100 Things You Didn't Know About Thailand

[Razzler1973]

Phetkasem Road is the longest, stretching from Bangkok all the way to Malaysia.

I always thought that Sukhumvit went up to Cambodia and beyond ?

[Razzler1973]

Bankoks real name is KRUNGTHEP named after a packet of fags.............or maybe not

Kan Win

it is 'filtered tip'

[dingdongrb]

Thailands highest point is Doi Inthanon 2,576 m

Actually, it is a bit more than 2,565 m...

That's just a few thousand feet higher than where my house sits in the USA...

[Gonsalviz]

the Durian fruit which is claimed by Thais as there own can also be found in neighbouring Asian country's who make similar claims,.........it smells similar to ......(no better not go there) there are ladies present!

.....eating ice cream in the toilet?

[Gonsalviz]

99.999999999% of Thai drivers havent got a clue about road safety

This supposed to be about things we didn't know.

This also applies to most asian countries and I'm beginning to think the western world

too.

[Gonsalviz]

Thailand is the second biggest market for utes, next to America.

P.S. A satang has only token value, you can't buy anything with 1 satang.

Thailand is the largest "ute" manufacturer.

There is not a 1 satang coin to buy anything with.

[Gonsalviz]

Thailand is the only country in the world to have "Thai electricity". If you don't believe me, next time you see a Thai electrician, ask him about "earthing". He may say something like, "Thai electricity different...not need earthing."

As for the "Land of Smiles", Thailand is the only country in the world to announce that they are "The Land of Smiles" but when you have your photograph taken for official reasons (eg school), you are not permitted to smile. Why? "You must be serious."

In the next breath, you are told that you are being too serious.

Thai electricity is different. That is why I now will not even change a light bulb without tripping the main breaker.

[Gonsalviz]

The bar girls aren't calling you "Darling" (English)..... they are called you "NaLing" (Thai -> Monkey Face)

You wont find that on Wikipedia !!!

Hmmm....I'm pretty sure they're saying "dtà-ling" (ตะลิง), which is at the other end of the monkey.

I'm pretty sure it's because they can't pronounce R's.

[Naam]

in no other country one finds a similar high percentage of foreign weirdos

[LaoPo]

in no other country one finds a similar high percentage of foreign weirdos

I read that there were 202 nationalities* (working) in Dubai........you think Thailand beats that ? But maybe those 202 nationalities are not as insane as those in LOS

* 2006: DUBAI — A total of 202 different nationalities exist in the labour market, according to the Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Labour, Dr Khalid Al Khazraji.

http://www.khaleejtimes.ae/DisplayArticleN...theuae&col=

LaoPo

[Sateev]

The bar girls aren't calling you "Darling" (English)..... they are called you "NaLing" (Thai -> Monkey Face)

You wont find that on Wikipedia !!!

Nah. They are calling you "dak ling", which means monkey's ass, in Isaan...

(most bar girls are from Isaan, doncha know)

Sateev

[Sateev]

Whatever the spelling it still means bird shit, and the implied meaning of bird shit farang, amongst others is cheap charlie, the great unwashed, low class tourists etc. When used jokingly between friends/work associates it is only mildly offensive. When delivered with venom, it can be considered a genuine insult.

Farang kee nok can also supposedly also mean feijoa according to a kiwi mate - feijoa is another type of guava (maybe not even available here?), as used in the flavoured vodka, the name of which escapes me. Tell me that's not useful info.

Edit: brand is '42 Below'

I'm using thai script here..because that IS the spelling :

ฝรั่ง(farang) can mean guava or person of caucasian appearance

ขี้นก(kee nok) literally means "bird excrement"....colloquially can mean several bad things ie: worthless, inferior,insignificant,meaningless, low class

so ฝรั่งขี้นก (farang kee nok) basically means "you worthless caucasian "

ขี้เหนียว(kee neeow) literally means "sticky shit"..but is used to mean stingy. It is akin to the term "cheap charlie"..this is more slang than anything.

งก (ngok) , the adjective, also means stingy ....so ฝรั่งงก (farang ngok) could mean stingy caucasian person.

นก (nok), means bird

To the non-thai reader/writer , obviously ngok and nok seem similar, but pronounced VERY differently (many people find the ง ng consonant the hardest to grasp..but that is another subject)

Well, my turn to deflate a myth/misnomer:

ขี้เหนียว(kee neeow) may well read as 'shit sticky', but the descriptor ขี้(kee) actually means 'tends to or has a propensity to be", for example, ขี้โกหก (kee gohok), liar, one who tends to lie; ขี้ลืม (kee leuum), one who forgets, forgetful person.

