poo yai baan

[Guest]

That did the trick. I'll send it to the boss and maybe end my confusion. Well, ending the confusion bit may be stretching it somewhat.

[Flashermac]

Each home is simply a bahn. A group of houses will be joined as a moo bahn. (MOO -- low tone = a unit or group, thus a moo bahn = a group of houses.)

 

The head of a moo bahn is called the poo yai bahn (the village leader). It is an elected position, unlike the other governmental positions, which are appointed. The poo yai bahn will be a local citizen, while all higher government officials are civil servants and will be rotated periodically around the province or even to other provinces.

 

Next above the moo barn is the tambon, which comprises several moo barn. Above the tambon comes the amphur. The amphurs taken all together make up a province.

 

Once upon a time there was a higher unit still, the monton. But that was abolished long ago and the only place you will encounter the word is in the Buddha Monton, that impressive Buddhist park west of Bangkok.

[..]

So is gamnan and poo yai baan different words for the same position?

 

Regards,

SD

[keekwai]

Flashermac gives a good explanation. Kamnan is the head at the Tambon level.

[vision25]

OK, so pooyai baan is village headman and gamnan is boss of a tambon. Any idea what or bor dor and pu shuai ni yak are? I am guessing that they are appointed civil servants at the amphur level, is this correct.

 

Apparently, one of the wife's relatives is one of these, any idea what their powers are?