Thai. A decorative neckpiece sometimes worn by Thai dancers and -in the past- by some warriors.
1. Thai for snail, a slow-moving gastropod mollusc that lives on land and has a spiral shell. Its scientific name is achatina fulica and it belongs to the genus achatinidae. Its pink caviar-like eggs can often be seen clung together, usually on shore near freshwater.
2. Thai for slug, a small shell-less mollusc with the scientific name limax and of the family limacidae. It eats leaves and thus often destroys plants. 3. Thai for leech, a bloodsucking, worm-like, invertebrate and hermaphrodite animal living on land and with the scientific name haemadipsa interrupta, of the family hirudinae. Bloodsuckers are commonly found in Thai rainforests and will cling to passer-bys, people and mammals alike, and suck their blood. Its bite is not painful but the leech will inject an anti-haemostatic agent that prevents the blood from curdling and enables the leech to suck blood without difficulty. Bloodsuckers usually stick to their host until they are full and then let go and drop off by themselves. To remove them sooner one could spray them with salt or burn them with a cigarette. To prevent leeches from attacking, locals often smear a mixture of saliva and tobacco on their exposed skin, but one may also spray insecticide or a mosquito repellant containing diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET). Leeches were in the past often used medically, for bloodletting. Akin to the taak is a leech living in freshwater which has the Latin name hirudinaria manillensis and is in Thai known as pling. See tahn. See tahnbat. Thai. Royal stick or sceptre, part of the Thai regalia or kakuttapan. It represents the king's power over his subjects to lead them in the right directions, yet under the totsaphit rajatham or ten royal virtues, ruling with righteousness for the benefit and happiness of the Thai people.
taanphraphuttarup (ฐานพระพุทธรูป) See tahnphraphuttarup.
A lighter made on the principle of the
fire piston. It consist of two parts, that is: a cylinder called krabok
taban and a compressor named look taban.
This primitive fire starting device was
widely used by several primeval tribes in the jungles of Southeast
Asia, as was observed by British explorers already in the mid 1850's.
Unlike other primitive fire starting methods such as the bow or hand
drill, the fire saw, flint and steel, the fire piston operates by
compression, a principle later adopted by the diesel engine invented
by Rudolf Diesel. It is believed that the idea of the primitive fire
piston may have inspired him.
The tool may be made from buffalo horn, elephant tusk or hardwood, which is turned into a hollow
round, cylinder-like rod or bar with a lathe. It is about 8 to 12
centimeters long. The end of the
krabok taban is
often made into
a pointed shape to allow the insertion of a pointed piece of metal to
scrape out the ashes. The compressor is usually made from the
same material as the cylinder but a little longer and with a good grip
to make it easy to handle and avoid hurting your hand when the
compressor is pressed down the cylinder
to ignite a spark. At the end of the compressor a concave is
drilled out to store the kindling or fueling
agent, such as
See toh. Thai. General name for plants of the family cucurbitaceae, of which many are grown in Thailand, such as taeng kwa (a small cucumber), taeng rahn (a large cucumber), taeng thai (a melon), taeng moh (the watermelon), etc. Compare with makheua. Thai for the watermelon, of the genus citrullus and with the scientific name citrullus lanatus. There are numerous varieties, differing in size, shape, coulour of skin and flesh. The watermelon belongs to a large and distinguished family of vines, which includes gourds and cucumbers, many of which names in Thai start with the prefix taeng. While some of these vines are climbers, the watermelon with its large and heavy fruit spreads across the ground. Its sweet succulent flesh is usually red, but may also be yellow. Its seeds too are edible and roasted these are a popular snack throughout Southeast Asia. Thai. Base or pedestal for a statue. Also transcribed taan. See also thaen. Thai. Base or pedestal for a Buddha image in the form of an upside-down lotus (fig.). Also transcribed taanbat.
Thai. 'Lion base'. The foot of a pedestal in the form of a lion's paw.
tahnphraphuttarup (ฐานพระพุทธรูป) Thai. Base or pedestal for a Buddha image, often in the form of a lotus (fig.), but also in other forms such as elephants (fig.). When the pedestal has outward turned legs in the shape of a lion's paw, it is called tahn singh. Regularly pedestals may have a pah thip, an ornamental cloth hanging from the bottom of the Buddha image, in front of the pedestal (fig.). Also spelt taanphraphuttarup.
An animist people in Southwest China (Sipsongpannah), though not ethnically Chinese, who from the 9th century began to migrate southward, little by little, into parts of Southeast Asia and the fertile Chao Phraya valley. They settled down in an area that nowadays would cover Burma, Laos and Thailand. They are the predecessors of the present day people of the Thai race. MORE ON THIS. tai chi (太极) Chinese. Martial art and system of calisthenics with slow controlled movements, fully known as tai chi chuan. It is practiced each morning in Bangkok's Lumphini Park by both the young and -especially- the old, though usually by people with a Chinese background. tai chi chuan (太极拳) Chinese. 'Great ultimate boxing'. Chinese martial art which has many traditional schools and different styles, sometimes including weapons such as war fans, etc. One of its earliest masters is said to have been the supposed 13th century grandmaster Chang Sanfeng, a semi-mythical Chinese Taoist monk (fig.) who is believed to have been a former Shaolin disciple. In the West often known simply as tai chi.
See Taijitu. Chinese. 'Diagram of the supreme Ultimate'. Name for a Chinese symbol (fig.) which represents the principle of yin and yang, and therefore often mistakenly called yin-yang. Also spelled Tai chi tu. Name of a small bird belonging to the genus orthotomus. They are warblers and are usually brightly coloured, with green or grey upperparts and a yellow-white or grey underside. Some species have reddish-brown on the head. They have short wings with rounded tips and a short tail which is typically held upright. Its bill is flat and rather wide and long compared to its head. At the corners of its bill are short, hard hairs. Tailorbirds build their nests by piercing the edges of a large leaf which are then sewn together with plant fiber to make a cradle in which the actual grass nest is constructed. It is a resident breeder in tropical south Asia, from Pakistan and India to southern China and Indonesia. Worldwide there are 15 species of which 5 are found in Thailand i.e. the mountain tailorbird, the common tailorbird, the dark-necked tailorbird, the rufous-tailed tailorbird, and the ashy tailorbird. In Thai it is called nok krajib.
Name of a province (map) and its capital city on the eastern banks of the Ping river in North Thailand, 426 kms north of Bangkok with a population of approximately 21,000. This province is home to the first outpost to which king Naresuan and his army went on their return from the battle. Its places of interest include the Bhumipol water dam (fig.) and Thi Loh Suh waterfall, one of Thailand's most impressive waterfalls. The province has eight amphur and one king amphur.
Thai for centipede. Thai. 'Censer'. Earthen receptacle for burning incense or gum spices, as well as an ancient dish-shaped, clay phaang pha theed-like receptacle used as lamp (fig.).
Thai. To put food in the alms bowl (baat) of Buddhist monks in the morning. Compare with bintabaat. Khmer. 'Tower of crystal'. Temple in Angkor dedicated to Shiva and built in the late 10th to early 11th century AD, under the auspices of Jayavarman V. Thai name for the governor's plum, genus flacourtier. This tree has tiny white flowers and bears small round edible date-like berries which turn red and acidulous sweet when ripe.
Thai for 'chopsticks', a pair of small, slightly tapering sticks of even length, usually square at one end and round at the other, that are both held in one hand as eating utensils in Eastern cuisine. They are the traditional 'cutlery' of the Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, Taiwanese and Vietnamese, each with its own distinctive variation. In Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries they are only used with noodle dishes. Ordinary chopsticks were initially made of wood or bamboo, but also of ivory, jade and other precious materials as a luxury item. In ancient China the emperor used silver chopsticks to check if their was poison in his food, as it was believed that if the food was poisoned the colour of the chopsticks would change from silver to black. Nowadays they are more commonly also made of plastic. Though plastic is more environmentally friendly (the Chinese alone use an estimated 45 billion pairs of disposable chopsticks per year which adds up to 25 million fully grown trees) and better resistant to wear, wooden chopsticks are far more convenient as they provide a much better grip for picking up food, against the plastic ones which have a tendency to let things slip. Wooden chopsticks, especially the larger sized ones, can also be used for cooking, whereas plastic ones can't, since the high temperatures would damage them or produce toxic emissions. Chopsticks are believed to have originated in ancient China where they are called kuaizi. Japanese chopsticks differ from those from China in that they are made of lacquered wood (fig.) and taper to a pointed end, whereas Chinese chopsticks end in a blunt tip. In general Thailand uses the Chinese type but also sells the others, mainly as souvenirs.
