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Sanskrit-Thai. A suffix meaning 'great', 'royal', 'regal', 'imperial' and 'kingly', as in nagaraat. Also transcribed as raj. See radjakaan. Thai. 'Royal flora'. Name for the cassia fistula or Indian laburnum, a medium-sized deciduous tree which grows to about 9 meters in height. It is also known by its more popular names golden shower (due to its countless showy yellow flowers) and drumstick tree (due to its long shaped seedpods). See rajarot. Radha (राधा) 1. The favourite love of Krishna. She embodies the human soul whereas Krishna represents universal life energy. She is sometimes worshiped as an avatar of the goddess Lakshmi. 2. Name of the foster mother of Karna, the first son of Kunti and thus a half-brother to the Pandava in the epic Mahabharata. A certain form of the bodhisatva Avalokitesvara in Mahayana Buddhism appearing with a body covered with countless small Buddha images, the image of Amitabha in his headdress and his arms spread around his body like a radsamie or halo. He may have up to 22 arms and 11 heads.
Thai. 'Reign' of 'rule' of a king, e.g. 'radjakaan tih hah', the reign of king Rama V. Also rachakahn. radjakaan patjuban (รัชกาลปัจจุบัน) Thai. The present reign, the reigning sovereign. Thai. The ruling years or reign of a king. Thai. The heir to the throne. Also mongkut rachakumaan. Thai. A jeweled tiara or coronet as sometimes worn by Thai dancers. Compare with chadah. 1. Thai. 'Aureole', 'halo' or 'nimbus'. Also chappannarangsie.
2. Thai. 'Ray', 'beam of light', 'glow'. 3. Thai. 'Power' and 'prestige'. Thai. 'The first ploughing'. The ploughing ceremony. An ancient brahman custom marking the beginning of the rice planting season. In Thailand an annual ritual performed in the second week of May on Sanam Luang in presence of the king or an envoy, and known as the royal ploughing ceremony (fig.). It also refers to a scene in the life of the historical Buddha when he retreated to meditate under a tree during the ploughing ceremony at the age of seven. Name of the world's biggest 'flower' with a diameter of up to a meter. It only occurs in the Sundaic region of Southeast Asia and is found habitually in Khao Sok National Park (fig.) in the southern Thailand, and further in Sarawak (Borneo) and Sumatra (Indonesia). This parasitic plant does not put down roots but attaches itself to the nutrient system of woody lianas of the genus tetvastigma. The flower buds, which swell to the size of a football, may first emerge on the host liana from October to December and it blossoms for only a couple of days per year in January and February, after which it completely dies back and is totally unpredictable when it will sprout next. Its pungent odour resembles the smell of rotting carrion which attracts flies that pollinate it. The plant is named after Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of Singapore, who introduced it to the West in the beginning of the 19th century. In Thai it is called bua phut. Rahu (राहु, ราหู) 1. Sanskrit-Thai. The god of darkness, a legless demon who causes the eclipses of the sun and moon. After the churning of the Ocean of Milk this demon surreptitiously sneaked in the row among the gods and received a portion of the amrita. Surya, god of the sun, and Chandra, god of the moon, uncovered this deceit and reported it to Vishnu who immediately cut the demon in two with his discus -in some texts it is Indra who cut Rahu in two with his thunderbolt- however, the amrita had already taken its effect and both parts lived on separately. As immortal beings they took their place among the stars where Ketu, the lower part of Rahu representing the tail, personifies comets and meteorites and the upper part of Rahu travels through the universe in a chariot pulled by eight black horses. Because he never forgot the betrayal by the sun and the moon he continuously chases them with his mouth open. When he swallows one or the other of them he causes the eclipses, though because he has no underside anymore they keep falling out thus ending the eclipse. Rahu is also one of the nine gods who are worshipped in the phra prajam wan system of the Hindus (fig.). He is situated on the Southwest, facing South, whereas Ketu the personification of his tail, is placed behind him (fig.). Rahu also creates the darkness of black and ominous clouds to help conceal Ramasoon, the god of thunder (fig.) in order to try and capture the nymph Mekala (fig.). Sometimes transcribed Rahoo.
2. Sanskrit-Thai. Another name for the pahng pah leh laai pose of the Buddha, corresponding with Wednesday after sunset in the Buddhist Phra prajam wan (geut) system. 3. Sanskrit-Thai. Name for the planet Earth. Compare with the demon Rahu who just like Earth causes the eclipses of the sun and moon. 4. Thai. The god who interferes with human affairs. Rahula (राहुल) Sanskrit. 'Union, bond'. Name of the son of prince Siddhartha and Yashodhara. When he was born the prince had already decided to renounce the world and seek a religious life. Fatherhood was thus merely seen as a new source of attachment. In Thai called Phra Rahul. MORE ON THIS. Thai. An area measure equivalent to 1,600 square meters. See raat. Sankrit-Thai. A form of raat used as a prefix and meaning 'great', 'royal', 'regal', 'imperial' and 'kingly', as in rajarot. rajakumaan (ราชกุมาร) Sanskrit-Thai. 'Prince'. In Sanskrit pronounced rajakoemaar. rajakumari (राजकुमारी, ราชกุมารี) Sanskrit-Thai. 'Princess'. Thai. A member of the royal family. Thai. 'Coronation'. In religious context the term refers to a scene in the life of prince Siddhartha when he succeeded his father Suddhodana as king of the Sakya clan, after his marriage with princess Bimba. Thai. Royal triumph, battle or funeral cart, generally a coach.
