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All the saucy dumplings you can handle. Plus a few dragons.
The Rajdamnoen Stadium opened its doors in 1945, and has been training and producing prizewinning fighters since. Along with the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium to the north of the city, it’s one of the most important Muay Thai locations in the country. Get a close-up view at a (more expensive) ringside seat, or rub shoulders with excited Thais in the stalls. Gambling is allowed further back, and is done with hand gestures. Matches are played four nights a week. Most travelers attend a match independently, but packages can also be booked that provide convenient transfers to and from the match.
Rajdamnoen Stadium is in central Bangkok, in the Banglamphu area, which is a popular hang-out for travelers. This part of the city is not on the Skytrain or Metro routes, so it’s most convenient to get a taxi from wherever you’re staying.
Rajdamnoen Stadium typically hosts matches on the days that the other Muay Thai arena, Lumpinee, doesn’t host matches. So whenever you happen to be in Bangkok, you can watch a match at one or the other location. It’s advisable to check before you visit for up-to-date match schedules.
The Rajdamnoen Stadium is not far from Khao San Road, the heart of Bangkok’s backpacker scene. All kinds of food, drink, and goods are for sale here, as well as affordable accommodation. Grab an early dinner at a street food stall on Khao San Road before a match at Rajdamnoen Stadium, or head there afterwards for a late dinner and a night of partying.