something which can never be duplicated by another person, something pure and true. This photo series attempts to capture some of that in the great Saencherng Pinsinchai. Often in the Library there is an urge to harvest the techniques of those of Thailand’s past, the technical know-how of how they execute specific strikes…of defenses, and beyond that, in the way that they linked techniques together, things that can be bio-mechanically transmitted onto other bodies, but also things that they themselves discovered and developed in the ring - and in the vast hours of training, years beside others, in conditions unlike those of today. And then beyond this for those that look further, in the rhythms, the potent dance-like ways of movement, of delay and insistence, that become particular to a fighter, the way that they resolve and impose threat through subtleties that no one else can duplicate. There is something of that which the long-form Muay Thai Library seeks to archive, elements of movement and spirt and psychology by which a person expresses themselves, in style.

This photograph series goes well beneath that, with the powers of the camera which can slow down and focus the eye on fleeting things, things that might otherwise float by - but small things that are signatures of their greatness. In this case, their hands and eyes. often in the Library commentary Sylvie will not to look at the hands of a fighter, in particular their state of relaxation. Not that they are relaxed, but how and when they are relaxed. In this case it is supreme. The state of Saencherng’s hands actually reveal and unfold the power and unique mutability of his guard…his guards (including the seldom used Diamond Guard). The relaxation and rigidity communicates itself through his guards as a sensing but resisting mechanism. It gives them subtlety and impenetrability, and directionality, three important dimensions. And the eyes. These photographs are taken during very light training. Sylvie came to train with Saencherng again after the filming for the Library, just for the benefit as a fighter. But despite more than 35 years removed from the ring you can still see the intensity with which he looks at an opponent, practically through an opponent.

To me, in his presence, below the qualities of his techniques and ring prowess, in begins and ends here, in his hands and eyes, these are the germ which grows everything else. And, I’m writing this as a seed of understanding of the coming Muay Thai Library session so you can see them in that as well. Part of Muay Thai Photography is about that seed, finding it and bringing it forth.

The Photographs

Here are a few photos from the series, you can see them all in hi-res in this gallery: Saencherng Hands and Eyes (and even purchase framed prints for your gym or home - any profit from the sale goes to Saencherng, as is the non-profit case with all of my photographs, it goes to the fighter/s)

The Fights

There are only a few fights of Saencherng Pinsinchai that survive in the video record, a fighter who was regarded as one of the very best of the Golden Age, but who was kept in the Pinsinchai stable and was not well preserved by the selection that has made YouTube. He truly was a feared fighter. A playlist is here.

These three fights though will help in understanding his beautiful, tough-as-nails approach, and help you get the most out of the coming MTL session with him.