Thailand Time

[a2396]

Samran,

well done in your post.I found a2396 has a very bad mouth and i am impressed with your put down without reverting to bad manners.My thoughts to this post are,we are in thailand and to repsect all kinds of different things from the western world and not to critisise them.

Looks like I have won the Lava Soap award for this month. (Older Americans would know what I mean). Those who wish to hermetically seal themselves in a cocoon within the confines of a small corner of this planet are welcome.

[a2396]

Here you go. Thai Time.

Thanks. I'm sure I will be going out listening for the chimes and drumbeats, so I can schedule my day, with the rest of my worldwide friends who are also so tuned.

[5tash]

Another mystery of Thailand has been revealed to me tonight, by my one and only Thai GF with a brain. Apparently, there is a local jargon for referring to time used in Issan and perhaps other areas of Thailand. I have often been confused by this during my 4 years here, but never had it explained to me until now. It goes like this: the 7 o'clock hour (AM) is stated as 1 o'clock and goes on until the next 7 o'clock hour (PM). ie. 8 is 2, 9 is 3, etc. It was explained that the starting time, using the number 1, connotes the daylight and dusk hours of the day. I hope I got this correct. I have encountered this half-baked reference to time keeping several times and could never fathom what it was about. I'm glad someone explained it to me after four years. I guess it probably made sense while everyone was "down on the farm" 100 years ago. Now, it's another Thai tradition that should be history.

What are the other "Thai traditions" that you think should be history? Looking at your previous topics it could be paying your Thai GF's mama a monthly wage or maybe giving your GF a "bonus" for Songkran.

Please show some respect for the people of the country you choose to reside in.

[papajohn]

Here you go. Thai Time.

Thanks. I'm sure I will be going out listening for the chimes and drumbeats, so I can schedule my day, with the rest of my worldwide friends who are also so tuned.

Sawadee Kup 2396, I can appriciate your frustration, The Kingdom

is a new world to all of us expats and things can be very strange to us

until we accept the fact that it is us who must adapt. We can spend time complaining or we can spend time learning, " up to you ".

Personally I have fun learning new traditions and cultures.

I can only say " lighten up on yourself" and take it easy. Don't let them old wheels drive you crazy. We all said "there must be something better" so we came here to find it. I found it in the LOS and it keeps me here. The people, the culture, the food are what makes Thailand,

Thailand. 4 years here, we are infants in western time! Lifelong learning keeps the gray matter active. You can "checkout" anytime you want. Have a good life and don't forget to smile. Papa.

[OlRedEyes]

Yea, let's all go out and worship the sun god... Forward to the past!!!!

The only reason to cling to the past is fear of the present and future.

Edited June 5, 2008 by OlRedEyes

[njpski]

Here you go. Thai Time.

Thanks. I'm sure I will be going out listening for the chimes and drumbeats, so I can schedule my day, with the rest of my worldwide friends who are also so tuned.

Sawadee Kup 2396, I can appriciate your frustration, The Kingdom

is a new world to all of us expats and things can be very strange to us

until we accept the fact that it is us who must adapt. We can spend time complaining or we can spend time learning, " up to you ".

Personally I have fun learning new traditions and cultures.

I can only say " lighten up on yourself" and take it easy. Don't let them old wheels drive you crazy. We all said "there must be something better" so we came here to find it. I found it in the LOS and it keeps me here. The people, the culture, the food are what makes Thailand,

Thailand. 4 years here, we are infants in western time! Lifelong learning keeps the gray matter active. You can "checkout" anytime you want. Have a good life and don't forget to smile. Papa.

every country has its idiosyncrasies, mr a2396. there is the expression, when in Rome, do as the Romans do!

and a2396, what year is it???

for some westerners, it is 2008

for the Jews, it is 5768,

For Thais, it is 2551

for Muslims, 1429

so who is right????

[Thaddeus]

Here you go. Thai Time.

Thanks. I'm sure I will be going out listening for the chimes and drumbeats, so I can schedule my day, with the rest of my worldwide friends who are also so tuned.

Sawadee Kup 2396, I can appriciate your frustration, The Kingdom

is a new world to all of us expats and things can be very strange to us

until we accept the fact that it is us who must adapt. We can spend time complaining or we can spend time learning, " up to you ".

