Hi,

โมง - Does anyone knows the source of this word (and I don't mean "Hour") ?

Thank you

Spelt that way i only know the word as "hour" .

I am not really familiar with Thai etymology however!

Patrick

I read somewhere the source is very ancient and probably means 'Chime' or bell sound. This is logical if we consider 'Toom' amd 'Ti' but I need some confirmation.

Any info will be much appreciated.

Thank you

Yes, on the old day we beat a big bell in the temple to make signal and telling people the time of the day. The sound of ...โมง..Mong....1 Mong is one hour .

For example :

1 Mong ( Nueng Mong ) = 7.00 ( Jed Mong Chao )Chao indicates for a.m.

2 Mong ( Song Mong ) = 8.00 etc........ ( Baed Mong Chao )

3 Mong ( Saam Mong ) = 9.00

4 Mong ( Sii Mong ) = 10.00 ( Siib Mong Chao )

5 Mong ( Haa Mong ) = 11.00

Tieng = 12 Noon ( mostly we call * Tieng * )

Afternoon we call * Baai *

Baai (1) Mong ( Baai Nueng Mong ) = 13.00 ( or Siibsaam Nalika )

Baai Song ( Mong ) = 14.00

Baai Saam ( Mong ) = 15.00

Baai Sii ( Mong ) = 16.00

Haah Mong Yen = 17.00 Yen = nearly evening

Hok Mong Yen = 18.00

But 19.00 we call * Toom * Sounds of beating a Tomtom

1 Toom ( Nueng Toom ) = 19.00

2 Toom = 20.00

3 Toom = 21.00

4 Toom = 22.00

5 Toom = 23.00

6 Toom = 24.00

After midnight we call * Tee * sounds of beating a small iron

Tee 1 ( Tee Nueng ) = 1 am

Tee 2 ( Tee Song ) = 2 am

up to Tee 5 ( Tee Hah ) = 5 am

After Tee Hah we shall call * Mong *

6 Mong Chao (early) ( Hok Mong Chao ) = 6 am

Or 6 Mong Yen ( afternoon ) 18.00

Or you can say 1 Mong(Chao ) = 7 am

In order NOT to make you misunderstood. When you are in big city or Bangkok, official time calling by number of time. In far outskirt of town or small villages, you can say

1 Toom = 7 pm ( 19.00 )

2 Toom 8 pm ( 20.00 )

etc........

They would understand you better than you said 19 Nalika, 20 Nalika.

Hope you dont feel headache about our alternative Sound machine between big and small town.

But official time we usually say 7 Nalika( Clock ) = 7 O' Clock

8 Nalika = 8 O 'Clock

โมง was the sound from beating a large gong(ฆ้อง) for telling the day time in the old day.

ทุ่ม was the sound from beating a drum(กลอง) for telling the evening time in the old day.

Thank you guys.

That confirmed it.