Of course, one could argue that the above examples mean 'lying shit' and 'forgetful shit', but they do not. Ascribing the state of being a shit to someone whose behavior is disapproved is NOT a Thai speech pattern. It is uniquely farang.

ฝรั่งขี้นก (farang kee nok) IS a Thai construct, and it can be seen to be a completely different construct, hence the interpretation for ขี้(kee) is correct as 'shit' in this case.

There are many other projections of farang culture onto Thai language that cause confusion to real Thai communications. They are almost always the result of a false "Ah ha!", by naive students of Thai language...

Avoid literal translation; here there be monsters...

Reading is good, speaking is good. Listening is best.

Sateev

[henryalleman]

<br />Come on people...i dont wanna know the stuff I can google...i wanna know the stuff that you CANT google !!!<br />

<br /><br /><br />

here are a few

48% of the houshold and farm workers in Isaan don't receive a salary.

the numbers of MD per head is one of the lowest in SEA.

[henryalleman]

Thailand have 400 000 soldiers, that is more than the UK, France or Germany. even more than Vietnam or Japan who have a bigger population.

[thirrouard]

Also Thailand has the Spiciest cuisine on the planet (Arguable)

More than Arguable I think. I really doubt so. I was very worried when I saw the menus with "spicy" everywhere in the english translation, but the dishes were not quiet as hot as I thought. It was more than mild, Mexican or Indian food is far more spicy I think.

by the way, I think that it's a good thing, because most thai meals are very well balanced the spices really are there for the taste, and not to hide the lack of it

[desi]

Also Thailand has the Spiciest cuisine on the planet (Arguable)

More than Arguable I think. I really doubt so. I was very worried when I saw the menus with "spicy" everywhere in the english translation, but the dishes were not quiet as hot as I thought. It was more than mild, Mexican or Indian food is far more spicy I think.

by the way, I think that it's a good thing, because most thai meals are very well balanced the spices really are there for the taste, and not to hide the lack of it

It took me awhile to get Thais restaurants to pay attention that yes, I like my food Thai spicy. They'd tone it down to barely a spike in heat. Boring. Most Thai's I've met for the first time don't believe a farang can eat food as hot as a Thai can, so unless I can get them to understand, they tone it down so I won't be uncomfortable. It's thoughtful of them and all... but... bring on the chilis!

[IMA_FARANG]

Thailand is the second biggest market for utes, next to America.

P.S. A satang has only token value, you can't buy anything with 1 satang.

Thailand is the largest "ute" manufacturer.

There is not a 1 satang coin to buy anything with.

Not now, but there were 1 satang coins. Still had some when I arrived in Thailand the first time in 1976. Even then you couldn't buy anything with them, but I've seen some used as "good luck charms"

The bargirls on Patpong then used to tell you they would give you something "special" if you bought them a drink (cola). If you did they would give you a 1 satang coin (but they usually wanted it back).

P.S. In 1976 and 1977 a lot of the food in the street stalls was still priced in satang, 2.5 baht was listed as 250 satang. In 1977 I ordered seafood in Phuket, at a bamboo thached roof restaurant with no sides on what is now Patong beach. I had six crabs which cost me 350 satang (3.5 baht) each for 2 people. The rice was free. I had a liter bottle of beer (Singha, I think) which cost 35 baht. It was the most expensive item of the whole meal.

[Knightsbridge]

The first international school on the Eastern Seaboard was the International School of the Regents...

Any one know the actual first international school in Thailand?

[thirrouard]

Also Thailand has the Spiciest cuisine on the planet (Arguable)

More than Arguable I think. I really doubt so. I was very worried when I saw the menus with "spicy" everywhere in the english translation, but the dishes were not quiet as hot as I thought. It was more than mild, Mexican or Indian food is far more spicy I think.

by the way, I think that it's a good thing, because most thai meals are very well balanced the spices really are there for the taste, and not to hide the lack of it

It took me awhile to get Thais restaurants to pay attention that yes, I like my food Thai spicy. They'd tone it down to barely a spike in heat. Boring. Most Thai's I've met for the first time don't believe a farang can eat food as hot as a Thai can, so unless I can get them to understand, they tone it down so I won't be uncomfortable. It's thoughtful of them and all... but... bring on the chilis!

That's why I think Thai food is not THAT spicy. Go to an indian restaurent, even if you tell them that you want the food not spicy at all, you will barely be able to handle it (well me at least), wether in Thai restaurent they can do the food very mild without problem. And it's not boring at all, there is lots of other things to taste!