Thai. 'Grasshopper' or 'mantis'. Straight winged insect of the genus mantis with long strong hind legs, that enable it to jump far. There are many different species occurring in diverse sizes. A particular larger species is eaten by some Thai people and can be seen for sale at many food markets throughout the country. Its taste is told to be nutty. Commonly seen is the large praying mantis (fig.), a predatory insect that holds its forelegs like hands folded in prayer. In Thai this species is called takkataen tam khao, which translates as 'rice crushing mantis'. takkataen tam khao (ตั๊กแตนตำข้าว) Thai. 'Rice crushing mantis'. Name for the praying mantis, a predatory insect of the genus mantis that holds its forelegs like hands folded in prayer. They appear in brightly green to brown colour and may grow up to a length of about 25-30 centimeters. See also takkataen.
A Thai name for persimmon. Thai. 'Creel'. Name for a bamboo basket used as a tool for keeping aquatic animals such as crabs, fish, shrimps, clams, etc. They usually have a narrow bottleneck-like opening that can be closed off with a lid in the form of funnel-shaped spikes. There are many different kinds and shapes, some with the form of a animal and called accordingly, such as takong pet (duck creel), takong mah (dog creel), takong gai (chicken creel), etc. A takong pet is a creel woven in the shape of a duck and typically has floats on its sides to enable it to drift on the water, like a duck (fig.). Also called kong.
Thai for any kind of plants or grasses belonging to the genus cymbopogon which has a variety of species, including lemon grass, citronella grass, etc. Takrai is a widely used herb in Southeast Asian cooking. Its stalks contain a citrus flavoured oil but are too hard to be eaten, except for the softer inner part. When used fresh it is therefore usually finely sliced or sometimes bashed and added to food where its aromatic oils are absorbed. Although habitually served with the dish for flavour it is generally not meant to be eaten. It is used in a variety of Thai dishes, such as tom yam, tom kha, etc. It is also exists in dry or powdered form. Commonly found in Thailand are the species cymbopogon flexuosus and cymbopogon citratus. Besides takrai this herb has many local names, depending on place. In North Thailand it is called jakrai, in the South krai, in Mae Hong Son ka hom, in Surin churt kreuy or lo kreuy, and the Karen call it howo tapoh.
1. Thai. 'Fowl basket'. Name for a kind of basket used to transport fowl, also referred to as a poultry basket (fig.). May be transcribed takraa sai gai or takrah saai gai. 2. Thai. 'Fowl basket'. Name for a kind of basket used to transport fighting cocks. May be transcribed takraa sai gai or takrah saai gai. takraw (ตะกร้อ) 1. Thai. Traditional game played over a net, similar to volleyball, but with a rattan ball (fig.). There are two teams of three players and each team has to try to score by making the ball touch down on the field of the opposite team. Players may use any part of the body except their hands and forearms. The game is recognized as an official sport in Asia. On the street one often sees youths in a circle practicing takraw (fig.), but officially the sport is played over a net. Also spelt takro.
2. Thai. A basket made from rattan with a long handle, used for picking fruit from trees. takro (ตะกร้อ) See takraw. Thai. A charm of rolled gold or silver strips, or of a bullet shell (fig.) usually filled with 108 herbs blessed by a monk, providing immunity from physical assault to those who wear it strung around the neck or the waist. It is usually an alternative for those who want supernatural protection against bullets but don't like to get a sacred tattoo. Also trakrut.
Thai. 'South' or 'southern'. The wind direction guarded by the lokapala Phra Yom. See also Udon, Isaan, Burapah, Ahkney, Horadih, Prajim and Phayap.
Taksin (ตากสิน) General who after the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767 assembled an army in Chanthaburi to chase out the invading Burmese from Thailand, and afterward became king of Siam making Thonburi the new capital. He was executed in 1782 by order of general Chakri for megalomania and beaten to death according to the prevailing protocol under a red satin cloth with a sandal wood club. His official title is King Borom Racha IV. MORE ON THIS.
Thai name for a monitor lizard of the species varanus bengalensis. Thai. 'Water market'. A floating market where people trade from boats. These are found throughout the country, and on the Bangkok canals, the most visited is Damnun Saduak in the province Ratchaburi. Less touristy are the floating markets in Samut Songkhram, including the daily talaat nahm 'amphawaa', and the talaat nahm 'tha kha' and talaat nahm 'bang noi', which open only a few times per month, on dates determined by the traditional lunar calendar. Also talaat thong nahm.
talaat thong nahm (ตลาดท้องน้ำ) Thai. 'Market (talaat) in the middle (thong) of the water (nahm)'. See talaat nahm. talaew (ตาแหลว) Thai. Strip of bamboo pleated into a star shape with five or seven points, found mainly in northern Thailand. The hill tribes, place them at the entrance to their houses or villages to keep away the spirits of the deceased. Similar items are placed in paddy fields during the rice growing season (fig.) as a protection for the offers made to Poh Sop (fig.). It may also be used as a charm on a pot containing a potion, or as a boundary mark. Also called chalaew.
Thai. Originally a feather fan or like the pad bai laan (fig.) made of a palm leaf. It has a long handle and is used by Buddhist monks to hide their face when preaching or chanting before an audience. Nowadays it is often made from other materials such as cloth (fig.). As a religious fan it has an approximately 70 cm long handle but when used in royal ceremonies it is attached to a much larger handle of about 2 meters. Its function in royal context may be decorative or to be carried around in a procession, often together with a chat (fig.). See also pad yot.
An object which it is believed to bring good fortune to its holder. The counterpart of an amulet. Thai name for dhamma. An evergreen tree that grows to 25 meters and has the Latin name tamarindus indica. Its fruits have an elongated form similar to pea pods. The sticky sweet-sour fruit with shiny brown seeds is lose in the peel, held together by inedible fibres. It can be eaten both unripe and ripe, fresh or dried. It is slightly laxative and is processed as an ingredient for phad thai, chutney and curries, as well as in drinks. In Thailand called makhaam (fig.) and is grown widely in Phetchabun province. See also makhaampom and makhaamthet.
Thai. 'Rural administrative sub-district'. A subdivision of an amphur administered by a kamnan and consisting of several mu ban or villages. Thailand has a total of 7,255 tambon. Thai. Offering or merit making for religious purposes to gain advantage either for oneself or for a third person. This may consist of temple offerings (fig.), the feeding of mendicant monks (sai baat), a temporary stay in a temple, a prayer (fig.), etc.
tamboon sai baat (ทำบุญใส่บาตร) Thai. To perform a good deed or to make merit (tamboon) by giving an offering into (sai) the alms bowl (baat) of a Buddhist monk. Sometimes in temples several alms bowls are arranged in a long row in which small coins, usually 25 satang (fig.) are offered. This form of tamboon may occur in combination with Buddha images as in the phra prajamwan system (fig.). See also sai baat.
1. Thai. A monetary that equals 4 ticals. See also saleung and kon tamleung thong. 2. Thai. A weight unit that equals 4 baht or 60 grams. See also saleung and kon tamleung thong. Thai. A pulpit in the form of an elaborately carved seat.
