It was in the Northeast Province of Chaiyaphum, Thailand that the four young fighters from Lookboonmee Gym learned they would soon be unemployed.

Letters from the government went out late on the 29 September revoking all gambling permits for the entire month of October. And in Thailand, no gambling permits means no Muay Thai.

Two of the four kids had already fought when the official announcement was made via the loudspeaker. The remaining fighters, were now extra motivated for a victory.

Winning via decision respectively, the two managed to take home some extra earnings from their side bets, hoping to tide themselves and their gym over for the next thirty days. Prior to making the rounds in the countryside, the news had already spread through the stadium in Bangkok.

The beloved Thai monarch, H.M. Bhumibol Adulyadej passed away last October and the county has been in mourning ever since. To prepare for his cremation, the country will postpone all festivities until November. This includes concerts, temple fairs and sporting events.

It’s a hard hit for the Muay Thai community, but one they will take in stride. While it was known and expected there would be ban, locals hoped for just two or three weeks as opposed to an entire month. It’s a difficult time for fighters, like the kids at Lookboonmee, who were expecting things to pick up in October as the monsoon season comes to a close and Buddhist Lent ends. This time is typically marked with a wide array of festivals and celebrations synonymous to Muay Thai.

In Thailand Muay Thai is equivalent to gambling. All the main stadiums including Lumpini, Omni and Rajadamnern will cease to operate as of today, with the countryside following in suit.

While entertainment venues have been given an extra week, Max Muay Thai will continue to broadcast until the 8 October but will, for the first time, go ahead without gambling.

Based on that same logic, the brand new local promotion Kumite 3000 is hoping to squeeze by on the 7th.

A last minute decision allowed for Channel 7 fights to be broadcast as usual today, but an announcement was made that gambling was not permitted; a first for the stadium. Those in attendance weren’t happy, but seemed to oblige.

The official funeral is set to span five days from October 25 to 29, and is expected to see 250,000 in attendance. Tourists are advised to avoid the area of the Royal Field – Sanam Luang and be respectful of Thai culture. If you are planning to be in Bangkok during this time, check the local media for updates and ongoings regarding the Royal Cremation.