Boxers unite to block new law that would keep children out of the ring

By Kornrawee Panyasuppakun 
The Nation

 

Photo from: Muay Siam magazine.

 

Prominent Muay Thai fighters have handed a letter to the Sports Authority of Thailand to protest a new bill which forbids children from fighting in the ring.
 

They said if enacted, the law would sabotage the future of Muay Thai. "Stop the |law to eradicate Muay Thai," read their banner.

 

The group was led by legendary boxer Samart Payakaroon, president of the Muay Thai Naiyhanomtom Association and a former WBC world champion. Other prominent boxers present when the letter was delivered on Wednesday included Kaopong Sittichuchai and Jaroenthong Kiatbanchong. 

 

Photo from: Muay Siam magazine.

 

Samart Payakaroon said his Association opposed the bill. "Even now, Thai boxers can barely compete with foreign fighters. If we forbid child boxing, it will spell the end for Muay Thai in this country," he said. 

 

Likewise, Kaopong believes the new law will disadvantage Thai fighters because foreign boxers are allowed to practise |punching and kicking from as young as 5 or 6.

 

In an interview with TV's Channel 3, a 12-year-old boxer Purithat Poonsuk said he and many other child kickboxers objected to the bill. Purithat, who has been boxing since he was 9, is afraid that Thai boxers will lose ground to their overseas rivals.

 

The drafted legislation to cap the minimum age of boxers at 12 has been widely criticised by adult and child boxers, boxing camps, and match organisers. 

 

The amendment of the 1999 Boxing Act was proposed by members of the National Legislative Assembly and is now being reviewed by the cabinet. 

 

It requires boxers below 20 to seek parental consent and those below 15 to seek parental consent plus permission from boxing supervising authorities.

 

Those in favour of the bill include child rights activists and doctors, who say punches and kicks cause brain damage to young boxers and may lead to neurological disorders later in life, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease. 

 

On the other hand, most boxers are from impoverished families who barely makes ends meet and see boxing as a way out of poverty. 

 

Boxers across the country also |plan to gather to protest the bill on 12 November.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30357701

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-11-02

" . . child rights activists and doctors, who say punches and kicks cause brain damage to young boxers and may lead to neurological disorders later in life, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease." 

 

The expression "punch drunk" is no joke anymore.

Letting kids batter one another constantly is awful.

Certainly not what I would consider sport.

More brain damaged kids! 

I was at some Buddhist Temple festival last Friday which amongst other things had a Muay Thai boxing ring where I witnessed the barbarity of children boxing, some only looked about 8 years old! I can well believe that brain damage could be inflicted as they don't even wear head guards! And the crowds bayed for more violence! What are the parents thinking of? Sickening!

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3 hours ago, webfact said:

punches and kicks cause brain damage

So that explains it!

In a nation where 12+4=8...whats the big deal .Thailands education system has plenty more ''brilliant male adolecent minds'' to brainwash...Rock on young warriors....

There is a middle ground, the use of heard guards for young fighters and they can only compete in amateur fights. 

What's more important?  The welfare of children, or money?

 

The answer?  Money.

58 minutes ago, PremiumLane said:

There is a middle ground, the use of heard guards for young fighters and they can only compete in amateur fights. 

That makes a lot of sense. But this is one of those hot button subjects that is religiously divided. I would imagine a lot more kids are brain damaged every year from other things no one wants to talk about or solve: ladders, trees, scooters, swimming pools, domestic violence, etc etc. So the push for a ban is less about brain damage and more trying to find leverage to stop something many people dislike for other reasons.

 

2 hours ago, graemeaylward said:

I was at some Buddhist Temple festival last Friday which amongst other things had a Muay Thai boxing ring where I witnessed the barbarity of children boxing, some only looked about 8 years old! I can well believe that brain damage could be inflicted as they don't even wear head guards! And the crowds bayed for more violence! What are the parents thinking of? Sickening!


 

Lunch!

Ooooh, sweet Thainess!

No one dare to touch the holyness that is Thai- tradition!

????

3 hours ago, graemeaylward said:

What are the parents thinking of?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

26 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

Lunch!

bahhhhhhh money first

Jail them for child abuse 

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Likewise, Kaopong believes the new law will disadvantage Thai fighters because foreign boxers are allowed to practise |punching and kicking from as young as 5 or 6.