Thai. 'Personality prophecy'. Refers to a scene in Buddhism where the reusi Kaladevaila honoured the newborn prince Siddhartha causing the latter to perform his first miracle by placing himself on top of the turban of the sage (fig.). On the fifth day after his birth king Suddhodana invited eight brahman priests to foretell the future of the prince. Seven of them proclaimed that he had the auspicious signs of a monarch or a buddha, depending on whether he would strive for a secular or religious career. The eight brahman confirmed that if he denied a worldly life he would attain Enlightenment. tandava (ताण्डव) Sanskrit. Cosmic dance of the Hindu god Shiva. See also Nataraja and kalachakra. Tan Khun Khun Luang (ท่านขุนขุนหลวง) Thai. The next title in ascending line after a Khun or Khun Luang, now obsolete. Also the popular name for a Khun. tanta (दन्त) Sanskrit. 'Tooth' or 'tusk'. An attribute of Ganesha (fig.) and refers to his broken tusk that he uses as a divine weapon to destroy obstacles. In Thai called nga tih hak, literally 'broken off tusk'. Also danta. Tantima (ตันตีมา) Thai. Mythological bird holding a staff in both hands, usually seen in pairs guarding temple gates in Thailand.
tantra (तन्त्र) Sanskrit. 'Weave', 'loom', 'warp', 'groundwork' or 'underlying principle'. A term used to refer to a collection of sacred texts and practices associated with Tibetan Buddhism. There are also tantric texts in Hinduism. The central theme of the tantra is the divine energy and creating power symbolized by the female characteristics (shakti) of a god, personified in a goddess. A late form of Brahmanism, a Hindu doctrine in which the worship of demons, in particular Devi, plays an important role, as well as a mystical form of Vajrayana Buddhism. Important in Northeast India after the 8th century AD, and still practiced in Mongolia, Tibet and Nepal. It expanded the Buddhist pantheon and emphasizes the worship of shakti, whilst placing greater importance on the esoteric practices based on the tantra. Thai for turtle or tortoise. 1. Thai for 'foot' or 'pedestal'. 2. Thai for 'to lean on'. In this regard it can be used as a prefix for the name of deities or gods, on who one leans in need. It can than be written with a capital letter in English. Tao (道) Chinese. 'Right way'. The all embracing, ultimate and primordial principle of Taoism. See tao tahn. Thai for tofu. An influential philosophy in China probably founded in the 4th century BC by Lao Tzu (fig.) and advocating humility and religious piety. The Tao-te Ching forms the basis of Taoism, in which Tao is the comprehensive ultimate and primordial principle. Its objective is to become one with the Tao by comprehending the universal law that everything returns to its source. It has been described as a square circle, a sound that can't be heard and an image without form. It is everything and nothing, and although it is nowhere it can be seen without looking for it. See also Yu Huang. Follower of Taoism. The distinguished old man who came from his abode in the Himalayas to arbitrate the differences between Ramachandra and the demon king. Thai. 'Dragon tortoise'. Name of an auspicious animal from Chinese mythology. It has the characteristics of two kinds of favourable animals, i.e. the tortoise and the dragon (fig.). It is depicted with the head of a dragon and the body of a tortoise (fig.). It is the symbol of longevity and power, because the tortoise is an animal with a long life, whereas the dragon is animal with an enormous strength. It is thus a combination of the great virtues of both the dragon and the tortoise, two out of the four animals from Chinese paradise. Those four animals are the tortoise, the dragon, the hongse and the tiger. The tortoise with dragonhead embodies the intelligence and ability, that comes with courage, and the prestigious and influential power of the dragon, as well as the steadfast power, endurance, happiness and lasting physical force of the tortoise. A statue of the dragon tortoise is believed to have the power to bring about or enhance progress, strength, fortune, influence, etc., depending on how the statues is placed with regard to the points of the compass. It is sometimes depicted with the characteristics of all four animals from Chinese paradise, i.e. the tortoise, the dragon, the hongse and the tiger (fig.). A female dragon turtle is, like the Rui Shi lion, usually depicted with a young (fig.).
Thai name for the fishtail palm. The old king with seven daughters from the story of Santhong. Also known as king Benares. Thai for brazier, a kind of a small charcoal stove which is often used on markets, etc. It is made of earth, chaff, ashes, galvanized iron and cement. Also called tao angloh.
Thai. The oven stoked up to heat the pans used to process sugar from the bud of the coconut palm (fig.). 'Tao' means oven, 'ta' is the bud of the tree that produces the fruits and 'waan' sugary or sweet.
Tao-te Ching (道德经) Chinese. 'Book of the way'. Book that forms the basis for the philosophy of Taoism and is attributed to its founder Lao Tzu. Thai for a kind of kiln used in Sawankhalok.
Starch gained from the thickened root of the manioc. Also tapioca starch and cassava. In Thai paengman. See tapioca. Thai. A drum with a double drum head, horizontally placed in a holder and played with both hands whilst sitting on the floor.
See Anek Kusala Sala. Tara (तर/तारा) 1. Sanskrit. 'One who enables crossover', but sometimes spelled Tārā which means 'star' and is related to dara, the Thai word for star. In Vajrayana Buddhism there are five goddesses named Tara, corresponding to the five jinas or transcendental buddhas. They are the consorts of the five great bodhisattvas who were created by the jinas and hold the rank of a bodhisattva. In Tibetan Buddhism there are 21 forms of Tara, each with a different colour, posture, and attribute. They can have either peaceful or wrathful appearances. The most frequent forms are Green Tara and White Tara. 2. Wife of the monkey king Vali in the Indian epic Ramakien. See pheuak. Another pronunciation for Trut. Thai. Term for a buddha or Buddha, derived from the Sanskrit word Tathagata. Sanskrit word meaning a buddha or Buddha. In Thai Tatakot. Thai. 'Cutting the hair tuft'. In religious context the term refers to prince Siddhartha who cut his hair after the Great Departure, thus giving up his secular life to start his spiritual existence. See also Pittih Kohnjuk.
See sak. The heaven of 33 gods presided over by Indra. It's a place on the summit of the mythical Mt. Meru and one of the heavens that can be reached by accumulated merit. The Buddha spent one rainy season there preaching to his mother who had died shortly after his birth. The Buddha descending from Tavatimse heaven is often portrayed in Southeast Asian art and was the starting point for the creation of the walking Buddha image that originated in Sukhothai. In Thai called Dawadeung. Thai. 'To present, to dedicate'. Term used when the receiver is a prince or monk, as in tawaai phra traipidok. If the recipient is a king, the correct term is toonklaw tawaai or nomklaw tawaai. See paang tawaai naet. tawaai phra traipidok (ถวายพระไตรปิฎก) Thai. To present (tawaai) a volume of the Tripitaka (traipidok) to a monk, as a form of tamboon.
Thai. A ladle made of coconut shell and wood. Its handle is made of wood and attached to the coconut shell scoop or bowl whickered by a piece of rattan. It somewhat resembles a wooden spoon. There are generally three types of ladle, that is one with a shallow bowl, one with a slightly deeper bowl and one with a very deep bowl. Also called krajah or jah, in southern Thailand it is called jawak or wak, and in the North phaak. See also krabuay.
An ancient Buddhist centre of learning in present day Pakistan, nowadays in ruins. Burmese. Small pavilions located within Buddhist temple complexes in Burma. See cha. Tropical hardwood (fig.). Due to its good quality it is used for furniture as well as art (fig.), especially for making very detailed reliefs (fig.). According to some sources it is the tree under which Siddhartha was born (fig.) and of which Maha Maya holds a branch standing during the delivery, a scene often depicted in art (fig.). Other sources however state that Maha Maya reached out to pick a flower of the Ashoka blossom when the prince was born. In Thai mai sak and sometimes called djatiwood.
In Thai ton mai sak. See teak. Nickname for the frangipani tree, often grown in temples grounds.
Large drum in temples and monasteries usually kept in the drum tower or ho klong (fig.). The most common is called klong aew. Name of a small tropical antlike social insect of the genus isoptera called macrotermes. They live in large colonies inside a termite mound. In Thai called pluak.
