Thai Inventions.

[zappa]

Is there anything in this world that has actually been invented, discovered by the Thai's? I've been asking a few people, Thai and foreign and have yet to come up with anything from technology to food. As soon as someone comes up with something others can find a different source.

One of the funniest I've heard was from a Thai friend who's convinced Thailand invented the spoon, and is very proud of the fact.

Any ideas?

[KevinN]

Yes,,12,000 years ago they figured out how to pick up 1 grain of rice with 2 small sticks..

6,000 years ago that figured how to pick up 2 buckets of shit with 1 stick. and there it just stalled out.

[Richard W]

Tone marks in writing. I think they're sufficiently different from Greek accents.

[GuestHouse]

Thai writing follows Sanskrit (from India), not a Thai invention.

[stumonster]

Don't know that you would call it inventing something but a couple of months ago I saw a setup on thai television which looked to me like an attachment for your air conditioner which used the waste heat from the heat exchanger to heat water. I thought that was a good innovation.

[Richard W]

Yes,,12,000 years ago they figured out how to pick up 1 grain of rice with 2 small sticks..

6,000 years ago that figured how to pick up 2 buckets of shit with 1 stick. and there it just stalled out.

I've seen the invention of the yoke assigned to the period 3000-1000 BC. The English word goes back to at least 3000 BC. The invention is also claimed for the Chinese, e.g. Chinese Inventions.

[Dutchy2]

What about Tom Yam Kung? Pad Thai?

It's nothing like Einsteins relativity theory but it sure tastes good....

[chanchao]

Environmentally sustainable packaging? (banana leafs)?

Waste bins made out of old rubber car tyres.

"There isn't anything in the world that we can't make using only solid concrete"

I bet there are loads of practical things around that people normally don't even notice. As for practical use, that waste bin made out of old rubber car tyres may rival a couple of Einstein's achievements. :-)

Cheers,

Chanchao

[frequentatore]

The King of Thailand has invented numerous things!

One of them: http://www.chaipat.or.th/journal/aug03/aerator_e.html

[PvtDick]

OK, I've got a Thai invention that has now found its way into every corner of the world:

RED BULL!

[Richard W]

Thai writing follows Sanskrit (from India), not a Thai invention.

The consonants and vowels come from India. Tone marks seem to be a Thai invention. Khmer and Mon didn't need them, and they're a recent introduction in Shan.

[zappa]

What about Tom Yam Kung? Pad Thai?

It's nothing like Einsteins relativity theory but it sure tastes good....

As far as I'm aware Tom Yam origanates from Cambodia and was introduced to LoS after the fall of Anghor. Fried rice dunno but I imagine any country with rice as a staple can put in a claim for that one, and yes Tom Yam is delish. Pat Thai, well if you like a plate of greasy mush then I'm sure it's the dish for you.

[KevinN]

Don't know that you would call it inventing something but a couple of months ago I saw a setup on thai television which looked to me like an attachment for your air conditioner which used the waste heat from the heat exchanger to heat water. I thought that was a good innovation.

That has been going on for a long time in developed countrys,but usually ran thru a cooling tower to reuse to cool the condensing coils,,but the HEAT PUMP heats whole houses and is the same principle.

Recycled tires are nothing new,they are used in asphalt for road surfaces and a lot of things., but the steel belted tires are hard to recycle.

[zappa]

The King of Thailand has invented numerous things!

One of them: http://www.chaipat.or.th/journal/aug03/aerator_e.html

Rather an innovation than an invention. Something which I think the Thai's do extremely well. And before anyone gets on my case for saying bad things about H.M. Bhumophol, I think he's one of Thailands greatest attributes and a good argument for monarchy over democracy, especialy of the Thai style.

[megashox]

How about the "walking ATM'? Has anyone claimed that invention yet?

[duke69]

prostiututes playing pool with you before having sex ..... never heard of this invention, neither during the roman empire

[peteypie]

On a serious note here, I've asked almost all of the groups of students whom I've taught over the last four years this same question. These have been 'educated' people, BA students, MA students and even the odd PhD. I have yet to have anyone give me a good answer. The only thing I can think that has been invented here is chaos theory!

[RamdomChances]

Long tailed boats, and apparently Armoured Tuk Tuks

http://abc.net.au/news/indepth/featureitems/s664878.htm

[BKK_banger]

Yes, I particularly like Major Songphon's silk bulletproof jacket for use by Thai police. Comes in a range of colours.

