Rules for names in Thailand

[MaksimMislavsky]

4 hours ago, todlad said:

Mrs T says it's all down to how the name SOUNDS. If it sounds like Raabert, can't have it.

Raabert means "explosion" or "bomb" in Thai. Maybe this is what they are unhappy about? 

[AlQaholic]

โรเบิร์ต

[Sydebolle]

No restrictions, unless you happen to choose a royally reserved/bestowed (Thai) name. Robert cannot be a problem; if worse comes to worse then tell the officers at the Amphur that you will take it up with your embassy for clarification. 

Had an issue with my daughter, being given an English and a Thai first name, followed by my (foreign) family name. The Amphur said, that if I wanted a first and a middle name, then the kid would be classified as "non-Thai" (upper right corner of the birth certificate says "Thai" or "Non-Thai"). Got it clarified as some Thais have middle names too, so proven on the TM6 immigration card which asks in English and in Thai for the traveller's first, middle and last name. 

Dont always believe what these clowns tell you; insist on Robert if that is your choice! 

[DavidB1960]

Lad, this is Thailand.

Sounds work better here than spellings.

Suggest dropping a spoon down the stairs whilst recording it,

then provide them the recording.

Simple really...

[DJ54]

Was going a name to present to them for approval but the forum does have rules! 

[BritManToo]

8 hours ago, todlad said:

They claimed, I think wrongly, that a child's first name has to be a Thai name AND meaningful.

 

Robert means explode in Thai.

[manchega]

just to help you out through the noise of apologists

 

as some posters pointed out you are dealing with <deleted> cki ng morons

 

the dictator stated only thai names can be used, what ever that may be, so only those created or used in the last less than 100 years or so

 

probably chinese names as well cos even the junta like to pretend they are chinese, just like the yanks all being 10th generation irish or something.

 

but basically yeah all over the country you are not gonna get a farang name registered unless you wait until a democratic government comes in

[manchega]

18 hours ago, MaksimMislavsky said:

Raabert means "explosion" or "bomb" in Thai. Maybe this is what they are unhappy about? 

funnily enough when I pull my pants down and pee this is accepted as good manners as long as I do it in central lat phrao off the balcony

 

you making excuses for the thai? pretending logic involved, yeah try telling that to a counter current driver

[AgMech Cowboy]

My experience from 16 years ago at Ramkhamhaeng Hospital and what was told to me by my Good Canadian friend who has 2 daughters with a Thai wife:

 

Ken said, "James, it doesn't matter what you name him, you cannot get Thai citizenship for your son", which was not the case. Apparently he had been denied; although, I never got an explanation why. Maybe he was on the rig and didn't understand. His daughters were 15 and 17 years older than my son.

 

My son was born in 2002. We were told, "If you want him to have Thai citizenship, then his first given name must Thai". My wife had wanted to have his first name as "Job", naming him after some Thai superstar here. The nurse who prepares the BC said, "no".  Wife then drop a Thai name on me, which I'd never heard, but had no problem, as it was not a common name and his second name was my choice of Alexander. His nickname was then going to be "Job".  Alex stuck and we've never looked back, but I still tease him as "Big Job". ????????????????????????

[AgMech Cowboy]

22 minutes ago, manchega said:

just to help you out through the noise of apologists

 

as some posters pointed out you are dealing with <deleted> cki ng morons

 

the dictator stated only thai names can be used, what ever that may be, so only those created or used in the last less than 100 years or so

 

probably chinese names as well cos even the junta like to pretend they are chinese, just like the yanks all being 10th generation irish or something.

 

but basically yeah all over the country you are not gonna get a farang name registered unless you wait until a democratic government comes in

Ridiculous nonsense. In fact, you might be surprised many Thai names could easily be or, maybe I should say, sound like they could be Indian names. There is no problem giving a child a Western base name, either. 

[manchega]

6 minutes ago, AgMech Cowboy said:

Ridiculous nonsense. In fact, you might be surprised many Thai names could easily be or, maybe I should say, sound like they could be Indian names. There is no problem giving a child a Western base name, either. 

ridicoulous nonsense indeed. but still fact, I know a few hi so types who were refused farang names for their fully thai pure blood children.

yes they wanted to name a bagby after a brit royal, 

[todlad]

I have had a bit of a laugh with this one. My question was and is serious and we will sort it out one way or the other once I get back home from this trip.

 

Mrs T did, of course, know that Rabert means explosion but that wasn't the problem. It's to do with paragraph 6 of that law!

 

As others have said, what do they know about farang names here? I know many Thai rules are created to stop outsiders from taking over. Well, good for them; but both child one and two have a first name that is Thai and Mrs T adopted my name on marriage. I have no desire to try to upset Thai norms and culture but my daughter has the foreign name I wanted and little Robert will too!

 

On the other hand, if it gets too funny or ridiculous when I go to the office, I will certainly share it here.

[MaksimMislavsky]

5 hours ago, manchega said:

yeah try telling that to a counter current driver

you're trying to talk to one of them now ????

[elgenon]

On 10/30/2018 at 9:36 PM, ChiangMaiLightning2143 said:

I met a Thai girl with a 25 character name but her nickname was only 5 letters.

5 letters is outrageous. 555

Superporn is one of my favorite names. Not sure why.

