By . Ted Thornhill . PUBLISHED: . 07:04 EST, 25 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:25 EST, 25 February 2014 . Prisoners are normally punished for fighting – but one jail in Thailand does just the opposite. Klong Prem Central Prison offers inmates the chance to have their sentences reduced or even be released, by beating outsiders in fights. There's also prize money up for grabs. The concept is a twist on Jean-Claude Van Damme movie In Hell, where prisoners fight each other to entertain the warden. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Knuckling down to it: Prisoners in one Thai jail are given the chance to 'battle for freedom' The Thai prison's bouts take place at a tournament called ‘Prison Fight’, which features a ring with this title emblazoned across it. The bizarre sense of razzamatazz is heightened by the fighters’ clothes – they wear special ‘Prison Fight’ shorts - and the cheerleaders who sometimes parade around. The fights are watched by prison officials and huge numbers of inmates. Brutal: An outside fighter (left) takes on an inmate as the referee looks on . Reward: Beating inmates in the bouts gives civilians huge bragging rights . Many of the prisoners train every day for the battles . A boxer warms up before stepping into the ring . The fights are presided over by prison officials . The incentive for the prisoners is obvious, while John Nut from Coconuts TV, who made a film about the fights, explained that winning bouts against prisoners gives foreigners ‘epic bragging rights’. Many of the outside fighters are very experienced, but they’re often up against inmates who train every single day and it’s the latter who win most often, according to Odditycentral.com. 'Prison fights are done to help the prisoners. It lets the prisoners fight so they can earn money,' said Mr. Pek, Prison Fights coordinator. ‘They also fight to reduce the time of their sentences. To reduce their sentence and to bring honour and fame to Thailand, if they can defeat foreign fighters and fight a lot. Some of the fighters are in for drugs, robbery or murder. There are boxers doing life or 50 years. There are boxers who can never get out.’ Safety measures: The boxers who have been jailed for very serious crimes, such as murder, are not granted freedom - even if they win lots of fights . The Prison Fight concept is similar to that of Jean-Claude Van Damme movie In Hell, where prisoners fight to entertain the warden . If prisoners win fights it's said that it brings honour to their country .
Klong Prem Central Prison organises 'Prison Fight' tournaments .
Inmates can battle for their freedom or a reduction in their sentence .
By . Ted Thornhill . PUBLISHED: . 07:04 EST, 25 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:25 EST, 25 February 2014 . Prisoners are normally punished for fighting – but one jail in Thailand does just the opposite. Klong Prem Central Prison offers inmates the chance to have their sentences reduced or even be released, by beating outsiders in fights. There's also prize money up for grabs. The concept is a twist on Jean-Claude Van Damme movie In Hell, where prisoners fight each other to entertain the warden. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Knuckling down to it: Prisoners in one Thai jail are given the chance to 'battle for freedom' The Thai prison's bouts take place at a tournament called ‘Prison Fight’, which features a ring with this title emblazoned across it. The bizarre sense of razzamatazz is heightened by the fighters’ clothes – they wear special ‘Prison Fight’ shorts - and the cheerleaders who sometimes parade around. The fights are watched by prison officials and huge numbers of inmates. Brutal: An outside fighter (left) takes on an inmate as the referee looks on . Reward: Beating inmates in the bouts gives civilians huge bragging rights . Many of the prisoners train every day for the battles . A boxer warms up before stepping into the ring . The fights are presided over by prison officials . The incentive for the prisoners is obvious, while John Nut from Coconuts TV, who made a film about the fights, explained that winning bouts against prisoners gives foreigners ‘epic bragging rights’. Many of the outside fighters are very experienced, but they’re often up against inmates who train every single day and it’s the latter who win most often, according to Odditycentral.com. 'Prison fights are done to help the prisoners. It lets the prisoners fight so they can earn money,' said Mr. Pek, Prison Fights coordinator. ‘They also fight to reduce the time of their sentences. To reduce their sentence and to bring honour and fame to Thailand, if they can defeat foreign fighters and fight a lot. Some of the fighters are in for drugs, robbery or murder. There are boxers doing life or 50 years. There are boxers who can never get out.’ Safety measures: The boxers who have been jailed for very serious crimes, such as murder, are not granted freedom - even if they win lots of fights . The Prison Fight concept is similar to that of Jean-Claude Van Damme movie In Hell, where prisoners fight to entertain the warden . If prisoners win fights it's said that it brings honour to their country .
the opposite. Klong Prem Central Prison offers are given the chance to 'battle for freedom' The called ‘Prison Fight’, which features a ring with reduce their sentence and to bring honour and