The Thai Political Word Thread. ..

[Tod Daniels]

Given that a person is unable to turn on the television, radio or sometimes even leave their apartment without running into red shirt protests, I think we should have a thai political word thread, which lists common words and definitions concerning the recent political situation.

Then again I could be wrong. …

I’ll start it off with these words (some that I ripped off the internet) as I had no clue;

(Sorry I made the font big, the line of my eyes is long )

รัฐบาล - government

รัฐธรรมนูญ -constitution

นายกรัฐมนตรี often just รัฐมนตรี - prime minister

คอรัปชั่น - corruption (transliterated engrish)

สองมาตรฐาน - double standard

อมาตย์ - ?? (ruling elite??)

อมาตยาธิปไตย - government by bureaucrats

แก้ไข - amend

ยุบสภา - dissolve parliament

Factions;

นปช. - กลุ่มแนวร่วมประชาธิปไตยขับไล่เผด็จการแห่งชาติ UDDT (United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship of Thailand); Redz (no wonder everyone uses the abbreviations on these names!! )

aka:

ม็อบเสื้อแดง - Mob of Red Shirts

เสื้อแดง - Red Shirts

พธม. - พันธมิตรประชาชนเพื่อประชาธิปไตย PAD (People's Alliance for Democracy) Yellowz

aka;

พันธมิตร -

ม็อบเสื้อเหลือง - Mob of Yellow Shirts

เสื้อเหลือง - Yellow Shirts

People;

อภิสิทธิ์ เวชชาชีวะ Abhisit Vejjajiva - often referred to as just มาร์ค (Mark)

วีระ มุสิกพงศ์ - Veera Musikapong

จตุพร พรหมพันธุ์ - Jatuporn Prompham

ดร. เหวง โตจิราการ - Dr Weng Tojirakarn -

Please add more to this list!! Considering the current situation in thailand it is quite a relevant thread (please add abbreviations so maybe someday we can read the thai newspaper too!)

[DavidHouston]

Great list, Todd. Let me add a bit of an addition:

I believe that "แก้ไข" is a general term meaning "to fix, mend, revise, amend, improve". A more technical term used in a legislative sense is "แปรญัตติ" meaning "to mend; amend a motion; propose an amendment; move to amend; propose a motion to amend; change a proposal; revise a proposal; interpret a proposal" (Lexitron). Certainly the former is more widely used by ชาวบ้าน than the latter.

Here is an example from Matichon:

สภาตั้งคณะกรรมาธิการวิสามัญไปแปรญัตติเพื่อนำกลับมาพิจารณาในสภาวาระ 2 และ 3

"The House created a special commission to propose amendments for consideration [by the House] during its second and third terms."

Edited April 3, 2010 by DavidHouston

[DavidHouston]

To add some of the courts to Todd's list:

ศาลฎีกา - The Supreme Court

ศาลฎีกาแผนกคดีอาญาของผู้ดำรงตำแหน่งทางการเมือง - The Supreme Court's Criminal Tribunal for Political Office Holders

ศาลยุติธรรม - Court of Justice

ศาลรัฐธรรมนูญ - Constitutional Court

หมายจับ - an arrest warrant

หมายศาล - court warrant; summons; subpoena; court order

นักโทษหนีคดี - fugitive from justice

ผู้ต้องหา - a person charged with an offense; alleged offender

Any others of interest?

[Rikker]

This is turning into general legal terms; might as well throw in a few more:

หมายค้น - search warrant

ผู้ต้องสงสัย - (the) suspect (in a crime)

คดี - case (e.g. case in court)

[mangkorn]

Great thread, Tod.

One minor correction: นายกรัฐมนตรี (prime minister) is often shortened to นายก. รัฐมนตรี is a cabinet minister, shortened from รัฐมนตรีว่าการ.

ผู้ว่า is kind of a broad term for government bigshot/senior official, usually the governor of a province, or mayor (e.g., กรุงเทพฯ). ผู้ว่า sounds a lot like the term that Latino street gangs use for boss (literally translated from Spanish as "he who speaks"), but the Thai is actually a short form of ผู้ว่าราชการ

As for ศาลฎีกา - wasn't that a hi-so discotheque that burned down on New Years Eve? (Who would name a disco The Supreme Court, anyway?)

[SoftWater]

การเดินขบวน /karn-dern-khabuan/

demonstration

p.s. someone buy Tod a drink; best idea for a new thread I've seen in ages.

