In what appears to be an attempt to draw a crowd back to Bangkok’s oldest Muay Thai venue, Rajadamnern Ruamjai Puan Faen Muay is putting on a massive, non-televised event next month.
The 10-fight Muay Thai card goes down at Rajadamnern Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand on 9 August 2023. It’s capped off with the 126-pound main event between Chaila Por. Lakboon and View Petchkoson.
However, the only way to catch the action is by going to the stadium. The event will be neither streamed online nor broadcast on Thai television.
The format makes sense considering the drastic changes Muay Thai has experienced post-COVID-19.
Just a few years ago, Muay Thai was already on a fast decline and stadiums were struggling to fill their seats. Once the pandemic hit, the sport was nearly crippled and stadiums and promoters were forced to adapt.
Out of that desperation came the rise of entertainment Muay Thai — three-round fights with a focus on action and knockouts. It was a format made famous by the once super-popular MAX Muay Thai in Pattaya, Thailand.
The shift from traditional Muay Thai to entertainment Muay Thai meant that stadiums no longer had to fill their arenas and could instead focus on producing exciting shows for television networks. Packed stadiums were just a bonus.
With the shift from traditional to entertainment Muay Thai, gamblers began to take a back seat in the sport. In fact, Lumpinee Stadium banned all gamblers and gambling outright, while Rajadamnern prohibited gambling at its RWS shows.
Nowadays Rajadamnern Stadium is lucky if it fills even a quarter of its arena with gamblers — when their permitted to enter, of course. However, this Ruamjai Puan Faen Muay event should change all that, even for one night.
With a card as stacked as this, fans will want to see these fights. And the only way to do that will be by attending Rajadamnern Stadium in person.
Tickets for the event should be available on Rajadamnern.com soon. Prices are 400 and 1,000 Thai Baht. The event begins at 6:30 PM.
Full card
1. Duan99 SorJor.TongPrachin versus Kampanthong Chor.Hapayak (106-pound Muay Thai)
2. Praewpraw PetchPrawFah versus Petchbanrai Singmawynn (114-pound Muay Thai)
3. Mungkornlek PernNakhon versus Khunsueknoi Boomdeksian (117-pound Muay Thai)
4. Susuek TC.MuayThai versus Petchsaensaeb SorJor.TongPrachin (123-pound Muay Thai)
5. Pangtor Por.Lakboon versus Khunsueklek Boomdeksian (117-pound Muay Thai)
6. PetchMuangSi Tded99 versus Jom Parunchai (136-pound Muay Thai)
7. Somraknoi Muayded789 versus Decho Por.Borirak (127-pound Muay Thai)
8. Diesellek BuildJC versus PetchSamarn Sor.SamarnGarment (123-pound Muay Thai)
9. Rangkhao Wor.Sangprapai versus Khunhanlek Kiatcharoenchai (142-pound Muay Thai)
10. (Main event) Chaila Por.Lakboon versus View Petchkoson (126-pound Muay Thai)
