Bangkok has long been hailed as a city of concerts with a steady stream of global acts to prove it. This year alone, the Big Mango has hosted megastars such as Mariah Carey and Blackpink, along with festivals like Summer Sonic. But while demand is sky-high, there’s one problem: the city doesn’t have enough large-capacity venues to keep up. However, that’s about to change as Muang Thong Than welcomes a brand new stadium on a scale comparable to Rajamangala National Stadium.
The project is led by Bangkok Land, the real estate developer behind the complex. The company has leased the plot containing Thunder Dome and Thunder Dome Stadium to the Sports Authority of Thailand since the 1998 Asian Games, under a 30-year agreement. With that lease expiring in three years, the land will return to Bangkok Land and they have big plans.
Under a five-year development blueprint, the upcoming stadium will feature 45,000 seats, making it the largest in the area. Conveniently, the Lake Muang Thong Thani monorail station will sit right in front of the initiative, ensuring smooth travel for concertgoers and sports fans alike.
Currently, Thailand’s largest venue is the open-air Rajamangala Stadium, with a capacity of around 50,000. Built in 1998, it has hosted both major sporting events and blockbuster concerts. But after 27 years, it could use a worthy rival, giving fans more choices and promoters more flexibility.
The stadium isn’t the only upgrade in the works for Muang Thong Thani. The events complex recently signed a joint venture with Live Nation, securing a 20-year lease of Impact Arena worth B4.6 billion. This will mark the biggest revamp of the arena since its opening.
Planned upgrades include state-of-the-art lighting, new VIP suites and faster event set-up systems to help organisers host more shows in less time. Beyond the arena, Impact has long-term plans for a lakeside retail hub, with interest from Hong Kong investors, as well as its own branded water park.
With this new stadium, the Big Mango is poised to become an even bigger magnet for world-class performers and major sporting events. Who knows? One day, we might just see Taylor Swift lighting up the stage in Muang Thong Thani.