Thai Sayings and Phrases Wanted

[mangkorn]

Perhaps Yoot or BambinA can confirm this one?

ถูกฝานมาแล้ว

A teacher I once had told me this is a Thai phrase meaning: "I've been ripped off before," or "Won't get fooled again," etc.

As one practical example, it could apply to the idea taking a tuk-tuk in กรุงเทพฯ - which always rip off farangs, compared to what they charge for Thais. (In spite of the fact that ripping off a customer is very rude and impoliteม to my way of thinking, I understand that this phrase shouldn't be said to the drivers; rather, it would be said to a third person when explaining why not to take a tuk-tuk, or to go back to any other place where you've been screwed before.)

The correct word is "ฟัน" - "to pick up a sharp object and to chop down with it" But in this case it means being ripped off.

อย่าไปนั่งรถตุ๊ก ตุ๊กเชียวนะ ผมถูกฟันมาแล้ว - don't even try to take a tuk tuk, I have been ripped off before.

ร้านอาหารร้านนี้ ราคาที่ตั้งไว้นี่กะฟันลูกค้าหัวแบะเลยนะนี่ -This restuarant set the price of foods as if they intend to rob their customers.

ฟันหัวแบะ - the head was choped and spread open. It's just a saying to mean being ripped off seriously.

Thanks Yoot. This now raises a couple questions in my mind as to some possible alternative origins, or perhaps just coincidences: ฝาน means "to slice," although maybe that only applies to food (but you can get hurt very badly slicing food, too); so, could some people think of it that way? I may be wrong, but I thought that's the way my former teacher meant it: as a deep slice, rather than getting chopped or hacked. Anyway, I also heard that ฟัน has another, vulgar sexual connotation, like the English word "to screw" - which is also used as a way to say rip off, or to get ripped off. Many languages have similar sexual-slang for getting cheated or treated badly, the reason for which is rather obvious.

Could either of those definitions for ฝาน or ฟัน be valid in this sense - that even some Thai people may have different concepts of the origin of that idiom - or are those simply curious linguistic coincidences?

It is kind of fun to think about - please excuse the pun on the word "fun" (ฟัน).

Cheers.

[khaojao]

i'm looking for a corresponding thai idiom/saying for

"there is enough in the world for every man's need, but never enough for a single man's greed"

thx!

[mangkorn]

i'm looking for a corresponding thai idiom/saying for

"there is enough in the world for every man's need, but never enough for a single man's greed"

thx!

There may be dozens of proverbs that address that point. If you're really interested, it would be best to take some time and study the exceedingly bountiful cornucopia of Thai sayings, to find the one that fits best, and then some... No better way to learn.

[yoot]

i'm looking for a corresponding thai idiom/saying for

"there is enough in the world for every man's need, but never enough for a single man's greed"

thx!

There is no Thai idioms for this quote from Mahatma Gandhi, but it has been translated to Thai as "ทรัพยากรในโลกนี้มีเพียงพอสำหรับทุกคน แต่ไม่พอสำหรับคนโลภเพียงคนเดียว"

[yoot]

Thanks Yoot. This now raises a couple questions in my mind as to some possible alternative origins, or perhaps just coincidences: ฝาน means "to slice," although maybe that only applies to food (but you can get hurt very badly slicing food, too); so, could some people think of it that way? I may be wrong, but I thought that's the way my former teacher meant it: as a deep slice, rather than getting chopped or hacked. Anyway, I also heard that ฟัน has another, vulgar sexual connotation, like the English word "to screw" - which is also used as a way to say rip off, or to get ripped off. Many languages have similar sexual-slang for getting cheated or treated badly, the reason for which is rather obvious.

Could either of those definitions for ฝาน or ฟัน be valid in this sense - that even some Thai people may have different concepts of the origin of that idiom - or are those simply curious linguistic coincidences?

It is kind of fun to think about - please excuse the pun on the word "fun" (ฟัน).

Cheers.

No, none of Thai people would use ฝาน in this meaning. You can get hurt very badly slicking food but not the same as getting hurt from being chopped on your head for sure.

[khaojao]

many thanks mangkorn & yoot

[mangkorn]

>>> No, none of Thai people would use ??? in this meaning. You can get hurt very badly slicking food but not the same as getting hurt from being chopped on your head for sure.

<<<

You're a funny guy, Khun Yoot. And thanks very much: I won't make mistakes about it now, after reading your explanation. I don't know what we would do without all your fine help on this forum.

