หนังสือภาษาอังกฤษสำหรับวัฒนธรรมไทย

47

They included 12,000 full-time fighters at the peak of movement, but never posed a
serious threat to the state.

By 1955 Phibun was losing his leading position in the army to younger
rivals led by Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat and General Thanom Kittikachorn, the Sarit's
army staged a bloodless coup on 17 September 1957, ending Phibun's career for
good. The coup beginning a long tradition of US-backed military regimes in Thailand.
Thanom became prime minister until 1958, then yielded his place to Sarit, the real
head of the regime. Sarit held power until his death in 1963, when Thanom again
took the lead.

Thailand during the Indochina wars and communist insurgency
The regimes of Sarit and Thanom were strongly supported by the US.

Thailand had formally become a US ally in 1954 with the formation of
the SEATO While the war in Indochina was being fought between the Vietnamese
and the French, Thailand (disliking both equally) stayed aloof, but once it became a
war between the US and the Vietnamese communists, Thailand committed itself
strongly to the US side, concluding a secret agreement with the US in 1961, sending
troops to Vietnam and Laos, and allowing the US to use airbases in the east of the
country to conduct its bombing war against North Vietnam. The Vietnamese
retaliated by supporting the Communist Party of Thailand's insurgency in the north,
northeast, and sometimes in the south, where guerrillas co-operated with local
discontented Muslims. In the postwar period, Thailand had close relations with the
US, which it saw as a protector from communist revolutions in neighboring countries.
The Seventh and Thirteenth US Air Forces were headquartered at Udon Royal Thai
Air Force Base.

A 14-year-old Vietnamese contaminated with Agent Orange

48

Agent Orange, a herbicide and defoliant chemical used by the U.S. military
as part of its herbicidal warfare program, Operation Ranch Hand, was tested by the
United States in Thailand during the war in Southeast Asia. Buried drums were
uncovered and confirmed to be Agent Orange in 1999. Workers who uncovered the
drums fell ill while upgrading the airport near Hua Hin District, 100 km south of
Bangkok.

US Vietnam-era veterans, whose service involved duty on or near the
perimeters of military bases in Thailand anytime between 28 February 1961, and 7
May 1975, may have been exposed to herbicides and may qualify for VA benefits.

A declassified US Department of Defense report written in 1973 suggests
that there was a significant use of herbicides on the fenced-in perimeters of military
bases in Thailand to remove foliage that provided cover for enemy forces.

Between 1962 and 1965, 350 Thai nationals underwent an eight-month
training course in North Vietnam. In the first half of 1965, the rebels smuggled
approximately 3,000 US-made weapons and 90,000 rounds of ammunition from Laos.

Between 1961 and 1965, insurgents carried out 17 political assassinations.
They avoided full scale guerrilla warfare until the summer of 1965, when militants
began engaging Thai security forces. A total of 13 clashes were recorded during that
period. The second half of 1965 was marked by a further 25 violent incidents, and
starting in November 1965, Communist Party of Thailand insurgents began
undertaking more elaborate operations.

The insurgency spread to other parts of Thailand in 1966, although 90
percent of insurgency-related incidents occurred in the northeast of the country. On
14 January 1966, a spokesman representing the Thai Patriotic Front called for the
start of a "people's war" in Thailand. The statement marked an escalation of violence
in the conflict.[54] The insurgency had come to an end only by 1983.

Walking Street, Pattaya

49

Khaosan Road, Bangkok

The Vietnam War hastened the modernisation and Westernisation of Thai
society. The American presence and the exposure to Western culture that came with
it had an effect on almost every aspect of Thai life. Before the late 1960s, full access
to Western culture was limited to highly educated elite in society, but the Vietnam
War brought the outside world face to face with large segments of the Thai society
as never before. With US dollars pumping up the economy, the service,
transportation, and construction industries grew phenomenally as did drug
abuse and prostitution, which using Thailand as a "Rest and Recreation" facility by US
forces. The traditional rural family unit was broken down as more and more rural
Thais moved to the city to find new jobs. This led to a clash of cultures as Thais
were exposed to Western ideas about fashion, music, values, and moral standards.

The population began to grow explosively as the standard of living rose,
and a flood of people began to move from the villages to the cities, and above all
to Bangkok. Thailand had 30 million people in 1965, while by the end of the 20th
century the population had doubled. Bangkok's population had grown tenfold since
1945 and had tripled since 1970.

Educational opportunities and exposure to mass media increased during
the Vietnam War years. Bright university students learned more about ideas related
to Thailand's economic and political systems, resulting in a revival of student
activism. The Vietnam War period also saw the growth of the Thai middle class which
gradually developed its own identity and consciousness.

Economic development did not bring prosperity to all. During the 1960s
many of the rural poor felt increasingly dissatisfied with their condition in society and
disillusioned by their treatment by the central government in Bangkok. Efforts by the
Thai government to develop poor rural regions often did not have the desired effect
in that they contributed to the farmers' awareness of how bad off they really were. It

50

was not always the poorest of the poor who joined the anti-government insurgency.
Increased government presence in the rural villages did little to improve the
situation. Villagers became subject to increased military and police harassment and
bureaucratic corruption. Villagers often felt betrayed when government promises of
development were frequently not fulfilled. By the early 1970s rural discontent had
manifested itself into a peasant's activist movement.

The 1973 democracy movement

The Democracy Monument in Bangkok, built in 1940 to commemorate the end of
the absolute monarchy in 1932, was the scene of massive demonstrations in 1973,

1976, 1992 and 2010.

With the dissatisfaction of pro-US policies of Military administration that
allowed the US forces for using the country as a military bases, the high rate of
prostitution problems, the freedom of press and speech were limited and influx of
the corruption that lead to inequality of social classes. Student demonstrations had
started in 1968 and grew in size and numbers in the early 1970s despite the
continued ban on political meetings. In June 1973, nine Ramkhamhaeng
University students were expelled for publishing an article in a student newspaper
that was critical of the government. Shortly after, thousands of students held a
protest at the Democracy Monument demanding the re-enrolment of the nine
students. The government ordered the universities to shut, but shortly afterwards
allowed the students to be re-enrolled.

In October another 13 students were arrested on charges of conspiracy to
overthrow the government. This time the student protesters were joined by workers,
businessmen, and other ordinary citizens. The demonstrations swelled to several
hundred thousand and the issue broadened from the release of the arrested

51

students to demands for a new constitution and the replacement of the current
government.

On 13 October, the government released the detainees. Leaders of the
demonstrations, among them Seksan Prasertkul, called off the march in accordance
with the wishes of the king who was publicly against the democracy movement. In a
speech to graduating students, he criticized the pro-democracy movement by telling
students to concentrate on their studies and leave politics to their elders [military
government].

As the crowds were breaking up the next day, on 14 October, many
students found themselves unable to leave because the police blocked the
southern route to Rajavithi Road. Cornered and overwhelmed by the hostile crowd,
the police responded with teargas and gunfire.

The military was called in, and tanks rolled down Ratchadamnoen
Avenue and helicopters fired down at Thammasat University. A number of students
commandeered buses and fire engines in an attempt to halt the progress of the
tanks by ramming into them. With chaos on the streets, King Bhumibol opened the
gates of Chitralada Palace to the students who were being gunned down by the
army. Despite orders from Thanom that the military action be intensified, army
commander Kris Sivara had the army withdrawn from the streets.

The king condemned the government's inability to handle the
demonstrations and ordered Thanom, Praphas, and Narong to leave the country, and
notably condemned the students' supposed role as well. At 18:10 Field Marshal
Thanom Kittikachorn resigned from his post as prime minister. An hour later, the king
appeared on national television, asking for calm, and announcing that Field Marshal
Thanom Kittikachorn had been replaced with Dr. Sanya Dharmasakti, a respected law
professor, as prime minister.

1973 Uprising brought about the most free era in Thai recent history,
called "Age when democracy blossom" and "Democratic experiment," which ended
in Thammasat University massacre and a coup on 6 October 1976.

Democratization and setbacks
Post-1973 has been marked by a struggle to define the political contours

of the state. It was won by the king and General Prem Tinsulanonda, who favoured a
monarchial constitutional order.

The post-1973 years have seen a difficult and sometimes bloody transition
from military to civilian rule, with several reversals along the way. The revolution of

52

1973 inaugurated a brief, unstable period of democracy, with military rule being
reimposed after the 6 October 1976 Massacre. For most of the 1980s, Thailand was
ruled by Prem Tinsulanonda, a democratically inclined strongman who restored
parliamentary politics. Thereafter the country remained a democracy apart from a
brief period of military rule from 1991 to 1992.

53

Exercise 2

1. Explain the importance of the monarchy in Thailand.
2. Which war did King Rama VI send Thai soldiers to fight in Europe?
3. Please, explain the story of Ban Chiang Culture in brief.

54

Reference

Kowit Wongsurawat. Thai politics and government: many dimensions. Kasetsart
University. 2nd printing, Bangkok, 2005.

Nicolas Charvass. The natural and political history of the Kingdom of Siam (In the
land of King Narai the Great), translated by San T. Komolbutr. Phra Nakhon:

Kawna Printing, 1963.

