Superstar Buakaw Banchamek says he hopes his visit to the far South will inspire young people in the insurgency-plagued region to find an outlet in sports.
The boxer led a workshop in Narathiwat on Friday to teach 200 youths from Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala in the basics of Muay Thai, the sport that has made him internationally famous.
Buakaw, whose real name is Sombat, said he hoped his presence at the workshop, organised to promote sports for young people in the border region, would give them an example and motivate those considering professional sports careers to pursue their ambitions.
People who want to be professional athletes cannot be complacent and have to keep practising to make themselves better, he added.
The boxing legend has led by example. The native of Surin has collected title belts in several classes, including the K-1 world championship.