TIMECODED TRANSCRIPT OMSIN, 11 YEAR OLD THAI BOXER

 

 

VO:

2.19-2.26

ELEVEN YEAR OLD OMSIN IS A PROFESSIONAL THAI BOXER. HE STARTED WHEN HE WAS 5  AND HAS FOUGHT AROUND 200 FIGHTS.

 

VO OMSIN:

2.28-2.41

I WON 155 , I LOST 55  I CANT REMEMBER EXACTLY.

WHEN I FIRST STARTED  I WAS NERVOUS BUT WHEN YOU FIGHT A LOT THE FEAR GOES AWAY. BUT I STILL GET BRUISES AND BUMPS ON MY HEAD.

 

VO

2.47-2.59

OMSIN COMES FROM A FAMILY OF MUAY THAI BOXERS.

FATHER CHAI, UNCLE DAM, GRANDFATHER AND TWO OTHER UNCLES ARE THAI BOXERS. UNCLE DAM IS OMSIN’S HERO.

HE WAS A  GREAT CHAMPION

 

VO UNCLE DAM:

3.01-3.09

I HAVE FOUGHT ABROAD MANY TIMES AND MADE A LOT OF MONEY.  

I WAS ABLE TO BUY LAND AND I AM BUILDING A HOUSE.

NOW I WORK AS A TRAINER.

 

VO:

3.15-3.25

OMSIN AND HIS PARENTS HAVE RETURNED TO SANGKA THEIR VILLAGE IN THE NORTHEAST OF THAILAND FOR A HOLIDAY.

OMSIN ‘S THREE BROTHERS STILL LIVE HERE AND ARE LOOKED AFTER BY  THEIR GRANDMOTHER.

 

VO OMSIN:

3.27-3.40

I MISS MY BROTHERS AND GRANDPARENTS A LOT AND I’M HAPPY WHEN I SEE THEM AGAIN.

THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH FIGHTS FOR ME HERE,  I LIVE IN PATONG.

MANY TOURISTS GO THERE TO WATCH THE FIGHTS. I MAKE GOOD MONEY.

 

VO:

3.52-4.01

PATONG LIES ON THE ISLAND OF PHUKET IN THE SOUTH OF THAILAND,

800 MILES FROM OMSIN’S VILLAGE. MILLIONS OF TOURISTS VISIT THE ISLAND EVERY YEAR.

 

VO:

4.07-4.15

OMSIN AND HIS FATHER  LIVE IN PATONG’S BOXING STADIUM.

MOTHER DENG STAYS AT THE HOTEL WHERE SHE WORKS AS A MAID.

 

VO OMSIN:

4.17-4.22

MY UNCLE AND HIS GIRLFRIEND SLEEP HERE, AND HERE  I SLEEP WITH MY FATHER.

 

VO:

4.26-4.30

AFTER SCHOOL OMSIN STARTS HIS DAILY THREE HOUR TRAINING.

 

VO OMSIN:

4.31-4.42

I NEVER WANTED TO BE A BOXER BUT THERE WAS A BOXING FIGHT IN MY VILLAGE AND MY FATHER TOOK ME THERE..

I SAW MY UNCLE FIGHT AND  I LIKED IT.

THAT DAY I HAD MY FIRST FIGHT.

 

VO:

4.49-4.52

FATHER CHAI AND UNCLE PANASIN ARE OMSIN’S TRAINERS..

 

VO FATHER CHAI:

4.58-5.09

THAI BOXING IS IN OUR BLOOD. OMSIN WANTS TO FIGHT, I AM NOT FORCING HIM.

MANY CHILDREN ARE AFRAID WHEN THEY ENTER THE RING.YOU CAN’T WALK AWAY WHEN YOUR OPPONENT IS BIGGER .

 

VO:

5.12-5.20

OMSIN’S FRIEND SHOLE AND COUSIN NONGKA ALSO TRAIN IN THE STADIUM.

12 YEAR OLD SHOLE JUST STARTED WITH THAI BOXING.

 

VO SHOLE:

5.25-5.34

I WANTED TO PLAY TABLETENNIS. THEN I WENT TO THE STADIUM AND SAW OMSIN FIGHT. I LIKED IT A LOT AND DECIDED I WANTED TO LEARN  THAI BOXING TOO.