[DavidHouston]

Here is one from today's Matichon Weekly in an article by Dr. Nithi Eewsriwong regarding the problems of the Muslims in Southern Thailand:

" . . . ชาวบ้านอยู่ระหว่างเขาควาย แต่ไม่ใช่เขาควายที่เป็นอันตรายทางกายเท่านั้น หากรวมถึงเขาควายของทางเลือกด้วย ไม่ว่าจะเลือกเข้าข้างฝ่ายใด ก็ล้วนมองไม่เห็นอนาคตที่สามารถกำหนดชะตาชีวิตตัวเองได้ทั้งสิ้น"

อยู่ระหว่างเขาควาย - to be between the horns of a water buffalo.

In English we use the term "to be skewered on the horns of a dilemma." I wonder if Dr. Nithi's usage is a common Thai phrase with an agricultural origin or a neologism adapted from the English. Any thoughts?

[yoot]

Here is one from today's Matichon Weekly in an article by Dr. Nithi Eewsriwong regarding the problems of the Muslims in Southern Thailand:

" . . . ชาวบ้านอยู่ระหว่างเขาควาย แต่ไม่ใช่เขาควายที่เป็นอันตรายทางกายเท่านั้น หากรวมถึงเขาควายของทางเลือกด้วย ไม่ว่าจะเลือกเข้าข้างฝ่ายใด ก็ล้วนมองไม่เห็นอนาคตที่สามารถกำหนดชะตาชีวิตตัวเองได้ทั้งสิ้น"

อยู่ระหว่างเขาควาย - to be between the horns of a water buffalo.

In English we use the term "to be skewered on the horns of a dilemma." I wonder if Dr. Nithi's usage is a common Thai phrase with an agricultural origin or a neologism adapted from the English. Any thoughts?

You are right. It's adapted from the English.

[DavidHouston]

Back when the "war on drugs" was going on we where at the local market and a car pulled up and shot two people allegedly involved in drugs, apparently this was carried out by the police.

Anyway, my friend turns to me and says " shuak gai hi ling do" basicly

"Cut the chickens throat and let the monkeys watch"

ie They were being made an examlpe of.

Anyone esle know any thai sayings and their meanings?

Cheers

Yesterday I was telling one of my Thai friends about the saying, "เชื่อกไก่ให้ลิงดู" you featured above. In U.S. terms this is like sending Scooter Libby to jail for five years in order to instill fear into other civil servants to prevent them from lying to investigators in the future; in Thai terms it is preventing top members of Thai Rak Tha from participating in politics for five years in an attempt to scare political morality into the system.

My friend said that a similar saying is "เขียนเสือให้วัวกลัว" or "drawing a picture of a tiger to scare the cattle." This apparently means that a mere threat is sufficient to keep docile people in line; no real violence or coercion is necessary.

This got me to thinking about the 1970's when Communist China accused the United States as being a "paper tiger." In this context China was alleging that the U.S. talked tough but did not have the power to back up its beligerent tone. That is, China may have been comparing itself to a cow who in this case was not so easily frightened.

The question is whether there is a phrase or saying in Chinese similar to the Thai saying "เขียนเสือให้วัวกลัว"? And, does the Chinese saying use the metaphor "paper tiger"? After all, when one draws a tiger, one draws it on paper, no? Any thoughts?

[bannork]

Yoot's a busy man these days.

หญ้าปากคอก does this simply mean something that's easy to do?

[midasthailand]

I was told the other day that....

Naa neu jai suar young tur (face, body, heart of the tiger) from the bird+seksun song meant "she is 2 faced".

I then asked what does "Tur naa song" mean and he said "2 faced".

anyone confirm this?

Tur= he/she

Na = Face

Song= two

Tur Na Song= He/She is two faced =confirmed

[meadish_sweetball]

I was told the other day that....

Naa neu jai suar young tur (face, body, heart of the tiger) from the bird+seksun song meant "she is 2 faced".

I then asked what does "Tur naa song" mean and he said "2 faced".

anyone confirm this?

Tur= he/she

Na = Face

Song= two

Tur Na Song= He/She is two faced =confirmed

Do you have this confirmed from a Thai speaker? It doesn't ring right to me.

I have heard หน้าไหว้หลังหลอก for 'two-faced', meaning 'The front gives you a wai, the back deceives you'.

