Do Thais Celebrate Birthdays?

[Richard W]

thais celebrate birthdays in different ways. might not be in the form of parties (although the rich will, especially for their 60th, perhaps western influence?)

Let me quote from a 50-year old Thai textbook, 'Fundamentals of the Thai Language' by Campbell & Shaweevongs:

"Most people in Thailand know the animal year in which they were born. Although all birthdays are observed by Thai people, the completion of a 12 year cycle is a most important vent in everyone's life.

"The completion of the 5th cycle (60) years is an occason for special rejoicing."

60 is probably significant because there was an old system of identifying years by the 12-year animal cycle and a ten-year cycle designated by Pali numerals. This system repeats every 60 years. Thus the importance of the 60th birthday would seem to be of native origin - as is holding its celebration at a wat. On the other hand, it wasn't easy finding 'suksan wankoet' in a dictionary to check its spelling.

[teacup]

To the OP....

For most thais......the answer is NO

However many old people do go to the temple to get the blessing or do some releasing of the birds, fishes, turtles or something....to commemorate their b-day.

In thailand....

the date of your death is more important than your birthdate.....and we do celebrate almost yearly or more often

Edited May 28, 2009 by teacup

[sanook2me]

The missus sister gives me a little something on my birthday, sweets or chocolate usually, then eats it herself.

I give her 500 Baht for every year she has been born on her birthday.

how old is your missus sister?

500baht for every year she has been born would be just stupid after the age of 2

500bt = £10 approx right. So anything over £10 for non blood relatives is way over the top here or in the West surely that is a typo.

So at the age of 10 you gave her 5,000baht?

That would be just silly.

[Brigante7]

The thai's in my wifes family do indeed celebrate birthday's, in fact the missus is heading back to Thailand with her sister next month to celebrate her sisters birthday with their family, it's a big deal to them all.

Brigante7.

[Maigo6]

The missus sister gives me a little something on my birthday, sweets or chocolate usually, then eats it herself.

I give her 500 Baht for every year she has been born on her birthday.

how old is your missus sister?

500baht for every year she has been born would be just stupid after the age of 2

500bt = £10 approx right. So anything over £10 for non blood relatives is way over the top here or in the West surely that is a typo.

So at the age of 10 you gave her 5,000baht?

That would be just silly.

She was 20 0n last Birthday so I gave her 10,000 Baht.

Why on earth is it silly ?

Hardly over the top is it ...

I can't believe this, I'm actually justifying what I do with my money to a total stranger on an anonymous internet forum...

[JetsetBkk]

...She replied that Thais don't celebrate birthdays and that in fact it is the children’s responsibility to call their folks and thank them for being born and to forgive them any suffering or grief the have caused them throughout their life!

I was gob smacked!...

Why 'gob-smacked'? . Ties in with how my g/f explained it. A long call to mum on her birthday was normal.

[Heng]

Birthdays celebrated among my family and friends with the caveat that some less important/less popular folks will have their birthdays celebrated less enthusiastically or sometimes skipped altogether. Sometimes there's a cake, sometimes not. Always lots of food and booze. Sometimes in house, sometimes out on the town, venues vary.

[a2396]

This ain't necessarily so. If she is your GF, presents are likely to be expected, along with a dinner or other suitable activities. This is a great time for a trip to the gold shop to show her how much you truly love her. Children will usually do with a cake and or pizza/KFC.

[BigSnake]

Your WIFE is living in the 1950s, Thais do in fact celebrate birthdays in this day and age , my wife is off to one tonight for her girlfriend. Just Wednesday evening Mom and Dad hosting a birthday party for their 8 year old at McDonald, I guess they need help with all those SCREAMING kids, I darn near step on one of the little rascals in my bid to get away from the little screaming MONSTERS We have an invite to attend the birthday party of an 80 year old Thais friend/neighbor. HINT: For your wife>Father Day 5 Dec, Mother Day 12 Aug., a HINT: For you>keep an eye on a PERSON that will feed you CRAP like this

Edited May 29, 2009 by BigSnake

[G54]

If Thai people do not celebrate birthdays, why do they sing 'Happy Birthday' in English? Why do they have cakes with candles and all go to the pub / restaurant to celebrate? And I am not talking Hi-so people here, but normal Thai people.

I see several every week - not that I go out much, you understand

So to say they do not celebrate, or only Hi-so do has to be well off the mark somewhere.

The only reason birthdays are celebrated in western pubs is because WE expect it, not them.

For example, have you ever seen or heard a happy birthday for one of the Thai staff? I bet you haven't.

I only go to 1 'western' pub. All the others - about 6 of them - are Thai.

Almost every night that I do go to the pub someone (Thai) is celebrating a birthday. Often there are 2 or 3 a night. Drinks, dancing and a birthday cake with candles on it and the request to the band playing for them to sing 'Happy Birthday'. Most are in their 20's & 30's.

