How to tell time in Thai

When you think of time, what song do you think of?

Mia taught me a neat trick on how to convert the Western year:

Like 2013 to the Thai year 2556. 2556 (Thai date) – 543 = 2013

or

2013 (Western date) +543 = 2556

But maybe everybody already knew that, but I didn’t!

Next we tackled telling time in Thai. It’s a hearty and healthy challenge for folks like me who still uses her fingers to tell “military time”. But Mia explained, in the past someone stayed up to keep the time. So the little bells or gongs were used, much in the same way the town crier in Medieval England would ring his bell and yell,

“It’s 3 ‘o clock, and all is well!”

Here is how to tell the time in Thai

The words in (….) means it’s ok without

Let’s break it down, shall we?

 ตี /dtii

means to hit, from the podcast, a person on duty will hits the metal to tell time.

Hit	Phonetic	Thai script	24 hour time
1 time	dtii nèung	ตีหนึ่ง	1:00
2 times	dtii sŏng	ตีสอง	2:00
3 times	dtii săam	ตีสาม	3:00
4 times	dtii sìi	ตีสี่	4:00
5 times	dtii hâa	ตีห้า	5:00

โมง/mong

โมง/mong is the sound when you hit the gong.

Hit	Phonetic	Thai script	24 hour time
6 times	hòk mong (cháo)	หกโมง (เช้า)	6:00
7 times	jèt mong (cháo)	เจ็ดโมง (เช้า)	7:00
8 times	pàat mong (cháo)	แปดโมง (เช้า)	8:00
9 times	gâao mong (cháo)	เก้าโมง (เช้า)	9:00
10 times	sìp mong (cháo)	สิบโมง (เช้า)	10:00
11 times	sìp-èt mong (cháo)	สิบเอ็ดโมง(เช้า)	11:00
12 times	tiâng-wan	เที่ยงวัน	12:00

 The words in (….) means it’s ok without

 The words in (….) means it’s ok without

 

 บ่าย/bàai

บ่าย/bàai : (verb) means to turn, step to one side, off the center.

At noon the sun is directly above and move away from vertical line into the afternoon.

Hit	Phonetic	Thai script	24 hour time
1 time	bàai  (mong)	บ่าย(โมง)	13:00
2 times	bàai sŏng (mong)	บ่ายสอง(โมง)	14:00
3 times	bàai săam (mong)	บ่ายสาม(โมง)	15:00
4 times	bàai sìi (mong)*	บ่ายสี่(โมง)*	16:00
5  times	bàai hâa (mong)**	บ่ายห้า(โมง)**	17:00
6 times	hòk mong (yen)	หกโมง(เย็น)	18:00

 The words in (….) means it’s ok without

*16:00 can also call  สี่โมงเย็น/ sìi mong yen

 **17:00 can also call  ห้าโมงเย็น/ hâa mong yen

เย็น/yen means/(noun) late afternoon ; early evening ; dusk

ทุ่ม/tûm

ทุ่ม/tûm is the sound when you hit the drum.

Hit	Phonetic	Thai script	24 hour time
1 time	tûm*	ทุ่ม	19:00
2 times	sŏng tûm	สองทุ่ม	20:00
3 times	sâam tûm	สามทุ่ม	21:00
4 times	sìi tûm	สี่ทุ่ม	22:00
5 times	hâa tûm	ห้าทุ่ม	23:00
6 times	tiâng-keun	เที่ยงคืน	24:00

* 19:00 can also call หนึ่งทุ่ม/nèung tûm 

 

Now don’t forget Thais do like to be on time for auspicious events like a wedding ceremony, so be careful when running on “Thai time”! Most Thais consult a mor doo, astrologist or monk so they know when is the perfect time to tie the knot. So don’t be late!