Rajadamnern Stadium

Rajadamnern Boxing Stadium
(Sanam Muay Rajadamnern)

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Location	1, Ratchadamnoen Avenue, Khet Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok, Thailand
Coordinates	13°45′40″N 100°30′32″E / 13.76111°N 100.50889°E / 13.76111; 100.50889
Owner	The Rajadamnern Co. Ltd
Operator	Chuwattana Muay Thai & Boxing camp
Capacity	8,000
Construction
Broke ground	1 March 1941
Built	1941-1945
Opened	23 December 1945
Expanded	1951
Construction cost	258,900 baht
Main contractors	Imprese Italiane All' Estero-Oriente
Tenants
Choocharoen Boxing Promotion
Website
rajadamnern.com

Rajadamnern Stadium (Thai: สนามมวยราชดำเนิน; RTGS: sanam muai ratchadamnoen), also spelled Ratchadamnoen, is a sporting arena in Bangkok, Thailand. Along with Lumpinee Boxing Stadium, Rajadamnern is one of the two main stadiums for modern muay Thai. It hosts fights every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday. The stadium has its own ranking system and championship titles up to middleweight (160 lbs).^[1]

History[]

Rajadamnern stadium in 2009

In 1941, the Prime Minister of Thailand, Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram gave orders to build a national boxing stadium on Rajadamnern Avenue. Impresse Italiane All' Estero-Oriente won the construction rights, and the 258,900 baht project foundation stone was laid on 1 March 1941.^[2]

Due to the lack of construction supplies during the World War II, the project was halted until August 1945. When construction resumed, it took only four months to complete it. The first boxing match was held on 23 December 1945. Tickets were priced at between 70 and 300 baht. Pramote Puengsoonthorn became the first stadium manager and remained in the post until his retirement in 1947.

The original stadium was open-air, resembling a Roman amphitheatre in design. Six years later, in 1951 a concrete roof was added, making it weather-proof.^[3] After seven years of government ownership, the stadium was losing money, and on 24 May 1953, Chalerm Cheosakul, the stadium manager at the time, asked permission from the Crown Property Bureau to run the stadium and founded the "Rajadamnern Co, Ltd." Rajadamnern Co., Ltd. operates it to this day, and it has become one of the chief muay Thai boxing stadiums in Thailand.^[2]

Chuwattana Muay Thai & Boxing camp is the official promoter for Rajadamnern Stadium, licensed by the Thailand Boxing Commission.^{[citation needed]}

Gambling[]

Gambling is legal and takes place at the second level.^{[citation needed]} The betting is done by hand-signals, as on a stock exchange trading floor. Often such signs are misunderstood by one side and fights may erupt outside the ring between gamblers.^{[citation needed]} The security service at Rajadamnern Stadium is managed by armed military police.^{[citation needed]} Foreigners usually occupy the expensive ringside seats, while gamblers and aficionados prefer the second or third ring of seats upstairs.^{[citation needed]}

List of former champions[]

• Sak Kaoponlek
• Kozo Takeda
• Toshio Fujiwara
• Kaoklai Kaennorsing
• Apidej Sit Hrun
• Saiyok Pumpanmuang
• Malaipet
• Jean-Charles Skarbowsky
• Youssef Boughanem

Current champions[]

As of February 2020

See also[]

• Lumpinee Stadium
• World Boxing Council Muaythai
• World Muaythai Council

References[]

External links[]

• Rajadamnern Stadium Rankings