Surat Thani –
The Weed Boxing Championship on Samui Island was not held because it was banned by authorities and police, although organisers behind the event say the actual reason for the ban was unclear and that social media had been full of false rumours about the event.
The Muay Ded 789 reported on their official Facebook page on Monday (August 28th) about the Weed Boxing Championship which was planned for Sunday (August 27th) at the Samui International Muay Thai Stadium. Boxers who wanted to participate allegedly had to smoke cannabis according to the page, which organisers dispute, and the boxing program had been promoted before the intended day it was to be held.
However, on the advertised day the program was not held at all. Authorities and police on Samui island banned the scheduled program and they said that if the event was held, legal action would be taken.
The head of the Phetchbuncha Samui Stadium, Mr. Apidet Kamkaew, told Thai media, “We have tried to support Thai boxing but some are trying to destroy it. This kind of program could damage the reputation of Thai boxing. They even used a photo of me to promote this event. Many boxing fans, both Thai and foreign, misunderstood the situation. I will file a police report against the promoters of this event as well. ”
Meanwhile, Boxing Promoter Boat Petyindee posted on his personal Facebook. “This is ridiculous. How can they even think of smoking weed before boxing?”
Organisers and boxers in the event, however, told TPN media that the event was blown out of proportion by social media and many false rumours were spread.
According to one participating boxer, Jonny Tello, he stated that he and the other main event fights were strictly told no cannabis would be used or smoked for fighters and that the weed aspect of the event referred to the social gathering by the crowd before the fights, not the fighters themselves, but had been misunderstood and turned into false rumors.
Organisers and boxers, like Mr. Tello, also stated that the event had been blown out of proportion on social media, even with some websites and social media pages not associated with the event advertising Mike Tyson as being behind the event and attending or hosting, which wasn’t true.
Finally, organisers also said they deeply respected and valued all combat sports in Thailand and would never do anything to harm valued traditions and customs. They merely, according to them, wanted to allow cannabis for spectators and pointed out that alcohol is widely accepted at most combat events so why can the recently decriminalized cannabis not be the same for legal adults in the crowd? Organisers hoped to bring the event to Thailand in the future and were willing to meet with critics of the event and have an open, honest, discussion on how to move forward.
This isn’t the first recent cannabis related controversy in Thailand, which was decriminalized last year, as seen below, which likely contributed to the false rumors and cancellation of the event.
Meanwhile in Phuket:
