Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Sports
  • Football
  • Basketball
  • Motorsports
  • Tennis

Thai boxing returns home with revolution after COVID-19 hiatus

by French Press Agency - AFP

BANGKOK Nov 16, 2021 - 11:02 am GMT+3
Muay Thai boxers Chunphonnoi Sor Sommai (L) and Nongnapa Srimongkol during their fight at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, Nov. 13, 2021. (AFP PHOTO)
Muay Thai boxers Chunphonnoi Sor Sommai (L) and Nongnapa Srimongkol during their fight at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, Nov. 13, 2021. (AFP PHOTO)
by French Press Agency - AFP Nov 16, 2021 11:02 am

Lumpinee Stadium, Muay Thai's ancient home, is back to business after a long coronavirus lockdown, this time with more female participation and fewer gamblers

RECOMMENDED
Mongolian-born grand sumo champion yokozuna Hakuho performs the New Year's ring-entering rite at the annual celebration for the New Year at Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, Japan, Jan. 9, 2018. (EPA Photo).

Knee issues force greatest-ever sumo champion Hakuho to retire

SUMO

The COVID-19 pandemic forced millions across the world to change their habits, and the sports world underwent its fair share of changes with the introduction of pandemic-related restrictions. However, in Thailand, specifically Lumpinee Stadium, a return to normalcy is being celebrated with landmark changes.

Out with the gamblers and harsh neon lights, in with female fighters and fancy lasers – after a 20-month coronavirus break, Thai kickboxing's spiritual home is embarking on a revolution. On fight days before the pandemic, thousands of passionate fans would pack Bangkok's Lumpinee Stadium, the polestar of the ancient brutal art of Muay Thai.

It was not just admiration for the fighters' skill that drew the crowds: on big days, more than a million dollars could change hands in bets in a country where gambling is largely illegal.

Then in March 2020, everything came to a halt as Thailand's first COVID-19 outbreak was traced back to the stadium, which was immediately closed. But rather than throw in the towel, the stadium owners, the Royal Thai Army, say they have bounced back off the canvas to turn the enforced break into an opportunity. Maj. Gen. Ronnawut Ruangsawat, deputy chief of the stadium, told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that the grand old arena was "taking advantage of the pandemic to revolutionize itself." "The arena has been completely renovated, betting is now prohibited and women are allowed to fight," he said.

Gone are the harsh neon lights that once bathed the ring in a blinding white glare, and on Saturday, fighter Sitthichoke Kaewsanga stepped into the ring under a shower of ultramodern red and silver lasers. Behind him, giant state-of-the-art screens previewed the bout with pictures of the 21-year-old and details of his record. The stands were empty of fans, and much had changed, but the hooks, jabs and knee strikes were the same, as was the backdrop of traditional Thai music played by a live band.

Lumpinee will welcome fans back in January, albeit with a significantly reduced capacity and strict virus-prevention rules such as testing and social distancing. And betting will be off the cards because the army decided it "led to too much cheating with players sometimes being paid to lose the fight," Ronnawut said. "We want to clean up the sport, and we hope that other venues in Thailand will follow." But industry professionals are skeptical the army's good intentions will succeed. "They will continue to bet online – gambling is part of the Muay Thai DNA," warned Jade Sirisompan of the World Muay Thai Organization, one of the leading international federations. "Many gamblers, among them many gym owners, make a living from it and can pocket thousands of dollars on a good day. "They are not going to give it up."

No less revolutionary is the decision to allow female fighters to take part in bouts at Lumpinee's main arena. For years, women, including female fans, were banned from even touching the ring because of a superstition that their menstruating bodies might break the magic protecting it.

Other Muay Thai venues have accepted female fighters for some time, but Lumpinee, equivalent to Lord's in cricket or football's Wembley, held out.

After a low-profile bout in a backroom in September, Saturday saw two women compete in the main ring for the first time. After beating Australia's Celest Muriel Hansen, 21-year-old Thai fighter Kullanat Ornok said: "We are so proud to have been the first women to fight here. We've been fighting for more equality for years." Wiping blood from her head, the 27-year-old Hansen added: "We have come such a very long way. This was so much more than just a fight."

For Kullanat, getting back in the ring to earn money after the long break was just as important. "I hadn't fought in almost a year. I used to earn a hundred dollars a match, then nothing for months to support my family," Kullanat said.

Deprived of bouts because of the pandemic, thousands of professional boxers, men and the much smaller number of women fighters, returned to their villages. However, after being away for so long from the grueling daily training regime the sport demands, many will never make it back to the same level, and the government has offered no financial support.

Many fighters found themselves with no choice but to take side jobs. Sitthichoke became a rider for delivery service. His five-round victory in Saturday's bout earned him less than $1,000. Before the pandemic, he could earn triple of it. "It was really strange to fight in an empty arena. It's not easy without the energy of the crowd," he said. And perhaps inevitably, for a venue seen as a bastion of tradition, the changes have not gone down well with everyone. "We don't recognize anything. The Muay Thai temple has become a big showroom," lamented Jade Sirisompan after watching a broadcast of the matches. "It has lost its soul."

RECOMMENDED
Mongolian-born grand sumo champion yokozuna Hakuho performs the New Year's ring-entering rite at the annual celebration for the New Year at Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, Japan, Jan. 9, 2018. (EPA Photo).

Knee issues force greatest-ever sumo champion Hakuho to retire

SUMO
  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Nov 16, 2021 12:16 pm
    RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    kickboxing muay thai thailand covid-19 pandemic
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    Rescue teams gather in Istanbul Airport to head to zones hit by a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in southeastern Türkiye. (DHA Photo)

    Condolences messages pour for victims of quake in SE Türkiye

    earthquake
    No Image

    Want to help earthquake victims in Türkiye? Here's how 

    earthquake-in-türkiye

    Earthquakes in Türkiye moved Anatolia up to 10 meters: Seismologist

    türkiye

    Death toll from deadly quakes in Türkiye surpasses 8,500

    türkiye
    No Image
    Garbage donkey, smog and the full moon: This week's top photos
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021