The Child Fighters of Thailand
Sandra Hoyn/laif
Photographer Sandra Hoyn was on vacation in Thailand in 2011 when she happened upon a Muay Thai
competition near Bangkok. Known as “the art of eight limbs” where
almost everything on the body is used including elbows, knees, and
fists, Muay Thai is a full-contact sport and one that is considered
extremely difficult. Professional fighters often deal with broken bones
and concussions.
What shocked Hoyn the most wasn’t the sport as much as the
competitors: Children as young as 6 years old were in the ring. She
immediately contacted the coaches and children to photograph the fights
for a series she titled “Die Kampfkinder,” or “Fighting Kids.”
Although at first Hoyn found it difficult to work on the project
because of language barriers, she eventually was able to spend four
weeks accompanying the children at home, during training sessions, and
during competitions.
Sandra Hoyn/laif
Sandra Hoyn/laif
Sandra Hoyn/laif
Hoyn studied photography at the University of Applied Sciences in
Hamburg, Germany, and began developing her craft roughly 10 years ago
while traveling. She said she tries to get close to the local culture
and has created many series around Southeast Asia, including one about human trafficking and another about a young punk living in Burma.
“I feel the urgency to show what is happening in the world, in which
circumstances people are living,” she wrote via email. “Sometimes it is
difficult to keep the journalistic difference. With many protagonists of
my stories, I develop a friendship, so on one side it is good for the
story, while on the other hand it’s hard to stay neutral and remind
myself I’m not just a friend, I’m also a photojournalist.”
Sandra Hoyn/laif
Sandra Hoyn/laif
Although Hoyn said many people were shocked by her images of children
fighting, she said in Thailand it isn’t really unusual, and it is
common to see young children training, often as a way to escape poverty.
Although her photographs make it seem like a very rough sport for the
children, Hoyn wrote that she didn’t see many of them seriously hurt
since they aren’t as powerful as adults. “Few of these children boxers
will be rewarded with fame, glory, or money,” Hoyn wrote, noting that
although money bets are illegal in Thailand, they don’t seem to be
enforced.
“The most shocking thing for me was to see the pressure on these
children. They are the instrument for the parents to earn money, and
they have to win the fight because the parents bet a lot of money on
them. A lot of people lose all their money in one night,” she said.
Sandra Hoyn/laif
Sandra Hoyn/laif
Sandra Hoyn/laif
Sandra Hoyn/laif
Sandra Hoyn/laif
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