Jobs and Work

[luckyfarang]

NGAAN in Thai means “work”, but also means “party”, “festival”, or “gathering”. This reflects a uniquely Thai mindset.

NGAAN LIANG(h)….. “a party”, literally “a gathering where something is served”

NGAAN CHA-LAWNG®….. “a party”, literally, “ a celebration (gathering)”

NGAAN SOP(l)….. “a funeral”, literally “a corpse gathering”

NGAAN ROO-DOO NAO®….. “Winter Carnival” in Chiangmai. NGAAN can be used alone to describe any festival, fair or carnival.

NGAAN SOM®-ROHT(h), NGAAN TAENG-AAN….. “a wedding”

NGAAN PHI(h)-THI….. “a ceremony”

NGAAN SING®-KHAA….. literally a “goods festival”, “a flea market”, a gathering where goods are sold outdoors in stalls, but not a regularly scheduled market

 

THAM NGAAN….. “to work” literally “to make work”

NGAAN AH(l)-DEE-REHK(f)….. “a hobby” I never hear this word used. What is it with the Thais, don’t they have any hobbies?

WEH-LAH WAANG(f) KHUN THAM A-RAI?….. What do you do in your spare (free) time? This is the only way I have heard to ask what a Thai’s hobby is.

Thai job titles can be confusing, and because the Thais are used to hearing each job described in a particular way, any other way will sound silly to them. Some jobs have their own specific title such as:

KROO/AH-CHAAN…. “teacher/professor”

CHEF, PAW(f) KRUA(f), MAE(f) KRUA(f)….. “cook”

TA-HARN®….. “soldier”

YAAM….. “security guard, watchman”

KA-SEE-KORN….. “a farmer”, formal term generally used only in writing, rarely spoken

WEE-SA-WA-KORN….. “engineer”

but others will fall into a specific category:

 

CHAANG(f)….. literally means “mechanic” or “handyman”, and can be used alone to describe any type of auto, motorcycle or related mechanic. But it is also used as follows:

CHAANG(f) TAI(l) ROOP(f)….. “a photographer”

CHAANG(f) TAT(l) PHOM®….. “a barber”

CHAANG(f) SERM® SOOAI®….. “a beautician”

CHAANG(f) NAAM(h)….. “a plumber” literally a “water mechanic”

CHAANG(f) TAT(l) PHAA(f)….. “a tailor”

CHAANG(f) YEP(l) PHAA(f)….. “a seamstress”

CHAANG(f) FAI-FAA(h)….. “electrician”

CHAANG(f) FIT….. “a pipefitter”

CHAANG(f) can also be used to describe many specific crafts such as CHAANG(f) SEE-MENT or CHAANG(f) THO(h)-RA-SAP(l) (cement worker or telephone repairman)

 

Another common category is NAK(h), which means someone highly skilled at some occupation or craft, usually something cerebral, or requiring God given talent:

NAK(h) BIN….. “pilot”

NAK(h) GAAN MEUANG….. “politician”

NAK(h) SA-DAENG®….. “actor”

NAK(h) WAT(l) ROOP(f)….. “artist”

NAK(h) TEN(f)….. “dancer”

NAK(h) RAWNG(h)….. “singer”

NAK(h) TOO(h)-RA-KIT(l)….. “businessman”

NAK(h) WI(h)-TA-YA-SAAT(l)….. “scientist”

but can also be used to describe other pastimes such as:

NAK(h) RIAN, NAK SEUK-SAA®….. “student”

NAK(h) TAWNG(f) THEEO(f)….. “tourist”

NAK(h) SA-SOHM®….. “collector”

NAK(h) AWK(l) BAEP(l) FAE-SHUN….. “fashion designer”

NAK(h) GEE-LAH….. “athlete”

 

Then there is “KON” meaning “person” which is also used for some less skilled occupations:

KON SUAN®….. “gardener”

KON GAE(f) PHAA(f)….. “stripper”

KON GEP(l) KHA-YA(l)….. “garbage collector”

KON RAP(h) CHAI(h)….. “servant”

KON KAP(l) ROT(h) (TAEK-SEE)….. “a (taxi) driver”

KON KHAW® TAAN….. “beggar”

 

MAW® literally means a highly educated person, but is used to describe several occupations, and can be used alone to mean “doctor”. When visiting a doctor you must use HAA® MAW®, which literally means “to look for a doctor”. If you say that you have an appointment with a doctor, a Thai will assume you have a date to see him socially. If you say you will “visit” a doctor or “see” a doctor, you will also confuse the Thais. Even if you have lived next door to the doctor for twenty years and know exactly where to find him, you must say that you will “look for a doctor” if you want to communicate that you need medical treatment. A uniquely Thai way of thinking.

MAW® PHAET(f)….. a medical doctor

MAW® FAN….. a dentist

MAW® DOO, MAW® THAM NAAI….. a fortune teller

MAW® PHEE®….. a witch doctor, I have heard that every village has one of these

MAW® CHEET(l)….. an injection doctor, a poorly educated country practitioner that has one and only one cure for anything that ails you from a headache to a heart attack: a shot in the bum

MAW® HEE®….. My girlfriend used to call me this in a very derogatory tone, but I took it as a compliment.

MAW® NOOWAT(f)….. a masseuse

MAW® TEUAN….. a quack doctor

AH-NA-MAI….. literally means “hygiene”?, another kind of country practitioner of limited education

Also used in the formal for condom: TOONG® YAANG AH-NA-MAI

(KHUN) MAW® and (KHUN) CHAANG(f) can also be used as forms of address.

 

CHAO(f) literally means something like “resident of” but is also used to describe certain occupations:

CHAO(f) BAAN(f)….. “villager”

CHAO(f) NAA….. “rice farmer”, but also used to mean “peasant”

CHAO(f) PRA-MAWNG….. “fisherman”

CHAO(f) LAY….. short for CHAO(f) TA-LAY, used to describe the sea gypsies in Southern Thailand

 

NAANG which is short for NAANG-SAO® meaning “Miss” is used for several primarily women’s occupations:

NAANG PA-YA-BAAN….. “nurse”

NAANG BAEP(l)….. “model”

NAANG NGAAM….. “beauty contestant”….also “SAO® NGAAM