Having spent the last few weeks at at the Rawai Muay Thai boxing gym, photographing some of the local boxers training sessions, it was the big night in the boxing ring in Patong this week. The first, and youngest fighter of the night was Pan, in his second fight ever. He is 11 years old and lives in a house with the other boxers from the gym. His parents came to watch him fight, and at the end of the night, he went home with them for a few days before returning back to the boxing gym. Right now it is Summer break and the schools are closed, so kids can go to the boxing camp to try the sport. In a few weeks, Pan will go back to school full time.
Top was the second fighter of the night. He is 16 years old. He lives in the same house as Pan, with the other boxers and some of the trainers in Rawai. He has fought many times and is headed to Bangkok at the end of the year, where the competition is tougher and the boys earn more.
Namwan came to watch the fighting and ended up in the ring when another girl did not show up for her fight. She has fought 26 times. Namwan came to Phuket from the countryside with her sisters. She helped her sister start a beauty salon and she does boxing on the side. She's been training for about 2-3 years. She is 21 years old and after she finishes boxing she will go back to school.
Usually these kids start boxing because their families get them into it and then they like it. The kids are brought into boxing gyms by their families where they stay for a few months to try it. Some stay with the gym and some go back to their families. Life as a boxer is hard; they train twice a day, run twice a day and are not allowed to go out at night. They have to stay in the boxers house or go to the fights at night. They aren't allowed to get too friendly with girls because often their careers are finished once they get involved with girls and have a family.
Comments (11)
[...] I spoke to Diana at the end who owns Rawai Muay Thai along with her husband Tuk. She is really nice and told me about 'The children of the art of the eight limbs' which are a set of photos they have in the gym. A photographer from New York spent a month here and photographed all of the lads going about their daily business; if I can take a single photograph as good as one of these whilst I'm away I'll be a happy man. http://annafawcus.com/in-the-ring-muay-thai-boxing/ [...]
Hi Anna It was great to meet you at the gym. Your photos really are amazing, you have captured the spirits of the fighter boys.
I look forward to reading more blog posts.
Safe travels back to NY.
Lynne x
Hey Lynne, it was great to meet you too.. and pleased to hear you're enjoying the photos... keep in touch x
Anna, It was great to have you in the gym, around the boxers, and at the fights. Your photos are wonderful and hope we meet again.
Diana Rawai Muay Thai
Diana, it was wonderful to spend time with the fighters, yourself and Tuk and have the opportunity to document the lives of these young fighters. Thank you for everything!
Hi Anna, Thanks so much for giving me the photos of the fight in Patong. They are amazing pictures! It would be fantastic if you could let me have a link to see all the ones you took from that evening or any others from your time around Muay Thai fighers!
Hope to hear from you soon. Many thanks, Saied
Hi Saied, no problem at all... I will email you.
Well-captured - they are such precision shots. You really get a feel for the moment through the photos.
thanks Madeline, great to hear you are enjoying the photos!
Good work Anna...especially happy to see you working hard on the the B/W and look of the story..shooting is one thing but creating a cohesive look and feel is what makes it work..keep it up
thanks Giles