How did Thai boxing get its ring, its rules and its gloves?

Between about 1920 and 1935 Thai boxing took the shape a modern spectator would recognise. Two accounts tell this part differently, and both are given.

A ring, a rule book and gloves

By the usual account, the first permanent ring was built at Suan Kulap College in 1921. ¹ Two years later, in 1923, Suan Sanuk Stadium had a ring with three ropes and corners coloured red and blue. ¹ In the reign of King Rama VII, from 1925 to 1935, the rules were written down, referees were brought in and rounds were timed. Then, after a death in the ring, gloves replaced the traditional rope bindings in bouts between Thais. ^1,2

The red and blue corners have lasted: under IFMA's rules today fighters wear gloves and a singlet in their corner's colour. ²¹ Today's amateur judges use the ten point must system, in which the better fighter in each round gets 10 points. ²¹

Two great stadiums

Rajadamnern held its first bout on 23 December 1945. ⁷ Lumpinee opened on 8 December 1956; it is run by the Royal Thai Army, and in 2014 it moved to a new site on Ram Inthra Road. ⁷ Between them they hold the most prestigious professional titles in the sport. ⁷

Both have changed with the sport. Rajadamnern began its own international series, the Rajadamnern World Series, in 2022, and Lumpinee has hosted ONE Championship events since January 2023. ^7,103 Professional bouts are fought in gloves only, with no head guard or pads, and top class bouts usually last five rounds of three minutes. ^20,31,44

Women in the great rings

Women were long barred from fighting in either ring. Lumpinee held its first card of women's bouts on 13 November 2021, and Rajadamnern its first women's bout on 5 August 2022. ^7,102 The same year, Muaythai at the World Games in Birmingham, Alabama, had 12 events, equal for women and men. ⁸

What a stadium title is not

A stadium title is a professional honour, set by the stadium. It is not the same as a world title from a sanctioning body, or a medal from IFMA's amateur championships, and the competition page explains who awards what. ^6,7,31 The stadiums also set their own age rules, which are not the UK's; they are covered with care on that page too. ^7,31

Everything about the stadium changed in those years except one thing. Before the first bell, each fighter still bows, kneels and dances.