Personally I have fun learning new traditions and cultures.

I can only say " lighten up on yourself" and take it easy. Don't let them old wheels drive you crazy. We all said "there must be something better" so we came here to find it. I found it in the LOS and it keeps me here. The people, the culture, the food are what makes Thailand,

Thailand. 4 years here, we are infants in western time! Lifelong learning keeps the gray matter active. You can "checkout" anytime you want. Have a good life and don't forget to smile. Papa.

Bit of an Eagles fan then .......

[a2396]

Another mystery of Thailand has been revealed to me tonight, by my one and only Thai GF with a brain. Apparently, there is a local jargon for referring to time used in Issan and perhaps other areas of Thailand. I have often been confused by this during my 4 years here, but never had it explained to me until now. It goes like this: the 7 o'clock hour (AM) is stated as 1 o'clock and goes on until the next 7 o'clock hour (PM). ie. 8 is 2, 9 is 3, etc. It was explained that the starting time, using the number 1, connotes the daylight and dusk hours of the day. I hope I got this correct. I have encountered this half-baked reference to time keeping several times and could never fathom what it was about. I'm glad someone explained it to me after four years. I guess it probably made sense while everyone was "down on the farm" 100 years ago. Now, it's another Thai tradition that should be history.

What are the other "Thai traditions" that you think should be history? Looking at your previous topics it could be paying your Thai GF's mama a monthly wage or maybe giving your GF a "bonus" for Songkran.

Please show some respect for the people of the country you choose to reside in.

Thank you. OK, I will get in line behind all the rest of you, who are also paying their GF's Mama AND their GF their monthly due, including Songkran bonus. Don't forget the hefty sinsod for virgin brides who have been previously married w/children and the obligatory purchase of house and car, in their name only of course. Anything else you reccomend I do to respecct Thai culture? Perhaps I could become a habitual liar to help fit in better win my conversations with people I associate with here.

[Marvo]

Thank you. OK, I will get in line behind all the rest of you, who are also paying their GF's Mama AND their GF their monthly due, including Songkran bonus. Don't forget the hefty sinsod for virgin brides who have been previously married w/children and the obligatory purchase of house and car, in their name only of course. Anything else you reccomend I do to respecct Thai culture? Perhaps I could become a habitual liar to help fit in better win my conversations with people I associate with here.

If someone told me they were a habitual liar, I wouldn't know if they were telling me the truth or not.

[rick75]

You will probably find most of those winging are Yanks they seem to think that everything should be run the way it is in the States. They do some things a little different to the West in Thailand, get used to it.

[njpski]

Another mystery of Thailand has been revealed to me tonight, by my one and only Thai GF with a brain. Apparently, there is a local jargon for referring to time used in Issan and perhaps other areas of Thailand. I have often been confused by this during my 4 years here, but never had it explained to me until now. It goes like this: the 7 o'clock hour (AM) is stated as 1 o'clock and goes on until the next 7 o'clock hour (PM). ie. 8 is 2, 9 is 3, etc. It was explained that the starting time, using the number 1, connotes the daylight and dusk hours of the day. I hope I got this correct. I have encountered this half-baked reference to time keeping several times and could never fathom what it was about. I'm glad someone explained it to me after four years. I guess it probably made sense while everyone was "down on the farm" 100 years ago. Now, it's another Thai tradition that should be history.

What are the other "Thai traditions" that you think should be history? Looking at your previous topics it could be paying your Thai GF's mama a monthly wage or maybe giving your GF a "bonus" for Songkran.

Please show some respect for the people of the country you choose to reside in.

Thank you. OK, I will get in line behind all the rest of you, who are also paying their GF's Mama AND their GF their monthly due, including Songkran bonus. Don't forget the hefty sinsod for virgin brides who have been previously married w/children and the obligatory purchase of house and car, in their name only of course. Anything else you reccomend I do to respecct Thai culture? Perhaps I could become a habitual liar to help fit in better win my conversations with people I associate with here.

If you are from the US of A, Mr a2396, then consider that you precious country has a history since the white invasion, with the Mayflower guys, of only 400 odd years.