Thai. Special vocabulary or respectful terms that should be used when speaking to or about members of the royal family, the Buddha, monks and religious things. See also song. Thai. A heraldic lion which, for one, occurs on the coat of arms of the Ministry of the Interior. Thai. A title bestowed by the king. Compare with bandasak. Thai. 'King of kings'. A historic drama relating the wars between Thailand, Burma and the Mon empire. Rajavora Maha Vihaan (ราชวรมหาวิหาร) The highest title given to a temple under royal auspices. There are only a few temples in Thailand on which this title was conferred. These include Wat Suthat Thepwarahrahm Rajavora Maha Vihaan, Wat Saket Rajavora Maha Vihaan, Wat Mahathat Yuwaraja Rangsit Rajavora Maha Vihaan, Wat Phra Chetuphon Wimon Mang Khalahrahm Rajavora Maha Vihaan and Wat Arun Rajawarahrahm Rajavora Maha Vihaan, all in Bangkok, and Wat Phra Phutthabaat Rajavora Maha Vihaan in Saraburi. Thai. A palm with a height of up to seven meters which bears fruit throughout the year. The snake-like pattern of its skin gives it the nickname snake fruit. The nutritious fruit is packed in thick large bunches at the top of the trunk, and tastes between a banana and a pineapple, but has a sour aftertaste. There is a variation with the Thai name sa-la, but these are slightly longer and less bulbous in shape than the ra-kam. The fruit has the scientific names zalacca and salacca, and in Indonesia and Malaysia both variations are known by the name salak.
Rakshasa (राक्षस) Sanskrit. A demon of darkness with a violent nature who dwells on burial grounds waking up the dead and frequently torments humans in several ways. In the Ramayana, Ravana is the leader of the Rakshasas. In the Ramakien he is known as Totsakan. MORE ON THIS. Rama (रम, ราม) 1. Sanskrit. 'He who charms' or 'the beloved one'. The hero in the Indian epic Ramayana and its Thai version the Ramakien. He is the seventh avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu and the son of king Totsarot and queen Kao Suriya. In Thai Phra Ram. MORE ON THIS.
2. Sanskrit-Thai. Crown title for the kings of the Thai Chakri dynasty. Crown title of Phra Phutta Yotfa Chulalok (fig.), the first monarch of the Chakri dynasty in Thailand. This title was posthumously conferred by king Phra Nang Klao, the third monarch of the dynasty who introduced the system of crown titles. In the West he is known as king Yotfa, formerly general Chao Phya Chakri (fig.), who founded the dynasty of his name in 1782 after seizing power from king Taksin. He moved the Siamese capital from Thonburi to Rattanakosin and is author of the most complete Thai version of the Indian epic Ramayana called Ramakien, adapted and written in 1785. He ruled until 1809.
Crown title of Phra Phutta Leut La, the second king (fig.) of the Chakri dynasty (fig.). The title was posthumously bestowed by king Phra Nang Klao, the third monarch of the dynasty who introduced the system of crown titles. He was the son of king Phra Phutta Yotfa Chulalok and ruled from 1809 to 1824.
Crown title of Phra Nang Klao, the third monarch of the Chakri dynasty (fig.). He ascended the throne in 1824 and ruled until 1851. He introduced the use of the crown titles for the rulers of the Chakri dynasty and bestowed himself with the title Rama III conferring the titles Rama I and Rama II posthumously on his predecessors.
Crown title of Phra Chom Klao (fig.) the fourth monarch of the Chakri dynasty and half-brother to Rama III. In the West he is known as king Mongkut (fig.). He lived for 27 years as a Buddhist monk before ascending the throne in 1851. During his priesthood he studied Sanskrit, Pali, Latin and English, history and several western sciences, including astronomy. Interested by western ideas he modernised his realm and established diplomatic relations with the then Superpowers. To avoid colonisation commercial treaties were signed, though with very favourable conditions for the West. By presenting himself as a friend rather than a foe and approaching the Superpowers with gifts instead of weapons king Mongkut succeeded in averting an imminent colonization, at least temporarily. Due to the establishment of several allies none of the Superpowers dared to attack or invade Siam for fear of a conflict with each other. The law forbidding subjects to look into the face of the king was done away with as well as the system of forced labour for the state. In 1868 Mongkut died of malaria leaving 82 children and 35 wives.
