The Royal Thai Army remains its official custodian. But in my heart I am a woman. Parinya is one of 20 trainees, all in their teens. On practice day, a group of boxers, shirtless and dripping under a tin roof in 100-degree heat, have begun their workouts. Sparring, they thrust pointed bare feet at the necks of trainers, who use heavy-leather mitts as shields.
Grunts fill the air.
Boxers hop on one leg while the other thwacks the mitt in flurries of five or six. Parinya arrives late. He is wearing several rings, a black T-shirt and a clasp to hold his clumpy hair down. He sashays over to a full-length mirror where others are measuring bobs and weaves. Parinya preens himself, dabbing his bright lips with a tissue, smoothing his eyebrows, neatly tucking in his shirttails.