In 2003, Ong Bak introduced Muay Thai to a Western audience like never before as Tony Jaa used elbows, knees and shins to attack his enemies with crushing blows in one of my personal favorite martial arts films of all time. In 2022, I was shocked to see Muay Thai being practiced on a soccer pitch in Thailand, a player throwing an elbow so incredibly violent he was immediately kicked off the club and later charged with assault.
Aitsaret Noichaiboon was playing for Bangkok FC against North Bangkok University in the Championship round of Thai League 3 on Sunday when Supasan Ruangsuphanimit unnecessarily clipped his foot as the ball was going out of bounds in added time of a 3-0 match. It was the type of play that deserved a yellow card, not a brutal elbow.
Instead of going to retrieve the ball for a throw-in, Noichaiboon walked up to Ruangsuphanimit and smashed his face in…