So this has nothing to do with us foreigners celebrating, though that might be where it stems from originally.

edit to add age range

Edited May 29, 2009 by G54

[Livinginexile]

Your WIFE is living in the 1950s, Thais do in fact celebrate birthdays in this day and age , my wife is off to one tonight for her girlfriend. Just Wednesday evening Mom and Dad hosting a birthday party for their 8 year old at McDonald, I guess they need help with all those SCREAMING kids, I darn near step on one of the little rascals in my bid to get away from the little screaming MONSTERS We have an invite to attend the birthday party of an 80 year old Thais friend/neighbor. HINT: For your wife>Father Day 5 Dec, Mother Day 12 Aug., a HINT: For you>keep an eye on a PERSON that will feed you CRAP like this

And what is THAT supposed to mean? Why would I need to keep an eye on my wife because she said birthdays are generally not celebrated in Thailand? Does that mean she is going to rob me? Get a life.

If you bothered to read the responses you will plainly see that the majority of replies confirm the fact that birthday celebrations (in the western style) is NOT a Thai tradition.

What seems to be true is that the western tradition is being adopted more and more by city folk.

[oldsparrow]

Cake and party for every BD is western influence. Traditionally the Thais go to Temple to do merit.

In my primary school the BD kid gave chocolate/sweet to other classmates at morning milk break.

[Prudent_rabbit]

Beg to differ here, in my first company, we had 13 staff, all females, 11 from Issan, 1 from Phuket and one Bangkok lady, ages ranged from early 20's to 40+, every birthday was celebrated, cake, candles, cards and presents and a rousing chorus of Happy Birthday, I left that company over 2 years ago, and I still get invited to all the girls birthday parties, generally a nice thai meal and the girls supply a bottle of Johhny Red so I can have a drink. When it is my birthday, they come to my place with enough food to feed the 5000 and a cake and I always get a small present, do Thais celebrate their birthday?, some do, some dont, but like all things in Thailand, chance for a party and some sanook, they will celebrate

สุขสันต์วันเกิด - sòok-săn wan gèrt

[greenwood01]

most thais birth result from a drunken thai male refusing to use protection, so of course. parents feel they should be thanked and that the child deserves nothing.

[bkkjames]

In my experience - they do celebrate them - especially when I am buying.

What's with this crowd?

James, it's my birthday (again) buy me a drink. James it's Loy Kratong ring the bell. James it's my birthday again ring the bell. James, it's Happy New Year buy me a drink. James it's your birthday - ring the bell. James, it's Songkran buy me a drink...

Recently I experienced my XX birthday (no numbers please - this is a children's programme) and someone rubbed me the wrong way (I like it up - they like it down - go figure), and asked me to buy them a drink.

I said, ah no. Generally speaking, other people are supposed to buy the birthday boy a drink - ko jai mai krup - at least that's what you told me when you had yours.

A blank look permiated the air for 5 seconds then - so can I have drink then?

[saraburioz]

It was my wife's b/day recently and we celebrated with a party at my sister’s house.

We had the usual birthday celebrations with presents, birthday cake and lots of friends and relatives.

Later that night I asked if her parents would call to wish her happy birthday. She replied that Thais don't celebrate birthdays and that in fact it is the children’s responsibility to call their folks and thank them for being born and to forgive them any suffering or grief the have caused them throughout their life!

I was gob smacked!

I am now beginning to see how Thai's instill a strong since of guilt in their children from an early age.

Is this practice wide spread? My wife says that only hiso people celebrate birthdays because it follows western traditions.

Has anyone else experienced these phenomena?

No.

We went to my father in laws birthday bash in Bnagkok last week - 500 guests were there.

[Maigo6]

We went to my father in laws birthday bash in Bnagkok last week - 500 guests were there.

It may be a class thing , if I recall you married into the aristocracy and recieved 5000 Rai of land for a wedding gift.

Am I right ?

Only 500 guests, surprising really.

[Insight]

Beg to differ here, in my first company, we had 13 staff, all females, 11 from Issan, 1 from Phuket and one Bangkok lady, ages ranged from early 20's to 40+, every birthday was celebrated, cake, candles, cards and presents and a rousing chorus of Happy Birthday, I left that company over 2 years ago, and I still get invited to all the girls birthday parties, generally a nice thai meal and the girls supply a bottle of Johhny Red so I can have a drink. When it is my birthday, they come to my place with enough food to feed the 5000 and a cake and I always get a small present, do Thais celebrate their birthday?, some do, some dont, but like all things in Thailand, chance for a party and some sanook, they will celebrate

สุขสันต์วันเกิด - sòok-săn wan gèrt

Exactly! Birthdays are a big deal in both offices I've worked in also. Cake, sing-a-long, the usual birthday banter.

