Interview with Master Amnuay Kesabamrung, a monument of Muay Thai (400 fights), the founder of one of the oldest boxing stadiums in Thailand, the Rangsit Stadium Boxing

Temps de lecture : 5 minutes

Interview with Master Amnuay Kesabamrung, a monument of Muay Thai (400 fights), the founder of one of the oldest boxing stadiums in Thailand, the Rangsit Stadium Boxing
by Serge TRÉFEU (2025)
(Thanks to Atthapong Pang)

Hello Ajahn Amnuay, thank you very much for this interview. How many years have you been a boxing promoter?

It’s been about 63 years…

How old are you now?

I’m 91

Where in Thailand were you born?

I was born in Suphan Buri. My father was Chinese and my mother was Thai. They were traders

How did you discover boxing?

Around the age of 8, I started boxing to learn how to defend myself. At that time, there were many thieves and murderers in all the neighborhoods. I fought a lot, often bare-knuckle, competing in hundreds of matches. From the age of 8 to 11, I must have had more than 100 fights in Muay Thai style.
Then, I joined a boxing camp called the “Lukmatuli Gym”, run by the military, located in the suburbs of Bangkok. I fought under the name “Auechai Lukmatuli”. The Lukmatuli camp has produced many great champions

Before you became a boxing organizer, were you a professional boxer?

Yes, I had a long career as a boxer and I stopped in 1957. Then I started working in a big factory in the Rangsit area, it was very hard. At the factory, I started giving boxing lessons to the employees, then, with a friend, we decided to organize boxing matches on the Rangsit field. The matches were popular with the public, but we really didn’t make much money, the entrance fee was between 15 and 70 baht

Were these Muay Thai matches that you organized?

We organized both disciplines: Muay Thai and Boxing, as amateurs

Have you practiced for a long time as a professional boxer?

For nearly fifteen years, in Muay Thai and Boxing, I fought a lot

Have you won any titles?

I was the Thai boxing champion in the 118 lbs category

**Master Amnuay has an exceptional boxing career with nearly 400 fights to his credit**

In what year did you organize your first boxing promotion?

My very first promotion was in 1962, I was 27 years old. It was a small boxing promotion. In 1964, the Rangsit stadium expanded, and I was able to organize larger promotions. In 1965, I became the director of the Rangsit stadium

Who were the champions at that time?

The most famous was Peuanlek Phaithong

You then created a Muay Thai school?

I have been teaching Muay Thai for a long time, I started teaching at the age of 28.

In 1997, I opened the “Rangsit Muay Thai School”, which has been recognized since that date by the Ministry of Education.

Previously, we had created, with General Wimon Wongwanich (commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army at the time), General Chettha Thanajaro and General Worayut Meesammon, the international Muay Thai federation, the World Muay Thai Council (WMC). This professional organization is one of the oldest and largest Muay Thai federations in the world

In your time and later, in the 70s, 80s and 90s, could foreigners compete with Thai boxers like today?

Westerners only had fist techniques as weapons. None could compete with Thai fighters, because we used all the weapons of our body: feet, knees, elbows and fists. Then, this changed when we revealed our martial art to many foreigners.

In the school that I founded, for example, hundreds of students from about fifty countries have trained since the 80s until today. These students then taught in their own countries, which contributed to making Muay Thai so popular throughout the world

What do you think about Muay Thai matches that are now 3 rounds instead of the traditional 5 rounds?

Muay Thai is fought over 5 rounds. These 3 round matches were created to satisfy the general public who love fighting, but it is not beautiful Muay Thai.

It is a trend that is popular at the moment.

Muay Thai has more than 500 years of history, it will still be around long after this trend…

Who do you think is the best Muay Thai fighter in history?

Supachai Sarakham is, in my opinion, the best fighter in history. He beat all the best champions of his time and he was a hell of a puncher. He also had a career in professional Boxing

**Supachai Sarakham, nicknamed “Aynou Dam Peun” (The Black Gunner) (Thailand Welterweight Champion in 1954, Thai Featherweight Champion in 1954 and 1956)**

Other fighters have marked the history of Muay Thai?

I would say that the champions of the 60s and 70s were really very strong, like Apidej Sithirun, Adul Srisothorn, Vichan Sor Pinijsak, and also Vicharnoi Porntawee. These fighters have truly marked the history of our sport!

Can the great champions Samart, Dieselnoi, Saenchai, Buakaw also be in your historical ranking of the best Muay Thai fighters?

