The WMTA was created in the Netherlands as the World Muay Thai Association in 1984 by Thom

Harinck, a Dutch kickboxing trainer and founder of the Chakuriki Gym in Amsterdam. The organisation
became one of the major sanctioning bodies for professional Muay Thai. Early stars of the WMTA
included Branco Cikatic, Peter Aerts, Ernesto Hoost and Gilbert Ballantine. The WMTA is based in
Amsterdam, Netherlands.[2] In 2009, Sayed Zeyada, Glen Huisman and Tim van Duijn took over the
organization. In 2012, Sayed Zeyada left the WMTA.