Home to a small tropical antlike social insect called termite (fig.). Termites live in large colonies and do not feed on wood as is commonly believed but on fungus, as they lack enzymes in their intestines to break down wood cellulose. Inside a termite mound there are several chambers, including a nest chamber and humid food chambers used to cultivate fungus. These fungus gardens are supplied with wood fiber, hence the confusion with regard to their nourishment. Termites are heavily preyed upon by other insects, reptiles, birds and even larger mammals, such as the pangolin and some bears. Worker termites build and maintain the chambers as well as a labyrinth of tunnels leading to them. Soldier termites have the important task of defending the termite mound from enemies and for that reason have enlarged jaws. Unlike ants termite workers may be of either sex, but only one male and female in the entire colony reproduce: the queen with her distended abdomen produces eggs and the king fertilizes them. At certain times, often at sundown during the rainy season, the nest will send out large swarms of winged offspring to establish new colonies. Although the majority of them will die, it takes only one male and one female to become the king and queen of a new colony. In Thai called jom pluak.
Italian. 'Baked earth'. Hard orange brown clay used in architectural decorations, sculpturing and pottery. Sometimes spelled terra-cotta. Japanese. 'Iron fan'. Name for a war fan, a folding fan with outer spokes made of iron and used in oriental warfare, originally from Japan. The fan was designed to look like a normal, harmless folding fan, so it could be taken to places where swords or other weapons were not allowed. The war fan was used as a throwing weapon or for fending off arrows, kung-fu stars and darts, and even as an aid in swimming. Some tessen were solid clubs shaped to look like a closed fan. A certain style of tai chi chuan using a fan (fig.) is derived from the use of war fans. In Chinese it is called tie shan and in Thai pad lek. Greek term for a building with four gable ends. See also jaturamuk. Thai. 'Charcoal'. Burnt wood used as a fuel. Charcoal is produced by removing fluid from wood by means of heating it in the absence of oxygen. The process of carbonizing the wood therefore takes place in a oven underneath the ground and takes several hours. Charcoal is mainly used by street vendors using a small charcoal brazier for cooking food on, and in foundries.
thaat (ธาตุ) See that. Thai for lintel. 1. Thai for pomegranate, the name of a tropical tree and its fruit, of the genus punica. The fruit has a thick and tough rind, and inside it has many seeds with a reddish pulp varying in colour from deep crimson to pale rose, hence its name which derived from French means 'many-seeded apple'. The reddish-pink flesh covering the seeds is translucent and juicy and tastes either sweet or sweet and slightly sour. The tree fruits during the rainy season.
2. Thai name for ruby, a rare transparent precious stone varying in colour from deep crimson to pale rose. Thai. Base, pedestal or altar. See also tahn. Thahng Chang Pheuak (ทางช้างเผือก) Thai. 'Path of the White Elephant'. Thai name for the Milky Way. Thahng Rot Fai Mareutayu (ทางรถไฟมฤตยู) Thai for Death Railway. See kaangkaeng le. Museum in Nakhon Pathom with a permanent exhibition featuring life-size wax images of famous Thai and foreign personalities, both from real life and mythology, as well as with scenes from Thai culture, both from the past and present-day life. The wax images are created by master artist Duangkaew Phityakonsilp and his sculpture team.
Thailand is a unified kingdom, previously known by the name Siam. It was officially established in 1238 AD, the traditional founding date. The kingdom is the only Southeast Asian country never to have been colonized by a European power. It is located in Southeast Asia, southeast of Burma, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, and covers an area of 514,000 km², whereof 511,770 km² is land and 2,230 km² is water. Of 4,000 km water ways 3,701 km are navigable throughout the year by boats with a draught up to 0.9 meters. Its land boundaries total 4,863 km, bordering 1,800 km to Burma, 803 km to Cambodia, 1,754 km to Laos and 506 km to Malaysia, whilst its coastline is 3,219 km long. The climate is tropical to subtropical, that is, rainy, warm and cloudy during the southwest monsoon from mid-May to September, dry and cool during the northeast monsoon from November to mid-March, whilst the southern isthmus is always hot and humid. The highest point is Doi Inthanon, with an altitude of 2,565.33 meters. The population reaches nearly 65 million, of which 75% is Thai, 14% Chinese, and 11% other, with a 33.4 million strong workforce of which 49% work in agriculture, 14% in the industry and 37% in services. The main industries are tourism, textiles and garments, agricultural processing, beverages, tobacco, cement, light manufacturing such as jewelry, electric appliances and components, computers and parts, furniture and plastics, whilst also being the world's second-largest tungsten producer, and third-largest producer of tin. The main agriculture products are rice, cassava, rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts and soybeans. Natural resources include tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite and arable land. Thailand has a free-enterprise economy and welcomes foreign investment. Exports feature textiles and footwear, fishery products, rice, rubber, jewelry, automobiles, computers and electrical appliances. With 95%, the majority of the people practice Buddhism, mainly the Theravada school; other religions include 3.8% Islam, 0.5% Christianity, 0.1% Hinduism, and 0.6% others. There are 76 provinces and the Thai currency is the 'baht'.
See Death Railway. The Thailand-Burma Railway Centre in Kanchanaburi is an interactive museum, as well as a research and information centre dedicated to presenting the story of the Thailand-Burma Railway, which ran from Nong Pladuk in Thailand to Thanbuyuzayat in Burma and was built by the Imperial Japanese Army during WW II. The museum consists of eight galleries featuring: an introduction in view of a timeline; the different phases of planning; construction and logistics; a geography of the railway; the living conditions in the camps; medical aspects; a summary of the deaths; the end of the war; and what happened after the war. The museum has video and slide show displays and sixty panels describing the history of the Death Railway from its inception to the final scene of the line in 1947, in both Thai and English. The text is supported by artwork, (electronic) maps, scale models, graphics, actual war time photographs and plans. The museum is situated just beside the Don Rak war cemetery, on which it offers a panoramic view from its coffee shop. See also the Hellfire Pass Memorial.
Thai Lu (ไทลื้อ) Ethnic minority group who migrated around 200 years ago from China's Xishuangbanna to Thailand and mainly settled in the province of Nan. Their religion is similar to Thai Theravada Buddhism. In Nan they have influenced Buddhist architecture and a typical Thai Lu style temple is recognizable from its thick walls with small windows and stairs with broad handrails and double or triple roofs with curved gable boards. They build their traditional houses of wood or bamboo on solid wooden poles on the ground floor is the kitchen and a place for weaving. They are also known for their hand woven fabrics. In Thailand they are also called Lawa and Lua. See also Wa. See kong thap. Name of a Tai Theravada Buddhist people spread out in small pockets over most of the Isaan, with other groups dotted in Central Thailand and Laos. They number around 205,000 and their population is split fairly evenly between Laos and Thailand. Their language is closely related to other tribal Tai languages. In the beginning of April the Thai Phuan of Sri Satchanalai hold their annual Buat Chang Had Siew ceremony in which they use elephants to parade buatnaag novices into the temple. Also transcribed Tai Phuan and sometimes called just Phuan or Lao Phuan. Thai. 'Great Thai'. Another name for the Shan.
Thai name for the South. See also Isaan and Phayap. Thai. A circular procession around a temple, an important shrine or a stupa, in a clockwise direction with the temple or shrine on the right. Practiced during some Buddhist festivals such as Khao Pansa. Compare this with the Sanskrit word pradakshina.
Ancient name for Phuket. Thai for cave. Thai pronunciation of the Pali word dhamma. Thai for pottery making. Tham Pah Acha Thong (ถ้ำป่าอาชาทอง) Traditional facial painting consisting of powder obtained from pulverizing or rubbing sandalwood bark on a stone (fig.). Especially popular amongst Burmese minority groups in parts of Thailand and in Burma, both as protection from the sun and as a decoration. It is believed to have protective powers.
thangka (टङ्क) 1. A piece of cloth, often made from silk, painted with deities from Tibetan Mahayana Buddhism. Also tanka. Compare with mandala. 2. An object of veneration and a source of inspiration when meditating. Also tanka. Compare with mandala. 1. Thai. Old name for the town of Pattani in the South of Thailand. 2. Thai. Name for a species of banana. See gluay thani. Thai honorary title meaning 'lord', 'prince' and 'king'. Also used in a feminine way and accordingly translated as 'dame', 'princess' and 'queen'. 1. Thai. One of the four elements from antiquity, namely earth, water, air and fire. Also spelt thaat. 2. Thai-Laotian. A relic of the Buddha or a shrine with a relic of the Buddha. Common in Laos and some parts of Thailand. Also spelt thaat. 3. Thai. A funeral temple for members of the monarchy. Also spelt thaat. Thai-Pali. 'Elder'. A senior Buddhist monk who has been more than ten years in the priesthood. Also thera as in Theravada. May also be spelt then. The ordination hall at Buddhist temples in Burma. See thevada. Thai. 'Mythology'. A legend or myth. Thai. A compound word referring to a statue (fig.) or depiction of an angel, thep, thevada, deva or devi in a respectful posture clasping the hands as a token of worship and sign of respect, a gesture commonly known as phranom or phranommeua. Also thephanom.