 

VO MOTHER SHOLE (PK):

5.40-5.49

40 TO 50 SITUPS, 200  ARM PUNCHES  BOTH SIDES, 100  ELBOW STRIKES  BOTH SIDES, 600 JUMPS WITH A SKIPPING ROPE.

 

VO

5.55-5.59

SINGLE MUM PK ENCOURAGES HER SON’S FIGHTING.

 

VO PK

6.02-6.10

SHOLE NEVER STOOD UP FOR HIMSELF. HE WAS SHY. SINCE HE STARTED BOXING HE CAN DEFEND HIMSELF. HE ISNT AFRAID ANYMORE..

 

VO OMSIN:

6.21-6.27

THIS IS ME AND MY FATHER IN THE VILLAGE.. I AM WEARING THE BOXING BELT I HAVE WON AND THESE ARE MY TROPHIES.

 

VO OMSIN:

6.30-6.36

ON MONDAYS I HAVE THAI LESSONS, FYSICS, HISTORY AND SPORTS.

 

VO:

6.37-6.42

OMSIN THINKS SCHOOL IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE A BOXING CAREER IS SHORT LIVED AND CAN BE RISKY.

 

VO OMSIN:

6.43-6.52

I WANT TO FINISH SCHOOL BECAUSE I WANT A GOOD JOB IN THE FUTURE. 

BOXING CAN GET YOU INJURED EASILY AND THEN I HAVE NOTHING TO FALL BACK ON.

 

VO:

6.58-7.01

OMSIN’S NEIGHBOUR WANNARONG WAS A GREAT CHAMPION.

 

VO WANNARONG:

7.04-7.10

I CAN NOT FIGHT ANYMORE. MY NOSE WAS BROKEN AND I LOST AN EYE.

I HAD TO STOP.

 

VO:

7.14-7.19

THAI BOXING CAN BE DANGEROUS BUT ACCORDING TO FATHER CHAI CHILDREN HAVE NOTHING TO BE AFRAID OF.

 

VO FATHER CHAI:

7.20-7.26

CHILDREN FIGHT AGAINST CHILDREN.. THE REFEREE IS THERE TO STOP THE FIGHT WHEN IT GETS DANGEROUS.

 

VO:

7.30-7.33

OMSIN SHOWS HOW HE PROTECTS HIS KNUCKLES.

 

VO OMSIN:

7.41-7.56

YOU CAN HIT SOMEONE HERE OR HERE. YOU CAN USE YOUR ELBOW.

YOU TRY TO HIT YOUR OPPONENT HARD THEN YOU QUICKLY PULL BACK YOUR FIST. WHEN YOU HIT HIM HERE HE GETS DIZZY AND YOU CAN KNOCK HIM OUT.

 

VO:

7.59-8.01

NOT ONLY THE KNUCKLES NEED PROTECTION.

 

VO:

8.08-8.10

THE BOYS DREAM OF A FUTURE AS CHAMPIONS.

 

VO:

8.14-8.15

THEIR FATHERS HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS.

 

FATHER CHAI (SPEAKS IN ENGLISH):

8.17-8.22

THAILAND NUMBER ONE. BANGKOK..

 

 

VO UNCLE PANASIN:

8.26-8.30

IN 10 YEARS OMSIN AND SHOLE WILL BE CHAMPIONS.

 

VO:

8.37-8.43

FATHER CHAI IS HAPPY WITH THE MONEY OMSIN EARNS. HIS FIGHTING ALREADY PROVIDES HALF A MONTH WAGES. 

 

VO FATHER CHAI:

8.46-8.56

WITH ONLY 15 MINUTES OF FIGHTING OMSIN CAN EARN A LARGE AMOUNT. IN THAI BOXING A LOT OF MONEY CAN BE MADE. THE PRIZE MONEY CAN BE HIGH. IT’S EASY MONEY.

 

VO:

9.10-9.15

IT’S BUSY IN THE STADIUM. THE CROWD IS EXCITED. MANY PEOPLE GAMBLE ON THE FIGHTS.

 

9.17-9.21

OMSIN AND CHOLE ARE BOTH FIGHTING TONIGHT.

 

VO SHOLE:

9.22-9.25

I’M REALLY NERVOUS. THIS IS MY SECOND FIGHT.

 

VO OMSIN:

9.27-9.31

I’M NOT  NERVOUS. I’M NOT AFRAID. I THINK I CAN WIN TONIGHT..