Crown title of Chulachomklao, the fifth monarch of the Chakri dynasty (fig.). Born on 20 September 1853 the oldest son of king Mongkut and queen Debsirindra. In the West he is known by the name Chulalongkorn (fig.). He was crowned on 10 November 1868 at the age of 15 and ruled until 1873 under the regency of Chao Phraya Borom Maha Sri Suriyawong. Educated by European private teachers he continued with reforms after the western model. Public schools were established and modernisation implemented, including the construction of a railway network. Under his rule slavery was abolished and a modern judicial and prison system was established. During the expansionist aims of the colonial Superpowers Chulalongkorn was compelled under pressure of a possible military intervention to make more concessions and gave up substantial parts of Siamese territory. The colonial threat necessitated Rama V precisely demarcating the borders of his realm, forcing him to centralise administrative power and incorporate the still remaining smaller vassal states into Siamese territory. He died on 23 October 1910 and had 77 children.
Crown title of Wachirawut, the sixth king of the Chakri dynasty (fig.) and oldest son of king Chulalongkorn and queen Saowapha. With crown prince Wajirunhit's (fig.) untimely death in 1895 at the age of seventeen his half-brother prince Wachirawut was appointed as the new successor to the throne by king Chulalongkorn, at the age of thirteen. After the death of Rama V, who had a total of 77 children, he ascended the throne in 1910. He implemented more reforms, especially in the field of education and administration. Educated in the West he introduced the use of surnames for his subjects and encouraged them to adopt more western ways, such as western clothes and hair styles. He stimulated patriotism and promoted nationalism on a large scale. In 1917 he changed the Siamese flag (a white elephant on a red field) with the present red-white-blue-white-red, horizontally striped banner. Colours symbolise the nation (red), the monarchy (blue) and religion (white). His regime was rather extravagant and when he died nearly childless in 1925 -he had a daughter at the last moment- the treasury was empty. In Thai called Mongkutklao.
Crown title of Prajadhipok
(fig.), the seventh monarch of the Chakri dynasty
(fig.) who in 1925 succeeded
the late
king Wachirawut. During his rule absolute monarchy came to an end. Because of the enormous breach his predecessor had made in the treasury the economy was stagnant.
This in combination with the existence of an oligarchic system eventually led to
the coup d'état in 1932 followed by the introduction of a constitutional
monarchy. At this time Rama VII
(fig.) was diligently working
on a new constitution that might have worked better than the so-called democratic system that was imposed by the
leaders of the conspiracy. But in spite of this Rama VII
on 10 December
1932
Crown title of Ananda Mahidol (Anantha Mahidon), the eighth monarch of the Chakri dynasty (fig.). Son of the brother of the childless king Prajadhipok, who in 1935 succeeded the abdicating Rama VII. He was however just ten years old and still at school in Switzerland, and it was not until after WW II that he would return to Siam as Rama VIII. In 1946 some months after his return the young king was found shot dead in his bed, a mystery that was never officially resolved. In commemoration of this king the Rama VIII bridge in Bangkok (fig.) was named after him. He was succeeded by his younger brother Bhumipon Adunyadet. Ananda Mahidol was never crowned as king, but his brother posthumously gave him the full royal title of the chat, the nine-layered parasol.
Crown title of Bhumipon Adunyadet, the ninth king of the Chakri dynasty and Thailand's longest reigning monarch. He succeeded his older brother Ananda after the latter was found shot dead in his bed, but he wasn't formally crowned king until after his marriage to Sirikit Kitthiyagon, on 5 May 1950.
Ramachandra (रामचन्द्र) 1. Sanskrit. Another name for Phra Ram or Rama, the seventh avatar of the god Vishnu, and the hero from the Indian epic Ramayana, in Thailand called Ramakien. 2. Sanskrit. Another name for the crown title Rama. Thai. 'The honor of Rama'. Thai version of the Indian epic Ramayana rewritten in 1785 by Rama I,
the first monarch of the present Chakri dynasty. Depictions of characters and scenes from the Ramakien are found all over Thailand, represented in art,
music and the nomenclature.
Thai. The god of thunder. His weapon is an axe and in dance he is generally depicted as the companion of Mekala, the goddess of lightning (fig.). He is born in the storm clouds and has rain as his cloak. He asked Rahu, the god of darkness (fig.), to create a murkiness of black clouds to help conceal himself, in order to try and capture Mekala, his opponent.
1. Name of king U-Thong of Ayuthhaya, also Ramathibodi I. 2. Thai. A title introduced for the kings of the Chakri dynasty, by king Vajiravudh, (Phra Mongkutklao), the sixth monarch of the dynasty with the crown title Rama VI, who called himself Ramathibodi VI. Ramathibodi I (รามาธิบดีที่ ๑) First king of the Ayuthhaya period, also named king U-Thong.