Thai. A goddess or angel. thepchumnum (เทพชุมนุม) Thai. 'Assembly of thevadas'. The rows of devas, garudas, yakshas, etc. as often seen as decoration on Thai temples, both in sculptured form and on murals.
thephanom (เทพนม) See thepanom. Thai heroine with the title of thao who in 1785 prevented a Burmese invasion of Phuket Island, together with her sister Sri Sunthon. Also known as Chan, Satri and Thep Krasatri. See also heroines of Phuket. See Thep Kasatri. Thepnorasi (เทพนรสีห์) Thai. Creature from Thai mythology with a body that is half man and half lion. See also Apsonsi.
Thai. Name of a mythical half-animal half-celestial being from Himaphan Forest with the upper body of a male human and the lower body of a bird (fig.). It is similar to the Kinnon but has no winged section with feathers on its lower arms (fig.).
The god of the storm clouds in Lan Na folklore. His mount is a mom. Also known by the name of Watsawalahok Thep. Thai system in which each day of the week corresponds with a certain deity. Those are Phra Jan for Monday (fig.), Phra Angkahn for Tuesday (fig.), Phra Phut for Wednesday (fig.), Phra Phareuhadsabodih for Thursday (fig.), Phra Suk for Friday (fig.), Phra Sao for Saturday (fig.) and Phra Ahtit for Sunday (fig.). In Thai the days are derived from these gods and their names appear in them e.g. Thursday is wan phareuhad, Sunday is wan ahtit, etc. See also dao prajam wan, sat prajam wan, phra prajam wan and sih prajam wan. Thai art gallery founded in response of queen Sirikit's whish to provide a permanent home for the exhibition of a wide range of Thai visual arts, especially sculpture and paintings, in order to promote Thai culture and artists, both young and well established talents. The gallery also acts as an education centre giving training courses to Thai nationals from all backgrounds, turning them into professional artists in various disciplines. The queen is a loyal patron of the gallery. See theen. Thai-Pali. The Buddhist hierarchy, the governing body of the Buddhist clergy. See also Sangha. Thai-Pali. Buddhist council. See also Sangkayana. Theravada (थेरवाद) Sanskrit-Pali. 'Words of the elders' or 'teachings of the elders'. A Hinayana sect of Buddhism that spread to Southeast Asia from India via Sri Lanka, where it is the dominant form of Buddhism. Its texts are written in Pali. Thai for Theravada. Thai. 'Sermon', as in kanthet and kreuang kanthet. Thai. Festival, festival season, festivities and holiday. thetsakahn kin jae (เทศกาลกินแจ) Thai. Lent or fasting period according to Chinese custom. In translation it is generally called Vegetarian Festival. This nine-day festival is celebrated the most exuberantly in Phuket, but is also popular in other regions and all over Thailand restaurants place small yellow banners with red Thai and Chinese characters (fig.) to indicate that they serve vegetarian food. It is believed the soul and mind are purified by refraining from meat consumption. Believers will gather to help clean out spirit shrines and light candles to prepare the arrival of nine angels. To symbolize their presence, nine lanterns are lit up and placed aloft a pole, known as Ko Teng. A ceremony is also held to welcome Yok Ong Song Te. Festival partakers dress in white, place yellow and red banners and make small altars in front of shop houses (fig.). On the sixth day of the festival in Phuket this custom is accompanied with parades in which spiritualist mediums chastise themselves whilst in a trance, doing such things as body piercing and walking over hot coals. Other participants walk over lit candles whilst receiving a stamp with red Chinese signs on their back. Throughout the festival firecrackers are used abundantly to add lustre and noise to the celebrations. On the last day of the festival there will be a goddess procession. This festival usually takes place somewhere in the beginning to the middle of October. See also jae.
Thai. A deva, god, deity, angel, miracle worker or something divine.
Thai. 'Four divine emissaries'. The several life phases, ending in death. A term used to indicate the observations of Siddhartha when he went outside the palace walls for the first time and noticed the suffering of ordinary people. He consequently met an ascetic or hermit (samana), a cripple, a sick man and a dead man. The term stands for old age, sickness, death and rebirth, respectively. See also Four Encounters.
Thai. 'Learned man', ' wise man' and 'genius'. Thai. 'Learned king' or 'wise king'. A designation given to king Vajiravudh for his literary work. The name at times given to the curl of hair between the eyebrows of some gods, otherwise called an urna. According to legend it radiates the beams of light that enlighten the world and is a symbol for great wisdom. It is one of the marks of an enlightened being. In oriental iconography often depicted as a round sign. In Hinduism it is regarded the seat of occult power. The third eye of Shiva, for example, will eventually consume the universe and that of Durga created the goddess Kali. Besides this it is also seen as the ajnakhya, one of the six chakras or centers of spiritual energy of the body. Hindus often place a red, white or black mark, called pundra or tilaka, on their forehead which indicates either a third eye or refers to their marital status, its significance varying from community to community. Sometimes called a buddha eye (fig.). See kathin. Thai. Offering robes to Buddhist monks in Thailand. Also thod phah pah. Thai. Ceremony in which laymen present robes and other offerings to Buddhist monks in Thailand. Also thod phah. Cambodian or Khmer for 'great', as in Angkor Thom. For a short period a former capital of Siam, founded after the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767 and then situated in vast swampy delta with the nickname 'sea of mud'. Located near the estuary and on the right bank of the Chao Phraya-river, it lays opposite Rattanakosin and is today a khet (zone) of greater Bangkok. The capital was founded by king Taksin and is home to Wat Arun.
Built in 1900, during the reign of king Rama V, at the mouth of Bangkok Noi Canal. The site was originally a property of a Muslim family which was relocated to the other side of the canal, where king Rama V had a mosque built for them in compensation. During WW II the Imperial Japanese Army used the rail line to deliver weaponry and supplies to its troops in Kanchanaburi, as part of the construction of the Thailand-Burma Railway. During the war the station was entirely damaged by bombs and was rebuilt in its original architectural style after the war was over, commissioned by Phibun Songkram. The train station has resumed service and nowadays many southern-bound trains leave from here, as well as trains for Kanchanaburi. Thai. 'National flag'. The flag of a nation. The present Thai national flag is a horizontal striped red-white-blue-white-red banner, colours symbolising the nation (red), the monarchy (blue) and religion (white). It was introduced in 1917 by king Rama VI and replaced the thong chang, the then Siamese flag consisting of a white elephant on a red field. The present flag is also known by the name thong trai rong, meaning tricolour.
Thai. 'Elephant flag'. The former Siamese flag consisting of a red field with the figure of a white elephant in the middle. Today this can still be seen as part of the ensign of the Royal Thai Navy (fig.), placed in a circle on the thong chaht, the present Thai tricolour. Besides this the navy also has a flag consisting of a blue field with a white circle. This circle depicts a yellow chadah-like crown above a chakra encircling an anchor. Thai for gold leaf. Thai name for the tiger claw, a tree also known as flame of the forest and bastard teak. Thai. 'Flag of the Great King'. Name for the Royal Standard, a yellow field with a red Garuda. Besides this the king also has a personal flag consisting of a yellow field with the king's initials underneath the Phra Maha Phichai Mongkut, the Thai royal crown in the form of a chadah. Thai for tricolour. Name for any flag consisting of three colours, but in Thailand the name generally refers to the present national flag which is horizontal striped red-white-blue-white-red. See also thong chaht. Thoranee (ธรณี) See Thoranih. Thoranih (ธรณี) Sanskrit-Thai. Mother or goddess of the earth. She appears as a witness of the Buddha's accumulated merits from earlier lives, just before the moment of his Enlightenment. In art usually depicted wringing water from her hair, thus aiding the Buddha in his resistance against Mara by flushing his army of spirits away, saving the Buddha from the temptation of desire. Also spelled Thoranee. In Thailand she is known as Mae Phra Thoranee and is the chosen symbol of the Democratic Party. See also bhumisparsa and maravijaya.
