WANCHAI RUJAWONGSANTI
BEIJING : Amnat Ruenroeng's life has changed so fast over the past few years and he is still a happy man despite his failure to win an Olympic medal. The Chon Buri native lost 5-2 to Mongolia's Serdamba Purevdorj in the light-flyweight quarter-finals and failed to secure a podium finish.
''I am happy because this was beyond my expectations,'' the former convict said after the fight.
''I think all prisons throughout Thailand are sad.''
He should be happy as two years ago he was still in prison. Representing Thailand in an international sporting event was never his dream when he was a child. In fact, he was not even recognised as a Thai until he was 15.
Born in Chon Buri to Thai parents, his mother left him at hospital and he was adopted by a couple in the province's Sri Racha district.
Because he looked more like an African, officials refused to register him as a Thai. As a result, he could not go to school.
He never saw his mother until he was 15. His mother then took him to a district office to guarantee that he was her son so he got his ID.
Uneducated, Amnat had to take up Muay Thai to make a living at a small camp near his home. He soon proved his potential and was bought by Sor Ploenchit, one of the country's biggest boxing camps.
He was a talented boxer but was then so stubborn he didn't listen to anyone and left the camp to do labour jobs to earn money.
However, he later returned to Muay Thai and joined Por Burapa camp. Fighting under the name Bangsaen Por Burapa, he became the flyweight champion of Lumpini stadium.
But a glittering career soon reached an end. He became a drug addict and was expelled from the boxing camp.
In 2005, he was penniless and did not know what to do. He then committed a crime so that he would be arrested and imprisoned.
''I did not what to do. I did not have a house. I did not want to return to see my adopted parents. They looked after me for a long time and I did not want to bother them again,'' Amnat said in a recent interview.
''I robbed a woman on a flyover and surrendered to police at a nearby kiosk. I was imprisoned but at least I had food to eat.''
It was in the prison that he learned Queensbury rules boxing which gave him a new life.
He represented the Corrections Department and won gold at the National Championships in 2007.
He was spotted by Gen Taweep Jantararoj, president of the Amateur Boxing Association of Thailand (Abat), who called him up to the national squad for the 2007 King's Cup soon after his release.
In his first international event, Amnat stunned China's Zou Shiming, one of the best flyweights in the world, in the semi-finals, and a star was born.
He secured an Olympic berth after advancing to the semi-finals of the 2007 World Championships in Chicago.
''My life began from zero. It was already good enough to receive a call-up to the national team but now I will be fighting in the Olympics,'' he said after the Chicago tournament.
It was a pity that he was just one win away from clinching an Olympic medal.
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BEIJING : Amnat Ruenroeng's life has changed so fast over the past few years and he is still a happy man despite his failure to win an Olympic medal. The Chon Buri native lost 5-2 to Mongolia's Serdamba Purevdorj in the light-flyweight quarter-finals and failed to secure a podium finish.
''I am happy because this was beyond my expectations,'' the former convict said after the fight.
''I think all prisons throughout Thailand are sad.''
He should be happy as two years ago he was still in prison. Representing Thailand in an international sporting event was never his dream when he was a child. In fact, he was not even recognised as a Thai until he was 15.
Born in Chon Buri to Thai parents, his mother left him at hospital and he was adopted by a couple in the province's Sri Racha district.
Because he looked more like an African, officials refused to register him as a Thai. As a result, he could not go to school.
He never saw his mother until he was 15. His mother then took him to a district office to guarantee that he was her son so he got his ID.
Uneducated, Amnat had to take up Muay Thai to make a living at a small camp near his home. He soon proved his potential and was bought by Sor Ploenchit, one of the country's biggest boxing camps.
He was a talented boxer but was then so stubborn he didn't listen to anyone and left the camp to do labour jobs to earn money.
However, he later returned to Muay Thai and joined Por Burapa camp. Fighting under the name Bangsaen Por Burapa, he became the flyweight champion of Lumpini stadium.
But a glittering career soon reached an end. He became a drug addict and was expelled from the boxing camp.
In 2005, he was penniless and did not know what to do. He then committed a crime so that he would be arrested and imprisoned.
''I did not what to do. I did not have a house. I did not want to return to see my adopted parents. They looked after me for a long time and I did not want to bother them again,'' Amnat said in a recent interview.
''I robbed a woman on a flyover and surrendered to police at a nearby kiosk. I was imprisoned but at least I had food to eat.''
It was in the prison that he learned Queensbury rules boxing which gave him a new life.
He represented the Corrections Department and won gold at the National Championships in 2007.
He was spotted by Gen Taweep Jantararoj, president of the Amateur Boxing Association of Thailand (Abat), who called him up to the national squad for the 2007 King's Cup soon after his release.
In his first international event, Amnat stunned China's Zou Shiming, one of the best flyweights in the world, in the semi-finals, and a star was born.
He secured an Olympic berth after advancing to the semi-finals of the 2007 World Championships in Chicago.
''My life began from zero. It was already good enough to receive a call-up to the national team but now I will be fighting in the Olympics,'' he said after the Chicago tournament.
It was a pity that he was just one win away from clinching an Olympic medal.
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