How Old Am I?! (in Thailand)

[Jersey_UK]

Born in 1966, will be 40 LATER this year (Aug), but the G/f always refers to me as 40 NOW and refers to herself as 36 (but for me she is 35 and turns 36 later this year - also Aug).

It might just be her! But it is not something I had picked up on before.........I guess whenever ages came up with other folk I just accepted the age they gave me and even with the G/f likewise (and I have never been a "birthday" person myself!!.........I even forgot my own birthday one year!!)

Go on, tell me it is just the missus!

[suegha]

The difference may be that she's referring to what year of life you are in. I don't know about Thailand but many cultures use this system. So when you are born you are in the first year of life - hence, when you are 39 you are in the 40th year of life.

A friend of mine referred to his wife as 6 months pregnant, yet I knew, cos she just told me, that she was 5 months to the day. When I asked him he told me that she was in her 6th month. Oh yeh! was my reply...

I hope this makes sense.

Edited February 1, 2006 by suegha

[chanchao]

Yup, in Thailand they just use the difference between birth year and current year as your age, no matter what the current date and actual birth date.

( Except when getting caught with someone who turns 15/18 later in the year. )

[Neeranam]

My wife says she is 30 - but she was born in 1977(she is 28). However her ID card says February and she celebrates her birthday in November.

Thai people are not as ashamed as those in my country if they are getting old in the tooth. I sense that many Thai people like to get old - gaining others respect.

[FlyingDutchman]

My wife says she is 30 - but she was born in 1977(she is 28). However her ID card says February and she celebrates her birthday in November.

Thai people are not as ashamed as those in my country if they are getting old in the tooth. I sense that many Thai people like to get old - gaining others respect.

That's the opposite to the Netherlands; if you are a female TV presenter here, you'd better lie five years òff your age. And make sure your teeth are looking sparklin' white. But I guess America is even 2x as worse.

About respect ... we've got (Muslim) Morrocan (farang ) blokes here who screàm for respect; the average age is about 19. That they call the average (Christian) European woman a 'public woman' (using the bad word), doesn't seem to bother them to ask for respect.

So age and respect are being seen vèry differently all over the world.

... by the way ... I'm already 41 in Thailand ?!

[tuky]

Being the year 2549 in Thailand, you would be 583 years old.

Hope this helps

[rono]

my wife adds the nine months pregnancy to the age if the birtday is later in the year.

[FlyingDutchman]

Being the year 2549 in Thailand, you would be 583 years old.

Hope this helps

583 years ... ? ...

rono : the nine months pregnancy to the age + (= womb)

584 !?!

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I always thought I was a young bloke ... Thailand makes me review 'over and over again, my friend'.

[Maestro]

... òff ... screàm ... vèry ...

Is it only on my computer screen or do others see it too, accents on vowels in unexpected places in your posts (see attachment). I’m sure you didn’t type it that way, that it is the underlying software of the forum that codes it wrongly when converting your posts to HTML.

Perhaps something for the geeks behind the scene to look at, but I wouldn’t know whom to report it to.

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Maestro

[Maestro]

My wife says she is 30 - but she was born in 1977(she is 28). However her ID card says February and she celebrates her birthday in November.

It is not too unusual in Thailand for the registered birth date to be later than the real date of birth. There is a fine for reporting a birth late and if a mother, for whatever reason, does not get around to report a birth in good time she fibs about the birth date in order to avoid the fine.

---------------

Maestro

[suegha]

Being the year 2549 in Thailand, you would be 583 years old.

Hope this helps

I'm 585?!? What age do I retire? My pension fund must be massive!

[barryofthailand]

In Thailand if you are 60 years old today you then start your 61st year of life. So a Thai might say you are now 61.

Barry

[Neeranam]

But you can't retire when in your 60 year.

[Jersey_UK]

Cheers folks - still surprised it took me so long to realise this

[FlyingDutchman]

... òff ... screàm ... vèry ...

Is it only on my computer screen or do others see it too, accents on vowels in unexpected places in your posts (see attachment). I’m sure you didn’t type it that way, that it is the underlying software of the forum that codes it wrongly when converting your posts to HTML.

Perhaps something for the geeks behind the scene to look at, but I wouldn’t know whom to report it to.

-------------

Maestro

Might be I'm Dùtch ...

... and over 500 yo.

[Patsycat]

They do it in Switzerland too. My ex told me when we met that he was 38 but when I saw his passport he was only 37. Also when I turned 29 he would always insist that I was 30 - which, as you know, is a big step! I really needed that extra year to get used to it.