Fighting Their Way Out of Poverty

Muay Thai is a sport that mixes kicking, punching, kneeing, and elbowing. Fights are typically five rounds of three minutes each. Competitors wear 10-ounce gloves—and fight without any protective headgear. Over the past 400 years, muay Thai has grown from a local sport into a worldwide phenomenon popularized by movies and video games.

Across Thailand, a country in Southeast Asia, muay Thai is embraced by both the rich and the poor. For the poor, it can be a form of social mobility, a means for muscled young boxers—some as young as 6—to fight their families’ way out of poverty and into the country’s growing middle class (see “Thailand’s Inequality,” below). For the rich, it’s an excuse to gamble, with some people betting tens of thousands of dollars each night.

This past November, the sport made international headlines when 13-year-old Anucha Tasako died after being knocked out in a muay Thai fight just south of the capital city of Bangkok. Video showed that he had received five fierce blows to the head. Two days after the fight, Anucha died in a hospital. He had fought an astonishing 174 bouts since the age of 8.

Now Thailand has been left to reconsider the brutality of a sport that involves underage fighters—and the shadowy gambling economy built around it.

“It’s child labor and child abuse,” says Jiraporn Laothamatas, a doctor who specializes in treating the head, neck, and spine. She’s leading the charge to ban kids from boxing. Last year, she released a seven-year study on the effect of muay Thai on children’s brains. Her research showed a steady drop in IQ and brain function for kids who fight. 

“We are destroying our children for sport,” Jiraporn says.

Muay Thai is a sport that mixes kicking, punching, kneeing, and elbowing. Fights are typically five rounds of three minutes each. Competitors wear 10-ounce gloves. They fight without any protective headgear. Muay Thai has grown from a local sport into a worldwide phenomenon over the past 400 years. Movies and video games have made it more popular.

Across Thailand, a country in Southeast Asia, muay Thai is embraced by both the rich and the poor. For the poor, it can be a form of social mobility. It is a chance for muscled young boxers—some as young as 6—to help their families. They hope to fight their families’ way out of poverty and into the country’s growing middle class (see “Thailand’s Inequality,” below). For the rich, muay Thai is an excuse to gamble. Some people bet tens of thousands of dollars each night.

The sport made international headlines this past November. Anucha Tasako, 13, died after being knocked out in a muay Thai fight. It happened just south of the capital city of Bangkok. Video showed that Anucha had received five fierce blows to the head. He died in a hospital two days after the fight. He had fought an astonishing 174 bouts since the age of 8.

Now Thailand has been left to rethink the danger of a sport that involves underage fighters—and the shadowy gambling economy built around it.

“It’s child labor and child abuse,” says Jiraporn Laothamatas. She is a doctor who specializes in treating the head, neck, and spine. She is leading the charge to ban kids from boxing. Last year, she released a seven-year study on the effect of muay Thai on children’s brains. Her research showed a steady drop in IQ and brain function for kids who fight.

“We are destroying our children for sport,” Jiraporn says.

Anucha’s death stirred a wave of shock and anger across Thailand. In response, lawmakers there ­proposed a measure that would ban competitive boxing for kids younger than 12. It would also require child fighters between the ages of 12 and 15 to wear safety equipment, including head guards.

But not everyone agrees with the proposal. 

“This will destroy muay Thai,” says Sudhichai Chokekijchai, a doctor for professional boxers in Bangkok and a fight enthusiast. “We should be focused on [preventing injuries. These kids] are fighting for their lives.”

The national rules state that boxers 15 and older are required to register to fight officially. For competitors under that age, however, the rules are vague. Parental permission is required, but there is little guidance regarding gambling and safety.

Meanwhile, most fights happen unofficially. A Thai investigative journalism center reported that about 10,000 child fighters had registered from 2010 to 2017. Yet according to boxing officials, nearly 200,000 children under age 15 regularly compete.

“It’s in our blood to fight,” Sudhichai says. “These laws will only push people away from doing it safely. These kids are healthy. They stay away from drugs and crime. How will the government support them if they take fighting away?”

Anucha’s death stirred a wave of shock and anger across Thailand. In response, lawmakers there proposed a measure that would ban competitive boxing for kids younger than 12. It would also require child fighters between the ages of 12 and 15 to wear safety equipment. That includes head guards.

But not everyone agrees with the proposal.

