BANGKOK (AFP) – Thailand will boycott a kickboxing event at the Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia in May, officials said Tuesday, in a row with the hosts over what to call the sport.
Thai officials are angry at plans by Cambodia to refer to the event ˗ which they regard as their national sport ˗ on the official program as Kun Khmer instead of Muay Thai.
While the name Muay Thai may be better known around the world, Cambodian officials insist the sport originated from their Khmer culture.
The event is one of a series of combat sports at the 11-country regional Games, alongside regular kickboxing, karate, taekwondo, kun bokator and vovinam.
Cambodia is hosting the Games for the first time in 60 years.
Charoen Wattanasin, vice-chairman of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand, said the International Olympic Committee had not endorsed the term Kun Khmer.
“They are violating international regulations for sports competitions,” he told AFP.
“The Thai Boxing Association won’t be sending athletes to compete.”
Cambodian sports officials are refusing to back down.
“We are the host country so we have the right to change it to Kun Khmer as the sport has its origin in Khmer and it is our culture,” Vath Chamroeun, secretary-general of the Cambodian Southeast Asian Games Organising Committee, told AFP.
“We have to satisfy our people.”
