Crocodile/alligator

[Kanga Japan]

Does CHORAKHE (จระเข้) mean both 'crocodile' and 'alligator'? Many dictionaries indicate so.

Thank you for your help.

[AyG]

Not really. Alligator is แอลลิเกเตอร์ or จระเข้ตีนเป็ด (literally duck foot crocodile).

https://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B8%88%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B0%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%82%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%B5%E0%B8%99%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%9B%E0%B9%87%E0%B8%94

However, we don't have alligators in Thailand - only crocodiles.

[Kanga Japan]

Dear AyG,

Thank you very much for that. Wasn't sure. I have amended my list.

[Pla shado]

As AyG noted, only crocodiles in Thailand. Actually, alligators are found only in North America and China; the American alligator (A. mississippiensis) and the Chinese alligator (A. sinensis). CHORAKHE (จระเข้) is commonly used by Thais to describe all sorts of crocodilians. In everyday usage, it is the only name I've ever heard Thai people use. I'm sure the scientific/professional community uses more descriptive terms but I've even seen Thai language nature programs on TV that referred to caimans and alligators as "chorakhe".

[Kanga Japan]

Dear Pla shado,

Thank you for that information. I am using the word to describe:

1. crocodile meat - NUEA CHAKHE (เนื้อจะเข้)

2. crocodile tail - HANG CHORAKHE (หางจระเข้)

Just wondering if I should add NUEA CHORAKHE. The scientific word which I just revised (previously it was the general family name for crocodiles) is Crocodylus siamensis. I was not sure whether this meat would be imported or not (therefore possibly being alligator as well). I guess there are plenty of crocodiles in Thailand and there is not need to import alligator meat (not sure which would be the tastier though and have no intention of confirming this).

We have both alligators (the Australian alligator) and crocodiles in Australia (more crocodiles than alligators), but I don't think that they are served much at restaurants. In fact, I think that the number of crocs which eat Australians would exceed the number of Australians which eat crocs.

Thanks again for your help.

[AyG]

I guess there are plenty of crocodiles in Thailand and there is not need to import alligator meat

The native Siamese crocodile is virtually extinct in the wild in Thailand (around 400 animals left). The IUCN Red List has the species as "critically endangered". They do, however, thrive in crocodile farms. Of course, the same farms are largely responsible for the depletion of the wild population.

The only time I've seen crocodiles in the wild (four in one boat trip) was after the 2011 floods in Ayutthaya. They'd escaped from local crocodile farms during the flooding.

Anyway, the real reason for not importing alligator meat is that Thai people normally don't eat crocodile or alligator. The only crocodile meat I've seen on sale here has been frozen and imported (I think from Australia).

[Pla shado]

I'm surprised to hear that you have alligators in Australia. I was only aware of the saltwater and freshwater crocodiles there. I've never heard of an alligator species other than A. mississippiensis and A. sinensis.

I've seen imported crocodile meat at our local Makro supermarket. I'm pretty sure it was from Australia. I don't recall ever seeing anything labeled as alligator meat. The Chinese alligator is endangered and highly unlikely to be sold in Thailand. Alligator meat from the Americas might be sold here but if so, it would seem to be a very small market. There are crocodile farms here as well as in Cambodia and Vietnam and I suppose they provide some crocodile meat as well as crocodile skins but it's certainly not a common Thai food item.

With just a few very rare exceptions, any crocodile meat eaten in Thailand would have come from some sort of commercial enterprise and would locally be called NUEA CHORAKHE (เนื้อจะเข้), (I think).

Edited November 25, 2015 by Pla shado

[Kanga Japan]

Dear AyG and Pla shado,

I did not realise that the Siamese crocodile was that rare in the wild. I understand that there are many crocodile farms in Thailand (I recently read where a Thai lady jumped into a crocodile pond at a farm near Bangkok, which had over 100 crocodiles and committed suicide).

I guess it is served only occasionally as a sort of 'exotic' food - perhaps for foreigners. In any case, I will add NUEA CHORAKHE (เนื้อจะเข้). Kangaroo meat was somewhat popular here a few years ago (they used to call it 'jump steak' on some menus), but you rarely see it these days.

The Australian alligator is apparently similar to a crocodile.

Thank you both for your help on this.

[Plotholes]

Besides being found on exotic menus, crocodile meat might also used for "medicinal properties" among the chinese communities in Thailand.

Edited November 26, 2015 by Plotholes

[Kanga Japan]

Dear Plotholes,

Thank you very much for that information.