Isan kids get fighting chance

can't be beat: A young muay Thai trainee at the Wor Watthana gym in Ban Krabuang, Nakhon Ratchasima. The gym was opened by Frances and Thanit 'Boom' Watthanaya for village kids to train. PHOTOS: SUPPLIED

Growing up in the remote area of Ban Krabuang in Nakhon Ratchasima, the closest thing to a city for Anupong "Bpaet" Pongkan was located over 70 kilometres away. In his childhood, he had scarcely encountered any outsiders. Then, one day, when at a local lake with friends, he came across a sight he wasn't so accustomed to seeing in his hometown: a foreigner.

Bpaet, then a 12-year-old boy, noticed a blonde Caucasian woman who was new in town.

The village grew abuzz with gossip about loud noises overheard nearby the home that the woman shared with her Thai husband. People wanted to know what was behind it all.

Bpaet himself had heard the noise -- it sounded like shouting and kicking. He thought the inhabitants might be fighting.

One day, when walking by the house, he saw a farang woman fiercely kicking at a punchbag hanging from a tree.

He had seen boxing at the local temple fair once before, but there was something about watching the woman train that really captured him. Bpaet came to watch the lady train daily until she eventually approached him, asking if he was interested in training too.

The boy had no experience in boxing, but plenty of curiosity. Two years after accepting the woman's invitation to train, he would start his journey as a rising star in the muay Thai world.

NEW IN TOWN

Frances Watthanaya, a decorated muay Thai fighter, started training in basic boxing at age 14. She began her training in Rossland, a small town in British Columbia, Canada.

As a teenager, she participated in local fights and racked up a winning record. By the time she reached high school, she was competing professionally. Once she graduated, she knew she wanted to keep pursuing professional boxing, building on the momentum of her success.

While contemplating where was best to kick-start her career, there was one place that came to mind -- Thailand. She had long known about muay Thai, a much rougher sport than what she was used to. But she knew the martial art could only help her improve her all-around boxing ability. She booked her first trip to Thailand in 2006 at the age of 19.

Frances joined Por Precha, a muay Thai gym on Sukhumvit Soi 93. The facility had a rundown look to it, but the trainers and her fellow trainees made her feel right at home.

It was there she experienced her first taste of Thai hospitality and also fell in love with a local man.

After knowing Thanit "Boom" Watthanaya, another trainee, for six months at the gym, Frances decided she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. They got married shortly after and moved to Boom's hometown in Ban Krabuang, Nakhon Ratchasima, to take care of his father.

All of a sudden, Frances found herself in the middle of rural Thailand with nothing much to do. The town was far removed from the comforts of city life in Bangkok, and there were no jobs available for a foreigner like her. But with time, she would find a way to make the best of her new Isan life.

MAKING A MOVE

After living in sleepy Ban Krabuang for nearly two years, Frances started to think about her next step. As a young woman, she felt there was more she could be doing in life. As for her husband, an accomplished fighter, she thought he could go further with his talents.

The couple decided to move to Canada in 2008 to save up some money. Boom received his Canadian citizenship, meaning he was able to work. Meanwhile, Frances enrolled at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and pursued a bachelor's degree in Asian Studies.

While Frances focused on her studies, Boom attended a language school to improve his English. As he kept busy fighting in professional matches, he began to build up a reputation and received several job offers to work at different boxing camps across Canada.

"It was such a great feeling to hear farangs announcing my name in the ring [at matches]," said Boom. "Boom in Thai means 'dent' but the way it sounds and its meaning are much cooler in English."

Boom made a name for himself in North American boxing circles and beyond. He received many offers to be a fighter and trainer in several countries in Europe, as well as Australia.

However, he declined these offers so that he could stay with his wife in Canada.

After living in Canada for six years, he told his wife he wanted to move back home to Thailand. He was concerned about his father, who was older and ailing, and had no family members to take care of him. Frances agreed to move back to Thailand with Boom in 2014.

FOR THE KIDS

The couple moved back to Ban Krabuang and hung up a punchbag on a tree in their yard. When they were outside training, local kids would regularly gather around to watch.

When one day Boom and Frances asked the kids if they would like to try their hand at muay Thai, several replied yes. With the money they had saved up in Canada, the couple decided to set up a small gym.

Frances began taking pictures of the children training and posted them on social media.

Her posts drew attention from several people expressing interest in Frances and Boom's charity project, leading them to set up a GoFundMe account to raise money for a better-equipped gym.

Frances raised 12,000 Canadian dollars (320,000 baht) on the online platform. In January 2015, the upgraded gym was opened under the name Wor Watthana, alluding to the family name.

Many of the kids that Frances trains are poor and have rough family situations.

"Some kids can't afford to come to the gym because they have no money and no way to commute," Frances said. "So I go pick them up. When they get sick, they can't go see a doctor because they can't afford to. I end up having to take them to the hospital and providing them with food, clothes, shoes and much more."