The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya, Phantanumat (Jerm) version with Phra Chakraphat

Phong (Jad). Phra Nakhon: Klang Wittaya, 1964.

Pastor Tachard, Translated Sant T. Komolbutr. Archive of Pastor Tachard's journey to

Siam. Bangkok: Fine Arts Department, 1974.
Suchit Wongthet. Where did the Thai alphabet come from? Bangkok: Matichon, 2005.

Sir John Bowing, translating Nanthana Tantiwess. Relations between Siam and foreign
countries during the Ayutthaya period. Bangkok: Fine Arts Department,

1984.
Bangon Piyaphan. Laos in Rattanakosin. Bangkok: Thammasat University, 1998.
Sujit Wongthet. Where did Bangkok come from? Bangkok:Matichon, 2005.

Chapter 3
Thai Language

According to Chinese source, during Ming Dynasty, Yingya Shenglan (1405–
1433), Ma Huan reported on the language of the Hsien Lo somewhat resembles the
local patois as pronounced in Kuang tung province: 107  Thai has undergone various
historical sound changes. Some of the most significant changes occurred during the
evolution from Old Thai to modern Thai. The Thai writing system has an eight-
century history and many of these changes, especially in consonants and tones, are
evidenced in the modern orthography.

Old Thai
Old Thai had a three-way tone distinction on "live syllables" (those not

ending in a stop), with no possible distinction on "dead syllables" (those ending in a
stop, i.e. either /p/, /t/, /k/ or the glottal stop which automatically closes syllables
otherwise ending in a short vowel).

There was a two-way voiced vs. voiceless distinction among all fricative
and sonorant consonants, and up to a four-way distinction among stops and
affricates. The maximal four-way occurred in labials (/p pʰ b ʔb/) and dentals (/t tʰ d
ʔd/); the three-way distinction among velars (/k kʰ ɡ/) and palatals (/tɕ tɕʰ dʑ/), with
the glottalized member of each set apparently missing.

The major change between old and modern Thai was due to voicing
distinction losses and the concomitant tone split. This may have happened between
about 1300 and 1600 CE, possibly occurring at different times in different parts of the
Thai-speaking area. All voiced–voiceless pairs of consonants lost the voicing
distinction:

Plain voiced stops (/b d ɡ dʑ/) became voiceless aspirated stops (/pʰ tʰ kʰ
tɕʰ/).

Voiced fricatives became voiceless.
Voiceless sonorants became voiced.
However, in the process of these mergers, the former distinction of voice
was transferred into a new set of tonal distinctions. In essence, every tone in Old

60

Thai split into two new tones, with a lower-pitched tone corresponding to a syllable
that formerly began with a voiced consonant, and a higher-pitched tone
corresponding to a syllable that formerly began with a voiceless consonant (including
glottalized stops). An additional complication is that formerly voiceless unaspirated
stops/affricates (original /p t k tɕ ʔb ʔd/) also caused original tone 1 to lower, but
had no such effect on original tones 2 or 3.

The above consonant mergers and tone splits account for the complex
relationship between spelling and sound in modern Thai. Modern "low"-class
consonants were voiced in Old Thai, and the terminology "low" reflects the lower
tone variants that resulted. Modern "mid"-class consonants were voiceless
unaspirated stops or affricates in Old Thai—precisely the class that triggered lowering
in original tone 1 but not tones 2 or 3. Modern "high"-class consonants were the
remaining voiceless consonants in Old Thai (voiceless fricatives, voiceless sonorants,
voiceless aspirated stops). The three most common tone "marks" (the lack of any
tone mark, as well as the two marks termed mai ek and mai tho) represent the three
tones of Old Thai, and the complex relationship between tone mark and actual tone
is due to the various tonal changes since then. Since the tone split, the tones have
changed in actual representation to the point that the former relationship between
lower and higher tonal variants has been completely obscured. Furthermore, the six
tones that resulted after the three tones of Old Thai were split have since merged
into five in standard Thai, with the lower variant of former tone 2 merging with the
higher variant of former tone 3, becoming the modern "falling" tone.

Early Old Thai
Further information: Proto-Tai
Early Old Thai also apparently had velar fricatives /x ɣ/ as distinct

phonemes. These were represented by the now-obsolete letters ฃ kho khuat and ฅ

kho khon, respectively. During the Old Thai period, these sounds merged into the
corresponding stops /kʰ ɡ/, and as a result the use of these letters became unstable.

At some point in the history of Thai, a palatal nasal phoneme /ɲ/ also
existed, inherited from Proto-Tai. A letter ญ yo ying also exists, which is used to
represent a palatal nasal in words borrowed from Sanskrit and Pali, and is currently
pronounced /j/ at the beginning of a syllable but /n/ at the end of a syllable. Most
native Thai words that are reconstructed as beginning with /ɲ/ are also pronounced

/j/ in modern Thai, but generally spelled with ย yo yak, which consistently

61

represents /j/. This suggests that /ɲ/ > /j/ in native words occurred in the pre-literary
period. It is unclear whether Sanskrit and Pali words beginning with /ɲ/ were
borrowed directly with a /j/, or whether a /ɲ/ was re-introduced, followed by a
second change /ɲ/ > /j/.

Proto-Tai also had a glottalized palatal sound, reconstructed as /ʔj/ in Li
Fang-Kuei (1977[full citation needed]). Corresponding Thai words are generally
spelled หย, which implies an Old Thai pronunciation of /hj/ (or /j/̊ ), but a few such

words are spelled อย, which implies a pronunciation of /ʔj/ and suggests that the

glottalization may have persisted through to the early literary period.

Vowel developments
The vowel system of modern Thai contains nine pure vowels and three

centering diphthongs, each of which can occur short or long. According to Li
(1977[full citation needed]), however, many Thai dialects have only one such short–
long pair (/a aː/), and in general it is difficult or impossible to find minimal short–long
pairs in Thai that involve vowels other than /a/ and where both members have
frequent correspondences throughout the Tai languages. More specifically, he notes
the following facts about Thai:

In open syllables, only long vowels occur. (This assumes that all apparent
cases of short open syllables are better described as ending in a glottal stop. This
makes sense from the lack of tonal distinctions in such syllables, and the glottal stop
is also reconstructible across the Tai languages.)

In closed syllables, the long high vowels /iː ɯː uː/ are rare, and cases that
do exist typically have diphthongs in other Tai languages.

In closed syllables, both short and long mid /e eː o oː/ and low /ɛ ɛː ɔ ɔː/
do occur. However, generally, only words with short /e o/ and long /ɛː ɔː/ are
reconstructible back to Proto-Tai.

Both of the mid back unrounded vowels /ɤ ɤː/ are rare, and words with
such sounds generally cannot be reconstructed back to Proto-Tai.

Furthermore, the vowel that corresponds to short Thai /a/ has a different
and often higher quality in many of the Tai languages compared with the vowel
corresponding to Thai /aː/.

62

This leads Li to posit the following:
Proto-Tai had a system of nine pure vowels with no length distinction, and

possessing approximately the same qualities as in modern Thai: high /i ɯ u/, mid /e
ɤ o/, low /ɛ a ɔ/.

All Proto-Tai vowels were lengthened in open syllables, and low vowels
were also lengthened in closed syllables.

Modern Thai largely preserved the original lengths and qualities, but
lowered /ɤ/ to /a/, which became short /a/ in closed syllables and created a
phonemic length distinction /a aː/. Eventually, length in all other vowels became
phonemic as well and a new /ɤ/ (both short and long) was introduced, through a
combination of borrowing and sound change. Li believes that the development of
long /iː ɯː uː/ from diphthongs, and the lowering of /ɤ/ to /a/ to create a length
distinction /a aː/, had occurred by the time of Proto-Southwestern-Tai, but the other
missing modern Thai vowels had not yet developed.

Note that not all researchers agree with Li. Pittayaporn (2009[full citation
needed]), for example, reconstructs a similar system for Proto-Southwestern-Tai, but
believes that there was also a mid-back unrounded vowel /ə/ (which he describes as
/ɤ/), occurring only before final velar /k ŋ/. He also seems to believe that the Proto-
Southwestern-Tai vowel length distinctions can be reconstructed back to similar
distinctions in Proto-Tai.

Thai Alphabet
The Thai alphabet was probably derived from, or at least influenced by,

the Old Khmer alphabet. According to tradition it was created in 1283 by King

Ramkhamhaeng. The Thai alphabet is used to write Thai, Sanskrit, Pali, and a number

of minority languages spoken in Thailand.

Notable features
- Type of writing system: Abugida / Syllabic Alphabet consisting of 44 basic

consonants, each with an inherent vowel: [o] in medial position and [a] in final
position. The [a] is usually found in words of Sanskrit, Pali or Khmer origin while the
[o] is found native Thai words. The 18 other vowels and 6 diphthongs are indicated
using diacritics which appear in front of, above, below of after the consonants they
modify.

- Writing direction: left to right in horizontal lines.
- 8 of the letters are used only for writing words of Pali and Sanskrit origin.

