Kicking, punching and being a girl in Thailand

sports cultures — By Bob Riel on September 28, 2007 at 8:20 am

They are two things that just don’t seem to go together. The gentle Thai female and the vicious sport of Thai boxing. But according to this story, female participation in Thai boxing is a growing phenomenon despite the fact that these same women are expected to behave according to the deferential traditions of their culture when they are not in the ring.

“To be a good girl,” says Pannipa Chaiyated, a demure 13-year-old, “you must have manners, speak politely and help with the housework.”

That’s when she’s not slugging her opponents in the ring.

In a country where femininity is highly prized and girls are often told by their parents to be discreet, obedient and gracious, female boxing is now a surprise hit…

With its roots in military training, Thai boxing, or muay Thai, is a rough sport that can make Western boxing look courteous.

The sport was once known as nawa arwut, literally “nine weapons,” because the goal was to teach soldiers that even if they had no knives or guns they could use two hands, two elbows, two knees, two feet and their head to battle their enemies. The rules have evolved: boxers are no longer allowed to head-butt their opponents and are also barred from biting, spitting, pulling hair, poking at the eyes and sticking out their tongues. But a well-placed knee to the kidney or a kick to the head or neck is fair game – and encouraged.

Muay Thai has for years been popular among martial arts enthusiasts worldwide, both women and men, and has been adopted by the gym crowd for its disciplined workout regimen. But it is only in the past few years that the sport has taken off for girls and women in Thailand, partly because a slowing economy has tightened belts and girls are lured by the cash they receive for fighting.

And yet, when the fight is over, it’s a different story…

Maintaining femininity is a serious concern for many of the Thai girls who fight, says Pariyakorn, a bejeweled and delicately built woman who comes across as someone who might worry that her manicured nails might break if she put on boxing gloves…

“In the ring I have to fight and do my best as a boxer: I kick, I punch, use my elbows and knees like a boy,” said Pannipa, the 13-year-old boxer, after a fight where she gave her opponent a bloody nose but got a fat lip in return. “Once I get down from the ring I become who I am – a girl.”

Being a girl not only means helping with the housework, Pannipa said. She has absorbed the sense of deference traditionally taught to girls in Thailand: she fills a visitor’s glass during meal time, she speaks softly and bows while clasping her hands together in a traditional Thai gesture of respect several times during an interview.