Poverty forces many residents from the Isan region in north Thailand to seek work in Bangkok, often leaving their children behind under the care of grandparents. In order to keep the younger generation out of trouble, and with the prospect of earning money to support the family, children are enrolled in Muay Thai training camps; the traditional martial art of Thai boxing and the country’s national sport. Betting is fierce and the pressure on the children is palpable. Only a few will become champions, but for most of them, Muay Thai is a way to meet the cultural expectations of helping their families in a chance of a better life.
