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dirtydog · 10-08-2009, 11:04 PM

Learn Thai - Whats the time?

So how to tell the time in the Thai language, now I assume you have all learnt to count to 59 in Thai or at least know most of the numbers between 1 and 59 so lets get on with the fun bit.

Thai's do use the 24 hour system but this is extremely rare, ie when you say 1600 hours for 4pm, so don't bother trying to learn that, now in the west we divide the day up into 2 lots of 12 hours numerically, in Thailand it is quite often divided into 4 lots of 6 hours, ie 9pm in Thailand will be stated as 3 oclock in the evening (Sam tum), 9am is "sam mong chao", 3am is "tee sam" and 3pm is "sam mong yen", of course to make it more confusing the 12 oclocks are called, midday (Thiang) and midnight is "thiang keun", just to add to the fun and confusion 1am is "dtee neung" but 1pm is "bai mong".
Dtee is used for the hours of 1am to 5am.
Chao is used for the hours of 6am to "thiang".
1pm is "bai mong".
2pm is "bai sawng mong", nb, most people will miss out the "mong" for 2pm and 3pm
Come 3pm and things get all confused again, either "bai sam" or "sam mong yen" can be used, the yen means cool, so if your sweating your knackers off at 3pm everyday probably best not to use the "yen" in the sentence, 4pm though and it should be getting cooler, 5pm and we hit the "hah mong yen", then 6pm we hit "hok mong yen".
7pm to 11pm and these are all "toom" ie 10pm will be "see toom"

1 minute is "neung na-thee", 1 second is "neung wi-nathee", 1 hour is "neung chûa mong".

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dirtydog · 10-08-2009, 11:52 PM

YouTube - Learn Thai - Learn to tell the Time

jimbone · 11-08-2009, 05:19 PM

that's a really good explanation for how to tell time Thai style, DD. Actually, once you get use to the different words, it makes a lot more sense than English..."See you at 11" can be either am or pm, but no so with Thai.

kebabman7 · 13-08-2009, 04:05 AM

I always steered clear of mentioning times as it fair did my noggin in

, but reading this has made it sink in abit. Will have to re-read it again tomorrow just to make sure, thanks.

StrontiumDog · 13-08-2009, 12:25 PM

Yeah, agree, great explanation DD, very clear.

I was told and have learnt, that "Yen" starts at 4 pm. Never heard of it used at 3 pm. New one on me!

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11-08-2009, 05:19 PM	#3 (permalink)
jimbone Hua Hin Last Online: 13-03-2010 06:21 AM Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 15	that's a really good explanation for how to tell time Thai style, DD. Actually, once you get use to the different words, it makes a lot more sense than English..."See you at 11" can be either am or pm, but no so with Thai.

13-08-2009, 04:05 AM	#4 (permalink)
kebabman7 Phuket Last Online: 15-03-2010 10:08 PM Join Date: May 2009 Location: Khon Kaen Posts: 19	I always steered clear of mentioning times as it fair did my noggin in , but reading this has made it sink in abit. Will have to re-read it again tomorrow just to make sure, thanks.

13-08-2009, 12:25 PM	#5 (permalink)
StrontiumDog Thailand Forum Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 4,623	Yeah, agree, great explanation DD, very clear. I was told and have learnt, that "Yen" starts at 4 pm. Never heard of it used at 3 pm. New one on me!

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