See khai yiew ma. A Chinese historical narrative featuring Khong Beng, a sagacious counsellor and clever strategist; Jo Cho, a shifty general; Kuan U, a brave and faithful soldier; and Lao Pie, a wise and faithful ruler. In Thai Saam Kok. Monument in Chiang Mai that commemorates the treaty between the three kings of the Lan Na empire, i.e. king Ngam Muang of Phayao, king Mengrai of Chiang Mai, and king Ramkamhaeng of Sukhothai. MORE ON THIS.
See kaangkok sawan. English name for Hok Lok Siw. Thai name for the soybean. Thai name for the pigeon pea. They grow on a 2.5 to 3 meter high shrub of the genus cajanus which has yellow flowers. The bean-like peas sit in a pod which is boiled and peeled before consumption. The peas have a bitter taste and are eaten as a snack. They can be seen for sale throughout the country, usually by itinerant food vendors.
See kreuang thuay chaam. Thai. Expression for a monk to take to the road or travel. Often this is a kind of walking meditation to eradicate unwholesome thoughts that cause unhappiness, a form of samaati as well as merit making. The monk may then carry a klot, an umbrella to meditate under in the forest or at temples gardens, or to sleep under in the forest. A famous travelling monk is Phra Siwalih.
Thai name for durian. Thai. A cone-shaped tray-like container used for offering food to Buddhist monks, often fashioned into the form of a lotus, and generally made from lacquer. They usually consist of one compartment, sometimes divided by a tray creating a double space, in which the food is placed. Centuries ago they were produced in Chian Toong.
Thai. Another name for the Thai currency, generally called baht. Actually pronounced tican. Thai pronunciation for tical. Chinese for 'iron fan'. See tessen. Third animal of the Chinese zodiac as the third year of the animal cycle. The Bengal tiger's skin was originally an emblem of the Hindu god Shiva, who killed the 'tiger of desire' and used its skin as his meditation seat (fig.). In Sanskrit it is called viagra and in Thai seua. Nickname for a deciduous tree with the botanic name butea monosperma, also known as flame of the forest and due to its resemblance to teak, also called bastard teak. It can grow up to 15 meters high and its fruit gives the gum 'Bengal kino'. It blooms in February and its flowers are alike to those of the creeper mucuna bennetti. They are sickle-shaped, orange-coloured and their outline resembles the French lily or, according to its name, the claw of a tiger. In Thai this tree is called thong kwahw.
Tirthanka (तीर्थन्क) Sanskrit. 'Ford maker'. See Tirthankara. Tirthankara (तीर्थन्कर) Sanskrit. 'Ford makers'. The twenty-four omniscient great teachers of whom the last one founded Jainism. A tool used to press tobacco leaves together, enabling a worker to cut off the leaves at the far end.
Thai for pandanus. Thai. A 'singing' waw or kite, with a 'sounder' shaped like a bow. See also kite flying fights. Japanese. A curd made of mashed soybeans (fig.). It usually comes cut into square blocks and is often used in vegetarian dishes to replace animal protein. Tofu can be eaten fresh (creamy white and soft) or fried (golden-brownish and hard on the outside). On markets, especially Chinese, it is also sold in small pieces, in a dry hardened form which is made into a knot (fig.) and used to put in soups. Small cubes of fried tofu are an ingredient in phad thai (fig.). In Thai called tao hoo. Thai for wasp or hornet. There are many different species. Some bite, others sting from the bottom of their abdomen. Their nests are found high-up in trees or at house roofs. Also taen.
See toke. Thai. A thin strip of bamboo used for tying or weaving. Thai. A tray on a pedestal, or a small floor table. See also khan and phaan. Also transcribed tohk.
Thai term for niello. Thai. 'Body, substance and self', as in 'ton eng', oneself. Term and classifier to indicate beings regarded as lower than humans, as in 'yak song (2) ton', two giants, and 'pie saam (3) ton', three ghosts. The numeric noun for humans is 'kon', and that for sacred things or supernatural beings is 'ong'. Thai. 'Tree' or 'plant'. Almost always used as a prefix with the names of trees and plants. Thai name for banana plant. Also spelt ton kluay. Thai name for mangrove. Also spelt ton kohng kahng. Thai name for a tree of which there are many different species, such as the genus pterocarpus (ton jan daeng) which is known in English as sandalwood (fig.), the genus myristica (ton jan thet) in English known as nutmeg (fig.), etc. Thai name for artocarpus heterophyllus. Thai name for the plumeria acutifolia or frangipani tree. Thai name for betel palm or areca palm. ton mai ngeun ton mai thong (ต้นไม้เงินต้นไม้ทอง) Thai. 'Silver tree, gold tree'. Name for a pair of artificial miniature trees, one made of silver the other made of gold. They are used as an offering and can be found all over Thailand, most commonly with shrines, especially those devoted to the king or any other royal family member. They often have bodhi tree leaves (fig.) and are offered to demonstrate loyalty. The offering of silver and golden trees comes from the Ayutthaya and Rattanakosin period when vassal states offered silver and golden miniature trees to the Siamese kings to prove their loyalty. Nowadays the silver and golden trees are often replaced by other silver and golden objects, such as flowers, phum dokmai, chat, etc. The silver and golden colour also refers to money and wealth in general, as the Thai word ngeun means both 'silver' and 'money', whereas thong means 'gold'. Also transcribed ton mai ngern ton mai thong.
Thai name for teak tree. See teak. Thai name for coconut palm. Thai name for sugarcane. ton palm nahm man (ต้นปาล์มน้ำมัน) See oil palm. Thai. 'Stripped or naked tree'. See seua kohng. Thai name for ficus religiosa. See ton sah. See ton sah. Thai name for the paper mulberry tree. Also ton poh sah and ton poh krasah. Thai for banyan tree. Sometimes wrongly transcribed ton trai. Thai name for the sala tree. ton sala langka (ต้นสาละลังกา) Full Thai name for the sala tree. Also ton sala. See seua kohng. Thai. Generic name for coniferous or pine trees of which Thailand has several different species, including the two-needled pine, the three-needled pine and the chat pine (fig.). Pine trees are have numerous useful qualities. Its resin for one is very flammable and the northern hill tribes use pine wood as firewood (fig.). Besides this its resin is also gained for other applications. It is gained by carving a 5-6 inches deep notch in its trunk and set it on fire, which is easily done due to its high inflammability. The tree is then left alone for about a week. During this time the tree will fast produce resin, abundantly covering the area of the cavity that was cut. Next the locals will dig the resin out and sell it on the market. The colour of the resin differs according to the season when it is produced. When it is gained in the beginning of spring it will have a golden to amber colour and it will be hard when it is cooled down. However, when it is gained in the hot season or fall it will have a darker colour and be much softer. Pine trees take in a lot of water from the soil and as is discovered by practicing forest ecology the soil of a pine forest will be very dry and the earth will be hard. Its roots are hard and spread far out beneath the surface in search of water. If pine trees are planted near a small brook they may well suck it empty. Pine trees often have different names locally, e.g. in Loei province the the three-needled pine is called paek or paeklom whereas in Chiang Mai it is called chanyee (janyih), etc. In Chinese pine trees are called song and are a symbol for longevity. They therefore often appear in Chinese art.