Ramayana (रामायण) Sanskrit. 'Story of Rama'. Indian epic drama written around 400-200 BC, narrating the story of Rama, the abduction of his wife Sita by the demon king Ravana of Lanka and the struggle for her release. In Thailand named Ramakien. MORE ON THIS. A sweet fruit in a hairy red rind (fig.). The flesh is white, succulent and has a large seed. They are widespread in all Southeast Asian countries, and Thai rambutans are grown particularly in the East and South. Its season is from April to September. In Thai they are called ngo, meaning 'hair', and the most popular varieties are 'ngo rong rien' and 'ngo si chompoo'.
Ramkamhaeng (รามคำแหง) Thai. 'Rama the brave'. King of Sukhothai from 1279 to 1298 and designer of the Thai script (fig.). During his reign absolute monarchy commenced and Theravada Buddhism introduced by Indian missionaries from Sri Lanka was adopted as the official religion. MORE ON THIS.
Thai. A ceremonial dance preceding official matches in honour of the trainers and the guardian spirit of Thai boxing. The boxers wear a loop-shaped headband (mongkon) and coloured armlet (pah prachiad) on their biceps, which may contain a protecting amulet or Buddha image.
See paang ram peung. Thai. 'Circle dance'. A folkdance in which participants move their hands in an elegant manner in the air.
Thai. A xylophone like instrument that sets the high tones in a traditional Thai orchestra or mahorie. It is the counterpart of the ranaht thum (fig.), which sets the bass tones.
Thai. A xylophone setting the bass tones, in contrast to the ranaat ek, which sets the high tones.
Thai. 'Nest gourd' or 'hive gourd'. A name for luffa. Thai. Cocoon of the silkworm from which silk is made. The cocoons are sun dried for a couple of days to kill the larva after which the silk is taken off the cocoons by boiling. Yellow cocoons are from the Thai silkworm and white from the Chinese. One cocoon contains roughly 600 meters of silk yarn.
Thai name for a bird's nest. See also swallow's nest. Province (map) and its capital city (fig.) in the South West of the Thai peninsula on the Andaman Sea, 568 kms South of Bangkok and situated on a small neck of land known as Kokod Kra, the Isthmus of Kra (fig.). The city has a population of about 18,000 and borders Burma, separated by the Kraburi river. Its name is derived from the saying 'Raenong' which refers to both its natural resource of tin which is a mineral (rae) and the name of the cities first ruler, Nai Nong. He was the person in charge and an able ruler of the mu ban Ponrang in the present-day tambon Bang Rin. He was rewarded the bandasak of Luang Ranong at the end of the Ayutthaya period. The province has four amphur and one king amphur.
Another name for Totsakan or Ravana. Thai for zodiac. See also Chinese zodiac. rasmie (रश्मि) Sanskrit. 'Beam of light'. A term referring to both the halo around Buddha images (fig.), and the flame (fig.) that emerges from his ushnisha (fig.). It symbolizes the Buddha's superiority. See also the Thai word radsamie.
Mount of the Hindu god Ganesha and first animal of the Chinese zodiac as the first year of the animal cycle. Rats are also eaten by some Thai people (fig.). See rattana. Thai. 'Royal city'. Province (map) and its capital city of the same name in West Thailand about 100 kms from Bangkok with a population of around 46,000. Like Samut Songkhram it is situated on the banks of the Mae Khlong river. Its places of interest include the famous floating market of Damnun Saduak (fig.) and it is famous for the production of large earthen water vessels decorated with dragon motifs and called ohng mangkon (fig.). The province has nine amphur and one king amphur.
Sanskrit for 'chariot'. The word is related to the Thai word rot. Ratnasambhava (रत्नसंभव) Sanskrit. 'Born jewel'. The transcendental buddha of the southern universe in Mahayana Buddhism. He performs a varada mudra, a sign of mercy. His mount is a horse or a pair of lions. Sanskrit-Thai. A gem, semiprecious or precious stone. Often translated as 'jewel'. Also rattanah and rat. See rattana. 1. Bangkok, distinguished from Thonburi. It refers to the area on the right bank of the Chao Phrya river where Phra Rachawang is built. 2. Period of the Chakri dynasty. Also called Rattanakosinsok. Rattanakosinsok (รัตนโกสินทรศก) Period of the Chakri dynasty. In 1889 it was officially declared by king Chulalongkorn that the era started in 1782. Also called Rattanakosin and Rattankosinthorasok. Thai. 'Three Gems' or 'Three Jewels'. Term for the Buddha, his teachings (dhamma) and the Sangha. Ook Trairat. Ravana (रावण) Sanskrit. 'He who makes cry' or 'he who causes to wail'. The demon king of Lanka and the leader of the Rakshasas. He is the enemy of king Rama in the Ramayana and is usually depicted with ten heads and sometimes with twenty arms. In the Ramakien he is known as Totsakan. Also called Raphanasoon. MORE ON THIS.
