I know, I know, this is a terrible picture. But, it’s not every day that I get to watch everybody muay thai fighting! Lumpinee Stadium is the newer of the two major muay thai stadiums in Bangkok. First opened in 1956, it’s run by Thailand’s Royal Army, unlike the privately owned Rajadamnern Boxing Stadium. The two stadiums open on alternating days, so you don’t have to worry about not able to catch a fight if you are short on time.
When we got to the stadium, we saw that tickets were only 200 baht, which was around 6 dollars. But when we got to the counter, we were told that as tourists, our ticket would be 2,000 bahts, TEN times that of locals! After a lengthy but unfruitful bargaining session, we finally gave in, and paid the outrageous price for the VIP “ringside” seats. After all, it’s an experience that you can’t buy anywhere else, right?
We followed the usher to our seats, which were just a bunch of plastic folding chairs on the floor. Because the seats weren’t staggered, anyone not in the first row has trouble actually seeing over the people in front of them. The stadium was quite small and bare, and terribly lit (hence the blurry photo). We soon realized the cheaper seats are probably better because of the higher vantage point, and what the ticket person said about having A/C was a lie. I probably would have been happier in the standing room only balcony section, where the people seemed a lot more excited and into this whole thing. It wasn’t until later that I learnt that you can place bets up there, which would explain the heightened excitement.
Unlike American boxing, there aren’t dramatic entries with lights and music, but the fighters do perform this ritual called Wai Kru Ram Muay, to thank their teachers and clear bad spirits from the air. A band played traditional music all throughout the fight, which honestly was quite odd and incongruent with the whole atmosphere. The fighters were tiny, and some of them looked like little boys, and it was quite brutal to watch them beat each other up. Apparently you only have to be 15 years old and 100 lbs to enter the fights. There are no hot girls walking around during intermission. In fact, girls are not allowed in the ring at all. >:(
In 2014, the Lumpinee Stadium that I had visited has now been replaced by a newer and bigger stadium. While I personally didn’t find the experience too exciting, it’s great to see traditional culture still flourishing. So I guess, I will begrudgingly consider my overpriced ticket as my small contribution to the longevity of muay thai 😛
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