Hom Mali rice is an excellent example of a Thai person's perseverance and skill in agriculture. It is a selectively bred strain of rice which has been propagated and distributed around the country. It gives good yields of excellent rice and has replaced a lot of domestic white rice production.

But it is not a real invention.

[20yearsinthai]

What about thai architecture? Did the thais invent thai style roofs etc..?

6 hour golf rounds

Thai immagration law--has to be considered unique

Thai boxing? Or didnt that originate somewhere else??

Thai Stick ?--Or was that an American marketing scheme?

Flashing red lights at intersection? Saw that in Rayong.

piece of bread with a scoop of ice cream?

[royar2002]

Muang Thai and visarules!

[NedKelly]

Bkk banger...

Hom Mali rice is an excellent example of a Thai person's perseverance and skill in agriculture. It is a selectively bred strain of rice which has been propagated and distributed around the country. It gives good yields of excellent rice and has replaced a lot of domestic white rice production.

But it is not a real invention.

Thats what the yanks think too.......so they have now started producing their own version of hom mali......and calling it their own invention.

Ping pong sport......is that an invention ?

[PvtDick]

Ned Kelly,

With due respect, you have your facts about the US Jasmine rice matter completely wrong (like most Thais do, as well).

I don't have time at the moment to relate the whole story, but will at a later date if anyone is interested.

[p1p]

The Thailand ELITE CARD. The most amazing invention to hit the tourism industry since sandcastles.

[Maejo Man]

All innovations and clever gimicks so far, but no real inventions

[zappa]

Thai boxing? Or didnt that originate somewhere else?

Cambodia again I'm afraid, also bought to thailand at the time of the fall of Anghor.

[maerim]

Ping pong sport......is that an invention ?

The way it's played in Pat Pong it is.

[wolf5370]

I've heard this said about the Japanese too. They never invent anything, they just enhance, miniturise and perfect.

Many invention claims are rubbish anyway. The telephone, maned flight, electrical battery, many many others where invented by others well before the 'listed' inventors. Besides nearly all inventions are really just retakes on older inventions - the first car was taken from the steam car, taken from the train, taken from both the steam engine (used in mills etc) and the tracks used in coal mining mule powered carts, etc. One thing leads to another - its hype that makes it and 'invention' rather than an 'innovation' or simply an 'enhancement' - and hype means, historically at least, that it is western.

H3ll of a lot of things we 'know' where invented at home (USA and UK in particular) where infact invented else where - some where even stolen (A G Bell has been accused of this with the telephone - it was shown before Bell's by a monk in America (he was foreign though, Russian I think?) - Bell then claimed the patent with an amazingly simular desin shortly afterwoods!). However, it was invented earlier than that by a mad doctor - some 50 years before - this guy (Eastern european I think) was conducting studies on his wife. He was electrocuting her as a remedy to cure her ails (which was probably the affects of electrocution!). As her screaming annoyed him, he did this with cables from another room. Anyway, the equipment he used allowed him to hear her screams down the wires. He documented the fact as interesting and went back to frying the Mrs.

The Egyptians had the battery 4000 years ago (Copper plates and lemon juice).

An excentric British Lord built a plane and sent his Buttler out for a flight almost 60 years before the Wright Bros. The buttler survived as the plane did actually fly - further than did Orvilles!

Chillis were introduced from South America by the Portugese in 17 something. Before then there were no chillis (and thus spicey food) anywhere in Asia. Rice and Tea was introduced from China (the British stole it from China and grew it in India) and it sold up through the Indo-China trade route (in which Thailand sat smack bang in the middle - the Himalayas presenting a problem going the 'quick way').

Thailand was the first Asian country to have national telecommunications (telegraph) - India had telegraph (British Raj), but only between cirtain cities.

Thailand was building its Klong system at the same time that Britain was building it great ship canals - for the same reason - mass transport.

Thailand was on of the first countries to bring teaching to the masses and make schooling compulsory for all children. Britain was still sending kids up chimneys at the time.

[maerim]

(A G Bell has been accused of this with the telephone

This a very common misconception about him inventing the telephone.

He actually invented two, when you think about it there is not much point in inventing one is there?

Who would you speak to?

[exp9696]

Suicide with a plastic bag over the head en handcuffed on the back