Plong phom naak is the Thai-Rajasap term that means ‘to shave the head of the naga’. Whereas plong phom literally means ‘to shave off the hair’, naga is the term  for a ‘candidate novice/monk’, a name that originates from the ancient legend of the naga, a serpent king who sought ordination from the Buddha but was refused because he was not human. The hair of the naga is traditionally collected in a lotus leaf (fig.).