Families
Muay Thai fights with kids
Should you take children to a Muay Thai fight in Patong? Age rules, noise, young fighters, betting and how to decide for your own family.
Book your ringside seat ↗Quick answer
The Patong booking allows children from 4 to 12 at a child rate and lets under-threes in free, so the ticket does not stop you. Whether you should depends on your child. Muay Thai is full contact, the crowd is loud, betting may happen around you and the card can include young fighters. Think about noise and fighting first, then the age rules.
The age rules
The Patong ticket has three tiers: adult for ages 13 and over, child for ages 4 to 12, and infants under 3 free. The other Patong stadium sets its tiers differently, with children 6 to 12 and under-sixes free, and warns that matches may be intense and not suitable for young children. Check the tier for your stadium and your child's age before you book.
What a child will see
Muay Thai is a full-contact combat sport, Wikipedia says, using fists, elbows, knees and shins. Blows land hard and the crowd reacts. Before each bout there is a ritual with music, which many children find interesting. One reviewer calls the fights pretty brutal and a good atmosphere, which is a fair summary: so imagine your child in a loud room watching real fighting for an evening.
Young fighters on the card
Cards in Thailand can include young fighters. One reviewer says many of the bouts on their night were between children or teenagers, and not necessarily less intense. Wikipedia reports that large numbers of children box in Thailand and that a safety-research director has urged avoiding head contact for under-15s. Some families like seeing peers fight; others find it uncomfortable. The booking does not say who fights on a given night.
Noise, crowds and betting
The booking warns that betting may occur at the venue. A Phuket guide site says people along the side take bets with hand signals and that the room is loudest in the later rounds. Drinks are brought to your seat, so there is movement and noise throughout. If your child is easily frightened by shouting, a fight night may not suit them.
Seats for families
Ringside sits low, so a smaller child looks up through the ropes, a Phuket guide site notes, while raised seats show the whole ring. The ringside ticket is the one on this page. If you want to sit together and see the ring, think about whether ringside is the right seat for a child, and whether the ticket office on the night has a better option, as a reviewer suggests.
An alternative
If a fight night is too much, a Muay Thai class lets children and adults try the moves without watching a fight. A one-hour all-levels class at a Patong gym is offered through the same booking site. It supplies gloves and wraps and welcomes beginners, and the booking lists people with back problems and mobility impairments as not suitable. Check age limits with the seller.
Questions to ask yourself
Does your child enjoy loud crowds, or do they cover their ears? Can they sit through an evening of fighting without being upset by blows landing? Would you be comfortable if the fighters were close to their own age? Can you leave early if they want to go? If the answer to most of these is yes, a fight night can work. If not, an all-levels class or a cabaret show may suit a family evening better.
Who this isn't for
Small children who dislike loud rooms are better off elsewhere, and so are adults who would be upset to see young fighters. A quiet family dinner is not on offer, and food and drinks are extra. It suits older children and teenagers who already like martial arts and can sit through an evening of fighting.
Frequently asked questions
What age can children go?
The Patong booking allows children from 4 to 12 at the child rate and under-threes free. The other Patong stadium sets 6 to 12 and under-sixes free.
Is it too violent for kids?
It is real full-contact fighting. The other stadium's booking says matches may not suit young children. Judge by your child.
Will children be fighting?
Possibly. A reviewer says many bouts on their night were between children or teenagers. The booking does not name who fights.
Is it loud?
Yes. There is music, a crowd and, a Phuket guide says, loud later rounds, plus drinks served at seats.
Are there other options?
A one-hour all-levels Muay Thai class in Patong is on the same booking site, and a cabaret show offers an evening without fighting.
Sources