Mongkhon
มงคล
Sacred rope headband worn by a muay thai fighter during wai kru and ram muay. The trainer takes it off the fighter before the fight.
Quick Facts
Definition
Mongkhon (มงคล) means “blessing, luck”. It is a ring of tightly coiled cloth or rope with a long tail behind. It belongs to the camp, and the trainer puts it on the fighter before entering the ring and takes it off after ram muay. The fighter never puts it on or takes it off alone. The mongkhon is seen as a sacred object. It is not put on the ground and is kept in a place of honor in the camp.
Relations to other terms
See also
Cloth band tied on the arm of a muay thai fighter for luck and protection. Unlike the mongkhon, it stays on the arm during the fight.
Ram muayรำมวยRitual dance before a muay thai fight that follows wai kru. The movements differ by camp and teacher.
Wai kruไหว้ครูPre-fight ritual in muay thai in which a fighter pays respect to teachers, parents and ancestors. It is followed by the ram muay dance.