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On 21st November 2008, Mr Somsak Kiatsuranont, Justice Minister will be presiding over the opening ceremony of “Rising Stars: on the road to London Olympic Games Project” at Thonburi Remand Prison. The project aims at searching talented boxers behind bars and preparing them to represent Thailand in London Olympic Games in the next four years.
As part of the nationwide prison boxing programes, a boxing camp for male inmates is launched at Thonburi Remand Prison while that for females is at Prathumthani Women Correctional Institution for Drug Addicts. At these camps, young and talented boxers selected from prison facilities across the country are trained and prepared for the next National Amateur Boxing Championships, fighting for a ticket to 2012 Olympic Games.
Mr Nathee Chitsawang, Director General of the Department of Corrections says that currently there are a total of 22 boxers, 10 females and 12 males, on the list and after the end of Sport behind Bar Project, an annual national sport competition for inmates, some more athletes will be added to this list. In addition, there are more than 1,000 inmates signing up the boxing programes in other prisons, training hard for their chance to compete in Sport behind Bar Project.
Mr Chitsawang adds that the inmates joining this boxing program have a strong determination to fight their way out of prison and cycle of crime. These inmates focus their lives in prison on boxing and restarting their new lives as inspired by the success of their fellows. Having fighting spirit, dedication and discipline, these detained boxers have taken up the skills very fast. If trained by highly skilled coaches, they will have very promising future in boxing.
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