63

- For some consonants there are multiple letters. Originally they
represented separate sounds, but over the years the distinction between those
sounds was lost and the letters were used instead to indicate tones.

- Thai is a tonal language with 5 tones. The tone of a syllable is
determined by a combination of the class of consonant, the type of syllable (open
or closed), the tone marker and the length of the vowel.

- There are no spaces between words; instead spaces in a Thai text
indicate the end of a clause or sentence.

Thai alphabet and pronunciation
The Royal Thai General System of Transcription (RTGS), the official

standard for the romanisation of Thai, is used here. Many other romanisation systems
are used elsewhere.

Thai Consonant
There are 44 Thai consonants, but there are only 20 initial sounds. That

means that many of the consonants have exactly the same sound (when they are at
the beginning of a syllable).

Thai Example Pronunciation English English translation
consonant sound
chicken
ก ก ไก่ gɔɔ-gài g egg

ข ข ไข่ kɔ̌ ɔ-kài k bottle (no longer in
use)
ฃ ฃ ขวด kɔ̌ ɔ-kùuat k
buffalo
ค ค ควาย kɔɔ-kwaai k
person (no longer in
ฅ ฅ คน kɔɔ-kon k use)

64

Thai Example Pronunciation English English translation
consonant sound
bell
ฆ ฆ ระฆงั kɔɔ-rá-kang k snake
plate
ง ง งู ngɔɔ-nguu ng cymbals
elephant
จ จ จาน jɔɔ-jaan j chain
tree
ฉ ฉ ฉิ่ง chɔ̌ ɔ-chìng ch woman
headdress
ช ช ชา้ ง chɔɔ-cháang ch goad
pedestal
ซ ซ โซ่ sɔɔ-soô s Montho
elder
ฌ ฌ เฌอ chɔɔ-chəə ch novice monk
child
ญ ญ หญิง yɔɔ-yiň g y turtle

ฎ ฎ ชฎา dɔɔ-chá-daa d

ฏ ฏ ปฏกั dtɔɔ-bpà-dtàk dt

ฐ ฐ ฐาน tɔ̌ ɔ-tǎan t

ฑ ฑ มณโฑ tɔɔ-mon-too t

ฒ ฒ ผูเ้ ฒา่ tɔɔ-puû -tâo t

ณ ณ เณร nɔɔ-neen n

ด ด เด็ก dɔɔ-dèk d

ต ต เตา่ dtɔɔ-dtào dt

65

Thai Example Pronunciation English English translation
consonant sound
sack
ถ ถ ถงุ tɔ̌ ɔ-tǔng t soldier
flag
ท ท ทหาร tɔɔ-tá-haǎ n t mouse
leaf
ธ ธ ธง tɔɔ-tong t fish
bee
น น หนู nɔɔ-nuǔ n lid
tray
บ บ ใบไม้ bɔɔ-bai-mái b teeth
junk boat
ป ป ปลา bpɔɔ-bplaa bp horse
giant
ผ ผ ผ้ึง pɔ̌ ɔ-pʉ̂ ng p boat
monkey
ฝ ฝ ฝา fɔ̌ ɔ-fǎa f ring

พ พ พาน pɔɔ-paan p

ฟ ฟ ฟัน fɔɔ-fan f

ภ ภ สาเภา pɔɔ-sam̌ -pao p

ม ม ม้า mɔɔ-máa m

ย ย ยักษ์ yɔɔ-yák y

ร ร เรอื rɔɔ-rʉʉa r

ล ล ลิง lɔɔ-ling l

ว ว แหวน wɔɔ-wɛ̌ ɛn w

66

Thai Example Pronunciation English English translation
consonant sound
pavilion
ศ ศ ศาลา sɔ̌ ɔ-saǎ -laa s hermit
tiger
ษ ษ ฤๅษี sɔ̌ ɔ-rʉʉ-sǐi s chest
kite
ส ส เสือ sɔ̌ ɔ-sʉ̌ ʉa s basin
owl
ห ห หีบ hɔ̌ ɔ-hìip h

ฬ ฬ จฬุ า lɔɔ-jù-laa l

อ อ อา่ ง ɔɔ-àang o

ฮ ฮ นกฮกู hɔɔ-nók-hûuk h

Thai Vowels & Their Pronunciation
While we say that there are 28 vowels, it is better categorized as a

combination of long and short vowel sounds. There are actually 32 in total but 4 are
no longer in everyday use.

Once again, there is no real transliteration system in place, meaning that

different books and websites may write out a Thai word using the Latin alphabet
using different characters.

As we talked about previously, Thai words are written in a unique way. The

vowels don’t necessarily follow the consonant to its right, and instead can be placed
above, below, to the left, and to the right of it. They can also be in a combination of

these placements. It may therefore help to learn the consonants first so that you
can recognize these characters, then you can identify the vowels. The consonants
act as a base for these vowels, after all.

Finally, the word for the vowel in Thai is ‘sara’ (สระ). When writing out the

vowels, it is typical to write this before each individual vowel. For example, ‘sara a’

(สระอะ) is written, which would be the same as writing ‘vowel a’ in English.

67

Short Vowels Vowel Name Pronunciation
Vowel sara a a
sara i ih
อะ sara ue ue
อิ sara u u
อึ sara e eh
อุ sara ae ae
เอะ sara o o
แอะ sara o aw
โอะ sara oe oe
เอาะ sara ia ia
เออะ sara uea uea
เอยี ะ sara ua ua
เอือะ sara am am
อัวะ sara ai ai
อา sara ai ai
ไอ sara ao ow
ใอ
เอา

68

Long Vowels Vowel Name Pronunciation
Vowel sara a aah
อา sara i ee
อี sara ue uue
อื sara u oo
อู sara e ay
เอ sara ae aeeh
แอ sara o ooh
โอ sara o aww
ออ sara oe uuh
เออ sara ia iaa
เอีย sara uea uea
เออื sara ua uah
อัว

There are 7 vowels that can change their form. This happens when they
are followed by a consonant, and is done to help prevent confusion that can

happen with certain combinations while making things clearer and faster overall.
Note that these only change the way they are written, and do not impact the

pronunciation or tone. We can look at these another time.
Otherwise, as you can tell by the two tables, the Thai language

distinguishes between the lengths of vowels. That means that the vowel length can

69

change the meaning of a word. You will have to learn to be strict about the length
you pronounce as you learn or you might be misunderstood.

Words in Thai
Words that would be considered essential in an English sentence are

frequently dropped in Thai. Both the subject and/or the object of a sentence are
likely to be dropped if they can be worked out from the context, and possessive
pronouns ("my", "your" etc) are usually only included in a Thai sentence if their
omission would cause confusion. This has the effect of making many Thai sentences
somewhat ambiguous in their meaning, and so it's commonly necessary to rely on
the context to understand the intended meaning.

Nouns
Nouns in Thai have the same plural form as singular, but have the

difficulty that any time a noun is quantified it must be used with its classifier.
Although "classifier" may be an unfamiliar term for English speakers, it's not a
completely alien concept as there is an equivalent in the way English uses "measure
words" for nouns that can't be directly counted ("mass nouns"). These are nouns like
"paint" or "water", and to quantify them an extra measure word is needed - "two tins
of paint" not "two paints" and "several buckets of water" for instance. The measure
word here works in exactly the same way as a Thai classifier, but the key difference is
that in Thai even directly countable nouns like "house" or "car" also need a classifier
when being quantified. The classifier for a house, for instance, is หลัง lăng and so the
direct translation for "many houses" in Thai is "houses - many - lăng".

Although remembering a classifier for every single noun would seem to
present a fairly significant difficulty for the learner of Thai, in reality learning 20-30
classifiers is sufficient to quantify the vast majority of nouns.

Verbs
Verbs are the cornerstone of the Thai language, and sentences with 3 or

more consecutive verbs are commonplace. This is achieved by often using
resultative and directional verbs where adverbs or prepositions would be used in
English, using stative verbs instead of adjectives and dropping nouns and pronouns
where the context makes them clear. Thai verbs don't change their form for tense;
instead tenses are indicated mostly by context or with the use of words like จะ jà

"will" and แล้ว láew "already".

70

For example:
I want to hurry back and sleep.

ฉัน อยาก รบี กลบั ไป นอน
chan̆ yàak reê p glàp bpai non
I - WANT - HURRY - RETURN - GO - SLEEP

It's not unusual for Thai sentences to consist almost entirely of just verbs,
like this one with five consecutive verbs.

Adjectives
Adjectives come after the noun in Thai, rather than before it as in English.

The biggest difference between Thai and English adjectives though is that Thai
adjectives are also verbs (for instance, the Thai adjective for "tall" is also the verb "to
be tall"), and so do not need an additional "to be" verb before them.

Personal Pronouns, Names and Nicknames

Although pronouns are often omitted in Thai (as above), the personal
pronoun system in Thai is actually very complex and varies depending on who you're
talking to, what your relationship to them is and your relative ages. Family

relationship terms are often used as pronouns in Thai, so it's not uncommon to
address even complete strangers as if they were a relative. In addition, Thai women

frequently use their own nickname instead of a first-person pronoun, and so refer to
themselves in the third person.

