Children and Boxing in Thailand: Preserving National Heritage vs Exploiting National Future

Children involved in Thai boxing has long been recognized among the rights advocates and were highlighted as a problem in the Country Report of Thailand to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. Nonetheless, the issue remains unsolved. To Thai people, Thai Boxing is beyond a form of martial arts or combat sports but a deeply rooted symbol of being a Thai National. To the majority of child boxers, Muay Thai is a necessary source of income to escape poverty. This issue has always been a controversy, as on one hand, many people seen it as the violation of Children Rights, exploitation and danger to the children development, while the other seen it as the necessity for them to escape from poverty and preserve the national culture heritage. The issue of children under the age of 15 years old engaging in Thai Boxing has been debated for many years but has not yet reached to the better solution for the highest benefits of children. So, which side of debate is correct? This book offers in-dept information on this never-ending debate, together with the alternative solutions to the problems.