Name of a province (map) as well as of its capital city in East Thailand, on the north coast of the Gulf of Thailand. The city has a population of about 45,000 and is situated 179 kms Southeast of Bangkok. Popular with the locals is Had Suan Son near Ban Pe, a white sandy beach with pines, and the island of Ko Samet where a large chapter of the epic story Phra Aphaimanih is set and where a lighthouse still guides local navigation. The province is also known for its many fruit orchards including rambutan, durian and pineapple. The province has six amphur and two king amphur.
One of the four positions of the Buddha in iconography usually referring to the Mahaparinirvana of the Buddha. The most well-known image of a reclining Buddha is in Wat Poh in Bangkok (fig.). In Thai Phra Phut Saiyaat. See also iryapatha.
A feature in Thai temple architecture in which the angle of each horizontal level of a chedi is recessed from the one below.
An evergreen herb growing to a height of one meter and consisting of long sharp leaves that emerge from its inedible root and with a scarlet red flower. Its Latin name is alpinia purpurata and is related to the family of edible gingers. In Thai khing daeng.
A subgroup of the Lahu tribe. Also known by the name of Lahu Nyi, and by the Thai as Mussur Daeng.
A therapy over 5,000 years old that originated in China and consists of pressuring and massaging certain points of the sole of the foot, where more than 7,000 nerves converge. Specific points in the sole of the foot correspond with other parts of the body and pressure or a massage carried out on these exact spots is said to be able to cure over a hundred ailments.
Rebirth. Belief that the soul after death moves to another bodily form and lives on. In Thailand this usually refers to a stone bas-relief on the lintel above a doorpost or gate of ancient temples in Khmer style, but may also be a woodcarving or sculptured work above doors or windows on other buildings. Container in which a sacred relic is stored, such as a box, case, tomb or sanctuary. Thai. A flat bottomed royal barge used during some ceremonies of state. See also ganya. Thai. 'Longtail boat'. A long boat with a truck engine driving a propeller at the end of a long shaft.
Thai. A small flat bottomed rowing boat. Also sampan. Thai. 'Needle boat'. Name of a slim, needle-like boat. Paddlers need to sit with their legs stretched forward. Used by monks on waterways on their morning alms round called bintabaat.
1. Thai. 'Digging boat'. Name for a dredger. Dredgers can be seen on rivers digging for ore (fig.) or clearing bars to maintain the draught of the river for navigation. On the important estuaries, such as that of the Chao Phrya river, a fleet of large dredgers using heavy equipment incessantly clear the river bed, keeping the river open to shipping traffic. See also sandon.
2. Thai. 'Dugout boat'. Name for a dugout, a wooden canoe cut from a tree trunk in one piece. Thai. Name for small boats typified by their long projecting bowsprit and their colourful decorative paintings. They are commonly seen in the deep South of Thailand, especially in the province of Narathiwat.
Thai. 'Lightning boat', named after the goddess of lightning Mekala. It is a wooden packet boat dating from the beginning of the Ayutthaya period. Nowadays many are reconditioned to accommodate tourists for banquet cruises on the Chao Phraya river. See also rice barge.
Thai. 'Crystal cover'. A decorative frame which is sometimes placed around a Buddha image. At the bottom on each side is a naga figure guarded by a yak (fig.). Usually translated as 'crystal palace'.
reua rap song khahm fahk (เรือรับส่งข้ามฟาก) Thai for 'ferryboat'.
Thai for 'tugboat'. Thai. 'Hermit' or 'recluse'. A sage or wise character in the Ramakien and other Thai folk tales, who has the capability to exhibit special magical powers. He usually lives in a cave as an ascetic or hermit and is depicted with a white beard and wearing tiger fur. He is at times related to the Hindu god Vishnu being portrayed with multiple arms and heads and holding similar attributes (fig.) and as reusi nah seua, having the body of a man and the head of a tiger (fig.), thus referring to Vishnu's fourth avatara Narasingha. Occasionally a reusi can still be seen today (fig.).
Thai. 'Hermit with a tiger face'. A recluse with the head of a tiger. This sage is depicted with the head of a tiger rather than with the usual tiger fur. Compare with Narasingha.
Beetle species of which the male has a long horn on its head. It is one of the strongest animals in the world and can lift up to 800 times its own weight. In Thailand they are used in gambling fights in which they are placed opposite each other on a piece of wood and have to try to eliminate the opponent by pushing it off or over a line, while being goaded by a rattle (fig.). This beetle belongs to the genus dynastes and its scientific name is eupatorus gracillicornis. In Thai they are called duang maprao, literally 'coconut beetle'.
