B Level 2.2: Is That…? In Thai

Study Focus: ที่
  • We very often use the word ที่ (thîi) with the meaning "that which" or "that."
  • We place it after the noun and before the phrase we use to describe the noun.
    • คนที่ใส่หมวกสีแดง (khon thîi sài mùuak sǐi-daaeng)

    ➤ "the person who is wearing a red hat"

  • อาหารที่อร่อย (aa-hǎan thîi à-ràwy)

    ➤ "that food is delicious"

  • In a similar way, we also use ที่ (thîi) to construct ordinal numbers. Simply place the number after ที่ (thîi).
    • รถเมล์คันที่สอง (rót-mee khan thîi sǎawng) ➤ "the second bus"
    • ตำรวจคนที่สาม (dtam-rùuat khon thîi sǎam) ➤ "the third police officer"

Vocabulary & Phrases

  • <<คนที่ใส่ (khon thîi sài)<<

    • This phrase means "the person who is wearing."
    • ที่ (thîi) in this phrase means "that which."
    • ใส่ (sài) is the verb ”to wear.”

  • <<…คนนั้น (…khon nán)<<

    • The classifier for people is คน (khon).
    • So we need to use it whenever we want to use the adjectives "this" or "that" in reference to any people.
    • ตำรวจคนนี้ (dtam-rùuat khon níi) ➤ "this police officer"
    • เด็กผู้ชายคนนั้น (dèk phûu-chaai khon nán) ➤ "that boy"

  • <<ภึงบ้านแล้ว (thǔeng bâan láaeo)<<

    • The phrase mean "We arrived at the house already," or more naturally, "We're home!"
    • ภึง (thǔeng) is the verb "to arrive."
    • บ้าน (bâan) means "house."
    • แล้ว (láaeo) means "already" in this phrase gives the sense of an action being completed.

  • <<หลังไหน (lǎng nǎi)<<

    • The classifier for houses is หลัง (lǎng).
    • In order to ask "which house," we need to attach the question word to the classifier to make หลังไหน (lǎng nǎi).

Life as a Novice Monk

  • It is customary for boys older than seven to become novice monks for a brief time, perhaps just a few weeks during the summer school break.
  • They only have ten precepts to keep, which are:
    • Refrain from killing
    • Refrain from stealing
    • Refrain from any sexual acts
    • Refrain from lying
    • Refrain from taking intoxicants
    • Refrain from eating after midday
    • Refrain from singing, dancing, playing music, and watching shows
    • Refrain from wearing perfume, cosmetics, and garlands
    • Refrain from using high and luxurious chairs and beds
    • Refrain from handling money
  • Males above the age of 20 can become full monks by upholding 227 commandments.
  • Some Thai men become monks for life, but it is also fairly popular for males in Thailand to become monks temporarily.
  • Although it is viewed as a method to acquire merit for one's parents, it is customary for a man to ordain for a week or so after his mother's death.
  • It is also viewed as a means to acquire a moral education prior to establishing a family.
  • When he was younger, the current king of Thailand was also temporarily ordained as a monk.