 

VO FATHER CHAI:

9.33-9.35

HIS OPPONENT IS A LOT BIGGER.

 

VO:

9.58-10.00

SHOLE FIGHTS FIRST. 

 

VO:

10.10-10.12

SHOLE IS STRONGER AND WINS THE FIGHT.

 

VO:

10.14-10.25

THEN IT IS OMSIN’S TURN.

BEFORE THE FIGHT OMSIN PAYS RESPECT TO HIS TRAINERS BY DOING A DANCE. THE  SPECIAL HEADBAND IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE MAGICAL POWERS AND OFFERS PROTECION.

 

VO:

10.28-10.30

IN THE BEGINNING IT’S AN EVEN FIGHT.

 

VO:

10.33-10.39

THEN OMSIN’S RIVAL FIGHTS BETTER. HE IS TWO YEARS OLDER AND MUCH TALLER.

 

VO:

10.52-11.00

IN THE FOURTH ROUND OMSIN’S OPPONENT PROVES TOO STRONG. OMSIN GETS BEATEN BADLY AND THE REFEREE STOPS THE FIGHT. OMSIN HAS LOST.

 

VO:

11.04-11.07

THE CROWD LOVES OMSIN AND GIVES HIM MONEY.

 

VO OMSIN:

11.10-11.14

HE WAS TALLER THAN ME.  I HAVE GIVEN MY BEST BUT COULD NOT WIN.

IT DOESN’T MATTER.

 

VO:

11.18-11.22

WIN OR LOOSE, OMSIN GETS PAID FOR THE FIGHT BY THE ORGANISERS.

 

VO OMSIN:

11.43-11.47

THE TWO SMALL TROPHIES ARE MINE, THE BIG ONE IS UNCLE DAM’S.

 

VO OMSIN:

11.50-11.57

WHEN I WAS YOUNG MY FATHER USED TO TEACH ME HOW TO KICK AND PUNCH.  I PRACTICED ON THE CUPBOARD.

THIS IS THE RESULT.

 

VO:

12.17-12.20

OMSIN AND HIS PARENTS RETURN HOME TWICE A YEAR.

 

VO MOTHER DENG:

12.25-12.30

I MISS MY BOYS, I MISS MY PARENTS.  I THINK ABOUT THEM ALL THE TIME.

 

VO MOTHER DENG:

12.33-12.50

HERE YOU CAN ONLY WORK ON THE LAND.YOU DON’T EARN ENOUGH TO SEND THE CHILDREN TO SCHOOL OR PAY THE ELECTRICITY OR FOODBILLS. I EARN MORE MONEY IN PATONG.

OMSIN TOO MAKES A LOT MORE MONEY THERE.

THE FIGHTS ARE BIGGER AND THE ORGANISERS PAY MORE.

HE GETS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE TOO.

 

VO:

13.03-13.17

IN THE NORTHEAST OF THAILAND MOST PEOPLE ARE SMALL FARMERS. THE LAND GIVES HARDLY ENOUGH TO LIVE OFF AND THERE ARE NO JOBS. MANY PEOPLE MOVE TO THE CITY IN HOPE OF A BETTER LIFE.

CHILDREN ARE LEFT BEHIND AND THE GRANDPARENTS LOOK AFTER THEM.

 

VO GRANDMOTHER:

13.22-13.32

I’M OLD AND IT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY AS THEY CAN BE NAUGHTY.

BUT I’M HAPPY TO DO IT AND DON’T MIND TAKING CARE OF MY GRANDCHILDREN. 

OMSIN’S PARENTS CAN BUILD A BETTER FUTURE THIS WAY..

 

VO OMSIN:

13.39-13.43

I AM PROUD TO HELP MY FAMILY.

IT HELPS TO PAY FOR FOOD AND SCHOOL.

 

VO:

14.00-14.12

EVERY YEAR A THREE DAY FESTIVAL IS ORGANISED TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE BUDDHIST TEMPLE. 

THIS YEAR THE MONEY WILL BE USED FOR A VERY SPECIAL PURPOSE: THE CREMATION OF A MONK WHO LIVED FOR A LONG TIME IN THE VILLAGE.

 

VO:

14.16-14.27

NEXT TO THE TEMPLE IS A MARKET AND A CHILDREN’S FAIR.

