Young Muay Thai boxers, aged from 8 to 25, compete in different categories at a boxing stadium in Buriram Province in the northeastern Thai region of Isan. Muay Thai is deeply entwined in the history of Thailand. It developed from the need for hand-to-hand combat centuries ago due to invasions by neighboring countries when Thai people had to rely on their ability to defend themselves.
Young Muay Thai Boxers
![Young Muay Thai boxer resting and getting coached between rounds.](https://gdb.rferl.org/75d09811-5a8d-43f9-aea5-ba1e1654adbb_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Young Muay Thai boxer resting and getting coached between rounds.
![Young Muay Thai boxers fighting](https://gdb.rferl.org/927d9629-013b-4ff8-9db2-dec18465121c_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Young Muay Thai boxers fighting
![A young Muay Thai boxer resting and getting coached between rounds in his corner](https://gdb.rferl.org/754d4d02-ed0c-4a0b-a553-471e80dfa38d_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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A young Muay Thai boxer resting and getting coached between rounds in his corner
![Young Muay Thai boxer resting between fights](https://gdb.rferl.org/f55c69ec-f046-449f-a85e-cee83814189d_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Young Muay Thai boxer resting between fights
![Muay Thai boxer getting a massage from his coach ahead of his fight.](https://gdb.rferl.org/82707b0f-071f-4149-b699-a835e8f0e12d_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Muay Thai boxer getting a massage from his coach ahead of his fight.
![A Muay Thai boxer waiting for his fight next to his coach counting money](https://gdb.rferl.org/7a68b932-c3d3-4b80-94b9-67e1b1fe1918_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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A Muay Thai boxer waiting for his fight next to his coach counting money
![Muay Thai boxers training](https://gdb.rferl.org/fa1bee56-2dc9-4ae5-8711-f4b7a456e8c4_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Muay Thai boxers training
![Muay Thai boxers fight in the ring](https://gdb.rferl.org/abfe5dd1-b446-4a2e-ac1b-9cddf32398b0_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Muay Thai boxers fight in the ring
![A Muay Thai boxer getting a massage from his coach ahead of his fight at a boxing arena](https://gdb.rferl.org/97423aa0-96be-4e3e-95bf-f1b79b7befc3_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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A Muay Thai boxer getting a massage from his coach ahead of his fight at a boxing arena
![A child Muay Thai boxer focuses inside the ring ahead of his fight](https://gdb.rferl.org/379ab3e9-71f4-4433-a70b-9b9687002b4c_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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A child Muay Thai boxer focuses inside the ring ahead of his fight
![Fighting Muay Thai boxers](https://gdb.rferl.org/d4790e95-2206-42d8-9fa3-66515f69c074_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Fighting Muay Thai boxers