Muay thai: barn som utövar Thailands nationalsport

Sammanfattning: The purpose of this study was to describe and analyse the living situation of children who practiced Muay thai at two different Muay thai schools in Thailand. The metod I chose was participation studies with the compliment of open interviews. My main questions were to see if and how the children were affected physically and mentally by the training and possible matches. I also wanted to see if Muay thai practiced by children could be considered child labour, reasons why the children did Muay thai and what opportunities Muay thai gave the children in other parts of their lives. My conclusions were that the training gave the children an overall god physical status, and did not affect the children in any direct negative physical way. Mentally the main affect on the children in training were the stress of not being allowed to eat before matches. The matches did affect the children physically by them getting bruises and sore limbs. The stress that the children were put under when they became successful because of economical interest can also be considered to be significant. It was also possible to define their practise of Muay thai as child labour in some aspects, but not in others. And all the children I met did practice Muay thai because of the opportunity to make money for themselves and their families. I also found several positive aspects about the children's practise of Muay thai. It brought them opportunities in life such as the possibility to go to school and to go to different places in Thailand.