Guest Posted June 21, 2001 Report Share Posted June 21, 2001 Occasionally, when cycling around the village where I used to live, I would have cause to pass a small collection of tin shacks housing Isaan contstruction workers. One of the lary looking guys hanging around outside would often shout something which sounded like BUK SEE DAH (variations on the first syllable might be BAK or BOK - not sure) When I asked a respected Thai friend in the village what this meant he told me that it was Lao dialect and was something akin to 'Hi ya mate'. However, I'm not convinced that what he told me was the truth and he was possibly being kind in trying to spare my blushes because, I suspect, the phrase means something else. My g/f told me he was calling me a tomato (?) which is probably nearer the truth as I am a touch overweight (see posting in the FOOD section under 'favourite Thai food' for confirmation)and I suppose I must have been a bright crimson colour puffing around on the bike under the hot sun! My g/f doesn't speak any Lao so can't confirm the earlier 'translation' Over to you guys. Arai wa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 21, 2001 Report Share Posted June 21, 2001 Well my Thai is pretty basic so I'm not really the best person to help here but since no-one else has answered yet I can tell you that this cropped up on the old board a while back and I'm afraid it means something a lot more insulting than tomato, and certainly nothing like "hi ya mate"! Someone better qualified than myself will fill you in I'm sure, as I can't remember the exact meaning, but safe to say if somebody shouted that at me I would not be amused. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sukhumvit Posted June 21, 2001 Report Share Posted June 21, 2001 A friend of mine has a speech impediment. Well I never knew he had one for 11 years until he started going to stammering classes. Guess they can teach you anything in nightschool nowadays. Point of the above is, what if the garbled nonsense that is occassionally heard is just that. Garbled nonsense. How do you translate a sentence uttered by a Thai village idiot? He could have been saying anything. Don't know the Lao but I think that the Thai for tomato sounds like mak-err-ted-lie-pun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boo Radley Posted June 21, 2001 Report Share Posted June 21, 2001 BAK SEE DAH is Lao for FARANG. Am not aware that it is particularly rude. [ June 21, 2001: Message edited by: Boo Radley ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samak Posted June 21, 2001 Report Share Posted June 21, 2001 yes it's lao for farang (guava fruit), not a tomato but as well eatable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 21, 2001 Report Share Posted June 21, 2001 yes, sii daa is lao or isaan for the guava fruit which is called farang in thai bok or bak depending on which isaan dialect means mister. So its like an isaan joke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 22, 2001 Report Share Posted June 22, 2001 OK, looks like I was way off! Sorry, probably confusing it with something else I heard. Next time I'll keep my mouth shut, LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spirit_of_town_hall Posted June 22, 2001 Report Share Posted June 22, 2001 Hilarious "hi ya mate", what was it that made you suspect he was not saying that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 23, 2001 Report Share Posted June 23, 2001 Many thanks for the responses guys. dj1999j said quote: OK, looks like I was way off! Sorry, probably confusing it with something else I heard. Next time I'll keep my mouth shut, LOL! Dont worry dj......the attempt was still appreciated. Thanks. Sukhumvit said quote: How do you translate a sentence uttered by a Thai village idiot? He could have been saying anything. Good point !!!! spirit of town hall said quote: what was it that made you suspect he was not saying that Not sure really....... his generally lary disposition and the contemptuous sneer might have had something do with it. Plus the fact that an overweight farang wobbling around on a knackered old bike in the heat of the tropical midday sun is gonna be up for some abuse in any culture. LOL Thanks again guys Arai wa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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