Unreported World Shorts: Kickboxing Kids

Nat, aged 11, trains for 4 hours per day, 7 days per week, running 8km dressed head to toe in a sweatsuit - in 30 degree heat, lifting weights and undertaking pain resistance training.

Nat trains to fight…for money.  He lives in Issan, the poorest region in Thailand. Nat’s family rely on his earnings to support them; and his village on their gambling winnings. There’s an enormous pressure on Nat to fight and win.

Thai children as young as seven fight professionally in the brutal sport of Muay Thai, knocking out their opponents with elbows, knees, feet and fists.

It can leave the kids brain damaged, but adult gambling on these unpredictable fights is big business, and their families put enormous pressure on the kids to fight and win.

Unreported World Shorts Outline

Unreported World Shorts offer bite sized views of the lives of people in some of the fastest-changing areas of the world. Hard hitting stats and infographics allow viewers to get to the heart of the issues.