Far from Thailand's iconic tourist destinations, Isan, the kingdom's largest region, reaches north and east to the borders of Laos and Cambodia. Poverty forces many residents to seek work in Bangkok, but fearing the temptations of city life (drugs, gangs, sex trade…), children are often left behind under the care of grandparents.
To keep them out of trouble, and with the prospect of earning money to support the family, kids are enrolled in Muay Thai (the traditional martial art of Thai boxing that is the country's national sport) as early as 5, and can be competing by 6-7 years old.
Training camps (2500 in Isaan and 1200 in Bangkok) are schools of life filled with deprivation, di