Tea sock/bag

[Kanga Japan]

Can someone advise if the following only refer to the Thai 'sock', used for making tea or coffee, or could they also mean tea/coffee bags:

THUNG CHA (ถุงชา)

THUNG CHONG CHA (ถุงชงชา)

THUNG CHONG KAFAE (ถุงชงกาแฟ)

THUNG KAFAE (ถุงกาแฟ)

Also, would anyone have a photo of the Thai 'sock'?

Thanks for your help.

[AyG]

ถุงชา can indeed be a teabag. Also known as ชาถุง, ถุงใส่ใบชา and ถุงใส่ชา.

[stoneyboy]

[Kanga Japan]

Dear AyG,

Thank you so much for that information.

I assumed that it may also be used for tea bags, because most of the images were for standard tea bags.

I guess the 'sock' is not as popular as it used to be.

[Kanga Japan]

Dear stoneyboy,

Thank you very much for the photo!

I have spent hours looking for a photo which permitted me to use it.

If you would like me to credit your name to the photo, please kindly advise me of your name (by personal mail).

[AyG]

I haven't encountered the sock being used to make tea, but then the Thais don't drink much tea, apart from the very weak tea served free at Thai-Chinese restaurants. However, there are still plenty of stalls and carts on the streets that still make coffee the old fashioned way (KAFE BORAN) with a sock. condensed milk and way too much sugar. Thankfully Starbucks hasn't completely taken over... yet.

You may have read about Starbung's in the news a few months ago. http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/learning-from-news/381958/from-starbungs-to-bung-tears-but-business-is-good

I think at home most people use instant coffee - usually the premixed coffee/creamer/sugar type. The old fashioned sock is too much trouble in this day and age. So yes, it's in decline.

[WitawatWatawit]

THUNG CHA (ถุงชา)

Is the "thung" part pronounced "tooong" or "tongue"?

[Kanga Japan]

Dear AyG,

Thank you for that information. Interesting article. I wish him well. Such a trivial infringement involving a small, one-cart vendor.

I read somewhere that the 'sock' was also used for tea, but from your your remarks, it's more often used for coffee.

[Kanga Japan]

Dear WitawatWatawit,

My understanding is that the pronunciation is close to 'toong', however someone else may be able to provide you with more information.

[AyG]

THUNG CHA (ถุงชา)

Is the "thung" part pronounced "tooong" or "tongue"?

In Haas-style IPA, thǔŋ. so more like the former, but short vowel, rising tone.

[RickBradford]

THUNG CHA (ถุงชา)

Is the "thung" part pronounced "tooong" or "tongue"?

The vowel in 'thung' is the same vowel as in the English words 'put' or 'book'. The word carries the rising tone.

[Johpa]

The vowel in 'thung' is the same vowel as in the English words 'put' or 'book'. The word carries the rising tone.

Careful there. In my dialect of English I pronounce those two words with an unstressed vowel, the schwa /ə/, rather than the stressed /u/ in thung.