Thai for sugar palm. Thai. 'Chinese new year tree'. Name for the bougainville. Also pronounced ton trut jien. In Thai also feuang fah. See ton tarut jien. Thai for rubber tree. Thai for joss stick or incense stick. Thai for incense burner. See also kratahng toob. toonklaw tawaai (ทูนเกล้าฯ ถวาย) Thai. Rajasap for 'to present' and 'to dedicate' when the person addressed is a king. Also nomklaw tawaai. See also tawaai. The reincarnation of Nonthakahn who Shiva condemned to be reborn as an albino buffalo who would be killed by his own son Torapi. A black buffalo, son of Torapa and Nila. When he grew up, he challenged his father Torapa to a fight and slew him. See etlingera elatior. 1. The second avatar of Vishnu. See Kurma. 2. The mount of the Hindu goddess Jamuna. Totsachat (ทศชาติ) Thai name for the stories about the last ten lives of the Buddha before his final birth as prince Siddhartha, and part of the Jatakas. These ten livestories are Phra Temia, Chanok, Sawansahm, Nemiraj, Mahosot, Chantakumahn, Nahrot, Withurabanthit and Wessandon. Totsakan (ทศกัณฐ์) Sanskrit-Thai name meaning 'ten necks'. An epithet for the demon king of Langka who had three layers with a total of ten faces and who abducted Sida, the wife of Rama in the Ramakien. He removed his heart and gave it to the hermit Khobutra for safe keeping. Finally he was killed by Rama. He is sometimes depicted with twenty arms. In his previous incarnation he was called Nonthok. Also known as Totsapan and Raphanasoon and in the Ramayana known as Ravana. MORE ON THIS.
Another Thai name for Totsakan. totsaphit rajatham (ทศพิธราชธรรม) Thai-Sanskrit. The royal dhamma or ten royal virtues for kings, that is: generosity, observance of the religious commandments, willingness to make sacrifices, honesty, gentleness, hard working, a cool temper, ability to comfort, aptitude to endure and correct ethical conduct. Sanskrit-Thai name meaning 'ten wheeled vehicles'. Mythological king of Ayutthaya and father of Rama, the main character in the Ramayana and Ramakien, the Thai version. He fathered Rama with queen Kao Suriya, Lakshmana and Satrud with queen Samut Thevi and Phra Phrot with queen Kaiyakesi. In the Ramayana, the Indian and original version of the epic, Rama's father is called Dasharatha but he is also known as Suddhodana. MORE ON THIS. Governmental umbrella organisation responsible for all matters concerning tourism, including tourist police, guide training and licensing, tour company registration, signalisation of tourist sites, tourist information and promotion, etc. It has a main office on Rachadamnoen Road in Bangkok and smaller branches in most provinces as well as in some countries overseas. In Thai it is known as 'Kaan Thong Thiaw haeng Prathet Thai'.
Refined technique that combines several characteristics of massage, chiropractic and acupressure to balance the function of the four body elements, i.e. din (earth), nahm (water), fai (fire) and lom (air). Traditional massage is so popular that it is recognized as an official science, along with medicinal herbs, acupuncture and spiritual meditation. Since the Ayutthaya period until the beginning of this century there was an official massage division under the auspices of the Thai ministry of public health, now housed at Wat Poh in Bangkok. In former times in this temple massage was taught on the basis of didactic images (fig.). In Thai nuat paen boraan.
Thai. The robes of Buddhist monks, consisting of three (trai) pieces: the antarawasok or sabong (a skirtlike lower garment), the utarasong or jiewon (the outer robe) and the sangkaat or pah thaab (a covering robe against the cold which is worn folded over the shoulder when not used). In the temple, during work or periods of rest, monks often wear a shoulder piece called the angsa, instead of the usual jiewon. The colour of the robes may vary from yellow-orange to reddish brown, depending on personal preference. The origin of the dark red to yellow ochre colour possibly goes back to the domestic makah, a tropical tree from the family of papilonaceae known by the name ormosia whose bright red seeds, were formerly used as the base to dye monks robes. The Buddha gave his first disciples the assignment to find their own robe, rather than buying one. He pointed to pieces of cloth hanging from tree branches in the forest, torn off from passer-by's clothes. These could easily be used to make a robe by stitching them together and then dying it. This is one reason why a needle is one of the items Buddhist monks are allowed to posses and why some robes look as if they have been made up of several pieces of cloth sewn together with a thick seam, to symbolize this tradition. Another option was to use the cloth of a dead person, after the body was cremated. The Buddha himself once took the shroud of a dead girl and made it into a monastic robe, thus symbolizing the transience of life. It is still common during funeral rites, just before the body is cremated, to pass monk's robes over the corpse to refer to this scene. When studying (fig.) or working (fig.) the monks generally wear just the sabong and angsa, but when they go outside the temple complex they usually cover completely, and during their begging round they walk barefoot (fig.). See also kahsahwapad and pah kahsahwapad.
Thai name for Tripitaka. Also Traipitok. Thai name for Tripitaka. Also Traipidok. Thai. 'Three Gems' or 'Three Jewels'. The three objects of veneration for Buddhists, i.e. the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha. In Buddhist temples represented as the three prongs of a trisula. See also Traisarana. Also Triratana, and in Sanskrit Triratna. Thai. The three refuges of Buddhists, i.e. the Trairat. Also Saranatrai. Vietnamese for 'time period'. Art style from Champa dating from the second half of the 9th century AD until the end of the 10th century, when its capital was Indrapura, in the North of the kingdom. See takrut. Name of a province (map) and its capital city in the south of Thailand, 828 kms from Bangkok with a population of about 50,000. In Malay Trang means 'dawn', and possibly refers to the fact that merchant vessels from Malaysia used to arrive at this harbour at daybreak. Another source however states that this province was formerly called Thab Thiang but changed its name into Trangkhapura, City of Waves, due to its role and location on the coast. Its present day name is an abbreviation of this. The province has nine amphur and one king amphur.
Rajasap for 'to say' or 'to remark'. Name of a province (map) and its capital city in East Thailand, 315 kms southeast of Bangkok. The city like Chanthaburi is known for its trade in gemstones, thanks to the many sapphires and ruby mines. The markets for this gem trade, known as 'talaat phloi', are open daily and attract buyers from around the world. The province borders Cambodia, with Hat Lek at its southernmost point. In front of the coast lies Koh Chang (map), a National Marine Park and the second largest (492 kms²) and most mountainous island in Thailand, with peaks of up to 744 meters. In these coastal waters a small sea battle took place on 17 January 1941 between the French and Thai Navy killing 37 Thais. Besides a large monument (fig.) this event has been commemorated (fig.) annually since 1986. The province has two amphur and two king amphur.
Thai term used to express the 'attainment of Enlightenment' or the 'Enlightened state' of the Buddha. Treta (त्रेता) Sanskrit. Second of the four yugas. tribhanga (त्रिभङ्ग) Sanskrit. 'Three bends'. A stance portrayed in dance, sculpture and painting in which the body is bowed with one hip thrust out forming an S-curve. Symbol indicating the eight points of the compass used by geomancers. Each trigram consists of a different combination of three lines which may be broken in the middle. A broken line represents yin, and unbroken line yang. When used for divination or fortune telling the trigram is arranged in a circle with yin-yang signs in the middle. It can often be seen as a decoration on buildings, furniture, textiles and ceramic products. In Chinese called gua (trigram) or bagua (eight trigrams). In Thai called yan paet thit, 'magic sign of the eight directions'.
Thai name for a trident or trisula. Also trihsoon. Thai name for a trident or trisula. In combination with a chakra it is the escutcheon of the Chakri dynasty (fig.). Also trih. Thai. Brahman rites associated with the swing ceremony or lohchingchah. triloka (त्रिलोक) See triphum. Trilokavijaya (त्रिलोकविजय) Sanskrit-Pali. 'Conqueror of the three worlds'. The name of a god with a terrifying appearance from Tantrism, portrayed with four faces, eight hands and sometimes wearing a garland of small Buddha images. It is also a major bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism. Trimurti (त्रिमूर्ति - ตรีมูรติ) Sanskrit. 'Three aspects' or 'having three forms'. Term in Vedic times originally used for Agni, Indra (or Vayu) and Surya. Later used for the Hindu divine triad Vishnu, Brahma and Shiva (fig.). Sometimes depicted as one deity with five faces, called Phra Trimurti in Thai.