“This will destroy muay Thai,” says Sudhichai Chokekijchai. He is a doctor for professional boxers in Bangkok and a fight enthusiast. “We should be focused on [preventing injuries. These kids] are fighting for their lives.”

The national rules state that boxers 15 and older are required to register to fight officially. The rules are vague for competitors under that age. Parental permission is required. But there is little guidance as to gambling and safety.

Meanwhile, most fights happen unofficially. A Thai investigative journalism center reported that more than 10,000 child fighters had registered from 2010 to 2017. Yet according to boxing officials, nearly 200,000 children under age 15 regularly compete.

“It’s in our blood to fight,” Sudhichai says. “These laws will only push people away from doing it safely. These kids are healthy. They stay away from drugs and crime. How will the government support them if they take fighting away?”

In Thailand, muay Thai com­petitions have stayed outside child protection and labor laws (see “Understanding . . . Child Labor Around the World,” below). Thai law says that only kids who earn a salary are workers. Any money won in muay Thai fights is consid­ered an award, not a salary, so it’s legal.

In the poorer and more rural regions of Thailand, where child boxing has its strongest following, that money can be an important boost. Compared with entire families that may earn $200 a month working on farms and in rice paddies, a child fighter can bring in $60 to $600 for a victory—and even more for a knockout.

In Thailand, muay Thai competitions have stayed outside child protection and labor laws (see “Understanding . . . Child Labor Around the World,” below). Thai law says that only kids who earn a salary are workers. Any money won in muay Thai fights is considered an award and not a salary. That makes it legal.

Child boxing has its strongest following in Thailand’s poorer and more rural regions. There, that money can be an important boost. Entire families may earn $200 a month working on farms and in rice paddies. By comparison, a child fighter can bring in $60 to $600 for a victory. A knockout can earn even more.

For young fighters, a life of discipline and dedication begins early. In small, makeshift training camps in rural parts of Thailand, children punch donated bags with rotting gloves.

The best of them are recruited by Bangkok fight gyms. These act as boarding schools, where elite young fighters live away from their families, sleeping piled together on tiny mattresses. 

A life of discipline and dedication begins early for young fighters. Children punch donated bags with rotting gloves in small, makeshift training camps in rural parts of Thailand.

The best of them are recruited by Bangkok fight gyms. These act as boarding schools, where elite young fighters live away from their families. They sleep piled together on tiny mattresses.

The fighters follow a rigorous training routine. They begin their day at 4:30 in the morning with a 6-mile run in the dark. Then they practice boxing from 5:30 to 7, followed by school into the after­noon. Then there’s another training session until the sun goes down. The dream is to go pro, where fighters can earn up to $40,000 a year.

At the famous Rajadamnern Stadium in Bangkok, muay Thai fights are held four times a week. Thai men and women and foreign tourists pack into the stadium, shoving their hands into the air to signal their bets, which can range from $50 to up to $500.

The fighters follow a tough training routine. They begin their day at 4:30 in the morning with a 6-mile run in the dark. Then they practice boxing from 5:30 to 7. This is followed by school into the afternoon. Then there is another training session until the sun goes down. The dream is to go pro. Pro fighters can earn up to $40,000 a year.

At the famous Rajadamnern Stadium in Bangkok, muay Thai fights are held four times a week. Thai men and women and foreign tourists pack into the stadium. They shove their hands into the air to signal their bets. These can range from $50 to up to $500.

Pancake’s career has had a promising start. Girls are relatively new to muay Thai but make up a growing sector. Coming from a middle-class family, Pancake is one of the luckier boxers. She’s able to train with her father, a former fighter himself, in their makeshift home gym. Pancake had won 12 com­petitions going into her 15th fight.

That night, she climbed into the ring to face another 12-year-old girl. After five rounds of flailing arms and legs, the two girls walked off, faces sweaty and battered. The judges’ unanimous decision: Pancake had lost. Her father gathered her things. “She’ll need to train harder,” he said. 

Pancake’s career has had a promising start. Girls are relatively new to muay Thai. But they make up a growing sector. Coming from a middle-class family, Pancake is one of the luckier boxers. Her father is a former fighter himself. She is able to train with him in their makeshift home gym. Pancake had won 12 competitions going into her 15th fight.

That night, she climbed into the ring to face another 12-year-old girl. After five rounds of flailing arms and legs, the two girls walked off. Their faces were sweaty and battered. The judges’ unanimous decision: Pancake had lost. Her father gathered her things. “She’ll need to train harder,” he said.