Thailand (Siam) history is longer, it has survived the tests of time and will outlast those who attempt to impose foreign ideas on it.

Western empires, such as the Egyptian, Greek, Roman, British, German have all had their run and ultimately failed. The US of A will undoubtedly follow suit.

[a2396]

Another mystery of Thailand has been revealed to me tonight, by my one and only Thai GF with a brain. Apparently, there is a local jargon for referring to time used in Issan and perhaps other areas of Thailand. I have often been confused by this during my 4 years here, but never had it explained to me until now. It goes like this: the 7 o'clock hour (AM) is stated as 1 o'clock and goes on until the next 7 o'clock hour (PM). ie. 8 is 2, 9 is 3, etc. It was explained that the starting time, using the number 1, connotes the daylight and dusk hours of the day. I hope I got this correct. I have encountered this half-baked reference to time keeping several times and could never fathom what it was about. I'm glad someone explained it to me after four years. I guess it probably made sense while everyone was "down on the farm" 100 years ago. Now, it's another Thai tradition that should be history.

What are the other "Thai traditions" that you think should be history? Looking at your previous topics it could be paying your Thai GF's mama a monthly wage or maybe giving your GF a "bonus" for Songkran.

Please show some respect for the people of the country you choose to reside in.

Thank you. OK, I will get in line behind all the rest of you, who are also paying their GF's Mama AND their GF their monthly due, including Songkran bonus. Don't forget the hefty sinsod for virgin brides who have been previously married w/children and the obligatory purchase of house and car, in their name only of course. Anything else you reccomend I do to respecct Thai culture? Perhaps I could become a habitual liar to help fit in better win my conversations with people I associate with here.

If you are from the US of A, Mr a2396, then consider that you precious country has a history since the white invasion, with the Mayflower guys, of only 400 odd years.

Thailand (Siam) history is longer, it has survived the tests of time and will outlast those who attempt to impose foreign ideas on it.

Western empires, such as the Egyptian, Greek, Roman, British, German have all had their run and ultimately failed. The US of A will undoubtedly follow suit.

Now we've gone to bashing my country of origin. It's OK. Have at it. There are probably more things about American culture I don't like than Thai, but I cannot discuss them here, because they are not Thai related. I'll have to plead guilty to having a liking for one American cultural tradiition: Freedom of Expression (speech). Aparently, some of the sage experts on the local ways here, think this should not exist in this fair land or at least on this forum.

[rick75]

I am not bagging you out for having an opinion, just saying that you Yanks tend to beleive that things should always be done your way or its wrong, its a foreign country accept things will be different. Next you will be on here telling us that Thai langauge is silly, why don't they just speak English.

[pattayaheaven]

Habitual liers are not just from thailand.Have you heard of george bush senior and to keep it in the family,george bush junior.

[t.s]

Especially for the two <pejorative deleted> above: http://www.learningthai.com/time.html

I suggest you look in the mirror, if you want to see a <pejorative deleted>. I suppose you like to defend every nit wit, half a$$ed custom that are only useful to SOME Thias in Thailand. This kind of time referencing has no use or place outside of Thailand or in helping Thais deal with foreigners, except for the purpose of confusing them.

um, as a Thai, I can safely say that it is a system used by all Thai's. All 60 odd million of us can't be nit-wits can we?

But, aplogies on behalf of my fellow countrymen that the system of time wasn't designed for you in mind. But, not to worry, we shall get the crayons out for you later and draw some pretty pictures so it is easier for you to understand

Please issue crayons to the other some 3 + billion people in the world, who might have to interact with Thais in the course of human interactions. Unfortunately, I doubt if I am going to adopt this localized time keeping system, which seems to be unique to Thailand. In contrast to some posters here, I do deal with the world outside the borders of Thailand and have advanced my cultual preferences beyond the 19th century find many positive aspects of Thai culture, that are beneficial to the society and the interaction of the country to the world community. This system of time referencing is not one of them.

listen to you mate, what a load of self-satisfied &lt;deleted&gt;!

Edited June 6, 2008 by t.s

[thaihome]

You will probably find most of those winging are Yanks they seem to think that everything should be run the way it is in the States. They do some things a little different to the West in Thailand, get used to it.