Edited April 4, 2010 by SoftWater

[DavidHouston]

Here are some interesting sentences from the political arena:

ส่วนการเคลื่อนไหวมีนัยยะทางการเมืองอะไรหรือนั้น พล.อ.วินัยกล่าวว่า "ผมว่ามันก็ธรรมดา เป็นธรรมดาที่ก็คงคิดว่าการเคลื่อนไหวใดๆ ก็คงจะหวังผลต่อการเลือกตั้ง ก็คงจะใช่"

As to the question of whether or not these movements have political implications, General Winai said, “Well, I think this is normal; it is natural to think that [those who participate in these] activities wish to affect the elections. I think this is true.”

น่าจะมีการชุมนุมตั้งแต่วันที่ 16 กุมภาพันธ์ ซึ่งเป็นวันตัดสินคดียึดทรัพย์ 7.6 หมื่นล้านบาทของ พ.ต.ท.ทักษิณ

There are likely to be demonstrations starting on February 16th which is the date that [the courts] will decide the suit to confiscate the 7.6 billion baht belonging to Pol. Col. Thaksin Shinawatra.

มีเนื้อหาความสำคัญอยู่ในระดับเดียวกับกรณีการตัดสินให้ นายสมัคร สุนทรเวช พ้นจากตำแหน่งนายกรัฐมนตรี โทษฐานปรุงอาหารออกรายการทีวี

[This decision] has the same level of importance as the decision to expel Mr. Samak Suntharawet from his position of prime minister to punish him based on [his participation in] a T.V. cooking program.

And, a phrase:

ประกาศภาวะฉุกเฉิน – to declare a state of emergency

Any corrections and comments are appreciated.

Edited April 4, 2010 by DavidHouston

[Jeddah Jo]

Was playing around with Thai dictionary and just found that

อภิสิทธิ์ - Abhisit

Also has the meaning of a privileged person or someone from a privileged class. Could that possibly be the reason why he annoys so many Thais?

JJ

[SoftWater]

Could be the reason the Red's picked that particular phrase to focus attention on...imagine if he'd been called อิทธิพล (another common Thai name), no doubt the war cry would have been about the injustice caused by those with 'influence'.

You're right that there's a lot in a name, but I'm not sure its the name that caused the problem...

Edited April 4, 2010 by SoftWater

[meadish_sweetball]

การเดินขบวน /karn-dern-khabuan/

demonstration

p.s. someone buy Tod a drink; best idea for a new thread I've seen in ages.

Agree, great thread idea.

This word also means 'a march' or 'a parade'... it is often used in connection with demonstrations as in marches for political purposes but can also be used in a more general sense, as in, for example, a parade during a festival of some kind. Due to เดิน I don't think it could be used for a standing or sitting demonstration... nor for a demonstration in the sense of 'sales demonstration'.

This is probably obvious to you SoftWater, but I just thought I'd throw it in for those who are complete beginners.

[Jeddah Jo]

The word I seem to hear most often to describe a demonstration or protest is :-

การ ประท้วง - gaan bpratuang

JJ

[DavidHouston]

A few more:

ศูนย์อำนวยการรักษาความสงบเรียบร้อย (ศอ.รส.) – Internal Security Operations Center (ISOC)

ผู้บัญชาการทหารบก (ผบ.ทบ.) – Army commander in Chief

อหิงสา – non-violence

ขาดความชอบธรรม – to lack legitimacy

สู้ไม่ถอย – lit. fight without retreat; to be unyielding; ‘Never give up’

คอรัปชั่น – corruption (transcription) > ทุจริต - corruption (Thai)

อย่าเอาเรื่องทุจริตมาเล่น

Don’t play the corruption card.

เขาจะสู้จนกว่ารัฐบาลจะยุบสภา

They will fight on until the government dissolves parliament.

[SoftWater]

การเดินขบวน /karn-dern-khabuan/

demonstration

p.s. someone buy Tod a drink; best idea for a new thread I've seen in ages.

Agree, great thread idea.

This word also means 'a march' or 'a parade'... it is often used in connection with demonstrations as in marches for political purposes but can also be used in a more general sense, as in, for example, a parade during a festival of some kind. Due to เดิน I don't think it could be used for a standing or sitting demonstration... nor for a demonstration in the sense of 'sales demonstration'.

This is probably obvious to you SoftWater, but I just thought I'd throw it in for those who are complete beginners.

Very little is obvious to me about Thai, meadish. Thanks for the extra insights, JJ also.

Perhaps การเดินขบวน is better translated as 'procession' (thinking back, I think this was the context in which I learned it).

I never thought about the concept of a 'sales demonstration' - wonder what that is called?

