Nong Thoom
Encyclopedia
Parinya Kiatbusaba or Parinya Jaroenphon (born June 9, 1981), more popularly known as Nong Thoom, Nong Toom or Nong Tum , is arguably the best-known kathoey
in Thailand
. She is a former Muay Thai
(Thai boxing) champion and has also worked as a model
and actress
.
-identity. After a short period as a Buddhist
monk, she started to train as a boxer, and eventually joined a boxing
camp in Chonburi
. Her goal was to make enough money to support her poor parents and to pay for a sex-change
operation.
's Lumpini Boxing Stadium
, the center of the Muay Thai
world. The Thai media were understandably intrigued by the novelty and incongruity of a make-up wearing 16-year-old kathoey
, or "lady boy", defeating and then kissing a larger, more muscular opponent.
Although the Thai government had previously blocked kathoey athletes from participating in the national volleyball
team for fear of negative reaction from the rest of the world, the Muay Thai establishment embraced Nong Toom, and tourism officials promoted her as "indicative of the wonders to be found" in Thailand. Perhaps not coincidentally, Muay Thai had been in a several-year slump at the time, and Nong Toom had greatly revitalized both media and public interest in the sport, as shown by increased ticket sales and stadium revenue.
She was profiled in several magazines, and appeared in many Thai music video
s. Subsequently, her public profile began to fade, but her bouts with a foreigner, as well as her trip to Japan
to fight a Japanese challenger, kept her face in the news. By fall of 1998, there was little coverage of Nong Toom to be found in either the mainstream or boxing media.
In 1999, Nong Toom caused considerable publicity by announcing her retirement from kick boxing, her intention to become a singer, and her plan to undergo sex reassignment surgery
. She was initially turned down by some of the Bangkok
surgeons she turned to, but was able to undergo the sex-change surgery in 1999 at Yanhee International Hospital.
On February 26, 2006, Nong Tum made a comeback as boxer. She fought an exhibition match for Fairtex Gym's new Pattaya
branch, re-dubbed Nong Toom Fairtex Gym, by fighting a 140-pound contest against Japan
's Kenshiro Lookchaomaekhemthong. Nong Toom won by unanimous decision after the three-round fight, leaving her rival with a cut near his eye
from an elbow
in the last round.
Nong Toom was planning another exhibition bout for sometime in 2006 with a female boxer Lucia Rijker
, who portrayed the lethal "Blue Bear
" in the film Million Dollar Baby
.
On May 31, 2008 Nong Toom had a fight against Pernilla Johansson at Rumble of the Kings in Stockholm
, Sweden and won by decision.
In 2010, Nong Toom will open a boxing camp "Parinya Muay Thai" in Pranburi
, Thailand which she will co-own and run with American actor/writer Steven Khan. She currently teaches muay thai and aerobics to children at the Baan Poo Yai School.
in which she was portrayed by male kickboxer Asanee Suwan. The film won several national and international awards, yet opened to limited success in Thailand. She came to United States
theatres in 2005. The film's director, Ekachai Uekorngtham, also wrote the solo performance Boxing Cabaret for Nong Toom which she performed in the summer of 2005 at the Singapore Arts Festival
and later in Bangkok.
Nong Toom's life as a ladyboy is also part of the book Ladyboys: The Secret World of Thailand's Third Gender by Maverick House Publishers
.
Her story was also included in Julina Khusaini's National Geographic documentary
Hidden Genders (2003).
She had a prominent role in the 2006 superhero film
-action film
Mercury Man
, playing the title character's transgendered sibling and demonstrating her kickboxing prowess on the villains. In 2006, she appeared as a guest star on SBS
television series "World Record Pizza" and Rallarsving
(Sweden
).
Kathoey
Kathoey or katoey is a male-to-female transgender person or an effeminate gay male in Thailand. Related phrases include sao praphet song , or phet thi sam . The word kathoey is thought to be of Khmer origin...
in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. She is a former Muay Thai
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
(Thai boxing) champion and has also worked as a model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
and actress
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
.
