Words And Phrases In The News

[DavidHouston]

Here is a list of random Thai words and phrases which have become prominent in the latest political turmoil in Thailand. Please let me know what you have learned during this time and would like to share with us. In addition, I would appreciate any questions or corrections. Thanks.

ประชาธิปไตยแบบบริหารจัดการ – (a political system of) managed democracy. This is presumably not a complementary term; it means that a strong force is preventing the application of full democratic government institutions.

ฐานเสียง – voting block; electoral base

ฐานเสียงในสภาผู้แทนราษฎร – parliamentary voting block

Here are several business groups which figured prominently in the news as supporting a new government:

สภาหอการค้าแห่งประเทศไทย – The Thai Chamber of Commerce

สภาอุตสาหกรรมแห่งประเทศไทย – The Federation of Thai Industries - ส.อ.ท.

สมคมธนาคารไทย – The Thai Bankers’ Association

And their umbrella organization is คณะกรรมการร่วมภาคเอกชน - กกร. – Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking

แผนกระตุ้นเศรษฐกิจ – economic stimulus plan

ผู้พิทักษ์สันติราษฎร์ [N] police; police force; guardian; policeman; cop

The more common term is “ตำรวจ”

รัฐบาลแห่งชาติ – national unity government; this is what the Thaksin faction wants as a back-up alternative to its own control.

รักษาการนายกรัฐมนตรี – Acting Prime Minister; Caretaker Prime Minister

Anyone else? Thanks.

[Jay_Jay]

Great stuff David! I needed to have some of those words spring to mind the other night when I was interpreting at the FCCT for the 'red shirts' press conference. You get used to hearing it so often in Thai, but I was struggling there trying to put the right English equivalents to the terms!

[rak sa_ngop]

สมคมธนาคารไทย – The Thai Bankers’ Association

Shouldn't this be spelt:

สมาคมธนาคารไทย – The Thai Bankers’ Association

I try and listen to VOA in Thai every day. Yesterday's program reported on:

ปฏิญญาสากลว่าด้วยสิทธิมนุษยชน – The Declaration of Human Rights

[DavidHouston]

สมคมธนาคารไทย – The Thai Bankers’ Association

Shouldn't this be spelt:

สมาคมธนาคารไทย – The Thai Bankers’ Association

I try and listen to VOA in Thai every day. Yesterday's program reported on:

ปฏิญญาสากลว่าด้วยสิทธิมนุษยชน – The Declaration of Human Rights

Your spelling is correct. Interestingly, there are a number of sites where the vowel is incorrectly omitted. The official site, however, reflects your spelling.

Any more words or phrases to add from the recent turmoil; have you seen any particularly interesting metaphors?

[bannork]

What with the current jostling, wheeling and dealing to form a government I see the following every day in the paper

จับขั้ว -to form a coalition of factions, parties( to form a government) I think I've seen ตั้งขั้ว too.

[DavidHouston]

What with the current jostling, wheeling and dealing to form a government I see the following every day in the paper

จับขั้ว -to form a coalition of factions, parties( to form a government) I think I've seen ตั้งขั้ว too.

There is also "พลิกขั้ว", "to have a complete turnover of power" as in:

ถึงกังวลก็ต้องสู้ให้ชนะ ค่อนข้างมั่นใจว่าการวันโหวตนายกฯคงไม่มีปัจจัยอะไรที่จะทำให้พลิกขั้วได้ เพราะเรามี 260 เสียง

"Even though we are concerned, we need to pursue victory. I am fairly confident that when it comes time to vote for Prime Minister, there are no factors which might cause a change in power because we have a full 260 vote (in our favor)."

What do you think, Khun Bannork? Is this a reasonable rendering? Thanks.

Edited December 12, 2008 by DavidHouston

[sabaijai]

block --> bloc

[bannork]

What with the current jostling, wheeling and dealing to form a government I see the following every day in the paper

จับขั้ว -to form a coalition of factions, parties( to form a government) I think I've seen ตั้งขั้ว too.

There is also "พลิกขั้ว", "to have a complete turnover of power" as in:

ถึงกังวลก็ต้องสู้ให้ชนะ ค่อนข้างมั่นใจว่าการวันโหวตนายกฯคงไม่มีปัจจัยอะไรที่จะทำให้พลิกขั้วได้ เพราะเรามี 260 เสียง

"Even though we are concerned, we need to pursue victory. I am fairly confident that when it comes time to vote for Prime Minister, there are no factors which might cause a change in power because we have a full 260 vote (in our favor)."

What do you think, Khun Bannork? Is this a reasonable rendering? Thanks.

Perhaps altering 'a change in power' to' a switch in factions', 'a changing of sides' .

ie,'Despite our worries, we must fight\strive for victory. I'm quite confident that on the day of voting there will be no factors causing a switch of factions\ allegiances\sides because we already have 260 votes.