Guest Posted August 20, 2002 Report Share Posted August 20, 2002 One thing that is surprisingly complex is how to tell time in Thai. In most parts of the world, we divide the day into 2 halves of 12 hours and often imply AM/PM. In my experience, I have noticed Thai's often aren't comfortable with this system. If you tell a thai to meet at "yeesip naleega", there might be some discussion and questions and finally agreement for "sawng toom". It thus surprises me every watch I have seen in Thailand uses the system that they don't use themselves. Would think someone would have created digital and/or analog watch that tells time using the Thai system. It might work for an analog watch to roll every 6 hours instead of 12; then again maybe too cumbersome. Just a curiosity of sorts for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markle Posted August 20, 2002 Report Share Posted August 20, 2002 Really the twenty four hour clock system is only used for official purposes. A thowback I'd say to when the military were running things. Obviously with the introduction of Western timepieces changed the way time was told but I'm interested in how it was only partially changed. 1 - 6pm is 1-6 'bai' or 'yen' then it changes to 1-6 'toom' but for the morning it runs 'ti' 1-5 then 6-11 'mong chao'. Every now and again older, rural people will sat '2 mong chao' for 8am Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 20, 2002 Report Share Posted August 20, 2002 Oops, but confusing here. Lets start at Noon = thiang wan thereafter Bai Moong = 1 Pm Bai Sorng, Bai Sam = 2 PM, 3 Pm Si, Ha, Hok Moong Yen = 4,5,6 PM Toom Nung = 7PM Sorng, Sam, Si, Ha Toom = 8, 9, 10, 11 PM Tiang Khuen = Midnight Ti Nung, sorng Sam, si, Ha = 1, 2,3,4,5 AM Hok, Tjet, Phet (or Sorng) Gaow (or Sam), Sip (or Si) Sip-et (or Ha) moong Chao = 6,7,8,9,10,11 AM And round and round again. Hope I didn't leave any options out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samak Posted August 21, 2002 Report Share Posted August 21, 2002 6am depends! if i come home from some night time activities it's thee hok; if i have to get up early and go to my work it's hok mong chao Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 21, 2002 Report Share Posted August 21, 2002 Never heard anyone say Tee Hok. I don't think this is the proper way to say 6AM, but I stand corrected. Never got home that late, so maybe that's why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BkkShaggy Posted August 22, 2002 Report Share Posted August 22, 2002 "Moong Yen moong Chao Toom Bai Moong " Some Thais told me that the word 'Moong' was the sound people used to hit a drum in a village in the old days to indicate time. The same is the word "Toom" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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