Muay Thai legend asks Zuckerberg to referee Facebook dispute with Cambodians
Muay Thai legend Buakaw Banchamek has asked Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg for help on Saturday following a new round of cyberbullying by Cambodians who dispute his assertions that Muay Thai is the No 1 style of kick boxing and that he is genuinely Thai.
Cambodians have been claiming on Facebook that Buakaw has Cambodian lineage even though Buakaw denies this.
The Facebook page for his Banchamek Gym also reiterates that Buakaw has no problems with Cambodians or their country’s style of kick-boxing: Kun Khmer.
It also asked Cambodian boxing agencies to pay the remaining 2.7 million baht owed for hiring Buakaw to participate in the World Fight Tournament in Cambodia.
A Cambodian Facebook page subsequently urged people to report to Facebook that the Facebook page of Banchamek Gym was making false statements.
A large number of reports criticising a Facebook page could result in its deletion.
“Dear Mark Zuckerberg, our Facebook page has been reported a lot lately. Please help us," the Banchamek Gym’s Facebook page said.
The post has drawn more than 3,400 comments and 673 shares as of Sunday.
Cambodia, which is hosting this year’s Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, sparked controversy when it replaced Muay Thai with Kun Khmer as one of the sports.
The International Federation of Muaythai Associations said on Thursday that six member countries will not join the competition, saying that Kun Khmer has not yet been certified by sports associations.
The six countries are Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore.
Related stories:
Sending kickboxers to SEA Games ‘will threaten Muay Thai Olympic bid’
Thai champ unfazed by Cambodian move to replace Muay Thai with local martial art
Thailand to boycott SEA Games Muay Thai after Cambodia changes name