Questions

The question mark isn't used in Thai; it's rough equivalent is the word ไหม

maĭ or one of the other question particles. When answering a question, Thais don't
typically use "yes" and "no" as in English, but instead repeat the main verb either by

itself (for an affirmative answer) or with ไม่ mâi ("no; not") before it .
For example:

Do you like to eat Thai food? Do you have any rooms free ?
คุณ ชอบ กนิ อาหาร ไทย ไหม kun chôp gin aa- คณุ มี ห้อง ว่าง ไหม kun mee hông
hăan tai maĭ wâang măi
YOU - LIKE - EAT - FOOD - THAI -ไหม YOU - HAVE - ROOM - FREE - ไหม
Yes, I do Yes, we do

ชอบ chop̂ มี mee

71

LIKE HAVE
No, I don't No, we don't

ไม่ ชอบ maî chop̂ ไม่ มี maî mee
NOT - LIKE NOT - HAVE

Particles
Particles are short words added on to end of a clause or sentence, which

usually can't be directly translated as such but function to change the feeling of a

sentence. A single particle can make a sentence sound softer, more polite, more
commanding, more sarcastic etc..., where as in English you'd usually have to re -

phrase the sentence to get the same effect. Perhaps the most important ones to

know are kráp (for men) and káะ (for women), which are the standard particles used

to make a sentence sound polite. There are many more though, and correct use of
particles is essential to speaking natural sounding Thai.

Sentences in Thai
The sentence structure of Thai is likely not the first thing you think about

when you want to learn the language. However, as you start to progress, you will
find that the way words are ordered in a sentence is an important consideration that
greatly impacts the grammar of the language. Without knowing it, you will likely end
up sounding very weird when you try to speak Thai, and many people will have

trouble understanding.

Basic Thai Sentence Structure
The most basic explanation of Thai sentence structure is SVO - Subject,

Verb, and Object. This is similar to English, which means that it is one less major
change to have to consider.

As you can see in this basic sentence, it follows the same general order as
in English. The subject of the sentence, the person or thing that the sentence is

72

about, is followed by the verb or action, and finally, the object that the subject is
acting upon.

Where Do Adjectives Go?
Adjectives are a commonly used element in any language. They help to

describe or modify words. Think of words like big, small and strong. Of course,
adjectives are often used in Thai sentences too, which begs the question - where do
adjectives go?

The answer is quite easy, actually. They are placed after the noun that
they are describing or modifying. Let's imagine that you are ordering something in
Thai - a nice ice tea.

Here, you see that the adjective 'yen' (เย็น) or iced in English, is placed
after the noun 'cha' (ชา) or tea in the Thai sentence. So, you would say something
like:

I would like to order iced tea
Chan kor sang cha yen
ฉันขอสงั่ ชาเยน็

That is really all there is to adding adjectives to Thai sentences. While it is
the opposite of how we do it in English, you will get the hang of it after a while.

How to make negative sentences
The way you make sentences negative is by using words like not or no.

The same is true in Thai, and they have one magical word that can turn almost any
sentence or statement negative - 'mai' (ไม)่ . Here is an example of how you would fit
it into a Thai sentence:

73

I don't eat pad thai
Chan mai gin pad thai

ช้นั ไม่กนิ ผดั ไท

As you may notice, the negative word 'mai' is placed before the verb.
Here is another example to help you remember:

I cannot speak English
Chan puut pasaa angrit mai dai

ฉนั พูดภาษาอังกฤษไมไ่ ด้

The verb here is 'dai' (ได้). Once again, you can see that to make it
negative, you place the word 'mai' before it.

Particles That Create Meaning
Unlike in English, particles are used in Thai as a way to convey emotion,

mood, and politeness.
We have talked before about the polite words/particles in Thai ‘khrap’

(ครับ) and ‘ka’ (คะ่ ). These are added to make a sentence more polite. However,
there are many more particles you should know too:

Pardon?
Arai khrap?
อะไรครบั

There are also particles that are used to make a sentence of question less

intense or sound softer. ‘Na’ (นะ) is an example of this:

What is it?
Arai na?
อะไรนะ

For what it is worth, you can combine two different particles to form
something like 'na ka' (นะคะ) that provides the meanings of both particles to your
statement.

74

On the opposite end, there is ‘wa’ (วะ), which is used to make a sentence
more intense/sound more impolite. This is most likely used if someone is angry.

What the hell do you want?
Arai wa?
อะไรวะ

The important thing to remember that particles always come at the end
of the sentence, even after question words and tense words, which will move onto
soon. There are many examples of particles, and these are just a few. These can be
very helpful to know, so you should try learning them.

Meaning in Thai
Every so often when listening to Thai people speak, you will hear certain

phrases that you are unsure of the meaning. The use of ‘na ka’ (นะคะ) and ‘na
khrap’ (นะครับ) in Thai is one example of this. These are the Thai particles.

As a pretty common phrase, you will likely hear it often. This will
especially be the case when speaking with shop workers or those speaking with
higher-ups. For today, we will have a look into the meaning of this Thai phrase and
some other similar words that anyone learning Thai should be prepared for.

The Meaning Of “Na”
So, what does this phrase mean? The meaning of ‘Na kha’ and the male equivalent
‘Na khrap’ is to soften a statement and make it sound less abrupt or rude.

By itself, ‘na’ is a particle/modifier that is placed at the end of a sentence
or phrase that will impact the way it is perceived by the listener. For example,

someone could say ‘Roh sak khroo na ka’ (รอสักครู่นะคะ), which means ‘Wait a

moment’. In Thai, this sounds more pleasant than if it didn’t include the ‘na’
particle. When combined with the ‘ka’ or ‘khrap’, it adds another element of
politeness.

In Thai, this sounds more pleasant than if it didn’t include the ‘na’
particle. When combined with the ‘ka’ or ‘khrap’, it adds another element of
politeness.

In some cases, it can also be a way of seeking approval for a statement or

opinion. You can say ‘Wan nii man ron na?’ (วันนี้ร้อนนะ) which means ‘It is hot

today, right?’.

75

Other than na, the Thai language also has other, similar-sounding particles
that they use for certain reasons. We will look at a couple more today to highlight
their different meanings.

What Are ‘Ka’ And ‘Khrap’ Used For?

As mentioned, the ‘ka’ (ค่ะ) and ‘khrap’ (ครับ) parts are also particles that

make the sentence more polite, as we have looked into before. In a way, all of the
particles mentioned can be seen as a way of expressing politeness. However, some
of the examples are a bit more contextual and can have slight differences that have
different implications.

These will likely be the particles you use most often in Thailand. When
speaking to most people, you can use these ones. In the worst case, using it in the
wrong situations will be seen as funny and not offensive.

What Does “Ja” Mean In Thai
While you may have heard someone say ‘na’ before, you may have also

heard someone say ‘ja’ (จ๊ะ). Just like before, it is a particle added to the end of a

sentence. It does not actually have any true translation. Instead, it again changes the
way the sentence is understood.

It is a more informal way to end a sentence than ‘ka’ or ‘khrap’. Most
often, it is used by women to others. If you hear an acquaintance use it when
speaking to you, it may be a sign that they feel closer to you and that they see you
as a friend.

When Should You Use Na, Ja, Or Ka?
As you can see, there are some guidelines that should be followed when

choosing which of these particles to use. Two of them, ja and ka, are generally used
by women, though there are cases when ja can be used by men. Na, on the other
hand, can be used by everyone.

Ja is more informal, so it should only be used when speaking to those you
are close to like friends, children, or those of lower social status. Be careful about
who you use this with, as it can cause offense/ be seen as rude.

Ka, as the female polite particle, should only be used by women. Khrap
should be used by men. These will be used when speaking to others that are of
higher social status, or people like shop workers, parents, and bosses.

76

For na, you can use it in any situation where you want to say something
that may sound harsh but don’t want to come across as demanding. Similarly, it can
be used when making statements that are looking for approval, showing that you are
looking for some sort of response.

So, that is the English translation of ‘na kha’ and a few other related
phrases. Since the concept of these sorts of words are a bit different from what you
will find in languages like English, getting used to them will take time. It will likely
then take longer before you are comfortable using them when you speak Thai. In the
end, knowing and understanding them will be of great help. They also reveal a lot
about traditional Thai society and roles, as some of these words are used to show
respect to others.

77

Exercise 3

1. How would you write "a very nice friend" in Thai?
2. What is the meaning of “square” in Thai?
3. How would you write “quickly” in Thai?
4. Write overall Thai consonants (Pá-yan-cha-ná Thai) with examples.
5. Write overall Thai vowels (Sà-ra Thai) with examples.

78

Reference

Diller, Anthony van Nostrand, et al. 2008. The Tai–Kadai Languages. -457-5.
Gandour, Jack, Tumtavitikul, Apiluck and Satthamnuwong, Nakarin. 1999. Effects of

Speaking Rate on the Thai Tones. Phonetica 56.
Li, Fang-Kuei. A handbook of comparative Tai. Honolulu: University Press of Hawaii,

1977. Print.
Smyth, David (2002). Thai: An Essential Grammar, first edition. London: Routledge.
Smyth, David (2014). Thai: An Essential Grammar, second edition. London: Routledge.