[yoot]

The question is whether there is a phrase or saying in Chinese similar to the Thai saying "เขียนเสือให้วัวกลัว"? And, does the Chinese saying use the metaphor "paper tiger"? After all, when one draws a tiger, one draws it on paper, no? Any thoughts?[/size]

"paper tiger" is a literal English translation of the Chinese phrase 纸老虎, , meaning something which seems as threatening as a tiger, but is really harmless. The common usage is synonymous with the adjective toothless (ไม่มีเขี้ยวเล็บ in Thai saying), meaning ineffective. It's entered to the English vocabulary and adapted to Thai langauge "เสือกระดาษ".

The meaning of this saying is different to "เขียนเสือให้วัวกลัว" which you got the correct meaning already.

[yoot]

หญ้าปากคอก does this simply mean something that's easy to do?

หญ้าปากคอก means simple matter, a cinch, a down-to-earth question. Or, sometimes you just overlook something which is easier and try to do something which more difficult.

[bannork]

หญ้าปากคอก does this simply mean something that's easy to do?

หญ้าปากคอก means simple matter, a cinch, a down-to-earth question. Or, sometimes you just overlook something which is easier and try to do something which more difficult.

Thanks Yoot, I was told the phrase to describe Abhisit who lost 800,000 baht to a household staff member by writing his pin number on his card, yet he wants to run the country.

I was told the phrase comes from the opinion a cow cannot eat the grass right next to the cowshed but must stretch its neck to eat the grass further away.

[yoot]

I was told the phrase to describe Abhisit who lost 800,000 baht to a household staff member by writing his pin number on his card, yet he wants to run the country.

For this statement I would say in Thai like 'แค่ปัญหาหญ้าปากคอก อภิสิทธิ์ยังไม่มีปัญญาจะแก้ แต่ริจะมาแก้ปัญหาบ้านเมือง'

I was told the phrase comes from the opinion a cow cannot eat the grass right next to the cowshed but must stretch its neck to eat the grass further away.

The correct one is, most of the cows won't eat the grass right next to the cowshed, they always keep walking away from it and looking for grass from further way. The grass right next to the cowshed is easier for them to eat but they overlook it and do something much difficult like looking for grass further way.

[DavidHouston]

I was told the phrase to describe Abhisit who lost 800,000 baht to a household staff member by writing his pin number on his card, yet he wants to run the country.

For this statement I would say in Thai like 'แค่ปัญหาหญ้าปากคอก อภิสิทธิ์ยังไม่มีปัญญาจะแก้ แต่ริจะมาแก้ปัญหาบ้านเมือง'

I was told the phrase comes from the opinion a cow cannot eat the grass right next to the cowshed but must stretch its neck to eat the grass further away.

The correct one is, most of the cows won't eat the grass right next to the cowshed, they always keep walking away from it and looking for grass from further way. The grass right next to the cowshed is easier for them to eat but they overlook it and do something much difficult like looking for grass further way.

Is the phrase about cows and grass similar in meaning to the English, "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence"? According to the "New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy" the proverb means that "people are never satisfied with their own situation; they always think others have it better." Does the same meaning carry in the Thai phrase?

[yoot]

I was told the phrase to describe Abhisit who lost 800,000 baht to a household staff member by writing his pin number on his card, yet he wants to run the country.

For this statement I would say in Thai like 'แค่ปัญหาหญ้าปากคอก อภิสิทธิ์ยังไม่มีปัญญาจะแก้ แต่ริจะมาแก้ปัญหาบ้านเมือง'

I was told the phrase comes from the opinion a cow cannot eat the grass right next to the cowshed but must stretch its neck to eat the grass further away.

The correct one is, most of the cows won't eat the grass right next to the cowshed, they always keep walking away from it and looking for grass from further way. The grass right next to the cowshed is easier for them to eat but they overlook it and do something much difficult like looking for grass further way.

Is the phrase about cows and grass similar in meaning to the English, "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence"? According to the "New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy" the proverb means that "people are never satisfied with their own situation; they always think others have it better." Does the same meaning carry in the Thai phrase?

David,

From the explanation about หญ้าปากคอก, the point is "the grass right next to the cowshed". It's the simple matter, something which is easy to eat for cow.

For this saying "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence", from what I've read they said it's equivalent to Thai idiom "ใกล้เกลือกินด่าง" (to overlook one's near and good thing.)

[DavidHouston]

I was told the phrase to describe Abhisit who lost 800,000 baht to a household staff member by writing his pin number on his card, yet he wants to run the country.

For this statement I would say in Thai like 'แค่ปัญหาหญ้าปากคอก อภิสิทธิ์ยังไม่มีปัญญาจะแก้ แต่ริจะมาแก้ปัญหาบ้านเมือง'

I was told the phrase comes from the opinion a cow cannot eat the grass right next to the cowshed but must stretch its neck to eat the grass further away.