Edited April 4, 2010 by SoftWater

[Tod Daniels]

Here's a few more;

Another Red Shirt;

อริสมันต์ พงษ์เรืองรอง Arisaman Pongruangrong - Former Pop singer (who wasn't too bad and has some good songs ) turned firebrand Red mouthpiece (pending arrest I think for advocating something less than a non-violent stance). ..

A few catchy phrases from the Red headbands.

Really gotta give 'em credit for getting the meaning across with such a few words.

มึงไม่ยุบ กูไม่กลับ - You don't dissolve, I won't go home

ไม่จ้าง กูมาเอง - Not hired. I came myself

กู ขอแค่ ยุบสภา - I only ask dissolve Parliament (not sure on this one as the head band was in use)

Add any ones you come across, they really are quite good as headbands go.

[SoftWater]

The word I seem to hear most often to describe a demonstration or protest is :-

การ ประท้วง - gaan bpratuang

JJ

Looking at Lexitron for ประท้วง, Lexitron gives the following example:

พนักงานประท้วงเพื่อขอขึ้นเงินเดือน which I translate as

panak-ngarn bpra-tuang pheua kor keun ngern deuan

[staff protest for request rise money monthly]

1. The staff demanded a pay rise.

But...perhaps ประท้วง indicates some kind of more immediate action as in

2. 'The staff protested in order to get a pay rise.'

('protested' as in 'held some kind of demonstration')

Any feeling about which is better, 1 or 2? Obviously, the sense is quite different.

[RickBradford]

Daily News has a front-page pic of Red Shirts covering the centre of Bangkok, with the headline: "สลายแดง" I can't figure out if the newspaper is trying to be funny or there's another meaning of สลาย which has escaped me.......

[dobadoy]

Daily News has a front-page pic of Red Shirts covering the centre of Bangkok, with the headline: "สลายแดง" I can't figure out if the newspaper is trying to be funny or there's another meaning of สลาย which has escaped me.......

'Destroy the Reds'? could be a call to the government, thoough I don't know this paper or their political orientation, or 'Broken reds' maybe an admission that they've shot themselves in the foot? Though personally i'm thinking the jury is out on that one dpending on what happens next. I guess you can only tell from the content of the report that follows the headline.

Edited April 4, 2010 by dobadoy

[Tod Daniels]

I tried to find the paper to peruse the article but couldn't

In looking at the various meanings the word สลาย can connote, I see the meaning "to split or fracture".

Now granted this is a leap of logic here (not always something to be done with thai language ) especially without reading the subsequent article; but could this be in reference to the 'factions' who make up the Reds NOT all being in agreement on the way forward as in split/fractured factions? Again, just a guess without seeing the article after the headline.

You've piqued my interest and I'll ask the food sellers outside my apartment if they keep the old newspwpers to see if I can scrounge up the article..

[bannork]

Daily News has a front-page pic of Red Shirts covering the centre of Bangkok, with the headline: "สลายแดง" I can't figure out if the newspaper is trying to be funny or there's another meaning of สลาย which has escaped me.......

สลาย means disperse or break up the crowd here.

[SoftWater]

I keep coming across this word, ชุมชน and found some others that my be relevant:

รวมตัว - (v.) assemble, gather together

ชุมชน - (n. ) crowd, throng,

ขึ้นมา - (v) rise, increase

ซึ่งกันและกัน - (adv) mutually, reciprocally, each other

And heres' a nice sample sentence from those folk at Lexitron with all of them:

ชาวไร่สับปะรดได้รวมตัวเป็นชุมชนขึ้นมาเพื่อดูแลผลประโยชน์ซึ่งกันและกัน

which I read as:

[chaow-rai sop-a-rot dai ruam dua ben chum-chon keun mar pheua du-leh pon-bra-yoht seung gan lae gan]

Pineapple famers have formed a collective to take care of their mutual interests.

I couldn't work the idea of ขึ้นมา into my rendering. Any ideas?

Edited April 5, 2010 by SoftWater

[bannork]

ชุมนุม to rally or protest, is often used in situations like the present UDD protest.

[meadish_sweetball]

I keep coming across this word, ชุมชน and found some others that my be relevant:

รวมตัว - (v.) assemble, gather together

ชุมชน - (n. ) crowd, throng,

ขึ้นมา - (v) rise, increase

ซึ่งกันและกัน - (adv) mutually, reciprocally, each other

And heres' a nice sample sentence from those folk at Lexitron with all of them:

ชาวไร่สับปะรดได้รวมตัวเป็นชุมชนขึ้นมาเพื่อดูแลผลประโยชน์ซึ่งกันและกัน

which I read as:

[chaow-rai sop-a-rot dai ruam dua ben chum-chon keun mar pheua du-leh pon-bra-yoht seung gan lae gan]

Pineapple famers have formed a collective to take care of their mutual interests.