THE FESTIVAL ENDS WITH A BIG THAI BOXING COMPETION.

OMSIN WILL FIGHT TONIGHT. THE MONEY HE EARNS WILL GO TO THE TEMPLE.

 

VO:

14.32-14.36

BUT FIRST OMSIN VISITS HIS OTHER GRANDPARENTS

 

VO:

14.41-14.51

OMSIN’S GRANDMOTHER HAS A STRANGE HABIT.  SHE CHEWS PAAN, A COMBINATION OF ARECA NUT AND CHALK FOLDED IN A BETEL LEAF. OMSIN DOESN’T LIKE IT.

 

VO OMSIN:

14.53-15.00

IT’S DIRTY. I TRIED IT ONCE BUT I GOT A STRANGE BITTER TASTE ON MY TONGUE. OLD PEOPLE LIKE IT BUT CHILDREN DON’T.

 

VO:

15.10-15.15

OMSIN IS VERY FOND OF HIS GRANDPARENTS AND WANTS TO HELP THEM BUT THAT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY.

 

VO OMSIN:

15.17-15.20

I SOMETIMES GIVE MONEY BUT WHEN I RUN OUT  I ASK IT BACK.

 

VO GRANDMOTHER:

15.24-15.30

OMSIN’S PARENTS SUPPORT US.  GRANDFATHER ISN’T WELL. WE ARE OLD AND CANNOT WORK ANYMORE.  

 

VO:

15.52-15.58

ITS’S THE NIGHT OF THE FIGHT. MANY CHILDREN ARE FIGHTING. 

HERE OMSIN HAD HIS FIRST FIGHT AT THE AGE OF FIVE

 

VO:

16.00-16.03

OMSIN WATCHES HIS FRIEND KAMPUCHA FIGHT.

 

VO:

16.05-16.10

KAMPUCHA’S TRAINER  THINKS IT’S IMPORTANT THAT CHILDREN START BOXING AT AN EARLY AGE.

 

VO TRAINER:

16.11-16.19

WHEN YOU ARE YOUNG YOU CAN LEARN EASILY. IT GIVES GOOD EXPERIENCE THAT CAN BE USED IN THE FUTURE. THIS WAY KAMPUCHA CAN HAVE A GOOD CAREER.

 

VO OMSIN:

16.26-16.31

I AM NERVOUS. I WAS BORN IN THIS VILLAGE. I HOPE EVERYBODY WILL CHEER FOR ME. 

 

VO:

16.43-16.50

AGAIN OMSIN’S RIVAL IS OLDER AND A LOT TALLER. THE FIGHT IS EVEN IN THE FIRST ROUND.  OMSIN TEASES HIS OPPONENT.

 

VO:

16.57-17.00

THEN OMSIN’S RIVAL GETS THE UPPERHAND.

 

VO:

17.00-17.03

BUT OMSIN DOESN’T GIVE UP EASILY.

 

VO:

17.11-17.15

OMSIN FIGHTS BRAVELY BUT HIS RIVAL IS TOO STRONG.

 

VO:

17.16-17.18

OMSIN LOSES ON POINTS.

 

VO OMSIN:

17.23-17.26

IT’S OK.  IT IS NOT A PROBLEM THAT I HAVE LOST.

 

VO FATHER CHAI

17.28-17.36

IT’S ALL IN THE GAME. OMSIN DID HIS BEST AND HE FOUGHT WELL. HIS OPPONENT WAS MUCH TALLER. OMSIN DIDN’T HAVE MUCH CHANCE.

 

VO:

17.45-17.48

THE NEXT DAY OMSIN IS TRAINING WITH HIS BROTHERS.

 

VO BROTHER:

17.51-17.56

I  WANT TO FIGHT LIKE OMSIN TOO AND HELP MY PARENTS.

I ALSO LIKE TO SEE THE BEACH.

 

VO

18.00-18.03

TOGETHER THEY ADMIRE UNCLE DAM’S BOXING BELT.

 

VO OMSIN:

18.05-18.16

I WANT TO BECOME BIGGER AND STRONGER.

WHEN YOU FIGHT A TALLER OPPONENT  LIKE YESTERDAY YOU LEARN A LOT. MUCH MORE THAN WHEN YOU FIGHT A  WEAKER RIVAL. I HOPE TO BE A CHAMPION IN THE FUTURE.