The correct one is, most of the cows won't eat the grass right next to the cowshed, they always keep walking away from it and looking for grass from further way. The grass right next to the cowshed is easier for them to eat but they overlook it and do something much difficult like looking for grass further way.

Is the phrase about cows and grass similar in meaning to the English, "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence"? According to the "New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy" the proverb means that "people are never satisfied with their own situation; they always think others have it better." Does the same meaning carry in the Thai phrase?

David,

From the explanation about หญ้าปากคอก, the point is "the grass right next to the cowshed". It's the simple matter, something which is easy to eat for cow.

For this saying "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence", from what I've read they said it's equivalent to Thai idiom "ใกล้เกลือกินด่าง" (to overlook one's near and good thing.)

What is "ด่าง" and can it be used like "เกลือ"? Do Thai people use "ด่าง" for anything to be eaten?

Are you familiar with the site http://www.siamtower.com/supasit/ ? Here is what that site says about your "ใกล้เกลือกินด่าง":

ใกล้เกลือกินด่าง : หมายความว่า สิ่งที่หาได้ง่ายหรืออยู่ใกล้ไม่เอา กลับไปเอาสิ่งที่อยู่ไกลหรือหายากเปรียบได้ว่าเกลือหาง่ายกว่าด่าง

ความหมายอีกทางหนึ่งหมายถึงว่าอยู่ใกล้กับของดีแท้ ๆ แต่ไม่ได้รับเพราะกลับไปคว้าเอาของที่ดี หรือมีราคาด้อยกว่าคือด่างซึ่งมีรสกร่อยหรืออ่อนเค็มกว่า

Proverbs and sayings tell us such wonderful things about the culture!

[mangkorn]

What is "ด่าง" and can it be used like "เกลือ"? Do Thai people use "ด่าง" for anything to be eaten?

ด่าง means "different."

[DavidHouston]

Sorry, Mankorn, I meant to say "ด่าง", not "ต่าง". I must have a pronunciation problem, as alluded to in another forum.

[stateman]

Just read the thread. Below is a collection of some which I'd like to comment:

claire: "วันนี้ผมสั่นกระโปรก"

Comment: You meant to say "กระโปก", not "กระโปรก"

-Would it be appropriate to place a ๆ following the first มาก or it doesn't matter? Cheers, บุญมี

-mai ya-mok symbol ( ๆ ) to be used! Anyone care to respond? , RDN

-For what it's worth, I would use the yamok here. If a justification is needed, it's intensification by reduplication. However, I've never seen any rules for when not to use yamok.

-"boy" บ่อย and in others as "boy boy" บ่อย ๆ.

Comment: On the subject of using yamok. It is really used both ways. Sometimes with and sometimes without the yamok. I'd side with the Thai teacher about the tendency to use it more than not.

mangkorn: "ด่าง means different."

Comment: ด่าง actually means alkalide, as comparing between acid, alkalide and salt.

It is not eaten in Thailand, as far as I know. The only use of the word ด่าง in the kitchen is "ด่างทับทิม" ( Potassium Permanganate ) which of course is used for cleaning to get rid of germs, etc.

Thus the use is as defined by DavidHouston's posting as:

"ใกล้เกลือกินด่าง : หมายความว่า สิ่งที่หาได้ง่ายหรืออยู่ใกล้ไม่เอา กลับไปเอาสิ่งที่อยู่ไกลหรือหายากเปรียบได้ว่าเกลือหาง่ายกว่าด่าง

ความหมายอีกทางหนึ่งหมายถึงว่าอยู่ใกล้กับของดีแท้ ๆ แต่ไม่ได้รับเพราะกลับไปคว้าเอาของที่ดี หรือมีราคาด้อยกว่าคือด่างซึ่งมีรสกร่อยหรืออ่อนเค็มกว่า"

This maybe translated as:

"near salt, eat alkalide (or Potassium Permanganate). Meaning rejecting something superior/nearby (and useful as salt), but rather eat something inferior (or something no one eats, like alkalide. )

For mangkorn, the word which means "different" is ต่าง (start with a ต tor-tao, instead of the ด dor-dek)

[stateman]

mangkorn: “เข้าเมืองคาหลิ่วต้องหลิ่วตาตาม” “ฟนทั่งให้เป็นเข็ม”

Comment: เข้าเมือง”ตา” (ตา beginning with tor-tao, not คา which begins with kor-kwai) หลิ่วต้องหลิ่วตาตาม

Actually the words ”ตาหลิ่ว” and ” หลิ่วตา” are a smart play of words. They are the reverse of one another, but with totally different meanings.