Edible crop cultivated and eaten principally in Asian countries. There are several species including sticky (fig.) and black rice (fig.). One specific strain of rice, the fragrant jasmine rice, is so popular that it has been patented by Thailand to prevent other countries from using its name. With the exception of plantation and mountain rice it is grown in paddies deluged with water (fig.). Rice cultivation starts in a specific prepared corner of the basin where rice seeds are sown in the beginning of the rainy season. After about 45 days, when the first crop of rice sprouts or 'ton klah' reaches a height of 20 to 30cm, these are uprooted and tied into bunches to be moved. The sprouts are then cut at the top and transplanted apart from one another in more spaciously rows throughout the remainder of the field, in small groups of about 3 to 5 seedlings. Not all rice matures at the same time and depending on its variety and external factors it may be harvested up to three times a year (although two is more likely), except for plantation and mountain rice which has usually only one yield annually. The quality of the rice is graded according to the variety and its time of ripening, distinguishing between early, middle and late matured rice, and off-season rice or 'khao nah prang' when produced after the rainy season or on poor-grade paddy land with too much water. Good quality rice is called 'khao nah suan' and comes from farms called 'nah dam' on which transplanting of paddy seedlings is practiced, as distinguished from farms called 'nah wahn' on which paddy is sown without transplantation. Throughout the time of ripening the paddies will be kept flooded with water. In hilly or mountainous area rice paddies are either terraced and deluged with water (fig.), or so-called mountain rice is grown, a variety of rice which cultivates in less humid soil on mountain slopes. By harvesting time the rice will have turned yellowish gold and the ears of rice are hand cut with a crescent shaped rice cutter called kiyaw (fig.). It is then threshed in order to separate the seeds or grains from the straw, an activity traditionally done by either trampling the rice beneath the hooves of a water buffalo that is made to walk in circles, or by beating the grains out on the ground (fig.), on a threshing board (fig.) or threshing bench (fig.), or into a large basket called piyad (fig.), by holding a bunch of ears between two sticks tied together (fig.). Subsequently the loosened grains are pounded in a krok tam khao (fig.) and then winnowed in flat, round baskets called kradong (fig.), to remove the chaff. A threshing machine (fig.) combines these actions by separating the grain from the stalks as well as from the husks. For larger quantities the rice is brought to a rice mill (fig.) where it is not only polished but also sorted. Thailand produces an average of around 15 million tons of rice per year making it the world's leading exporter. It has since long been known as Southeast Asia's rice bowl and in ancient Sanskrit literature the area of Thailand was referred to as Suvarnabhumi, the Land of Gold, after the many rice fields which turn yellow-gold when ready for harvesting. In Thai khaw (khao).
Vessel that in the past was mainly used to transport rice, usually with a typical curved roof. Similar versions date back to the beginning of the Ayutthaya period and were called 'reua mekala' (fig.). Nowadays many are reconditioned to accommodate tourists for banquet cruises on the Chao Phraya river and the transportation of rice is now mostly done by large metal tugboats.
Factory where rice is peeled, polished and sorted according to size and quality. In Thai rohng see khao.
Flexible and strong paper made from rice straw or chaff.
Rig (ऋग्) Sanskrit. One of the four Vedas. Also Rigveda. Sanskrit. See Rig. rishi (ऋषि) Sanskrit. Hindu sage, ascetic, hermit or recluse, usually living in the Himalayas. In Hinduism generally a holy person who received the revelation of the Vedic hymns and often depicted as seated wearing a beard and a headdress made of bark. See also reusi.
Daughter of king Samon who married Phra Sang in the Thai narrative Sangthong. Thai. 'To pour, sprinkle or receive (fig.) water as a blessing or incantation (mon)'. Compare with the Sanskrit word abhisheka.
Thai for rice mill. See also see. Thai. 'Hundred-and-one'. Name of a province (map) and its capital city in Isaan, situated 512 kms Northeast of Bangkok with a population of around 34,000. It is not sure what the city name (101) refers to, but it is possibly derived from the fact that the ancient city had 11 city gates and was surrounded by 11 satellite states, eleven being pronounced 'sip-et' (10-1) in Thai, which over time evolved into 101. In the city center is a large artificial lake with a small island. The town is famous for its silk and cotton industries whose products can be purchased at a low price and are of excellent quality. The district Suwannaphum houses the ruins of an eleventh century Khmer temple, Ku Phra Khona. The province has seventeen amphur and three king amphur.
