With a history spanning over 500 years, it’s Muay Thai’s cultural heritage that sets it apart as a sport. Steeped in tradition and lore, Thailand’s art of eight limbs has captivated people from all over the world, inspiring them to fall in love with its quirks and traditions. While everyone knows the wai kru, the custom shorts, and the music makers of Muay Thai, here are a few lesser-known traditions associated with Thailand’s national sport.
Superstitions
Thais are known to be superstitious, and Muay Thai has its own branch of superstitions. Many of these superstitions trace back to a time when witchcraft was a widely held belief in the countryside. Common ones include no eggs for at least 24 hours before competition and no taking pillows or wearing glasses to fight. It was believed that if you got cut and had eaten eggs on fight day, your cut would bleed uncontrollably.
Fights in the countryside go on for hours – many events even go until sunrise, so it makes sense to bring a pillow. However, it is believed that bringing a pillow or wearing glasses to the venue would put you at risk of getting KO-ed or cut. Although these superstitions are less common in modern times, they were widely observed as recently as a decade ago.
Offerings to Spirit Houses
Fighters often pray to the spirit houses at home or the gym (sometimes both) before embarking on their long journeys to the ring. Typically, the higher the stakes, the larger the offerings. Fighters make promises like, “If I win this fight, I will bring an assortment of fruit and beverages.” Or if there’s a title on the line, a pig’s head will be offered. There are also spirit houses at all the big stadiums: Rajadamnern, Lumpinee, Rangsit, etc. Fighters will also pray to the spirit houses at the stadiums before they fight, asking for luck and guidance, usually offering flower garlands or incense.
Cardinal Directions
Most people might not know this, but cardinal directions matter in Muay Thai. After sealing the ring, fighters will align themselves with the cardinal direction of their home and kneel down to bow three times before beginning their wai kru. Back in the day, fighters in the countryside would also lay their mats to align with the cardinal direction of their home. Over time, this has become a lesser-held tradition, especially given the large crowds at fights. In fact, fighters in today’s era usually begin their wai kru by simply kneeling in front of their corners.
Incantations
In Muay Thai, incantations are passed down to both fighters and trainers. Before wrapping hands or applying Vaseline, it is typical for either the fighter or trainer to say an incantation before starting. You’ll also almost always notice that fighters touch the ground with their gloves and then tap their heads before entering the ring. In the countryside, trainers will additionally put a pinch of dirt on the fighters’ heads before passing through the ropes. This is done to ask for protection from the guardian spirits and mother nature.
Fighters will often say an incantation before beginning their wai kru. These incantations have been passed down from a relative close to the fighter or a monk who acts as a mentor. Each incantation is different and is not public knowledge; fighters guard their incantations, keeping them private even from family.
Mongkhons Aren’t Pretty
Mongkhons aren’t meant to be pretty; the colors don’t matter, nor does the design. Mongkhons get used – a lot – in Thailand. The wear and tear is obvious, as is the discoloration from Vaseline and the kilometers traveled. Mongkhons can be handmade or bought, but regardless, they will always have their own distinctive features. Pieces of sacred cloth often get bound to the mongkhons; sometimes, even amulets are added. Over time, they get bigger and bulkier. Fighters will either wear the gym’s mongkhon or will have their own personal one. Most mongkhons have been either blessed by monks or enchanted with spells.
Fighters Have Many Names
While this isn’t true for all fighters, it is common to use multiple names over the course of a career. Before fighters find their footing in the art of eight limbs, it is exceptionally normal to try on a few fight names to see which one fits. Some fighters will have a name they use in the countryside and then use a different name when fighting in Bangkok. With careers spanning hundreds of fights, it can only be expected to go through some rough patches, and when this does happen, it is also equally as common to get a new name. A spell of bad luck often leads to a name change, and when fighters change gyms, they may adopt a new name as well.
It’s important to remember that, like all traditions, many of these practices are being lost in modern Muay Thai.