Chapter 4
Thai Culture

Introduction to Thailand Culture
Although humans have inhabited what is modern day Thailand for around

40,000 years, it wasn’t until the 13th century that the first Buddhist Thai Kingdom
was founded in Sukhothai. A new kingdom was established in the mid-14th century
on the banks of the Chao Phraya River (just to the north of where Bangkok now lies),
expanding to become the capital of Siam at Ayutthaya. Burmese forces raided
Ayutthaya in 1767 (with the decapitated Buddha heads still visible) and the capital
was moved to Thonburi, then Rattanokosin, where it developed into the city we
know as Bangkok today.

While most of the countries surrounding Thailand were colonized by
Europeans, Thailand’s rulers were able to exploit the rivalry between French
Indochina and the British Empire to their advantage. Nevertheless, they did succumb
to British pressure in 1909, ceding four southern ethnic-Malay provinces in the Anglo-
Siamese Treaty. A revolution in 1932 resulted in the first constitution being
established by King Prajadhipok, and seven years later the country’s name, Siam, was
officially changed to Thailand.

The Japanese drew Thailand into World War II by invading the country in
December 1941, before a military alliance was signed between the two countries.
Thailand agreed to assist the Japanese against the Allied forces, in return for help
regaining the territory lost to the British in 1909. The Thai-Burma Railway became the
most lasting legacy of the war in Southeast Asia, with 60,000 prisoners of war,
together with 200,000 Asian laborers, working in horrific conditions on what became
known as the “Death Railway”.

Although Thailand has undergone numerous coups d’état in the post-war
years, they have evolved as a stable democracy and one of the driving economic
forces in Southeast Asia, as well as one of its most popular tourist destinations.

Thai food
Thailand’s cuisine has been heavily influenced by the neighboring

countries of Burma, Laos and Cambodia, together with the cooking traditions of China
and Vietnam. Variations in landscape and ethnic diversity have resulted in regional
differences across the country, and the combination of sour, sweet, salty, bitter and

82

spicy flavors create an enticing mix that has become one of the world’s most
popular cuisines.

While pad Thai and green curry are staples on Thai restaurant menus
outside of the country, the truth is that Thai cuisine is hugely diverse. Sampling the
authentic soups, noodle and rice dishes at the lively food markets are one of the
true pleasures of traveling in Thailand, not to mention the variety of exotic tropical
fruits.

Thai cuisine varies depending on region, with differences primarily
reflecting the food preferences of the region’s neighbors. Many popular Thai dishes
were introduced by the Chinese during the 15th century and European influences on
Thai cuisine were gradually introduced from the 17th century onwards. Some of the
most popular dishes include:

Pad Thai – Pad Thai could well be considered a national Thai dish due to
its popularity both in Thailand and abroad It consists of noodles, with fish sauce,
tamarind and stir fried with other ingredients such as egg, shrimp, shallots, garlic,
ginger, chilli, soy sauce, bean sprouts and peanuts. It is often sold as street food.

Thai Green Curry – This is a fragrant and popular dish, which consists of
coconut cream, green chillies, lemon grass and a key ingredient such as chicken or
fish balls.

Tom Yum Soup –The basic building blocks of Tom Yum (or Tom Yam)
soup are lemon grass, lime juice, fish sauce, chilies and kaffir lime. Shrimp is then
typically used as the key ingredient.

Thai Costumes
Chut Thai translates as “Thai outfit” and it is the traditional clothing worn

in the Land of Smiles. There are many types of chut Thai, with more modern types
used as the nation’s official clothing. Learn more about Thailand’s gorgeous
traditional dress here.

Traditional Thai clothing through the ages
In Thailand’s past, men and women both wore a cotton or silk wrap-

around garment called a chong kraben. Tied around the waist and wrapped similar to
a loose loincloth, men wore theirs short to the middle of the thigh, while women
covered to around the shin. It was normal for both men and women to be topless in
times gone by.

83

During the Rattanakosin era (1782-1932), Thai clothing preferences changed
a lot. Some elements of Victorian fashion were incorporated into Thai dresses and
stitched garments became more popular than wrap-around items. Western fashion
became mainstream in Thailand, and females were encouraged to wear skirts rather
than wrapped pieces of cloth. In the early 1940s, public dress codes were introduced
with an aim of making clothing more modest.

The popular Thai period drama, “Love Destiny”, features many stunning
examples of traditional Thai dresses. The costumes, story lines, settings, and overall
sense of nostalgia have proved to be a huge hit with the Thai public.

Background of official chut Thai
The full name of Thailand’s national clothing is chut Thai phra ratcha

niyom, often abbreviated to simply chut Thai. The name means “Thai dress that has
been royally endorsed”. Although it is the nation’s official costume, chut Thai
doesn’t have that long of a history.

Many items that appear in the different types of chut Thai have been worn
by Thai people for many years. As an official costume, though, chut Thai for women
was only born in the middle of the 20th century. Queen Sirikit, wife of Thailand’s
late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, was responsible for the establishment of chut Thai.
She realised on official overseas visits that Thailand needed a modern national outfit
for use in formal settings. Having researched royal dresses throughout history, several
designs were created.

The national dress for men was developed by a team of royal tailors in the
late 1970s, designed for the King to wear at formal functions.

84

Official chut Thai for women
There are several types of chut Thai for women, each comprised of

different styles, garments, patterns, and accessories. Some outfits can be worn at any
formal occasion, while others are typically more associated with particular events.

Ruean Ton
Ruean Ton is the most casual national Thai outfit for women. It is generally

worn for non-official functions where a smart standard of dress is required. There is a
long, tube-style skirt, known as a sinh, and a long-sleeved collarless blouse. The skirt
may be patterned or plain, often with a band of embroidery at the bottom, and
there are several regional designs.

Chakkri
Chakkri has a long tube skirt (sinh) with two front pleats. The upper

garment, known as a sabai, is an elegant shawl-like item that wraps around the
upper body and trails to the ground at one side. It covers just one shoulder.
Although the length of fabric could traditionally be worn on its own, it is customary
today for people to wear another piece of cloth underneath the wrap.
The sabai was a popular piece of clothing in the past but was banned in Thailand for
everyday wear in the middle of the 1900s by the same prime minister that changed
the nation’s name from Siam to Thailand. The fabric for chut Thai chakkri is often
made using a traditional weaving technique called yok, which results in a thicker
finish. It’s also common for fine threads of gold or silver to be incorporated into to
the luscious clothes.

85

Siwalai
Siwalai is a type of formal evening attire that is often worn at royal

ceremonies. Interestingly, the name “siwalai” is a corruption of the English word
“civilised”! The one-piece gown is made from two separate items sewn together: a
tube skirt with two front pleats and a round-necked blouse with elbow-length
sleeves that buttons up the front or the back. Brocade adds a more elegant and
high-class appearance, and the outfit is finished with a sabai draped over the
shoulder.

Boromphiman
Boromphiman is very similar to siwalai except for the shawl-like sabai.

Otherwise, the dress, made from a lavish blouse and skirt sewn together, is the same.
It can be worn for formal and semi-formal functions.

Chitlada
Chitlada is used as formal ceremonial wear for daytime events. It

comprises a long sinh with brocade embroidery at the bottom and a long-sleeved
silk blouse with ornamental buttons at the front.

Amarin
Amarin makes an appearance at formal evening events. Fairly austere in its

appearance, amarin features a long sinh and a broad, almost square-like, long-
sleeved blouse with a round neck and buttons all the way up the front to the throat.
No belt is needed and the garments are not particularly fitted and do not show the
shape of the body much.

86

Chakkraphat
Similar to chakkri, chakkraphat is usually thought to be more formal and

modest than its counterpart, usually worn at royal ceremonies. As with other types
of chut Thai for females, it features a long tube-like lower garment. The upper part
of the body is wrapped in a luxurious shawl, with one shoulder left bare. The fabric
is often thick and rich with lots of detailed embroidery. The name translates as
“emperor”, so it’s easy to see why this is one of the most elegant and formal types
of chut Thai for women.

Dusit
Dusit is a fairly Westernised form of national Thai dress, often worn at

international events and less-formal evening functions. The silk dress has a round
neck and no sleeves and it reaches almost to the ankles. It is often worn with a belt
to add greater definition to the waistline.

Official chut Thai for men
Although there are various traditional outfits worn by men, there is only

one formal male national outfit. Known in Thai as suea phraratchathan (“royally-
bestowed shirt”), the shirt is fastened up the front with buttons, has a long collar,
and can have sleeves of any length. Long-sleeved shirts are generally worn with a
sash; this is the most formal type of suea phraratchathan. It is usually worn with
Western-style suit trousers and a suit jacket may be added to the outfit for a greater
degree of formality.

The shirt is similar to the older raj pattern shirt-cum-jacket, which is also
sometimes worn by men at cultural events. The raj pattern shirt is typically worn
with the wrapped chong kraben and long socks.