Early Life
As a child, she was already aware of her female genderGender
Gender is a range of characteristics used to distinguish between males and females, particularly in the cases of men and women and the masculine and feminine attributes assigned to them. Depending on the context, the discriminating characteristics vary from sex to social role to gender identity...
-identity. After a short period as a Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
monk, she started to train as a boxer, and eventually joined a boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
camp in Chonburi
Chonburi Province
Chonburi is a province of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Chachoengsao, Chanthaburi and Rayong. To the west is the Gulf of Thailand. The eastern seaboard is heavily industrialized and underpinned by shipping, transportation, tourism, and manufacturing industries, and second to only Bangkok...
. Her goal was to make enough money to support her poor parents and to pay for a sex-change
Sex reassignment surgery male-to-female
Sex reassignment surgery from male to female involves reshaping the male genitals into a form with the appearance of and, as far as possible, the function of female genitalia. Prior to any surgeries, trans women usually undergo hormone replacement therapy and facial hair removal...
operation.
Career and Current Projects
Her public life began in February 1998, with a victory in BangkokBangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
's Lumpini Boxing Stadium
Lumpinee Boxing Stadium
Lumpinee Boxing Stadium is an indoor sporting arena located in Bangkok, Thailand. Opened more than a decade later than Rajadamnern Stadium, the Lumpinee is run by Royal Thai Army on behalf of Thai Government. It has become the symbol of modern Muay Thai. Only Rajadamnern Stadium rivals the...
, the center of the Muay Thai
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
world. The Thai media were understandably intrigued by the novelty and incongruity of a make-up wearing 16-year-old kathoey
Kathoey
Kathoey or katoey is a male-to-female transgender person or an effeminate gay male in Thailand. Related phrases include sao praphet song , or phet thi sam . The word kathoey is thought to be of Khmer origin...
, or "lady boy", defeating and then kissing a larger, more muscular opponent.
Although the Thai government had previously blocked kathoey athletes from participating in the national volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
team for fear of negative reaction from the rest of the world, the Muay Thai establishment embraced Nong Toom, and tourism officials promoted her as "indicative of the wonders to be found" in Thailand. Perhaps not coincidentally, Muay Thai had been in a several-year slump at the time, and Nong Toom had greatly revitalized both media and public interest in the sport, as shown by increased ticket sales and stadium revenue.
She was profiled in several magazines, and appeared in many Thai music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
s. Subsequently, her public profile began to fade, but her bouts with a foreigner, as well as her trip to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
to fight a Japanese challenger, kept her face in the news. By fall of 1998, there was little coverage of Nong Toom to be found in either the mainstream or boxing media.
In 1999, Nong Toom caused considerable publicity by announcing her retirement from kick boxing, her intention to become a singer, and her plan to undergo sex reassignment surgery
Sex reassignment surgery male-to-female
Sex reassignment surgery from male to female involves reshaping the male genitals into a form with the appearance of and, as far as possible, the function of female genitalia. Prior to any surgeries, trans women usually undergo hormone replacement therapy and facial hair removal...
. She was initially turned down by some of the Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
surgeons she turned to, but was able to undergo the sex-change surgery in 1999 at Yanhee International Hospital.
On February 26, 2006, Nong Tum made a comeback as boxer. She fought an exhibition match for Fairtex Gym's new Pattaya
Pattaya
Pattaya is a city in Thailand, located on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, about 165 km southeast of Bangkok located within but not part of Amphoe Bang Lamung in the province of Chonburi....
branch, re-dubbed Nong Toom Fairtex Gym, by fighting a 140-pound contest against Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
's Kenshiro Lookchaomaekhemthong. Nong Toom won by unanimous decision after the three-round fight, leaving her rival with a cut near his eye
Human eye
The human eye is an organ which reacts to light for several purposes. As a conscious sense organ, the eye allows vision. Rod and cone cells in the retina allow conscious light perception and vision including color differentiation and the perception of depth...
from an elbow
Elbow
The human elbow is the region surrounding the elbow-joint—the ginglymus or hinge joint in the middle of the arm. Three bones form the elbow joint: the humerus of the upper arm, and the paired radius and ulna of the forearm....
in the last round.
