Kaphom

[dashiling]

I'm always trying to understand a little more Thai, but i am a stubborn ox... anyway security at my condo always acknowledges me with "kaphom" I gather this is a more polite form of "krap". If that is so, My question is how i might use this myself, such as wanting to show respect to immigration officers, rich aquaintances, etc.

Thanks, Dashi

[khunsanuk]

Hi,

 

I guess you would use this where you would use 'Yes, sir' in English.

 

If you want to go even more polite you can go all the way and say: 'na kraphom'. Most likely overkill though

 

BTW, while kraphom can be used at the end of a sentence it is mostly used by itself I think.

 

Sanuk!

 

[Flashermac]

I'd say it's the military influence, and security guards like as not did their two years in uniform. Khap pohm is the response to a commissioned officer, like saying "yes, sir" or "aye aye, sir".

 

I've also heard it from police - the sergeant major I talked to when he was investigating my house break in. He knew I was an archan and the neighbour who also was robbed is a lt colonel. Thus we got addressed as superiors.

 

A lot of ordinary Thai guys probably picked it up when they took high school ROTC.

 

 

[Nervous God]

One of the first thai words i used regularly, before i learnt any thai. Working with the thai army on a project a few senior guys used it. Lowest rank using it was a colonel. Then at the factory the no 2 person in a huge and at the time most advanced factory in thailand, great guy, also used it often. I doubt he was ever in the army. So my impression till now it was used by high ranking people?

[Pom Michael]

All my male staff use it all the time - don't think it has anything to do with the military at all.

 

Just asked the SO -

 

For men - Khrup / Khrupom - both mean YES - with more formal on the Khrupom (yes, I know it is pronounced Kaphom).

 

For ladies - they have the same - just the same word (Ka or Khaa) - the longer tone is more polite.

 

Learn something new.

[The_Munchmaster]

I've been using it for years, usually in response to taxi drivers conversations about what route to take!

[chuckwoww]

I read somewhere that phom, hair/first person pronoun, originated as an expression of respect....'my hair to your feet'. But I've never been able to confirm it.

[MooNoi]

It's just a more formal / polite way of saying "khrup"... same as "Dii-Chan" is a more formal / polite way of saying "I" for females (instead of "Chan").

 

And remember, it's really "kRaphom" (with an "r") - same as "Khrup" has an "r" ... not really "khup".

[Coss]

Arrrr... I was told that it meant "yes sir" but as an adjunct, "of course" or "that's right" now I know, thanks gents.

[LizardKing]

I think the formal meaning is still "yes sir" as described, tho' the full military version is ขอรับà¸Âระผม (kor rap gra-pom).

 

The similar sounding krap pom (ครับผม) is used colloquially, but I have to believe that there is some kind of usage relationship between the two, as Flash pointed out the military connection (even tho' the similiar sounding à¸Âระผม/gra-pom in the above case is a personal pronoun).

 

So IMHO, ครับผม is still is a more formal/respectful way of saying yes. Hence my opinion of it still be more equivalent to "yes sir" than anything else.