87

Formal chut Thai is used by royalty at official functions and many Thai
people choose to wear variations of traditional and national dress on their wedding
days. Cultural performances usually include chut Thai and people may wear formal
Thai outfits for other special occasions, such as for celebrating Thai New Year
(Songkran) and attending graduation ceremonies. Interestingly, beautiful clothes for
females are often left as offerings at shrines for female spirits too.

Festivals in Thailand
Thailand festivals are some of the most incredible in Southeast Asia. The

Land of Smiles is widely known as a paradise of soft-sand beaches, elephant-filled
jungles, glittering temples and frantic cities. However, it’s the country’s unique
annual celebrations that really steal the show.

What is the most popular festival in Thailand?

1. Songkran, Thai New Year Festival

Do you like the idea of a giant, three-day water fight? Then you’ll love the
most famous of Thailand festivals: Songkran. All over the country locals and tourists
alike take to the streets to attack each other with water guns, hoses, and buckets of
icy water. This is all to celebrate the start of the Thai New Year, which is thought of
as a time of cleansing and renewal. This is symbolized by pouring water and
smearing white talcum paste on people to bring luck and prosperity.

Songkran is a major event in the Buddhist calendar, making it the most
important Thai festival. During Songkran, Buddhists visit temples to pray, light candles
and make merit as well as cleanse each other with water. On the main day of
celebrations, a procession of Buddha statues, monks and floats passes through the
streets and Buddhists pour water over the statues. Tourists are welcome to take part
in Songkran celebrations and are even singled out for special drenching by Thai
locals.

The dates for Songkran were traditionally determined by the Thai lunar
calendar. In Sanskrit, Songkran means ‘astrological passage’, the time when the sun
passes from one sign of the zodiac to another. Nowadays, Songkran is always
celebrated on the 13th – 15th April, which is the hottest month in Thailand and the
end of the dry season. The perfect time for a water fight!

2. Yi Peng, Thai Lantern Festival
Imagine thousands of paper lanterns, lit by flickering candles, floating into
the night sky against a full moon. This moving spectacle is the highlight of the Yi

88

Peng festival and thousands of people flock to northern Thailand every November to
witness it. However, the lantern release is just one part of the three-day Buddhist
festival. Celebrations also include religious events, lantern displays, music, parades,
fireworks and food, making Yi Peng one of the most exciting Thailand festivals.

Most importantly, Yi Peng is a time for Buddhists to release bad memories,
make wishes for the future and pay respect to Buddha. The act of releasing a lantern
symbolizes letting go of the past and moving from darkness into light. It’s an ancient,
sacred ritual which originated in the Lanna (northern Thai) kingdom. Traditionally,
only monks released lanterns but today anyone can take part in the festivities,
provided they are respectful.

Yi Peng is another Thai festival which falls during the full moon of the 12th
month of the Thai Lunar Calendar. This occurs around November but the exact date
changes each year. Yi Peng is celebrated throughout northern Thailand but the most
famous festivities take place in Chiang Mai. The best areas to watch the lantern
releases are around the city moat and the Ping River, as well as Wat Chedi Luang and
Wat Dan Tao temples.

3. Loy Krathong, Thai Festival of Light
Loy Krathong falls in November, during the 12th month of the lunar
calendar on the night of a full moon. During Loy Krathong, people all over Thailand
gather by the water after dark to release floating baskets (Krathongs) filled with
burning candles. As the rafts drift away they carry with them a clipping of the
owner’s hair or nails to symbolize letting go of bad luck and negative thoughts.
Flowers and coins are also placed in the baskets to give thanks to the water
goddesses for providing rain during the rice harvest season. The flickering candle itself
pays respect to Lord Buddha.
Loy Krathong has evolved into one of the largest festivals in Thailand. The
three-day event is filled with parades, beauty contests and firework displays.
Krathongs are traditionally made from banana tree trunks or lilies. In Bangkok, there’s
a river parade of large-scale Krathongs made by government offices and businesses,
with a prize for the most creative design. Loy Krathong is closely tied to Chiang Mai’s
Yi Peng festival as it occurs on the same night and focuses on the same Buddhist
principles of releasing the past and making wishes for the future.
4. Phi Ta Khon - Thai Ghost Festival
Phi Ta Khon is part of a bigger Buddhist festival called Bun Luang, which is
celebrated in many parts of northern Thailand. The dates for Phi Ta Khon change
every year. During the ghost festival, the quiet farming village of Dan Sai is

89

transformed by colourful, masked spirits who dance and parade through the streets.
The three-day Thai festival is a re-enactment of a Buddhist story and a celebration of
animist reincarnation beliefs. In this tale, Lord Buddha was living his final incarnation
before enlightenment as a prince who had been banished from his kingdom. After a
long exile, he returned to such a joyous homecoming that it woke the dead, who
joined the celebrations.

Villagers dress in patchwork costumes and long-nosed, painted masks
made from rice husks. They wear bells around their waists to announce the presence
of spirits and wave swords and phallic charms as they parade through the streets. On
the second day, rockets filled with good luck tokens are fired to pray for rain and
there are traditional dancing and an award for the best-dressed ghost. On the third
day, people gather to listen to monks recite thirteen sermons about Lord Buddha.

Thai Amulets
A Thai Buddha amulet (Thai: พระเครื่อง; RTGS: phrakhrueang), often referred

to academically as "votive tablet", is a kind of Thai Buddhist blessed item. It is used
to raise funds to help the temple's operations. The Thai Buddhist monk will give an
amulet to Buddhists when they simply donating money or offering oil to the temple.
After the donation, the monk will give them an amulet as a "gift". The amulets no
longer simply are considered a "gift", but a "tool" to help enhance luck in different
aspects of life. Local people also use amulets to improve their marriage, wealth,
health, love and relationships.

It is a Thai tradition to place amulets under a stupa or other temple
structure when it is built. When the structure collapses, many amulets may be
found. Some can be over a century old.

Almost every Thai Buddhist has at least one Thai amulet. It is common to
see young or elderly people wear one or many amulets around the neck in order to
get closer to the Buddha.

Pressing die to make plaster amulets
Amulets are made using the Buddha image, an image of a famous monk,

or even an image of the monks who made the amulets. Amulets vary in size, shape,
and materials such as plaster, bone, wood, or metal. They may include ash from
incense or old temple structures, or hair from a famous monk to add protective
power to the amulets. After the amulets are made, the maker will then ask the
monks who live in the temple or monks from other temples to join together and

90

practice will, chant, pray, and bless the amulets. This process may take from a week
to more than three years.

When a new amulet is freshly made, its plaster appearance may not be
attractive or gorgeous. By adding a protective casing, the appearance of the amulet is
enhanced and at the same time the amulet inside is protected. The price of an
amulet not only depends on its appearance, but also on its scarcity, its maker, its
age, and its magic classes as well.

Famous markets for amulets include the Tha Phrachan Market next to
Thammasat University.[4] However, many amulets at the Tha Prachan market are
considered to be fake, meaning replicas that have not been blessed by a monk.
Genuine amulets are rare at the Tha Prachan Market. Many collectors and devotees
have a trusted dealer of authentic amulets, for the study and authentication of real
amulets is as complex a matter as is to be found in the antique trade, or in similar
niches such as stamp collecting. Forgeries are rife, and it takes decades of study and
experience to develop the skills needed to recognise authentic amulets. There are
literally millions of editions from thousands of temples, spanning centuries, and it is
not possible for one person to harbor the knowledge to be able to authenticate
every single edition. Hence, each expert has his own chosen line of amulets, of a
particular type, temple, or artisan, which he chooses as his personal field of
expertise.

Famous Thai amulets
The most famous of Thai amulets are the set of five rarest and highly

sought-after amulets Phra Somdej Wat Rakhang (Thai: พระสมเด็จวัดระฆัง), Phra Rod
(Thai: พระรอด), Phra Nang Phaya (Thai: พระนางพญา), Phra Phong Suphan (Thai: พระผง
สุพรรณ), and Phra Sum Kor (Thai: พระซุ้มกอ), together called Benja Phakhi (Thai: เบญจ
ภาคี). They are valued at over 10 million baht.

1. Phra Somdej

Phra Somdej (Thai: พระสมเด็จ) amulets are the "king of amulets", also

known as "lucky amulets". Each amulet collector must have one and it is the best
and foremost choice to the new believer of Thai amulet. Para Somdej has the
noblest status in Buddhism. The most famous of this kind is the Phra Somdej Wat
Rakhang produced around 1866 to 1871, by Somdej Toh of Wat Rakhang Khositaram

(Thai: วัดระฆังโฆษติ าราม), who is also one of the most respected monks in Thailand.

91

Phra Somdej Chitralada are the amulets made by King Bhumibol himself
and awarded from 1965 to 1970 to selected soldiers, policemen, government officers
and citizens.[8] No more than 3,000 of these amulets were made. Each amulet is
accompanied with certificate stating the name of recipient, date, and amulet
number. As of 2013, a Phra Somdej Chitralada is worth at least two million baht.