”ตาหลิ่ว” is “a person called Liew”, or possibly Mr. Squint-eyed, whereas ”หลิ่วตา” means to squint your eye.

Meaning: When you enter the city of the guy called Liew (or Mr. Squint-eyed), you squint your eye too.

This was probably taken from the proverb: “”When in Rome, do like the Romans.”

Related Topics· eye movements · gaze · orthoptics

“ฟนทั่งให้เป็นเข็ม”

Actually it should be “ฝน” not “ฟน”.

Meaning to shave an anvil into a needle.

[mangkorn]

Sorry 'bout that David, I read it wrong. My bad - I should make the text larger.

Stateman: thanks for correcting the other typo, same problem. Interesting your take on ตาหลิ่ว - I was wondering if it could also mean, in addition to Mr. (or grandfather) Liew - "the land of the slanty-eyed people" เมืองตาหลิ่ว ?

Cheers.

[stateman]

Stateman: Interesting your take on ตาหลิ่ว - I was wondering if it could also mean, in addition to Mr. (or grandfather) Liew - "the land of the slanty-eyed people" เมืองตาหลิ่ว ?

-----

Yes, almost. The word ตา has 2 meanings. One meaning an older man, or maternal grandfather as you mentioned, another meaning eye.

The word "หลิ่ว" means to squint the eye, not slanty-eyed. One really has to make an effort to squint it (to partially close an eye, not a naturally born slant eyes). Besides, Thais and Asians are used to seeing their eyes the way it is, with nothing wrong. Slant-eyes seems to be a term used by some westerners looking at asian eyes and often use the term slant-eyes in a derogative manner, especially against Chinese in the US.

BTW slant-eye translates to another Thai word, not "หลิ่ว".

As a matter of extrapolating from the short few words (each of which has multiple meanings) of "เมืองตาหลิ่ว" for a broader meaning, along your line of thinking, it may be "the land of the squint-eyed people". For which I imagine that people in that city has a culture of squinting their eyes for whatever reason.

[DavidHouston]

Back when the "war on drugs" was going on we where at the local market and a car pulled up and shot two people allegedly involved in drugs, apparently this was carried out by the police.

Anyway, my friend turns to me and says " shuak gai hi ling do" basicly

"Cut the chickens throat and let the monkeys watch"

ie They were being made an examlpe of.

Anyone esle know any thai sayings and their meanings?

Cheers

____________________________

Say, I need some help with Thai vocabulary regarding proverbs and sayings, metaphors and figures of speech. Here are a list of words in Thai and English. Can anyone help me match the English with the Thai, and if some matches are missing, provide the missing terms? Thanks.

คำขวัญ - ถ้อยคําที่แต่งขึ้นเพื่อเตือนใจหรือเพื่อให้เป็นสิริมงคล.

คำคม - ถ้อยคําที่หลักแหลมชวนให้คิด.

สำนวน - ถ้อยคำหรือข้อความที่กล่าวสืบต่อกันมาช้านาน มีความหมายไม่ตรงตามตัวหรือมีความหมายอื่นแฝงอยู่.

โวหาร - ถ้อยคําที่เล่นเป็นสําบัดสํานวน เช่น อย่ามาตีโวหาร เขาชอบเล่นโวหาร.

สุภาษิต - ถ้อยคำหรือข้อความที่กล่าวสืบต่อกันมาช้านานแล้ว มีความหมายเป็นคติสอนใจ.

คำพังเพย - ถ้อยคำหรือข้อความที่กล่าวสืบต่อกันมาช้านานแล้ว โดยกล่าวเป็นกลางๆ เพื่อให้ตีความเข้ากับเรื่อง.

อุปลักษณ์ (อุปมาอุปไมย) - การเปรียบเทียบกัน.

Metaphor / similie - a figure of speech in which a word or phrase denoting one kind of object or action is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them

Slogan / motto - a short suggestive expression of a guiding principle

Figure of speech - an expression (as a metaphor or euphemism) that substitutes a variation in point of view by which one thing or notion is referred to as if it were different in some way

Maxim - a saying of proverbial nature

Proverb / saying - a brief epigrammatic saying that is a popular byword : an oft-repeated pithy and ingeniously turned maxim

Aphorism - a terse and often ingenious formulation of a truth or sentiment usually in a single sentence

_________________________

[yoot]

คำขวัญ - motto, slogan.

