Your money · after the Tripaneer bankruptcy · read 1 Nov 2026
Muay Thai holidays from the UK: package or book the camp direct?
ATOL protects package trips that include a flight, not a camp booking without a flight, so when you pay a Thai camp yourself your main protections are your card (Section 75 on UK credit cards for an item priced over £100 and up to £30,000, or a chargeback) and the camp's own written terms; BookMartialArts' owner Tripaneer was declared bankrupt on 30 Sep 2026.
Muay Thai Atlas never takes deposits or payments.
Three ways to book
| Package with a flight (UK travel company) | Booking site or agent (no flight) | Direct with the camp | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who holds your money | The travel company | The site or agent, then the camp | The camp |
| ATOL | Yes, if it is a package that includes a flight and the company is ATOL-protected (atol.org) | No flight, no ATOL | No |
| If it fails | ATOL claim for the protected parts | Creditor claim (e.g. Tripaneer, below), plus card routes | Card routes; the camp's terms |
What ATOL covers and doesn't
From atol.org (read 1 Nov 2026):
- Covers package trips that include a flight, including the non-flight parts of a protected package (such as accommodation and transfers).
- Doesn't cover a flight bought with a valid e-ticket direct from an airline.
- It isn't travel insurance: you can't claim from ATOL for cancellations, complaints or sickness during your holiday.
A camp's own "package" (training + room + meals) is not ATOL-protected unless a UK company sells it with a flight under ATOL.
Paying a camp yourself: your card
- Section 75 (UK credit cards): can apply when one item's cash price is over £100 and not more than £30,000 (Consumer Credit Act 1974, section 75(3)(b), legislation.gov.uk, read 1 Nov 2026; the page says it is up to date to 30 Oct 2026). Not for debit cards.
- Chargeback (debit and credit cards): not a legal right, but card schemes run it, and banks set time limits (Financial Ombudsman decisions refer to a 120-day limit). Ask your bank quickly.
- If your bank says no: the Financial Ombudsman Service.
- PayPal and travel insurance have their own routes.
What happened with BookMartialArts
From our BookMartialArts help page (read 31 Oct 2026):
- BookMartialArts merged into tripaneer.com in March 2023.
- Tripaneer B.V. was declared bankrupt on 30 Sep 2026 (District Court of Amsterdam, case F.13/26/306). Creditors' meeting: 9 Dec 2026.
- Camps set their own deposits on the platform. Two archived Muay Thai listings showed 50% (Battle Conquer, Oct 2024) and 30% (Honour Muay Thai, Jul 2026), both non-refundable.
If you booked through it, follow the steps on that page: write to the camp, ask your card provider, file a free creditor claim. What happened.
Booking direct, safely
- Get the price, dates, what's included and the refund terms in writing.
- Pay the smallest deposit the camp accepts, by credit card where the item is over £100.
- Read pre-pay terms: for example Suan Son Beach Muay Thai says its quoted prices are for customers who pre-book and pre-pay (suansonmuaythai.com/rates, read 31 Oct 2026).
- Never pay a "recovery fee" to get money back.
What a package adds
A camp's own package (room + training + meals) is one price for things you'd otherwise book separately: see all-inclusive camps for camps' own package prices. A UK package with flights adds ATOL if the company holds it. Compare the total in the trip cost planner (flights left out on purpose).
Who holds your money?
You pay the camp directly. Muay Thai Atlas never takes deposits or payments.
Ask the camp in writing how much, when, and whether it’s refundable.
If you book through an agent or booking site, that site takes the payment. Read its own payment and refund terms first.
Plan the rest of your trip
Related
- Booked through BookMartialArts?
- Holiday packages
- All-inclusive camps
- One month: full cost
- BookMartialArts rescue kit (PDF)
Tools
Questions
Is a Muay Thai camp booking ATOL protected?
Only if it's part of a package that includes a flight, sold by an ATOL-protected company. A camp booked on its own isn't.
What protects me if I pay a camp directly?
Your card (Section 75 for UK credit card payments on an item priced over £100 and up to £30,000; chargeback for debit and credit cards) and the camp's written terms.
I booked through BookMartialArts. What now?
Write to the camp, ask your card provider, and file a free claim in the Tripaneer B.V. bankruptcy (case F.13/26/306). Our BookMartialArts help page has the steps.
Is a package cheaper than booking direct?
It depends on the package. Compare each camp's own package price with its training-only price plus your own room.
Does Muay Thai Atlas take bookings?
No. Muay Thai Atlas never takes deposits or payments.
Sources
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