Amazing how almost every thread on a Thai forum can turn into an American bashing exercise. Of course, I always thought the biggest whiners were Brits, but that is just me.

TH

[Who, me ?]

To a2396...........You are a piece, aren't you ? 4 years to be explained the Thai time system ! You seem to be quite involved in the country you are living in ! As for all your rants about Thailand or Thai way of life, if you don't like it, nobody forces you to be here..... There are daily flights to your homeland from Suvanaburmi.....

[rick75]

The Britts are whingers, The Yanks think that everyone else is wrong and the Aussies .....we know everyone else is wrong. Just having a larf.

[mr_hippo]

Join the Royal Navy and possibly other navies and they have a distinct way of telling time. We can tell the time by one block of 24, two blocks of 12 or 4 blocks of 6, now why is that difficult to understand? Dates can be confusing as well, it depends where you where brought up. If I told you to meet me on 7/6/08 would you meet me tomorrow or next month?

[raro]

You will probably find most of those winging are Yanks they seem to think that everything should be run the way it is in the States. They do some things a little different to the West in Thailand, get used to it.

are you talking about inches and pounds?

[MrsExpat2B]

To be honest, I am a Thai and I still find the concept confusing. I have no problems whatsoever with 1 toom, 2 toom etc but I do with 2 yam, 3 yam. I'm not the only one though, most kids/teenagers who grow up in Bangkok these days find themselves in a similar situation.

[PeaceBlondie]

Which moderator gets to purge the off-topic bashing of the USA, UK, etc. - the English, Scottish, Aussie, Kiwi, American, Swiss, or Thai moderator? Stick to the subject.

[5tash]

To be honest, I am a Thai and I still find the concept confusing. I have no problems whatsoever with 1 toom, 2 toom etc but I do with 2 yam, 3 yam. I'm not the only one though, most kids/teenagers who grow up in Bangkok these days find themselves in a similar situation.

MrsExpat2B, can I ask you what is "2 yam, 3 yam" ?

[5tash]

To be honest, I am a Thai and I still find the concept confusing. I have no problems whatsoever with 1 toom, 2 toom etc but I do with 2 yam, 3 yam. I'm not the only one though, most kids/teenagers who grow up in Bangkok these days find themselves in a similar situation.

MrsExpat2B, can I ask you what is "2 yam, 3 yam" ?

Just done some research on "yam";

Traditionally a "yam" is a period of time designated as a shift or watch for a sentinel or watchman. Each day is divided into 8 "yams", each "yam" consisting of 3 hours.

Personally I find the cultures and traditions of different countries quite fascinating.

[ETC]

I am not bagging you out for having an opinion, just saying that you Yanks tend to beleive that things should always be done your way or its wrong, its a foreign country accept things will be different. Next you will be on here telling us that Thai langauge is silly, why don't they just speak English.

Whoa rick75...You might want to back up about two clicks on your last statement. I think you should change that from "you yanks" to "some yanks". Sounds a bit to general like you are choosing sides and the other side is always wrong. Every culture has its' share of good and bad, but the wise folks realize there are no real borders but rather some differences. I wish I had a baht for every time my Thai wife has said, "thai people don't do this and Thai people don't do that".

I'm always reminded of one of my friends who married a beautiful young lady from Tonga. She came from a very hiso family and in Tonga people waited on her hand and foot. When she came to the United States, her passion was just sitting in front of the tv and watching cartoons all day.

My friend was concerned that she had no other major interests and he asked me what I thought. I suggested that he take her to Disneyland and the rest is history. They've been happily married for 12 years now with two daughters and a son and their family takes a trip to Disneyland every year.

I think trying to understand peoples differences far outweighs the alternatives. I have travelled to many countries and it is exciting to me to experience different cultures. I would totally hate it if we all thought and acted alike.

I might add..I love Thailand and I love the Thai people and I will hate if anything changes here but change it will. In case anyone has missed it, cell phones and the internet are changing the world at a tremendous rate. More time should be spent understanding the new information age and its affects on the global population. I think we all (myself included) need to learn to deal with all these new fast moving changes in a civil manner. I think the Thai people understand it best, as they created the "Land Of Smiles". We can all learn from that, as it takes Fewer Muscles to Smile and a kind word is the foundation of ones self. I can only hope that that the Thai people never lose that approach to life, as its sorely needed in the world as a whole.