คำคม - witty speech

สำนวน - idiom

โวหาร - rhetoric

สุภาษิต - proverb / saying

คำพังเพย - aphorism

อุปลักษณ์ (อุปมาอุปไมย) - metaphor

คติพจน์ - maxim

[mangkorn]

Stateman: Intrigued by your interpretation of เข้าเมืองตาหลิ่วต้องหลิ่วตาตาม - I posed it to four different Thais, all university graduates in liberal arts. They all rejected the notion of a reference to a Mr. Squinty-Eyed, and unanimously agreed that it means the land (or town) of the people who squint their eyes. Unwritten and unsaid in the phrase, but understood, is คนที่ after เข้าเมือง The explanation is that it wouldn't make sense to refer to only one guy, as there is no reason to follow just one, who may be the village idiot... Yet, in a hypothetical place where one suddenly finds onesself among people who all squint their eyes, well, the only thing for it would be to squint one's own eyes accordingly, to fit in. (The proverb could just as well have used any other example of behavior, e.g., "hop on one foot," etc.)

My error in starting this was when I used the word "slanty" instead of "squinty" - so, I apologize for that. Anyway, although ตา does mean something akin to Mr. in some contexts, it could not be in this case, where the reference is to the majority of the people that one may encounter in a foreign place. This also makes sense when you consider the Western equivalent: "When in Rome..." - that proverb doesn't say you must do as Caesar, or Don Giovanni, but rather as all (or most) of the Romans do.

But thanks for taking me deeper into it all; I love proverbs and old adages, and do find them to be both useful and very entertaining in many circumstances. Cheers.

[stateman]

Stateman: Intrigued by your interpretation of เข้าเมืองตาหลิ่วต้องหลิ่วตาตาม - I posed it to four different Thais, all university graduates in liberal arts. They all rejected the notion of a reference to a Mr. Squinty-Eyed, and unanimously agreed that it means the land (or town) of the people who squint their eyes. Unwritten and unsaid in the phrase, but understood, is คนที่ after เข้าเมือง The explanation is that it wouldn't make sense to refer to only one guy, as there is no reason to follow just one, who may be the village idiot... Yet, in a hypothetical place where one suddenly finds onesself among people who all squint their eyes, well, the only thing for it would be to squint one's own eyes accordingly, to fit in. (The proverb could just as well have used any other example of behavior, e.g., "hop on one foot," etc.)

My error in starting this was when I used the word "slanty" instead of "squinty" - so, I apologize for that. Anyway, although ตา does mean something akin to Mr. in some contexts, it could not be in this case, where the reference is to the majority of the people that one may encounter in a foreign place. This also makes sense when you consider the Western equivalent: "When in Rome..." - that proverb doesn't say you must do as Caesar, or Don Giovanni, but rather as all (or most) of the Romans do.

But thanks for taking me deeper into it all; I love proverbs and old adages, and do find them to be both useful and very entertaining in many circumstances. Cheers.

--

This is a case of extrapolating from a few short words, each of which has multiple meanings, as I mentioned earlier. In real life, if my friend make that statement to me, I'd ask him to clarify which specific meaning he meant for each of those multiple-meaning words. A minute later we are all clear on the meaning!

I agree with your point that this saying was probably a Thai version of "When in Rome,....", although I didn't take time to verify its source. It indeed is the most likely version!

I can imagine some listeners to interpret the meaning in a singular sense to mean "Entering the city where Mr. Liew lives ..", as it is one possible and legitimate interpretation. [say, he enters the city at night, and met only this Mr. Liew who squint his eye. So the visitor emulates the host. This listener may feel that it is unlikely that there is a city where everyone squints his/her eye - not very logical. It is more likely that only this Mr Liew squints his eye. ]

Likely, his friend setting next to him may very well argue like you did that it should mean in the plural sense of "the city full of squinting-eyes folks" as you did. This argument is particularly strong when considering it comes from "When in Rome, ...".

I can also imagine the two of them argue on and on for hours, if they prefer. I'd rather just leave it at that and move on.. :-)

There is another similar situation on the phrase: ป ปลาตากลม which most beginner Thai learner learns.

As written, the words ตากลม can be read as either ตา-กลม {round eye(s) } or ตาก-ลม which means to catch a breeze.

In this case, it is easier to take the side of ตา-กลม {round eye(s) } as we all know the fish eye is typically round. It also doesn't make sense that a fish would get any breeze as that is unlikely in the water! Cheers.