Tony Jaa was born and raised in a rural area in Surin Province to Rin Saipetch and Thongdee Yeerum.[3] He is of Kuy descent, a Mon–Khmer ethnic group that inhabits Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. The Kuy practice traditions that are more similar to the traditions of Cambodia than that of traditions observed by the Lao or the Thai.[4] The Kuy are known for being skilled trainers of elephants.[5] Tony Jaa speaks Kuy, Thai and Northern Khmer.[6]
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In his youth, Jaa watched films by Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Jet Li at temple fairs, which inspired him to learn martial arts. He practiced the techniques in his father’s rice paddy.[citation needed]
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“What they [Lee, Chan, and Li] did was so beautiful, so heroic that I wanted to do it too,” Jaa told Time in a 2004 interview. “I practiced until I could do the move exactly as I had seen the masters do it.”[7][8]
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Jaa began training in Muay Thai at his local temple at age 10. By 15, he was a protégé of stuntman and action film director Panna Rittikrai.[2] Panna had instructed Jaa to attend Maha Sarakham College of Physical Education in Maha Sarakham Province from which he graduated with a bachelor’s degree.
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