First of all, this may have already be posted before. When I first came to Thailand and needed to contact someone, I belatedly realized that names on the phone book were listed based on first names and then by family names. The same happens when Thais make a list of persons. So one time, I rearranged a list of names of people that borrowed money from a community development project. By doing this, I was able to find out that one of those persons had seven outstanding loans. Now I believe this would not have happened if the person managing the list had done his homework properly.

So I ask why names are arranged by first name - then by last name instead of the other way around?

If the names were arranged alphabetically, why should it make a difference whether they were listed family name first or family name last?

It's very frustrating, but it's a characteristic of some Asian countries -- Indonesia springs to mind. People almost never use their last names here, which can be really long and difficult to say or spell. It's actually too bad, because last names are relatively new to Thailand (Rama VI--I think), they are a better way of tracking people.

Also, most folks don't have a tendency to change their last name as often as their first name. I know students who are on their 7th name change!

That's right. Even my wife changed her name. She even changed the name of my eldest son without consulting me.

It's very frustrating, but it's a characteristic of some Asian countries -- Indonesia springs to mind. People almost never use their last names here, which can be really long and difficult to say or spell. It's actually too bad, because last names are relatively new to Thailand (Rama VI--I think), they are a better way of tracking people.

Also, most folks don't have a tendency to change their last name as often as their first name. I know students who are on their 7th name change!

Its because you won't be able to find people who share similar last names who are likely to be related. First names are more randomized than last names.

If the names were arranged alphabetically, why should it make a difference whether they were listed family name first or family name last?

Its because you won't be able to find people who share similar last names who are likely to be related. First names are more randomized than last names.

If the names were arranged alphabetically, why should it make a difference whether they were listed family name first or family name last?

Ah! But you said:

I was able to find out that one of those persons had seven outstanding loans.

- implying that one person (same first and same last name) was on the list seven times. Hence my question.

I'm confused here too, Toybits. If the guy is named Kittisak Charoenmuang and he takes out seven loans, he will have his name listed seven times in a row under Kittisak using the Thai way. By the Farang way he'd be listed under Charoenmuang seven times. Either way you will find it easy...Ain't no diff, Big T..... Or are you saying the guy had seven different first names but one last name ? If that's what you are saying, you have not said it yet.

Ha ha...

JetsetBkk, read my original post again. I was not referring to the phone book but a list of names I had access to that showed the names of persons that had taken out loans. I was not referring to the phonebook.

Its because you won't be able to find people who share similar last names who are likely to be related. First names are more randomized than last names.

If the names were arranged alphabetically, why should it make a difference whether they were listed family name first or family name last?

Ah! But you said:

I was able to find out that one of those persons had seven outstanding loans.

- implying that one person (same first and same last name) was on the list seven times. Hence my question.

Not that simple. If Kitisak Charoenmuang is married to Sunee Charoenmuang, has two sons called Pairoj, and Anont, it would be difficult to trace that this family had made multiple loans (if your project aims to spread the benefits to as many households that is...).

The lists of loans I had access to was not consolidated. I had to to this myself. Its just bad database management.

Point is people from the same family will have to be grouped based on their family name, and not their first name. I personally think it is more convenient.

I'm confused here too, Toybits. If the guy is named Kittisak Charoenmuang and he takes out seven loans, he will have his name listed seven times in a row under Kittisak using the Thai way. By the Farang way he'd be listed under Charoenmuang seven times. Either way you will find it easy...Ain't no diff, Big T..... Or are you saying the guy had seven different first names but one last name ? If that's what you are saying, you have not said it yet.

Ha ha...

JetsetBkk, read my original post again. I was not referring to the phone book but a list of names I had access to that showed the names of persons that had taken out loans. I was not referring to the phonebook.

I know you weren't referring to a phone book (neither was I) - you were referring to a list of names that you prepared.

What you said was:

So one time, I rearranged a list of names of people that borrowed money from a community development project. By doing this, I was able to find out that one of those persons had seven outstanding loans.

- by which most of us inferred that you rearranged the names in alphabetical order by family name, which, of course, means that the person with seven entries would be listed consecutively and easily detected.

Unfortunately, his seven entries would also be listed consecutively if the list was alphabetically arranged by first name.

So there's clearly something that you're not telling us. I can only guess that it is that the family names were not alphabetical, even though the first names were.