Thai 'Fight Club' sees unregulated bouts flourish

Thai 'Fight Club' sees unregulated bouts flourish

Young boxers show their fighting skills during a roadside bout held by Fight Club Thailand at a weekend market beneath the Ram Intra expressway in the Watcharaphon area on Sept 17, 2016. (Photo by Patipat Janthong)
Young boxers show their fighting skills during a roadside bout held by Fight Club Thailand at a weekend market beneath the Ram Intra expressway in the Watcharaphon area on Sept 17, 2016. (Photo by Patipat Janthong)

Muay Thai, or Thai boxing, has been regarded as a valuable martial art in the Kingdom since ancient times.

However, despite government regulation of the sport, videos of Muay Thai street fights have gone viral in recent months, attracting millions of viewers.

Muay Thai is controlled by the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT), the state agency which oversees all sports in the country, and matches must be authorised by it under the 1999 Boxing Act.

Despite this, clips released by youngsters who created a Facebook group entitled "Fight Club Thailand," have attracted huge numbers of hits since they started being released earlier this year, showing how Thai boxing can be used for exercise and stress release.

Membership of the group increased along with the numbers of people watching the videos, with large numbers of men aged between 16 and 40 signing up to gain experience of fighting with others.

The issue of strangers fighting one another has become a hot topic, as the events are not authorised or recognised by the country's sporting authorities, and some fights have seen police intervene and vow to take legal action against the organisers.

The club's founder, Sophon Nartnukool, 27, told Kyodo News that the bouts were originally arranged among friends who wanted to test their strength in Muay Thai.

He said they fought for a brief period and posted clips on Facebook and YouTube, resulting in a number of requests from male fighters.

Following that, several boxing events with large numbers of competitors were held in various venues, including night markets and on the streets.

Metropolitan Police Bureau chief Pol Lt Gen Sanit Mahathavorn said earlier this year that such independent Thai boxing events are in violation of the Boxing Act, and can be punishable with a two-year jail sentence and fines of up to 20,000 baht.

"They must focus on safety, because the fighting that does not meet standards could lead to death. If the fighter kicks his opponent's neck, causing death, who will take responsibility," he said.

However, Sanit has not attempted to take legal action against organisers yet, but has warned them to be careful and co-operate with the SAT.

Sophon said the street fights were an opportunity for men to contend and prove their strength, and he had yet to see anyone joining the bouts make trouble.

"The positive response made us organise the boxing events under peaceful objectives and with adherence to safety practices," he said.

"The fighters have to fight each other with Thai boxing in one round of three minutes... there is no winner or loser after the fight ends, so we do not worry about gambling," he added.

Under the club regulations, the fighters learn who their opponents are shortly before the bout begins, with bans on punching and kicking certain parts of the body.

Sophon admitted that boxing gloves were not worn when the competitions began, but are now used along with gumshields and jockstraps, so as to enhance safety.

One fighter, a 24-year-old Bangkok man who went by the name "Chan," said Thai boxing presented him with the chance to fulfil his desire, using force to fight without conflict.

"The reason why I wanted to join was to test my strength, whether I can stand the fight for three minutes. The activities also benefit my health, since I have to train before coming here," he said.

Chan noted that he knows the regulations well and submits medical guarantees to the organisers, assuring them that his health is good enough to let him fight.

"I will respect my opponent," he said before a match.

Chinawat Kotsombat, 17, a university student from Bangkok, said the bouts were a good chance for him to fight, despite his match having ended before the three minutes were up, and him having been left bleeding.

"I am not serious about being hit until I am bleeding, because I am willing to fight for my experience, and I have gained the spirit of sport from my opponent who stopped fighting when he saw blood on my face," he said.

Asked if he will return, Chinawat said he will train with friends and come back to fight soon.

A 22-year-old man going by the name "A" also did not last the full three minutes. He admitted that his energy had faded after exchanging punches with his opponent.

"I hurt my arms during the punch exchanges, and I could not continue fighting. Anyway, I am OK now and will come back after recovering," he said.

He said he also joined the fight to test his strength.

Although organisers are forced to constantly change venue, Sophon vowed that his teams will continue organising the fights, saying that Thai boxing belongs to the Thai people, who have the right to participate and practice.

"If we have football pitches nationwide where people can play football, why don't we allow boxing training across the country too," he asked, adding that club members are now proposing that the related authority allows such boxing events. Kyodo

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