In general, most Phra Somdej amulets do not have eyes, nose, and mouth.
The Buddha in Phra Somdej is seated on the three-level throne representing the
three worlds system of Buddhist cosmology. Although the Phra Somdej have later
appeared with five, seven, nine, ten, or thirteen level thrones, the concept of the
throne is still the same. Like other Thai amulets, Phra Somdej is usually made of
temple dirt, pollen, monk's hair as well as other relics from famous monks or the
holy robe "cīvara" worn by the monk.

The functions of Phra Somdej amulets range from protection to enhanced
personal relationships, better health, protection from black magic, blocking disasters,
and to strengthen careers as well as adjusting the human aura field. Most
importantly, it can help bring peace to different walks of life.

2. Phra Rod
Phra Rod refers to amulets discovered in the early King Chulalongkorn era

inside a partially collapsed stupa in Wat Mahawan (Thai: วัดมหาวัน) in Lamphun

Province. It was named Phra Rod because the Buddha image in the amulet matched
the ancient Buddha image in the temple's ubosot called Phra Rod Luang (Thai: พระ

รอดหลวง). Legends say that when the temple was part of Hariphunchai Kingdom, the

amulets were crafted by Rishi to hand out to citizens during wars and those
remaining were placed inside the temple's stupa.

3. Phra Nang Phaya
Phra Nang Phaya amulets from Wat Nang Phaya in Phitsanulok Province is
believed to have been commissioned by Queen Wisutkasat of the Ayutthaya
Kingdom. The amulet was discovered when workers dug up an area in the temple to
prepare the stage for King Chulalongkorn's visit for the casting of a replica of famous

Buddha image Phra Phuttha Chinnarat (Thai: พระพุทธชินราช). This amulet was also
discovered in nearby temples such as Wat Ratchaburana (Thai: วดั ราชบรู ณะ).

4. Phra Phong Suphan
Phra Phong Suphan is from Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat (Thai: วัดพระศรี

รัตนมหาธาตุ) of Suphanburi Province. There were thieves who came to dig under the

large stupa in the temple and stole amulets and tablets, some made of gold. In 1913

92

the Suphanburi governor ordered a formal dig to uncover buried amulets. Phra
Phong Suphan was among the amulets found.

5. Phra Sum Kor
Phra Sum Kor is from Kamphaeng Phet Province. When Somdej Toh came
to visit relatives in 1849, he found Phra Sum Kor amulets at Wat Phraboromthat

Nakhonchum (Thai: วัดพระบรมธาตุนครชุม) together with tablets explaining the amulet

making process. He later used the instructions to make his own Phra Somdej Wat

Rakhang. This amulet is found throughout Thung Sethi (Thai: ทุ่งเศรษฐี) in Kamphang

Phet Province.

93

Exercise 4

1. What name was once used for the country that is now called Thailand?
2. What religion has played an important part in Thailand's history and
culture?
3. Thailand is bordered by which 4 countries?
4. Thailand consists of how many provinces?
5. The Songkran festival takes place to celebrate what event?

94

Reference

Chut Thai: Thailand's Beautiful Traditional Dress. Online:
https://theculturetrip.com/asia/thailand/articles/chut-thai-thailands-
beautiful-traditional-dress/

12 Best Thailand Festivals You Have To Experience In 2021. Online:
https://toptravelfoods.com/article/6-thailand-festivals-you-have-to-
experience

Introduction to Thailand Culture. Online: https://buildabroad.org/thailand-culture/
Thai Buddha amulet. Online: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_Buddha_amulet

Chapter 5
Thai Tradition

Thailand is one of the most visited countries in the world as it offers
amazing tourist spots that are aesthetically pleasing and have a rich history, delicious
food meant to satisfy the foodie in you, and of course, the rich Thailand culture that
many people are eager to learn about. It is a land of festivals and celebrations that
reflect Thai traditions and cultural values. Most Thai festivals derive from the
Buddhist and Brahman beliefs, with many being originated from local traditions,
folklore and the way of life. Many have taken place over the course of a year for
centuries.

Birth and Tonsure traditions in Thailand
There are many traditional beliefs associated with pregnancy. However in

most cases modern health practices are now carried out throughout Thailand.
Traditional cultural practices may still influence the behavior of Thai families to
some extent and provide an insight into how pregnancy and child birth may be
viewed.

According to Central Thailand beliefs; conception occurs when a khwan
(soul) flies into the womb during a sexual encounter. A woman whose period stops
and who starts craving sour foods is thought to be pregnant. Once a woman finds out
she is pregnant, she is to tell her partner first, followed by her mother and her
mother in law. Infertility is seen as imbalance in one of the essences. Certain
acupressure points, however, could be utilized to resolve the issue.

In Thai folklore there is a ghost known as Krasue (กระสือ) haunting

pregnant women in their homes just before or after the childbirth. Village legends
say that it hovers around the house of the pregnant woman uttering sharp cries to
instill fear. It uses an elongated proboscis-like tongue to reach the fetus or its
placenta within the womb. This habit, among other unmentionable things that this
spirit does, is believed to be the cause of many diseases affecting mainly rural
women during their pregnancy.

Diet during Pregnancy
Since pregnancy is considered to be a ‘hot’ condition in Thai Medicine,

foods to maintain warmth are preferred, such as ginger tea, coconut milk, young

98

coconut meat, salty foods, tamarind, fish, garlic, onion, and warm liquids. Those who
consume pak plang, a slippery vine-like green vegetable, would have an easy birth,
since it will make the baby’s body slippery. Ya tom herbal medicine could be
prepared as tea and would make the baby strong and easy to deliver if the pregnant
woman drinks the tea three times a day for three consecutive days

However, khong salaeng (allergic foodstuff) must be avoided by pregnant
women, since it may cause unwanted problems during labor or for the unborn child.
Khong salaeng foods include papaya salad, pickled food, spicy hot food (baby may
be born hairless), coffee and tea (baby will be not intelligent), shellfish (prevents
perineum from drying after delivery), and Thai eggplants (may cause anal pain after
delivery). Women are also advised to eat only half a banana, since birth may
become obstructed if she eats a whole banana.

Behavior during Pregnancy
According to traditional beliefs, strenuous activities, such as heavy lifting,

farm work, and even driving a car may lead to a miscarriage or stillbirth, however this
may sometimes be unavoidable by the rural poor. Regular activity promotes easy
birth by making the abdomen ‘loose’ (tong klon) and therefore aiding in the
downward head rotation of the baby. Idleness and frequent resting, on the other
hand, would complicate birth.

Although pregnant women are prohibited from attending a funeral, wearing
a brooch on the abdomen would counteract any negative effects on the fetus.
Women should also not make any advanced preparations, such as buying or making
baby clothes, as this may result the death of the baby.

Other pregnancy-related beliefs include not sitting in the stairway (causes
obstructed birth), not burying anything in the soil (difficult birth), and having magical
showers (to promote easy delivery and emotional calmness). These showers should
be “blessed with sacred words known as ‘nam mon’ by mor mon (a magical healer,
or even a monk); they are usually done in an open-aired space from eighth to ninth
month of pregnancy.

During the last weeks of normal pregnancy, a woman may choose to go to
a masseuse for “lifting of a uterus (yok thong) to increase comfort.”

99

Labor and Birth
1.1 Setting
In 1960’s, 99% of the women in villages delivered at home. Today the

number is very much lower, as most Thai women give birth in hospitals and clinics,
generally where they go for antenatal care.

Traditionally, Thai women would give birth at home, either in the bedroom
or the kitchen. The delivery room at home is usually decorated with Yant Trinisinghé,
“small flags inscribed with sacred numbers from one to nine” or with letters and
sings; each flag is a “symbol of a long mantra passage, believed to have power to
ward off evil spirits.” Buffalo leather could be used instead of the flags.

Birth Assistant and Attendants
The traditional delivery assistant, who is usually a woman, is called ‘Mo

Tamaye’ in the Central Thailand and Mae Jang in the North. It is generally accepted
that the labour starts when the waters break. If the family cannot get to the nearest
medical facility, or does not want to, Mo Tamaye is called. Usually, the husband and
Mo Tamaye are present during delivery, but relatives and children may attend as
well; however, the woman in labor must be covered from the waist to knee.

Traditions during Labor
Culturally, there is no need to keep silent during the birthing process. In

case of birth complications, the traditional birth assistant would give the woman
some holy water or press on her belly. There were no specific foods mentioned to
eat during labor. To promote an easy delivery, all windows and doors must be open
and the woman must be facing East to symbolize the emergence of new life. The
husband should also pile logs outside facing East. Any fastened nails must be
undone, and no one should be punching nails to avoid stalled birth. To be born with
an umbilical (holy) cord wrapped abound neck was considered a sign of fortune

The Cord and Placenta
Following a traditional delivery, Mo Tamaye would milk the umbilical cord

three times away from the baby “to remove dirt,” then push it back, tie the cord in
two places with a special cotton string, and cut the cord in between the two
fastened places. The cut cord is then burned, and placenta is buried, usually by the
father.