Nong Toom was planning another exhibition bout for sometime in 2006 with a female boxer Lucia Rijker
Lucia Rijker
Lucia Rijker is a Dutch professional female boxer, kickboxer, and actress.Rijker has been dubbed by the press and opponents "The Most Dangerous Woman in the World". She can speak four languages and is a Buddhist, dedicating time daily to meditation and chanting...
, who portrayed the lethal "Blue Bear
Blue Bear
The Tibetan bear or Tibetan blue bear is a subspecies of the brown bear found in the eastern Tibetan plateau. It is also known as the Himalayan blue bear, Himalayan snow bear, Tibetan brown bear, or the horse bear. In Tibetan it is known as Dom gyamuk...
" in the film Million Dollar Baby
Million Dollar Baby
Million Dollar Baby is a 2004 American sports drama film directed, co-produced, and scored by Clint Eastwood and starring Eastwood, Hilary Swank, and Morgan Freeman...
.
On May 31, 2008 Nong Toom had a fight against Pernilla Johansson at Rumble of the Kings in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden and won by decision.
In 2010, Nong Toom will open a boxing camp "Parinya Muay Thai" in Pranburi
Pranburi
Pranburi may refer to*the town and district of Pran Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, Thailand* Pranburi River, which flows through the district*Pranburi Forest Park, at the estuary of the Pranburi river...
, Thailand which she will co-own and run with American actor/writer Steven Khan. She currently teaches muay thai and aerobics to children at the Baan Poo Yai School.
Movie and Other Media Appearances
Her story is related in the 2003 film Beautiful BoxerBeautiful Boxer
Beautiful Boxer is a Thai biographical sports film by Singapore-based director Ekachai Uekrongtham. It tells the life story of Nong Thoom, a famous kathoey , Muay Thai fighter, actress and model...
in which she was portrayed by male kickboxer Asanee Suwan. The film won several national and international awards, yet opened to limited success in Thailand. She came to United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
theatres in 2005. The film's director, Ekachai Uekorngtham, also wrote the solo performance Boxing Cabaret for Nong Toom which she performed in the summer of 2005 at the Singapore Arts Festival
Singapore Arts Festival
The Singapore Arts Festival is an annual arts festival held in Singapore. Organised by the National Arts Council, it is one of the most significant events in the regional arts scene. The festival, usually held in mid-year for a stretch of one month, incorporates theatre arts, dance, music and...
and later in Bangkok.
Nong Toom's life as a ladyboy is also part of the book Ladyboys: The Secret World of Thailand's Third Gender by Maverick House Publishers
Maverick House Publishers
Maverick House Publishers is an independent publisher of non-fiction books. It was founded in the Republic of Ireland. The headquarter is based in Dunboyne, Co. Meath, Ireland. A second branch is situated in Bangkok, Thailand...
.
Her story was also included in Julina Khusaini's National Geographic documentary
Documentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
Hidden Genders (2003).
She had a prominent role in the 2006 superhero film
Superhero film
A superhero film, superhero movie, or superhero motion picture is: action, fantasy and science fiction film; that is focused on the actions of one or more superheroes, individuals who usually possess superhuman abilities relative to a normal person and are dedicated to protecting the public...
-action film
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
Mercury Man
Mercury Man (film)
Mercury Man is a 2006 Thai superhero martial arts action film. It is directed by Bhandit Thongdee with martial arts choreography by Panna Rittikrai of Ong-Bak, Tom-Yum-Goong and Born to Fight....
, playing the title character's transgendered sibling and demonstrating her kickboxing prowess on the villains. In 2006, she appeared as a guest star on SBS
Special Broadcasting Service
The Special Broadcasting Service is a hybrid-funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television network. The stated purpose of SBS is "to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect...
television series "World Record Pizza" and Rallarsving
Rallarsving
Rallarsving was a Swedish television series. It was broadcast on ZTV for 20 episodes between 2005 and 2006.The show followed Musse Hasselvall and Andreas Halldén around the world while trying different martial arts. These included Shooto, Kendo, Savate, Capoeira, Filipino martial arts, Thaiboxing...
(Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
).