See chom phu. Another name for the hibiscus sabdariffa, in Thai known as krajiab daeng or simply krajiab. Thai. General name for a wheeled vehicle of which the type can be specified by adding a suffix, e.g. rot bantuk (truck), rot mah (horse cart), etc. It is related to the Sanskrit word ratha, meaning 'chariot'. Thai for truck or lorry. When a lorry also tows a trailer it may also be called rot puang. 1. Thai. 'Express wagon'. Name for an express train or speed train. 2. Thai. 'Express wagon'. Nickname for the bamboo worm. 1. Thai. A sweet pancake filled with different kinds of sweetmeats, depending on local varieties and place of origin. In Ayutthaya it is called roti sai mai (silk thread roti) and consists of a thin pancake filled with candyfloss-like sugar fibres that come in different colours -but are of the same taste- and are rolled into the pancake. In Phitsanulok the pancake is filled with banana and is called roti kluay tahk ob nahm peung (roti with dried banana baked in honey) and in Nakhon Sawan it is named roti moh-ji (roti with sweets made of rice flower).
2. Thai-Malay-Indonesian. A savoury pancake or flat bread filled or topped with a -usually Indian- curry. There are many different kinds, depending on local varieties and place of origin. Among the many varieties in Thailand, the most common are roti mataba and roti kaeng. 3. Surinamese. A savoury dish of unrisen bread with meat and vegetables. Thai for a passenger car, a sedan. Thai for a pick-up, an open car or small truck. Pick-up trucks are very common nationwide, especially in rural areas. When a pick-up truck is modified with two benches it is called a songthaew (two rows), a vehicle commonly used as a taxi or method of public transportation (fig.). Thai for a horse carriage or horse cart. They are a typical street scene of Lampang (fig.). Thai for trailer, a vehicle towed by another.
Thai for any push-bike or motorbike with three wheels. See also saamloh. rot saamloh tihb (รถสามล้อถีบ) Thai generic name for any pedal-driven, human-powered push-bike with three wheels. This may be a tricycle, trishaw, rikshaw or saamloh, a cargo bike or freight cycle, a pedicab, etc. The position of the driver's seat may be either in front of or behind the loading platform or passenger's seat.
Thai for a car with an engine, a car or motorcar, an automobile. If it is an enclosed motorcar with four or more seats it is also called rot keng. If it is a pick-up it is called rot kraba, if it is a pick-up with two benches it is called rot songthaew. Ancient and fantastically ornamented boats once used as war vessels. Nowadays they are used only for royal and governmental functions. The largest is 50 meters long and requires a rowing crew of fifty plus seven umbrella bearers, two helmsmen, two navigators, a flagman, a rhythm-keeper and a chanter. The most prominent one is called Suphanahongse (Golden Swan) and is the King's personal barge, used for the royal river procession during the kathin phra racha thaan ceremony at the end of the rainy season. The most important barges are on display at the Royal Barges Museum in Bangkok.
Originally called the Royal Barge Dockyard, the museum was built during the reign of king Taksin as a dockyard for the royal barges and warships under the supervision of the Royal Thai Navy. During WW II the dockyard was damaged and its upkeep was later transferred to the Fine Arts Department for the repair and restoration of all the barges which were registered as a national heritage. It was designated as part of the National Museum on 22 January 1974 and exhibits the most prominent royal barges as well as artifacts and accessoires used in ceremonial parades with these vessels.
See Phleng Sansaroen Phra Barami. The Royal Thai Police force has roughly 200,000 officers, including tourist police, railroad police, highway police, traffic police, marine police, aviation police, immigration police, forestry police, border patrol police, provincial police, metropolitan police and some special police branches such as 191, crime and narcotics suppression units, and a royal protective unit. They all operate under the direct command of the police commissioner-general, who reports directly to the prime minister and a twenty-member police commission. The tourist police, whose officers all speak English but lack real police powers, is also connected to the Tourism Authority of Thailand. The police commissioner-general is appointed by the prime minister, subject to cabinet and royal approval. Thai police are civil servants and work a schedule of six hours a day, four days a week. To increase their rather low salaries many officers have extra jobs, often as security guards. Besides this they usually get support from their local communities as well, such as fees from the gold shops they protect, commissions on fines for traffic violations, bribes from entertainment venues, etc. Besides the Royal Thai Police each branch of the armed forces also has its own military police force called Sarawat Thahaan (fig.), abbreviated SH. In Thai officially called samnak ngan tamruat haeng chaht or concisely kong tamruat.
An asana or position of the leg of some gods in Hinduism in which the right leg is bent with the foot standing flat on the ground and the other leg dangling. Sometimes the right arm rests with the elbow on the right knee.
An ancient brahman custom that in 1960 was reinstated by king Bhumipon and marks the beginning of the rice planting season. In Thailand this annual ritual is performed in the second week of May on Sanam Luang in presence of the king or his envoy. Before the start of the ceremony several grains of rice are carefully selected. Royal oxen then symbolically pull a plough led by two brahmans who sprinkle the soil with holy water followed by two pairs of men holding a silver and golden bowl sowing the rice. The plough makes three circles and then the oxen are served seven banana leaf food baskets containing rice, corn, beans, sesame seeds, grass, water and liqueur, respectively. According to which basket the oxen eat from the future for the coming year is forecast by a soothsayer. After the ceremony onlookers often collect the grains of rice which they take home as lucky charms (fig.). In Thai this day is called Wan Pheut Mongkon. See also raeknakwan.
