MBSB contributor Frances Watthanaya has been busy lately. She and her husband Boom have left Buriram to open a Muay Thai gym in neighbouring Nakhon Ratchasima Province (Khorat). The new Muay Thai gym is located in Boom’s hometown (village) in the Muang Yang district. The village is extremely isolated and lacking the infrastructure common to larger villages (for example, paved roads). Additionally, plagued by a lack of governance, there isn’t a local police presence in the area. Like many other villages in Isaan, adults from this village migrate to Bangkok to take up menial labour while those left behind tend to be the elderly, children, and those with addictions who are unable or unwilling to work.
This gym will be for my trainer Dam, to provide him with a secure job in which he can pass on his Muay Thai expertise to a new generation, and the for kids of the village and neighbouring areas, an outlet. The last year working, training, and fighting out of Giatbundit Gym made it very clear to me that the gym’s focus was not on the kids but instead on the personal reputation of the gym’s owners.
At our new gym, we will focus on the local youth. While a few young fighters may be able to embark on a long-term career path in Muay Thai, all will be given a community and a skill set through Muay Thai, as well as the ability to participate in a structured activity within a safe space far from the drugs and gang problems that plague much of Isaan. Dam has been waiting for my husband and me to open a gym for the last five years. It wasn’t until last month, when he was interviewed by Lindsey Newhall, reporting for Fightland that I realized why — having been burned by nearly every gym he’s worked for in the past, we, his family, are the only people left he believes he can trust.
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All Photos by Robert P Cohen.
Robert P Cohen, originally from New York, is a photographer currently based in South East Asia. His current body of work is his Little Tigers Series that focuses on the young child fighters of Thailand. You can find Robert on Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr. Check out his website here.
Hi. I am curious. Willing to be enlighten here.
What kind of effective way will be implement to prevent the kids get involve with drugs and gang problem in an area without proper governance of the official?
Br.
PH
Hi PH – Muay Thai offers children in communities that offer little, something to do, an avenue to achieve something (personal bests and an income), self discipline and for some, hope for a better future. Muay Thai offers an alternative to drugs and gangs. Being in a gang and drug usage, particularly in smaller, family style gyms isn’t tolerated (from my experience). It’s an either/or situation and for kids who are interested in fighting and generating income from it, and ultimately, for some, a career, it can be a life saver (literally).
PH,
The big problem here is there is no police presence in the area and the government takes absolutely no responsible for the community members. I recently had a friend visit from Canada who described here as being akin to the wild west.
Kids join gangs for a number of reasons: the sense of family they receive, the need for food or money, and peer pressure. Fighting gives the kids a sense of purpose. They will be fed and can make money off fighting. Being part the gym’s family means that everyone is held accountable. A lot of kids in the village are being raised by their grandparents as their parents take on menial labour jobs in Bangkok, most left to their on devices. It is a dangerous environment for children, one that leads into drugs, alcohol, and gang activity. We are in essence stepping in, and acting as parents making sure these kids stay on the right path.
LDF- Great response; you are right in every respect.
Nice, all the best reasons to open a gym, not doing it for yourself but for the children/community – love it.
This sounds like a great initiative.
Have you considered trying to get volunteers to tutor the kids in English? It seems that as an adult, whether they decide to be a fighter, a trainer, or something else, conversational English might improve their options.
You might be able to partner with a University, lots of Uni kids would probably jump at the chance to do a volunteer project, get credit, and go to Isan to train Muay Thai for a few months.
Joel,
My husband is currently working in Malaysia as a Muay Thai instructor and makes good money because of his ability to speak English. We have made it very clear with the kids that with Muay Thai, and English language skills they will have a good future. I have even talked to the gym there about sending the kids over during summer holidays.
I speak English to the kids, and we do have foreigners come occasionally which helps expose the kids to the language.
An university exchange is a great idea, but the village is very rough so if would be difficult to put them up. We are currently doing a campaign to raise money to build an actual gym. Training outside we are very limited due to the oncoming monsoon season, and only being able to train when it is light out.
Check it out: http://www.gofundme.com/worwatthana