Thai boxing

Thais vs Burmese.

It's the big event.

The mass was cheering, the boxers sweating and bleeding, but as long they were able to hold up they were fighting.

The main difference between Thai and Burmese style is, that Thais use their legs aswell to kick.

Is it the money, is it the glory, what is it...?!?




One week later, a 18 year old boy/man came to my OPD.
He was very shy, he turned around when I looked at him or talked to him. He avoided any eye contact.
Fever, chills, cough and severe pain in his left abdomen.
It took me quite long to find out what really happened.
On Novemer 3rd he was fighting at the Loi Kratong and got badly kicked on his left chest by a Thai and started vomiting blood.
His lung got hurt.
Talking with him I found out, that this was his 3rd fight and he lost in the 1st round.
As soon as he started to talk about the fight, his eyes were shining with joy. His timidity became less and he started smiling whimsically.
Although he could hardly breath because of the pain while telling me this, he wants to contiune fighting.
Is it the money?!?
Maybe, he gets 200 Baht for the fight (about 4 Euro) and earns as goldsmith 600 Baht ( about 12 Euro) per month.
Is it the fame?!?
Maybe, he said that when he heard his friends cheering for him, he felt like being someone and not the poor Burmese who tries to earn some money here and send it to his family back in Burma. He will contiune and use every free minute for the training.

But staying in Mae Sot is not his goal.
He wants to go to Bangkok to work there and earn enough money to get his family out of Burma.

A brave man in the boxing ring, a responible family member and a timide boy.