I couldn't work the idea of ขึ้นมา into my rendering. Any ideas?

Your translation seems fine to me, I don't think ขึ้น and มา are necessary in an English context - ขึ้น indicates that something is 'built up' or 'arises' and the มา gives a time aspect of the action having occurred before the time point the sentence is written in or refers to (which in a real life context is defined by the starting point of the story).

EDIT: As David Houston pointed out in a PM, more grammatically speaking, they are directional aspect markers, ขึ้น for upwards and มา for towards. To understand how that is extended to what I wrote above about มา we need to understand that in the Thai language, past time is generally seen as coming towards the speaker (or reference point 'now' in the context) whereas future time is going away from the speaker (or reference point 'now' in the context).

[Gaccha]

What are all the words and their variations and shortenings for 'state of emergency' that are being used... ?

And when they said they have 'declared war on the government' what was the Thai used?

Thanks in advance.

(as an interesting aside, I was listening to the red speaker last night and she decided to do an impromptu English language class "because Abhisit and his cohorts love English". She then said "Shame on you Abhisit", "Dissolve parliament now", and "Resign before you destroy Thailand" in English and then in Thai. Listening to this it struck me how specialised my vocab had got that I could casually follow a political rally speech but I can't follow a Channel 7 drama... oh well...)

[rak sa_ngop]

Red T-shirts with ไพร่ printed large on them. My dictionaries translate as citizens, commoners, also vulgar wretch. I suppose in this context it is pride in being one of the people?

[Gaccha]

Red T-shirts with ไพร่ printed large on them. My dictionaries translate as citizens, commoners, also vulgar wretch. I suppose in this context it is pride in being one of the people?

No, no.

It is "Peasant". You can sometimes see protest T-shirts that write it in English.

[MiG16]

Red T-shirts with ไพร่ printed large on them. My dictionaries translate as citizens, commoners, also vulgar wretch. I suppose in this context it is pride in being one of the people?

in the old days when there was still slavery, the slaves were referred to as ไพร่

the Reds have used slogans such as: หรือเลือดไพร่มันไร้ค่า (or something to that effect)

which translates to "or is the slaves blood worthless?"

while there is no longer slavery, the word ไพร่ is used as the red shirts are referring to the wealthier/ruling elites as the อำมาตย์ who owned slaves

[DavidHouston]

Professor Nithi Eewsriwong has a very nice article in last week's Matichon Weekly (02 เมษายน พ.ศ. 2553, page 25) regarding the history of the institution of ไพร่.

[Joosesis]

And, a phrase:

ประกาศภาวะฉุกเฉิน – to declare a state of emergency

Any corrections and comments are appreciated.

I'll just add another version.

สถานการณ์ฉุกเฉิน -- State of Emergency

Agreed!...this thread is VERY helpful!!!!!!

[rak sa_ngop]

In English we might describe the current situation as 'mob rule'. Is there a current Thai equivalent?

[klons]

This is some new vocabulary for me I picked up from radio broadcasts about the redshirts.

องค์ประกอบ

composition; component; ingredients; constituent part; element

ปลุกปั่น

[V] agitate; incite; stir up; rouse; instigate; kindle

อนุมัติ

[V] approve; allow

แทรกซ้อน

[V] cause complications; create side issues; raise obstacles; deliberately complicate an issue

คุ้มครอง

[V] protect; guard; escort; defend; preserve

ระบุ

[V] identify; give the name; specify; mention; name

วิกฤต

[ADJ] critical; risky; serious; dangerous; perilous

หนุน

• [V] pillow; rest S.เสริม, รอง Ex. ในกรณีที่ผู้ป่วยหน้าแดงหรือแสดงอาการหายใจลำบากควรหนุนศีรษะของผู้ป่วยให้สูงกว่าลำตัวเล็กน้อย

[V] support; bolster; prop up; back up; hold up; uphold; maintain; preserve; sustain; bolster

กระจาย

[V] disperse; diffuse; dispel; scatter; dissipate

สถานการณ์

[N] situation; plight; state; circumstances; condition

มุ่งหน้า

• [V] aim; intend; mean; attempt; endeavour; strive; try Ex. เฮสเสคือนักแสวงหาปัญญาที่ปฏิเสธครูปฏิเสธคำสอน แต่มุ่งหน้าศึกษาค้นคว้าด้วยตนเองจนประสบความสำเร็จในที่สุด

[V] head for; head towards; move towards; go forward; be bound for; march ahead

เคลื่อน

• [V] move; displace; progress