Samart and Dieselnoi were really exceptional fighters. Saenchai is a great technician, and Buakaw is the most famous boxer of the moment for foreigners. They all represent Muay Thai very well!

At Rangsit stadium, are there several boxing events during the week?

Yes, we work with several different promoters. For example, on Fridays, Petchyindee Promotion shows are held, organized by the promoter Mr. Wirat Wachiraratwong (Sia Nao)

Is there a Rangsit stadium belt?

The belt is from our official sponsor “TrueForYou” (True4U, TV channel 24). The championship is held every month

**The True4U show at Rangsit stadium is world famous, with world stars often invited to the parties, such as action movie star Steven Seagal**

Have you ever worked with foreign boxing promoters?

I have worked with American, English, French, Chinese promoters. I even met the biggest Boxing promoter of the time, the American Don King. We met in 1998 at a birthday party

Do you know any foreign champions?

I know Chong Skarbowsky (N°1 stadium Radja in 2003 and 2006), who was a very good fighter. He also came to my school and stadium to watch fights

In your Muay Thai school, can foreigners come to train and stay overnight?

Yes, we offer a complete welcome with accommodation, meals and training. Several great competent coaches can take care of the students. We have already welcomed hundreds of students of all nationalities who often came for several months to train here. Some have even become teachers in their country

Thank you very much for this interview, Ajahn Amnuay!

Rangsit Stadium was established in 1962 by Mr. Prasit U-rairat, then Governor of Pathumthani. His aim was to promote Muay Thai in Pathumthani Province. However, at that time, Muay Thai was not well accepted by the people, which led to the stadium being closed for a while. Later, the stadium was reopened in order to find a new owner through an auction.

Meanwhile, Mr. Amuay Kesbumrung, a professional Muay Thai and Western boxer between 1950 and 1964, had a great passion to own a stadium since his childhood. He made his dream come true by winning the auction with an initial budget of about 20,000 baht in 1962. The stadium, located near Klong Rangsit and the local Rangsit market, was built of zinc sheets and wood at the time.

In 1966, the stadium was moved to a bag factory with a budget of about 160,000 baht. It remained in operation for three years, from 1966 to 1969, before being transferred to a new location.

In 1969, the stadium was installed near the Rangsit water plant.

Then, in 1970, it was moved to the center of Rangsit Market, near the flower market, with a 10-year rental contract. During this decade, the stadium hosted many professional Muay Thai fights, helping to reveal several great fighters and popularize the sport. In 1980, Mr. Amnuay Kesbumrung decided to buy a 7-rais (approximately 11,200 m²) piece of land to build his own stadium, a five-story concrete building with all the necessary facilities for Muay Thai. The new “Rangsit Stadium” was officially opened in December 1985. For 30 years, it hosted and promoted professional Muay Thai fights. More than 80,000 fights had taken place there until 2010.

Name: Mr. Amnuay Kesbumrung

Fighter Name: Auechai Lukmatuli

Place of Birth: Suphanburi Province, 1935

Education: Higher Professional Diploma in Mechanical Engineering, Pathumwan Institute of Technology

Muay Thai Experience

Since 1951, more than 400 fights in Western boxing and Muay Thai.

1956: Fight for the Thai Army Base and won 1st place in the Army Transport Tournament Cup.

1958: 2nd place in amateur boxing at the Asian tournament.

1960: Established several Muay Thai camps under the names “Sit-Siam”, “Singh Suphan”, “Look Rangsit” and “Sor-Sukanya”.

1961: Became a Muay Thai promoter at Rangsit Stadium.

1962: Became a chairman of Rangsit Stadium after winning the auction with a bid of 20,000 baht.

From 1962 to today, promoting Muay Thai fairly and professionally.

1995: Became a member of the first group of the Cabinet and the Committee of the World Muay Thai Council.

Since 1997: Established the Muay Thai Institute, the first Muay Thai school recognized by the Ministry of Education and the World Muay Thai Council (WMC).

Since 1999: Founder and President of the Old Generation Muay Thai Association.

Since 2002: Founder and President of the Old Muay Thai Foundation.

RANGSIT INTERNATIONAL BOXING STADIUM

Big boxing shows are held in this stadium that has been around since the 70s.

It is located in Pathum Thani, a city bordering Bangkok, north of Bangkok.

The stadium is just after the old Don Mueang airport.