Oh really?

If he had done some research he would have noticed that many champions from western countries start training muay thai at a later age. 

For example the Dutch champion Ramon Dekkers, who defeated most of the Thai champions including legendary Thai champion Coban, only started training at age 12. 

 

I got the feeling they only care about money.

More kids training and fighting means more work and more income for them.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Samart Payakaroon said his Association opposed the bill. "Even now, Thai boxers can barely compete with foreign fighters. If we forbid child boxing, it will spell the end for Muay Thai in this country," he said. 

At what age do these “foreign fighters” begin to compete in the ring?

2 hours ago, PremiumLane said:

There is a middle ground, the use of heard guards for young fighters and they can only compete in amateur fights. 

Head guards do not stop the brain from vibrating back and forth within the skull and that's what does the damage.

 

If adults want to voluntarily have their brains pummeled in this fashion it's up to them. But kids should be kept well away from it.

 

Personally, I would like to see all vicious 'sports' like this banned world wide, but I will not live to see that happen. Beneath man's sophisticated exterior lurks a vicious animal. And, of course there's money!

cos we care for the people

or coz people gotta eat

coz .....

 

sometimes I do wonder, 

 

no I don't I remeber now they really did elect trump

 

yeah I don't wonder about any of them

 

we need a nuclear war to cull the populations, 

Bob 12345 (no 6789?)

 

You hit the nail right on it's head! All about money and stupidity.

Most schools profit from the majority of young students enrolling. 

But don't forget who's sending these youngsters to Thai boxing at the age of 8.

Parents are just as guilty.

And this is a Buddhist country?????

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Samart Payakaroon said his Association opposed the bill. "Even now, Thai boxers can barely compete with foreign fighters. If we forbid child boxing, it will spell the end for Muay Thai in this country," he said. 

 

 

In Europe i never heard of children doing thai boxing, they do judo or just play soccer and so.

They also eat healthy, sleep early at night so they grow good and get strong. The Thai boxers are so small and light, they better copy the farang and drink more milk/meat/vegy and sleep regularly.

 

 

1 hour ago, kannot said:

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

that's a ridiculous post..when min wage is 300 bt a day ,whn you child shows a genuine interest and talent in a sport...why would you think its ''all about money'' do you really think thais cant have a passion or a motivation with out money??

58 minutes ago, mok199 said:

whn you child shows a genuine interest and talent in a sport

It's about thai boxing for kids, not just any sport but the most violent sport of all....

6 hours ago, CelticBhoy said:

" . . child rights activists and doctors, who say punches and kicks cause brain damage to young boxers and may lead to neurological disorders later in life, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease." 

 

The expression "punch drunk" is no joke anymore.

Letting kids batter one another constantly is awful.

Certainly not what I would consider sport.

It's a lot more regulated than the violence you see daily, or death on the streets which maims & kills thousands of more people each year than boxers !!!!
let the kids train, but under strict regulation & using protective equipment... you don't have to ban them!

1 hour ago, mok199 said:

that's a ridiculous post..when min wage is 300 bt a day ,whn you child shows a genuine interest and talent in a sport...why would you think its ''all about money'' do you really think thais cant have a passion or a motivation with out money??

Yes.

What gets me is that people pay to watch these kids fight. The Muay Thai fights are on tv every night (the FIL watches them) and whenever they put any fight with boys under 16 yo I will not watch. Besides not liking seeing young kids fight, as fights they are crap.

11 hours ago, PremiumLane said:

There is a middle ground, the use of heard guards for young fighters and they can only compete in amateur fights. 

Brain damage in boxing is caused by sudden rotational accelerations of the head, so head guards don't actually help.  

10 hours ago, DM07 said:

Ooooh, sweet Thainess!

No one dare to touch the holyness that is Thai- tradition!

????

Well, they did rid most of the foreign catered bars of child prostitution, so there’s always hope! 

18 hours ago, Media1 said:

Jail them for child abuse 

Along with all who teach religion to people under 18 years of age

6 hours ago, kannot said:

Along with all who teach religion to people under 18 years of age

Debatable

Allow the children to box, sure. But set up some kind of foundation that cares for the kids who suffer any kind of damage due to a kick to the temple and gets cabbaged. Kind of like a union. Or they could have the kids wear protective gear and make it a little fun rather than barbaric.