Murray faces battering in Bangkok

BANGKOK, Sep 10 (Reuters) British teenager Andy Murray will be forced to deal with volleys of kicks and punches when he plays in the Thailand Open this month.

The skinny Scotsman has agreed to take part in exhibition ''Muay Thai'' kickboxing fights with two of the sport's biggest names after his first-round match, tournament organisers said today.

The 19-year-old is set to fight veteran Khaosai Galaxy, known as ''the Thai Tyson'', and local favourite Somluck Kamsing, who won Thailand's first Olympic gold medal when he switched to amateur boxing in 1996.

Somluck, now a singer and television soap star, promised not to give Murray too hard a time in the ring.

''He has to learn to fight first, so I'll go easy on him,'' Somluck told Reuters.

''But tennis player or boxer, I won't be letting him win.'' Muay Thai is hugely popular in Thailand, with kneeing, elbowing and kicks to the face all part of one of boxing's most brutal disciplines.

The Thailand Open takes place in Bangkok from Sept. 25 to October 1.

REUTERS PM BS1157