THE BITES Anucha Thasako was supposed to change everything. After several violent blows to the head during a Thai boxing fight in 2018, the skinny 13-year-old fell to the ground, unconscious. The referee rushed to his side, to no avail. No doctor was present. Anucha died shortly after of a brain hemorrhage. He has been boxing since the age of eight and has participated in approximately 170 fights.
The images of the deadly fight, which were widely circulated on social networks, caused an uproar. The government, which had in any case considered restrictions on boxing for children, has pledged to speed up the adoption of a bill prohibiting children under 12 years of age from participating in official competitions and to oblige young people aged 12 to 15 wearing a protective helmet. But the plan quickly lost strength.
Participants and fans protested loudly, arguing that the only way to prepare for a career in Thai boxing or muay thai, which dates back at least to the 18th century, is to start young. Eliminate children’s boxing, they argued, and the whole sport would atrophy. The government is no longer talking about toughening the rules for young boxers. Gongsak Yodmani, the head of the Thailand Sports Authority, describes child boxing as standard practice. The authority’s official tally shows only 635 boxers under the age of 15, although others say 100,000 children train and compete informally.
For some children, boxing is a way out of poverty. Those who participate in public fights earn 300 to 500 baht ($ 10-16) per fight when they start, says Samart Payakaroon of the Muay Thai Naiyhanomtom Association, a lobby group. Professional boxers can win thousands of dollars per game. Muay thai “Is a very honorable way to escape poverty,” says Chatri Sityodtong, founder of One Championship, a promoter of martial arts.
But doctors say blows to the head of “the art of eight limbs,” which involve punches, kicks, knees and elbows, can slow children’s development and increase the risk of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Mahidol University study found boxers under 15 were underweight IQs than average; those who fought the longest were the latest. The study’s lead author, Jiraporn Laothamatas, plans to put children in the ring in a form of child abuse.
Tourism is a force which contributes to the maintenance of sport, including the fighting of minors. Tourism Authority of Thailand strongly encourages muay thai. Foreigners tend to take the more expensive seats in the larger stadiums, looking for a slice of Thai life. Many do not realize how young some of the fighters they watch are, although the weight categories should give them an idea. Anucha competed in the under 41 kg division. ■
This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the title “Muay too young”