Frances and Boom relied entirely on their own savings to take care of the kids. At one point, Boom realised he needed a much larger income to sustain the project. So he accepted a job offer to be a muay Thai trainer in Malaysia in order to help pay for the family-run initaitve.

When Booster Fight Gear, a martial arts equipment company from Belgium, saw the work Frances was doing online, they reached out and asked what they could do to lend support.

Frances told them: "All I want is my husband back."

The company offered to fund the Wor Watthana gym with a monthly donation that was enough to keep the facility running. They also sent training equipment to the gym.

Now Boom is back from Malaysia, running the gym full time with Frances and teaching the kids for free.

RISING STAR

Bpaet was one of the first kids to join the Wor Watthana gym. He came to the place with little to no training, but he was very eager to learn.

His first fight took place after he signed up for a match at the temple fair when he was 12.

"It was harder than it looked," Bpaet recalled of his first fight. "I fought with a contender who really knew how to fight. But he didn't intimidate me at all. I ended up winning my first match. I got punched many times, including in my face. It was painful but I loved it because I knew it would make me stronger."

Bpaet received 300 baht for winning his first fight and vowed it would not be his last. Two years after his first match, he now regularly participates in amateur fights, winning enough matches and prize money to purchase his first mobile phone. He also helped his aunt pay for a washing machine.

At the age of 14, the boy has become the breadwinner of his household.

"If I hadn't joined this gym, I would never have had this opportunity to discover what I love," Bpaet said. "I'm so grateful for everything that Pi Boom and Pi Frances have done for me.

"I want to be a great fighter and make them proud. I also want to come back here to teach other kids when I become a famous boxer."

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

Besides Boom and Frances, a local police officer with experience as a professional muay Thai fighter, comes to train the kids on a daily basis. Pol Sen Sgt Maj Piroj Chansod has been out of the competitive world for a while, but his boxing skills remain as sharp as ever.

Sen Sgt Maj Piroj, whose stage name is Rotnarong Daopadrew, was the Rajadamnern muay Thai champion in 1994. He has since moved back to Buri Ram to pursue police work, but he still trains in muay Thai.

"I knew Boom and he asked me to help training the kids," said Sen Sgt Maj Piroj. "I don't mind at all because I love to train myself anyway. I can also give back to the community and be a mentor to the kids while I do it.

"The muay Thai world is always on the lookout for rising stars to be the next top fighter and I can see that potential in a few kids, especially in Bpaet. I feel he will do really well and become famous in the future."

Wor Watthana gym now trains a total of 15 children. Two of them are girls, while the rest are boys. Frances told Spectrum it's not necessary for the kids to follow a strict training schedule. The main point of the project is for the kids to get exercise and have something to do.

"Life is rough out here and drugs are a big problem in this area," Frances explained. "The whole community hasn't changed much from 10 years ago. If I hadn't done anything to help, the community would likely have never changed. I ultimately want the kids to stay away from drugs and stay off the streets.

"Besides the training we do, we also buy shoes and clothes for the kids. But they can't just walk into the gym and ask for those items. They have to earn it by training with us, which we provide for free.

"We also take the kids out for fun activities like going into town and seeing movies. It really feels like we are running more than just a boxing gym. It's more like a life-skill school. We're a family here. I love the kids as if they were my own children."

Frances receives enough funding from Booster Fight to keep the gym up and running. She doesn't receive any personal profit from the funds. Personal expenses for her family are generated by Frances' freelance work, which includes writing articles for Vice, and translating documents and movie scripts.

Frances says the gym does not accept foreigners for training. However, she encourages foreigners to visit the gym to help the kids improve their foreign language skills.

"Many muay Thai gyms run like commercial businesses these days, which is suitable for those with limited experience and limited time," said Frances. "But I don't want muay Thai gyms to forget about the true roots of muay Thai.

"It's important to create spaces for kids to train so that we can develop the next generation of fighters. We have to train them and that's why we are doing this -- for them and for the community."

family affair: Wor Watthana gym owners Frances and Boom Watthanaya with their daughter.

getting their kicks: Pol Sen Sgt Maj Piroj Chansod, a former professional muay Thai fighter and police officer who trains kids at Wor Watthana gym.

rising star: Anupong 'Bpaet' Pongkan, a 14-year-old up-and-coming muay Thai fighter who was among the first to join the Wor Watthana gym. He is a regular participant in amateur fights.

putting down roots: Thanit 'Boom' Watthanaya met his Canadian wife Frances at a Bangkok gym. They lived in Canada for six years before returning to his rural hometown where they set up their gym.

in the ring: Bpaet, left, during a muay Thai match. The 14-year-old won his first match when he was 12 after joining the Wor Watthana gym. His trainers say that he has strong star fighter potential.

GETTING HER KICKS: A girl trainee practises at the gym. She is trained by Boom.