Go to a nightclub with a Thai live band playing and there's good odds they'll belt out the Happy Birthday number for somebody in the crowd.

When ever my wife's sister's or our nephew's have a birthday there's always a family get-together.

Birthdays seem just as celebrated here compared to the west, if not more so.

Edited May 29, 2009 by Insight

[Roadman]

In my experience - they do celebrate them - especially when I am buying.

What's with this crowd?

James, it's my birthday (again) buy me a drink. James it's Loy Kratong ring the bell. James it's my birthday again ring the bell. James, it's Happy New Year buy me a drink. James it's your birthday - ring the bell. James, it's Songkran buy me a drink...

Recently I experienced my XX birthday (no numbers please - this is a children's programme) and someone rubbed me the wrong way (I like it up - they like it down - go figure), and asked me to buy them a drink.

I said, ah no. Generally speaking, other people are supposed to buy the birthday boy a drink - ko jai mai krup - at least that's what you told me when you had yours.

A blank look permiated the air for 5 seconds then - so can I have drink then?

You mean the blind were leading the blind....

[thithi]

hmm generally, we do celebrate it, but it depends on how we do it.

Like me - I don't drink on my own birthday. I go to the temple [when i am told]. I call mum and dad to thank them early in the morning then go out for a nice dinner meal. And sometimes buy them presents and buy my own one. But they did buy me gifts when I was younger also threw parties for me.

Some wil just make merit .the other modern thai would throw parties and drink a lot.

Why do you thank your parents?

because they gave me birth, feed me, take care of me, teach me and love me

[spysee]

I've always thought Birthdays and xmas were just for kids.

I guess some people just never grow up

[G54]

I've always thought Birthdays and xmas were just for kids.

I guess some people just never grow up

I guess some people have no sense of fun.

[spysee]

I've always thought Birthdays and xmas were just for kids.

I guess some people just never grow up

I guess some people have no sense of fun.

I have fun every week.

Why pick a few days to celebrate when you can do it when you want to do it.

[Livinginexile]

We went to my father in laws birthday bash in Bnagkok last week - 500 guests were there.

It may be a class thing , if I recall you married into the aristocracy and recieved 5000 Rai of land for a wedding gift.

Am I right ?

Only 500 guests, surprising really.

The truth is out about this clown

He's actually an English teacher.

Read his topic recently, it was finally closed because he never responded.

I do some voluntary work at a school where recently a colleague commited a serious criminal offense.

The other farang teacher is not saying anything but I feel obliged to - should I?

We are 95% sure that he diid this crime. I am not allowed to say exactly what the crime is but in Australia, he'd be looking at 10 years.

What do I do?

Is this a super Troll or what?

[bkkjames]

We went to my father in laws birthday bash in Bnagkok last week - 500 guests were there.

It may be a class thing , if I recall you married into the aristocracy and recieved 5000 Rai of land for a wedding gift.

Am I right ?

Only 500 guests, surprising really.

The truth is out about this clown

He's actually an English teacher.

Read his topic recently, it was finally closed because he never responded.

I do some voluntary work at a school where recently a colleague commited a serious criminal offense.

The other farang teacher is not saying anything but I feel obliged to - should I?

We are 95% sure that he diid this crime. I am not allowed to say exactly what the crime is but in Australia, he'd be looking at 10 years.

What do I do?

Is this a super Troll or what?

And all this time I thought Mr Go6 was just a philospher.

[G54]

I've always thought Birthdays and xmas were just for kids.

I guess some people just never grow up

I guess some people have no sense of fun.

I have fun every week.

Why pick a few days to celebrate when you can do it when you want to do it.

It is a good excuse for everyone to buy you a drink instead of you being the ATM

[astral]

IME most Thais just get one year older on the 1st Jan............

Children appreciate birthday parties, but do not seem to expect them

the same way a western child would.

[easyride]

This is one bit of Thai culture i most certainly like then, we just need them to knock this attempt at bringing Xmas to Thailand on the head, aswell as banning New year.

But why when im in a tourist resort do i every night see one bar or other celebrating some girls b'day?

Because a walking ATM will be paying for it.

[Maigo6]

And all this time I thought Mr Go6 was just a philospher.

Jamie boy, the object of the post isn't me, if you wasn't so dumb or pizzed, you may have realised that. Have another bottle of scotch.......

Yet your first thought was correct, I am a Philosophical kind of guy.

[robbo1]

Yep my wife is the same she loves the attention when it is her birthday I try to spoil her as much as I can you know out to dinner nice gift but wfhen I ask if she has heard from her family the simple answer is they not care about birthday.

I think mothers day is the big day in Thailand as far as I can see