[imagesource: Lillian Suwanrumpha AFP]

Beneath a Bangkok underpass in a poor port-side neighbourhood, with shipping containers all around, amateur fighters gather to pummel each other.

Somewhat inspired by the famous movie starring Brad Pitt, the main rule for Fight Club Thailand is to show up.

That’s what club co-founder, Chana Worasart told AFP: “Here you don’t have to know how to fight. You just need to have heart and that’s it.”

France24 reports that “only blood and bruises” are exchanged in the underground club where regular folks come to test their skills and vent their anger:

Image: Lillian Suwanrumpha AFP

Worasart founded the club in 2016, and since then, unlike Pitt’s version, word of the underground matches has spread far and wide.

Image: Lillian Suwanrumpha AFP

The group, self-described as “the ring that will change violence into friendship”, has become a local sensation with up to 73 000 members getting involved via a private Facebook group:

“I think the popularity is due to a variety of occupations and fighting styles that are different from the styles in the (professional) ring,” [Worasart] said.

The club started out with no clear rules and soon developed into a more established regular event:

Now there are fighting guidelines, screening procedures, a risk-acceptance pledge as well as protective equipment and on-scene medical care.

Image: Lillian Suwanrumpha AFP

“We don’t ask fighters to kill each other. If you’re too tired or too injured to go on, then we’ll stop the fight,” said Chana as another bout began.

With the Thai police on their case, the club does not hold unsanctioned fights and is approved by the Department of Provincial Administration:

“I don’t oppose the idea of turning this into legal, sanctioned fights, but at the same time, we can’t lose the underground identity, so the question is ‘where is the balance?'”

Some fights just make more sense on the fringe of regular old society.

Click “Watch on YouTube” to see them go at it:

[source:france24]