But well, do you smoke? Smokers like salt and chili because it's almost the only things they can taste...

[khunandy]

The longer you leave filthy "new furniture" plastic protective wrapping on anything you buy be it: chairs, tables,photo frames etc ...the longer it will last.

Why do the Thais do this...it drives me nuts

[thirrouard]

The longer you leave filthy "new furniture" plastic protective wrapping on anything you buy be it: chairs, tables,photo frames etc ...the longer it will last.

Why do the Thais do this...it drives me nuts

Well not only thai people. I see a lot of people do this too in France, and also they leave the stickers that are only designed for marketing purpose, on electronic stuff, like "10Mpixel" "Windows Vista Bullshit Premium" "Intel Core 2 Duo" etc.

Some people leave it because they think they think it will be hard to remove (but it's designed to be removed... execept with really stupid brands), some others think it look cool (well more like "kewl").

Anyway... that also drive me nuts haha...

[desi]

That's why I think Thai food is not THAT spicy. Go to an indian restaurent, even if you tell them that you want the food not spicy at all, you will barely be able to handle it (well me at least), wether in Thai restaurent they can do the food very mild without problem. And it's not boring at all, there is lots of other things to taste!

Or maybe it's because the Thais are more attentive than Indians on how tender westerners can be?

But then, it's been years since I've had a seriously hot vindaloo, and I've tried both here in BKK and in the UK (just asked the man and he agrees, that it's been a long while).

But well, do you smoke? Smokers like salt and chili because it's almost the only things they can taste...

No, I don't smoke. Nor do my Thai friends and the man, who all love spicy food.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Thailand was never officially involved in WWII????"

Actually, at the instigation of the occupying Japanese, Thailand (Siam) declared war on the US. However the Thai being Thai, they never got aound to delivering it. How very Thai indeed!!

The then Thai Ambassador to the United States did not agree with the declaration of war and left the Secretary of State without delivering the the formal Declaration of of War.

[Taijitu]

Thailand have 400 000 soldiers, that is more than the UK, France or Germany. even more than Vietnam or Japan who have a bigger population.

Could this be simply due to the fact that Thailand still has compulsary military service (conscription)?

[Taijitu]

Phetkasem Road is the longest, stretching from Bangkok all the way to Malaysia.

Yes, and a worthy second longest road is Phahonyothin Road stretching from Bangkok all the way to Chiang Rai in the far north. The Sukhumvit is a short road in comparison to these.

[Taijitu]

Here's another, don't know if it's true - the Thais only write the name of people in red ink if they are dead, or they wish them dead.

It's true. I gave a red ball point pen to a Thai colleague to sign his name and he refused. He said the reason was that when a Thai dies, his name is written in red (and always red) on the side of the coffin. A huge superstition, which meant his demise would be immenent if he complied.

[Taijitu]

If she has a bad dream, my Thai wife will tell me that, but she will not tell me the details until she has related the details of the dream to the bowl of a toilet and then flushed the toilet, or swilled the bowl, with fresh water. She says that by doing this, there is now way for that bad dream to come true, as it has been washed away.

[Taijitu]

Did you know that if you have a new car bearing a "red number plate", that car cannot be driven out of the province (changwat) where it was registered after the sun goes down? Also, during daylight hours, if that same car is driven out of the changwat where it was first registeed, then a log book (associated with the red number) has to be competed with the details of the journey!!!

But, like many other motoring laws in Thailand, these laws are not enforced!!!!

Edited October 10, 2008 by Taijitu

[Soutpeel]

Did you know that if you have a new car bearing a "red number plate", that car cannot be driven out of the province (changwat) where it was registered after the sun goes down? Also, during daylight hours, if that same car is driven out of the changwat where it was first registeed, then a log book (associated with the red number) has to be competed with the details of the journey!!!

But, like many other motoring laws in Thailand, these laws are not enforced!!!!

The red plate law is enforced, my Mrs got stopped coming through BKK, with a new car registered in Chonburi, cost her 3 hours waiting, a telling off and a THB 300 fine in Bang Na copshop, and get this....... the cop who stopped her refused the tea money. This must be a first in Thailand..

[anotheruser]

I bet you didnt know that there is a species of tree that grows 1000 baht notes. I have a few in my garden. Pm me if you want to buy any seeds!! I will be more than happy to negotiate a price, Payment through bank transfer only.

Please provide your bank details and I will immediately transfer millions from my dead dad's account in Nigeria.