Edited June 9, 2008 by ETC

[a2396]

Let me revisit this issue one more time and explain to the marbleheads on this forum what was the original intent of my post. I am not criticizing the fact that Thais have some type of unique time keeping system known only unto themselves. That is “up to them” as they say in the local language. What I found to be frustrating was the apparent expectation that foreigners should or would understand such referencing without explanation. As I have said, I have been here 4 years, and in that time I have had many Thais use this colloquial usage to state the time, when speaking to me. I have asked many times for explanation from my acquaintances, some of whom were univ. grads. who spoke good English and I got no answer. It was if this was some sort of Thai only thing that foreigners didn’t need to know about. Finally, a few weeks ago, my GF, did explain it to me.

What is of note is that Thais apparently are taught and are familiar with the 24 hour system, so it would seem logical that they would use this when discussing time with foreigners. Of course, I don’t expect all Thais are going to speak English or adapt all foreign customs. But, the extent of “inward vision” here is surprising. This is only one small example.

[Priceless]

Let me revisit this issue one more time and explain to the marbleheads on this forum what was the original intent of my post. I am not criticizing the fact that Thais have some type of unique time keeping system known only unto themselves. That is “up to them” as they say in the local language. What I found to be frustrating was the apparent expectation that foreigners should or would understand such referencing without explanation. As I have said, I have been here 4 years, and in that time I have had many Thais use this colloquial usage to state the time, when speaking to me. I have asked many times for explanation from my acquaintances, some of whom were univ. grads. who spoke good English and I got no answer. It was if this was some sort of Thai only thing that foreigners didn’t need to know about. Finally, a few weeks ago, my GF, did explain it to me.

What is of note is that Thais apparently are taught and are familiar with the 24 hour system, so it would seem logical that they would use this when discussing time with foreigners. Of course, I don’t expect all Thais are going to speak English or adapt all foreign customs. But, the extent of “inward vision” here is surprising. This is only one small example.

When I first came to the US from continental Europe at age 18 (a long time ago), the Americans just assumed that I would understand their idiotic 12-hour system with am/pm. Of course any intelligent and educated person realizes that the 24-hour system is the only sensible one.

They also indicate dates mm/dd/yy! How stupid can you get, you have numbers with three orders of magnitude, so you write the middle one (months) first, the smallest one (days) in the middle followed by the largest one (years). Any sensible person of course realizes that it should be yymmdd, which also simplifies sorting, e.g. on a computer.

Seriously: Accept that you are in country other than your home, in this context YOU are wrong, THEY are right. If that is beyond you, or you refuse to accept it, you probably ought to go back where you came from

/ Priceless

[Zpete]

Not really ........

24 hour clock is the only logical way to express time.

Reminds me of a time when the army, air force and navy were doing combined execises........

TRying to co-ordinate the time, the Commanding officer, a navy man explained.

We move off at 8am.

You navy guys at 8bells.

Airforce chaps 0800 hrs

Footsloggers, army, when Mickeys small arm is on 8, and his long arm on 12.

So simple......huh?

Note:

The use of the bells to mark the time stems from the period when seamen

(1) could not afford a personal time piece (i.e. - a watch)

(2) even if they could, they had no idea on how to tell time with such an instrument. (PMPL)

The bells mark the hours of the watch, in half-hour increments. The seamen would know if it were morning, noon, or night.

Each watch, is four hours long.

Apologies to any Jack Tars, me hearties.....lol

It is very similar to Thai time system.

[rick75]

ETC

I was just taking the piss to a certain degree, but there is a little bit of truth to it, the average American has a fairly insular view of the World.

[a2396]

ETC

I was just taking the piss to a certain degree, but there is a little bit of truth to it, the average American has a fairly insular view of the World.

This is quite true, some of them much worse than the average Thai. Believe it or not, I don't consider myself one of them. The majority of Americans would never consider living in a foreign country and most ot them could not find Thailand or many other places on a map. As for the time, the 24 hr system is not an insular view. Someone should start selling "Thailand - Love it or Leave it" bumper stickers.