1. Thai-Pali. 'The three eyed one'. An epithet for Indra, referring to his third eye. 2. Thai-Pali. 'Three eyes' or 'third eye'. Term used for gods, thevadas or buddhas with an urna. Pali. 'Three worlds'. Term referring to the three realms in Buddhist cosmology, i.e. heaven, earth and hell, as portrayed on murals and in the symbolism of the stupa. Also trilok and triloka. See also Chom Trai Lohk. Tripitaka (त्रिपिटक) 1. Pali-Sanskrit. 'Three baskets'. Name for the palm leaf Theravada Buddhist manuscripts containing the teachings of the Buddha, divided into three parts and written in Pali. The first section of the Tripitaka is the Vinaya or Vinay, the second the Sut or Sutra, and the third part the Aphitam. In Thai Traipitok. See also Buddhist precepts.
2. Equivalent for the Chinese name Sanzang which was a traditional honorific name for any Buddhist monk during the Tang Dynasty. It is repeatedly used to describe Xuanzang, the monk who went on a pilgrimage to India in order to obtain a copy of the sutras, as recorded in the Xiyouji, the chronicle of the 'Journey to the West'. See Trairat. Triratna (त्रिरत्न) Sanskrit for Trairat. trisula (त्रिशूल) Sanskrit. 'Trident'. While it is the symbol for the Trairat in Buddhist temples, in Hinduism it is the weapon and symbol of the god Shiva and in Thailand that of Phra Narai (fig.). Portrayed in combination with a chakra it is also the escutcheon of the Chakri dynasty. In Thai called trih or trihsoon. See also noppasoon (fig.).
Thai. 'New Theory'. Concept introduced in 1992 by king Bhumipon Adunyadet to improve agriculture for small landowners (10 to 15 rai) and with the aim to become self-supporting. By dividing the land in four parts according to the proportions 30-30-30-10 a maximum yield of the farm land is intended. According to this idea ten percent of the land is used for housing perhaps with a small live stock and poultry, the other parts of each 30% are used to cultivate rice for own use with a likely surplus that can be brought onto the market, a water reservoir with a depth of four meters used for water supply and with a possibility to breed fish, and the last piece of land utilized to grow other crops such as vegetables, fruit and flowers. A western designation for the annual Military Parade of the Royal Guards at the Royal Plaza in Bangkok on December 4th. In English usually referred to as 'Trooping the Colour' (which in Thai is Phittih Sabaan Tong) but by the Thais rather called Phittih Suansanam Thahaan Rachawanlop.
Thai. 'New year'. In Thailand new year is celebrated on several moments. There is the Chinese New Year or Trut Jien (a week of celebrations starting around end January, in February or beginning of March), the Thai New Year or Trut Thai (middle of April) and the Western New Year or Trut Farang. Besides this there are several other dates among the different minority groups, such as the hill tribes, each with their own celebrations on different times. Sometimes also pronounced Tarut. Thai. New year according to the present-day Gregorian or Western (Farang) calendar, i.e. on January first. Thai name for the Chinese New Year or Spring Festival which takes place starting somewhere around the end of January, in February or early March and lasting for about a week. Because it is celebrated according to the lunar calendar the date differs each year again. The Chinese population of Thailand starts this festival by cleaning their houses followed by an exuberant party outside. Firecrackers and fireworks are lit and dancers dressed up as lions (fig.) and dragons (fig.) perform colourful spectacles in the crowded streets. Since red is the colour for good fortune and longevity the streets, temples and houses are decorated with red lanterns and ribbons (fig.), whilst merrymakers dress up in red and the young will buy gold to give to senior family members (fig.). Besides this they will give red envelopes or hong bao to each other and many flock to the temples to offer food and burn incense sticks to their gods (fig.). During the festivities Bangkok's Chinatown is turned into one great marketplace attracting a crowd of visitors and temporary street side shrines are set up (fig.). Each year has as theme an animal from the Chinese zodiac. Also Trut Jien. In Chinese called Xin Nian, Guo Nian and Chun Jie. See also foo and Chinese Calendar and Chronology.
Thai New Year. See Songkraan. See Cai Shen. Chinese. 'Grandfather wealth god'. A designation for Zhao Gong Ming, the most influential and popular Chinese wealth god. Japanese. Literally 'harbour wave', a term is commonly used to indicate a 'tidal wave'. A tsunami is an exceptionally large and fast speeding ocean wave caused by an underwater earthquake. On 26 December 2004 Thailand's west coast on the Andaman Sea was struck by a tsunami caused by an underwater earthquake off the coast of Sumatra, killing around eight thousand people and injuring many more whilst causing major damage to many of the southern provinces' beach resorts. The hardest hit in Thailand was the province of Phang Nga with the most victims, especially in the beach resort town of Khao Lak, but also the Phi Phi Islands off the coast of Krabi province, as well as Phuket island were extremely hard hit. Among the fatal victims was Khun Poom, the only son of princess Ubon Rattana Rachaganya. Worldwide this specific tsunami killed around 280,000 people, mainly in the South Asian region and left more than 5 million people homeless. Outside Thailand Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India were hit hardest, but also in Malaysia, Burma and even as far away as Somalia there were deadly victims. Since then the government has worked hard to improve local warnings. Besides the lay out and completion of several marked tsunami escape routes, it also erected 62 siren towers along beaches in six provinces, each capable of alerting people as far away as two kilometers inland. Those alerts are issued by the National Disaster Warning Center, the first command post set up in the region after the 2004 tsunami. In Thai called kleun yak, literally 'giant wave'.
tua ngun tua thong (ตัวเงินตัวทอง) Thai. 'Silver-golden body'. Popular name for a monitor lizard of the species varanus salvator. Thai term for a scripture cabinet. Thai. A large gecko with a grey-blue, loose and baggy skin and faint red-white spots. Its scientific name is gekko gecko and it belongs to the family of gekkonidae which also includes the hemidactylus frenatus, the commonly seen smaller household lizard, that in Thai is known by the name jingjok. Bigger ones grow well over 30 centimeters and cockroaches figure large in their urban eating pattern. They commonly live on walls and between ceilings and roofs. Many people find them scary and repulsive but generally leave them alone as long as they stay outdoors, since they help to keep the populations of larger insects down.
tuktuk (ตุ๊กตุ๊ก) Thai. A motorized three-wheeler with a steering wheel like a motorbike and a gear stick between the legs (fig.), used as a taxi in Thailand. Its name is derived from the sound of its engine. In Thai also called saamloh.
Thai. A folkloristic fish trap made from woven bamboo strips. It has a cone-like shape resembling a bottle, with a narrowed neck and a bulbous middle. It is about 35-50 centimeters high and at the bottom sits a hole to let the fish in. In the hole sits a funnel-shaped spiked fence so that the fish cannot reverse and swim back out. At the mouth there is a similar but removable spiked fence, comparable to the cover of a takong fish basket (a kind of creel). See also sang.
Name for a triangular design at
the far end of a hand-woven piece of cloth, often seen on
silk
or
batik
clothing. The design often appears at the ends of
sarong,
habitually with two rows of tumpals facing each other, creating a
lozenge of a contrasting colour in the middle.
According to some, tumpals represent mountains or hills,
although others claim that the typical rows of elongated triangles
suggest bamboo shoots and symbolize life force.
Northern Thai word for a long ceremonial banner made of cloth, usually divided into vertical steps resembling a ladder and considered to be a link between heaven and earth. Thus they are a means for the fallen to climb back out of hell and up to heaven. They are a special feature from Lan Na used both decoratively and during northern Thai festivals and ceremonies.
Name of a kind of tung consisting of a long board made of an enduring material such as wood, plaster, metal, etc. It is usually decorated with clear designs in bas-relief.
See tortoise. Tushita (तुषित) Sanskrit for Tusita. Pali. 'Satisfied'. A term that refers to the heaven above Mount Meru where bodhisattvas await their last existence on earth. It is one of the highest heavens in the Buddhist cosmology and the heaven where the bodhisattva who later became the Buddha was born after he gathered enough merit from earlier lives. Thus it is the place where he resided before he was born as prince Siddhartha, as well as the heaven where the future Maitreya buddha resides. In Hinduism it is the fourth heaven. Also Dusit and in Sanskrit Tushita. See gable board. |
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