[manchega]

20 hours ago, todlad said:

I have had a bit of a laugh with this one. My question was and is serious and we will sort it out one way or the other once I get back home from this trip.

 

Mrs T did, of course, know that Rabert means explosion but that wasn't the problem. It's to do with paragraph 6 of that law!

 

As others have said, what do they know about farang names here? I know many Thai rules are created to stop outsiders from taking over. Well, good for them; but both child one and two have a first name that is Thai and Mrs T adopted my name on marriage. I have no desire to try to upset Thai norms and culture but my daughter has the foreign name I wanted and little Robert will too!

 

On the other hand, if it gets too funny or ridiculous when I go to the office, I will certainly share it here.

it really is ridiculous and true

also happen to know money was offered to jsut accept the name

still refused with what does that name have to do with thailand

a farang may be able to do it.....

 

[manchega]

20 hours ago, MaksimMislavsky said:

you're trying to talk to one of them now ????

yeah, you are probably one of the people I accelerate at when i see them in my lane, nothing like watching the bikers scatter when they feel the rage

[Gandtee]

3 minutes ago, manchega said:

it really is ridiculous and true

also happen to know money was offered to jsut accept the name

still refused with what does that name have to do with thailand

a farang may be able to do it.....

 

'A rose is still a rose by any other name.'

[manchega]

good point, 

[MaksimMislavsky]

3 hours ago, manchega said:

yeah, you are probably one of the people I accelerate at when i see them in my lane, nothing like watching the bikers scatter when they feel the rage

In all likelihood, you won't last long in SEA with this kind of attitude. Keep going, mate. And, please note, we are veering well off topic. 

[ChiangMaiLightning2143]

5 letters is outrageous. 555
Superporn is one of my favorite names. Not sure why.

Her nickname was Punch, which is pretty common I hear I also met an Ice Cream.

Another lady named Phatcharee said her nickname was Gook. You mean Goong like a shrimp? No “Gook”.

I told her to get a new name if she goes to the USA people will take offense.

[elgenon]

On 11/2/2018 at 1:54 AM, ChiangMaiLightning2143 said:

Her nickname was Punch, which is pretty common I hear I also met an Ice Cream.

Another lady named Phatcharee said her nickname was Gook. You mean Goong like a shrimp? No “Gook”.

I told her to get a new name if she goes to the USA people will take offense.

Not that I know from personal experience, but I hear BGs can have names like guitar, pancake, bow, popcorn. Something a farang can relate to and remember.

[ChiangMaiLightning2143]

I’m talking about female university professors and members of electrical Engineering societies not Bar-Girls!

[todlad]

I came back from my trip and in the meantime, thanks to the inputs from this thread, Mrs T went back to the Amphur and got them to accept that the boy is called Robert. We've got the birth certificate now and it says Robert!!

 

It was an eye opener to learn that they are trying to ensure that all Thai family names remain unique: I don't think I will ever understand why that might be but then again, nothing to do with me.

 

I will get Mrs T to give me the variations of Robert in Thai that caused and solved the problem but some of you have already helped in that respect.

 

Much appreciate all of the help, everyone!

[Sheryl]

Plenty of Thais of mixed Thai/farang parentage-- including several celebrities-- have Western first names.

You/he will run into difficulties with "Bob" as a nickname though, as it sounds like the Thai word for sin. "Rob" or "Robbie" should be OK.

Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Gandtee]

1 hour ago, todlad said:

I came back from my trip and in the meantime, thanks to the inputs from this thread, Mrs T went back to the Amphur and got them to accept that the boy is called Robert. We've got the birth certificate now and it says Robert!!

 

It was an eye opener to learn that they are trying to ensure that all Thai family names remain unique: I don't think I will ever understand why that might be but then again, nothing to do with me.

 

I will get Mrs T to give me the variations of Robert in Thai that caused and solved the problem but some of you have already helped in that respect.

 

Much appreciate all of the help, everyone!

2

Ask Mrs. to get his Thai name as Bob? Easier than Lobert. ????My foster son has been Beer since almost at birth and it's remained that after eighteen years. I could never get my tongue around his Thai name.

[maxcorrigan]

6 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Plenty of Thais of mixed Thai/farang parentage-- including several celebrities-- have Western first names.

You/he will run into difficulties with "Bob" as a nickname though, as it sounds like the Thai word for sin. "Rob" or "Robbie" should be OK.

Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

True, except Rob will be pronounced Lob by Thais, or Roy as Loy etc.

[Gandtee]

5 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Plenty of Thais of mixed Thai/farang parentage-- including several celebrities-- have Western first names.

You/he will run into difficulties with "Bob" as a nickname though, as it sounds like the Thai word for sin. "Rob" or "Robbie" should be OK.

Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

So it will be Lob or Lobby?

[todlad]

41 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Plenty of Thais of mixed Thai/farang parentage-- including several celebrities-- have Western first names.

You/he will run into difficulties with "Bob" as a nickname though, as it sounds like the Thai word for sin. "Rob" or "Robbie" should be OK.

Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Thanks, Sheryl! We have settled on Robbie so far!

[johng]

2 hours ago, Gandtee said:

My foster son has been Beer since almost at birth

Talking of Beer  ????