100

Woman’s Rite of Passage
After a woman gives birth to her first child, she is considered an adult. She

then undergoes the Jufaj when she must lie near fire for an odd number of days,
usually around 11 days, so that her uterus will shrink back to the normal size. After
each following births, the number of days spent near fire may be decreased. Also, a
wooden box with a fire pot may be placed on the woman’s stomach to serve the
same purpose. Fire is also said to scare off evil spirits, especially combined with the
lemongrass aroma. After a Jufaj, a woman is allowed to move out of her parents’
residence, where she would live before and during the pregnancy, since she is now a
mature adult.

Postpartum Diet and Behavior
As with the pregnancy diet, warm foods are encouraged, such as hot

curries. A woman’s diet must consist of rice and vegetables in the first few months
after pregnancy; meat, with exception of fish, must be avoided. From a Traditional
Thai Medicine perspective, “sour tastes [do] not dry out the body, but built up
water; egg [is] too cooling; jackfruit [brings] in wind [air]; glutinous rice and the sugar
of sweets wet the uterus; fruits [do] not give strength and [are] excessively cooling.”
Teas out of herbs (naam puu loey) should be consumed, and showers with herbal
water (naam puu loeyand naam bai paw) should be taken daily without washing hair
the first two weeks.

Woman’s household duties would be taken care by the husband, female
relatives, and older children. Traditionally, the female relatives would also check on
the new mother.

Newborn
There are many variations in traditions across Thailand. Central Thai people

say the baby is tog fag (falls on bamboo) when he or she is born. After Mo Tamaye
cuts the umbilical cord, she washes and beautifies the baby with yellow and white
powder.

On the third day after birth, Lon Dek Nai Kadon rite (translates to “rock the
cradle in which a new born baby is sleeping”) is carried out. A baby is placed into a
basket with a pencil and a notebook (for brightness), and money (for richness); girls
are also given knives (to cut and comb hair) and cooking utensils. The basket with
the baby and instruments is then handed over to “a respectable man in the village.

101

This means that the baby became his adopted child temporarily, which reflects that
the parents expect their baby to be rich and respectable like the adoptive.”

Another tradition includes making offerings at a temple (wat) on the third
day after the baby is born to obtain a blessing from a monk. Fire-Shaving ceremony
takes place when the child reaches the age of one month and one day, which
involves cutting of the baby’s hair. As a precaution, babies must be kept away from
the rain.

Care for the Baby
For the first month of the baby’s life, the mother must stay very close and

“breastfeed the newborn on its slightest demand.” Babies are also sometimes given
a mixture of banana, honey, and water to prevent diarrhea. If the baby cries too
much and cannot sleep, it is believed that the baby’s guardian spirit, Mae Sue, is
teasing the newborn too much. Usual interaction with Mae Sue is normal, during
which the baby will play and laugh by itself.

Naming
Traditionally, a name is given to the child on the fourth or fifth day after

birth by the father; however, there could be variations in this practice across
Thailand. Today, both the mother and father can take part in deciding on a name. A
child may not hold the same name as Royalty.

Twins
There is a variation in the view of twins. While some view twins as needing

more resources and being too demanding on a family, others see having twins as
lucky, since it is convenient to take care of them at the same time.

Families in Thailand
Family is considered to be the foundation of social life for most Thais. The

Thai concept of family is often wide and inclusive, and whilst the nuclear family is
the core of the domestic unit, it may include members of the extended family or
close neighbors or friends.

In Thailand, familial words are often used for other close members of the
community and are used to indicate both closeness and respect. For example, it is
common for Thais to use ‘phi’ before someone's nickname if they are like an older

102

sibling and ‘nong’ to indicate affection for someone younger rather than the term
‘khun’.

Household Structure and Interactions
The general structure of Thai families is patriarchal, with the household

deferring to the oldest living man. Often, several generations will live under the same
roof, and grandparents, aunts and older siblings will help raise a child. It is common
for Thais to live in the home of their parents until they are married, and some
newlyweds live with their families until they have children of their own. Moreover, a
pregnant mother often moves back to her mother's house or invites the future
grandmothers to live with them.

There is a strong emphasis on familial connections in Thailand, and career
paths are often determined by a parent's business connections. For example, Thai
males often go into the business of their father. Greater international education at a
tertiary level means this trend is shifting, with student aspirations playing a larger role
in career pathways and choices, although family connections remain a central part of
decision making.

Elderly
There is a high level of respect bestowed upon one’s parents and the

elderly of society, with many practices of etiquette and general interactions revolving
around deference to the elderly. A sense of duty and responsibility towards the
elderly is expected, and members of the family are often required to abide by the
advice and requests of their elders. Thai children are expected to look after their
parents in their old age. Often, the family home is passed down to the youngest
daughter, and she will return home with her husband and family to care for her
parents. Whilst such collectivist attitudes are gradually changing in light of
urbanization, people are still expected to uphold their duty and respect towards the
elderly of society.

Dating and Marriage
Marriage and dating practices differ between the cities and the rural areas,

with Western dating attitudes and practices being popular in the cosmopolitan
capital of Bangkok. Rural areas may be more conservative. For example, a male may
be expected to become acquainted with the female’s entire family before gaining
their approval to date and subsequently marry her.

103

Parents may try to instill traditional beliefs regarding marriage and dating,
but individuals are ultimately autonomous in their decision making. Individuals have
a significant level of freedom in terms of choosing marriage partners, although the
choice of a spouse may be influenced by the preferences of the family. The ideal
situation is for newlyweds to establish their own household as soon as possible.
However, residing with the parents of the husband or wife is also common.
Nonetheless, the younger generation is quite liberal in their practices and may live
with their partner prior to being formally married.

Buddhist Monk Ordination in Thailand
A common misconception is that monks in Thailand are monks for life

and while true for some the majority will serve only a temporary or short-term
Buddhist monk ordination. This can be days, weeks, months or years and at some
period during their lives most Thai men will serve as a monk in ordination at the age
of 20, they become eligible to receive upasampada, the higher ordination that
establishes them as a full bhikkhu. After completing their term they then return to
‘laity’ in normal life. A popular period for temporary ordination is the Thai summer
holidays between April and June a period where the number of monks in Thailand
can double and up. Through Buddhist teachings and meditation short-term monks
will be prepared to fill their future roles as good citizens.

Wedding Ceremony in Thailand
There is a certain charm and romance in getting married through a

traditional Thai wedding ceremony. As one of life’s important moments, a wedding is
made more special the Thai way with its sacred customs.

Following Thai tradition, one of the closest friends of the groom formally
asks for the bride’s hand in marriage from her father. He also helps in negotiating the
amount of dowry (son sod) to be paid to the bride’s family as a way of expressing
gratitude for their daughter’s good upbringing. In setting the date for the wedding, an
astrologer is usually consulted regarding the auspicious day for the ceremony, which
is usually held in August. On the evening before the ceremony, the couple must pay
respect to their ancestors in a Buddhist ceremony officiated by nine invited monks.

The actual wedding ceremony takes place early in the morning at around
6am. Nine monks are invited once again to bless the couple. A string forming a circle
binds the couple. After the monks’ prayers are over, the couple gives the monks
each an envelope containing money. The newlyweds then eat lunch with the monks,

104

concluding the morning ceremony, and will be making a donation to the local wat
(temple) for the wedding blessing.

The main event of the wedding ceremony, called rod nam sang, is held in
the afternoon. A flower chain connects the hands of the bride and groom as they are
held in a wai (Thai symbol of respect). Usually the most senior and respected
member of the group officiates this event. The couple’s hands are soaked in the
conch shell containing water, followed by wishes of good luck. The parents, close
friends, as well as other selected guests will also proceed to follow and soak the
newlyweds’ hands.

The ceremony continues on until dinnertime, which is held in great revelry.
Whether it be a buffet, a cocktail, or a formal sit-down dinner, expect around 100-
300 guests to come to your wedding day, as the people you may have invited will
most likely bring along their friends and family as well. Also be prepared to stock up
on cases of whisky, as Thai people like to drink together during celebrations like
these. After the dinner reception, the elders hold a traditional send-off for the
newlyweds with decorated roses.

In Thailand, a lot of people do away with the legal aspects of the
marriage, opting for having a traditional Thai wedding instead. However, it is
recommended that you register your marriage at the local Amphur (Civil Registry) so
that you may be able to refer to this later on for legal matters. For foreigners, you
will need to present an Affirmation of Freedom to Marry fom your embassy, along
with your passport. You Thai bride/ groom will be asked to show a copy their
National ID Card and House Registration. The Marriage Registration process need not
be done the same time as the wedding ceremony, but can be done after the
wedding day as well.

Since the Marriage Registration process involves a significant amount of
time to be spent on paperwork, along with translation and legalization of
documents, it would be best for you to seek the services of a Thai law firm who can
not only handle the legal aspects of Marriage Registration in Thailand, but can also
help make your wedding day an unforgettable event with their efficient wedding
coordination services.

Funerals in Thailand
While variations exist among the cultures of Thailand's different regions,

most Buddhist funerals generally include the same common basic features.