"Shadow idiom...

[JaiMaai]

I was editing a document that had been translated from Thai to English and there was a phrase about "your shadow following" in the sense of a pressure situation.  It made no sense in English.  Any ideas on what the original Thai might have been?

[digbeth]

follows something like a shadow? 

follows you everywhere like a shadow?

to shadow, v. use a dictionary

[tgeezer]

This saying is in the dictionary, เงาตามตัว . There are two ways of using it according to the dictionary. As you and you shadow are inseparable so are other things in life. I feel that in some cases it could be that you can’t escape your past.
The second use, when petrol prices go up the price of everything goes up. “As night follows day” perhaps.



Does this resolve your issue? If not perhaps you can post the translation and the forum can discuss it.



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[JaiMaai]

Thanks for the input.

Unfortunately, I didn'tt have access to the original document/text - only the English translation that didn't make sense. I've sent the document back already with appropriate comments.

[DavidHouston]

Thank you for this discussion. I like Tgeezer's translation of the sample sentence. Here are some alternative translations and other examples from the Internet:
 

น้ำมันขึ้นราคา สินค้าอื่น ๆ ก็ขึ้นราคาเป็นเงาตามตัว

As oil prices rise, so do prices of other goods.

As oil prices rise, the prices of other goods rise along with it.

As oil prices rise, the prices of other goods rise correspondingly.

 

ปัจจุบันคนไม่ค่อยเชื่อเรื่องกฎแห่งกรรม แต่สำหรับฉัน ฉันเชื่อว่ากรรมจะติดตามตัวเราเหมือนเงาตามตัว

Nowadays, people do not believe in karmic law. As for me, I believe that fate follows each of us like a shadow.

 

การมีแฟนแรกๆ ก็จะรู้สึกดีที่มีใครสักคนติดตามเราเหมือนเงาตามตัว

Having a first love makes you feel good that you have someone who is as close to you as your own shadow.
 

Edited March 12, 2019 by DavidHouston