Thailand’s oldest stadium has gotten a massive facelift, and not just in terms of aesthetics. Rules and regulations have undergone significant changes with the introduction of the new promotion, Rajadamnern World Series (RWS). Muay Thai is making a push toward a more unified scoring system, and RWS is at the helm of this transition period, helping the sport disseminate globally.
These changes aim to elevate Thailand’s national treasure to a sport that adheres to international standards while making it more accessible and enjoyable to a wider audience.
The highly complex nuances, often dictated by gamblers and internal politics, made the sport hard to follow. With odds changing multiple times each round, it was practically impossible for the average spectator to keep up. Even seasoned Thai fighters watching on TV or online often had to turn to independent radio-like broadcasts of the current odds to understand what was happening in the fight.
Not being able to understand the outcome made the sport less enjoyable for spectators, who, unlike the gamblers, had nothing invested in the fight.
RWS has brought with it more than just a new scoring system; it’s ushering in a “new age of Muay Thai” that includes world-class facilities with sound and lighting systems that rival those of top sporting stadiums.
At the forefront of these changes is Thainchai Pisitwutthinan, a young, Stanford-educated Bangkokian who grew up in the boxing industry. He’s the CEO of Global Sports Ventures (GSV), the people behind RWS. With lessons learned from a legacy in the industry serving as a foundation for Thainchai’s vision of elevating Muay Thai to a global level, it’s no surprise that RWS has been able to make the impact it has in just a few short years.
Now, billboards on Bangkok’s tollways feature RWS advertisements—a first for Muay Thai.
The new ruleset and enhanced production value have brought a breath of fresh air into the decades-old establishment. And now, with a more diverse crowd of spectators, the sport is finally receiving the accolades it deserves.
Even Joe Rogan commented that Muay Thai tops the list for untapped potential in combat sports.
Key Differences in the RWS Scoring System
RWS is the promotion that introduced the first-ever three-round fights at Rajadamnern Stadium and made history by featuring women fighters after a 77-year ban. At RWS, all bouts are contested over three rounds, with the exception of title fights, which are scheduled for five rounds.
A unique aspect of RWS scoring is that each round must declare a winner. Other promotions, such as Petchyindee, still allow for rounds to be scored a draw. To do this, the judges focus on the following criteria to declare a winner. They first evaluate output, accuracy, and power. These three factors are weighted evenly. So fighters who stay busy, land more, and hit harder will come out ahead on the scorecards.
If a winner cannot be declared based on those factors, they will look at who is defending better. After that, they will consider who is moving forward more—who is the aggressor. The quality and volume of strikes are more important than aggression; defense is also a contributing factor in determining a winner.
Knees, punches, elbows, and kicks are all scored equally, but the damage the strikes cause is ultimately key.
Traditionally, punches didn’t score high on the scorecards. Now, that’s not so much the case, but a powerful kick that lands clean and causes damage will score higher than a flurry of punches that land but cause less damage.
Scores are now displayed after each round. Fighters will know who’s ahead and who’s behind going into each round. The downside is that fighters may choose to play it safe once they’ve secured victory on the judges’ scorecards.
However, for title fights, RWS offers several performance-based bonuses to incentivize the fighters. A 200,000 baht bonus is awarded for a KO victory, and a 100,000 baht bonus is given for displaying what is deemed “a fighter’s spirit.” This can be awarded to the winner, the loser, or both. RWS launched itself—together with the newly branded Rajadamnern Stadium—back in 2022 and has been successful ever since. With RWS helping fighters brand themselves and garner popularity for the sport on a global level, it’s exciting to think about the future of Muay Thai and how these changes will affect the sport in years to come.