Tough elastic substance which is obtained from the latex of the rubber tree. Its name was bestowed by the British scientist Joseph Priestley after he discovered its ability to erase or 'rub out' pencil marks. Rubber is collected from trees which trunks are gouged, causing the sap to run down into a tap that then drips into a small cup (fig.), a process known as rubber tapping. In South America where the tree is a native, Indians call it 'cachuchu', the wood that weeps. The cut must be made perfect, as the yield would drop dramatically when the wound is too deep or not deep enough. Every tree is scored afresh every 2-3 nights, before sunrise and when it doesn't rain. After the cutting the collecting starts, emptying all small cups into buckets. This has to be done hastily, before the rubber begins to harden. Once the sun rises it's too late: the rubber would harden, be spoiled and useless. After collecting the crude rubber it is transferred into a large barrel, strained, diluted with water and treated with acid to coagulate the particles. Then it is poured into pans to harden after which it is mangled into white pliable sheets or mats that turn beige when drying in the sun (fig.). In history Indians were using rubber long before its introduction to Western civilization. It wasn't until 1736, when explorer Charles Condamine sent back home several rolls of crude rubber produced by Indians from wild trees in the Amazon Valley, that scientists got gradually interested. Long before its commercial application had been discovered the British industrialist Samual Peal found cloth could be waterproofed by rubbing it with a solution of rubber and turpentine. In 1839 the American inventor Charles Goodyear discovered that if you vulcanized rubber by cooking it with sulfur it would no longer become stiff in cold weather or sticky and smelly in the heat. South America remained the first source of crude rubber until 1876 when the Briton Sir Henry Wickham germinated around 70,000 hevea braziliensis seeds smuggled from Brazil and successfully planted them in Ceylon. Soon after rubber trees were planted in Malaysia as well. When in the beginning of the 20th century tin supplies on the island of Phuket declined Thailand got in on the act, planting its first rubber tree in 1903. King Rama V also assigned a new governor to Trang province to set out local rubber production there and by 1936 Thailand was producing 4% of the world rubber market. The end of the boom began with the outbreak of WW II when a cost effective way to produce synthetic rubber was devised, but Thailand still produces around 2 million tons of rubber a year, worth some 60 billion baht and making it the world's biggest producer of crude rubber. In a good year the yield could be as much as 500 kilograms of raw rubber per hectare. Besides its surgical and aviation uses, rubber is used in a variety of products, from elastic bands to car parts, etc.
Tropical tree yielding latex of the genus hevea braziliensis, classified under the family of dipterocarpus alatus. Crude rubber is one of Thailand's main export products and is obtained by making diagonal cuts (fig.) in the trunk of a rubber tree causing it to 'bleed' (fig.), a process called 'rubber tapping'. Also called latex tree and in Thailand ton yahng.
See thabthim. Rudra (रुद्र) Sanskrit. Vedic deity whose many aspects are both benevolent and destructive. He is chief of the Maruts and an earlier form of Shiva. Name of an ornamental fan palm reaching to 2.5 meters high. Its scientific name is licuala grandis and in Thai it is called palm jihb, 'crimped palm'.
Chinese. 'Auspicious lions'. Decorative statues of two lions, always presented in pairs, that stand guard at building entrances, with the female on the left and the male on the right. They originally stood in front of Chinese imperial buildings such as palaces and temples, and are traditionally carved from expensive materials such as marble and granite or cast in bronze or iron. Although there are many variations, the male lion generally has his right paw on a ball with a flower-like pattern, whereas the female is usually in the company of a single cub (fig.), sometimes held under her left paw. In some styles each of the lions has a large ball in its partially opened mouth which is sized small enough to be rolled from one side to another within the lion's mouth, yet too large to be be removed. Rui Shi are sometimes referred to as Fu Shi and Imperial Guardian Lions. See also Bi Xie (fig.).
Thai-Rajasap. 'To take to or stay in the jungle'. It is said of monks when they take to the jungle to meditate or stay. They then sleep and meditate under a klot. See also wat pah and thudong. Rukmini (रुक्मिणी) The principal wife of Krishna. See also Lakshmi. Chinese. 'As you wish'. Name for an ancient scepter-like object that derived from a household backscratcher and became a symbol of power. In the past it was used only by emperors and high ranking government officials, but is also found with statues of several Chinese deities, such as Budai (fig.), the gods Hok Lok Siw, etc. It is believed to enhance fortune and success from endeavours in about every field. It is usually made from valuable materials such as carved jade or brass, etc. and is sometimes decorated with auspicious figures from Chinese mythology, including Peaches of Immortality (fig.) bats, trigrams, etc. It is seen as a leading tool for business people and people in high placed jobs and in command over numerous subordinates.
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