AB Level 1.27: People in Thailand

Focus: คน & ชาว

• คน (khon) is the most basic word for a "person," and we also use it as a classifier when counting people.
• We can use คน (khon) as a prefix attached to the front of adjectives and verbs to make nouns that mean a "person who does (that action)" or a "person who is like (that adjective)."
• Examples:
  • คนอเมริกัน (khon-à-mee-rí-gan) ➤ "American person" or just an "American"
  • เมริกัน (à-mee-rí-gan) is an adjective meaning "American"
  • คนคริสต์ (khon-khrít) ➤ "Christian person" or just a "Christian"
  • คริสต์ (khrít) is an adjective meaning "Christian"
  • คนขับรถ (khon-khàp-rót) ➤ "person who drives a car" or just a "driver"
  • ขับรถ (khàp-rót) is a verb meaning "drive a car."
• ชาว (chaao) is another word that can mean "people" in general.
  • We also use it as a prefix before adjectives or nouns to make new nouns that describe a type of person based either on the adjective or the association with the noun.
• Examples:
  • ชาวพุทธ (chaao-phút) ➤ "Buddhist people" or just a "Buddhists"
  • พุทธ (phút) is an adjective meaning "Buddhist."
  • ชาวมุสลิม (chaao-mú-sà-lim) ➤ "Muslim people" or just a "Muslims"
  • มุสลิม (mú-sà-lim) is an adjective meaning "Muslim."
  • ชาวนา (chaao-naa) ➤ "rice field people" or a "farmers"
  • นา (naa) is a word that means "rice field."
• We can form many words by adding either คน (khon) or ชาว (chaao) to the same adjective.
  • คนไทย (khon-thai) and ชาวไทย (chaao-thai) both mean "Thai person."
  • คนพุทธ (khon-phút) and ชาวพุทธ (chaao-phút) both mean "Buddhist person."

Vocabulary & Phrases

• <<ในสมัยก่อน (nai sà-mǎi-gàawn)<<
  • This phrase means "in ancient times."
  • ใน (nai) is the preposition "in."
  • สมัย (sà-mǎi) means "era" or "period."
  • ก่อน (gàawn) is "before" or "earlier."
  • Example:
  • ในสมัยก่อนอยุธยาเป็นเมืองใหญ่ที่สุดของประเทศไทย       (nai sà-mǎi-gàawn à-yút-thá-yaa bpen muueang yài thîi sùt khǎawng bprà-thêet-thai.)

      ➤ "In ancient times, Ayutthaya was the largest city in Thailand."

• <<นับถือศาสนา… (náp-thǔue sàat-sà-nǎa…)<<
  • This phrase means "to believe in (some religion)."
  • นับถือ (náp-thǔue) is a verb meaning "to believe in," "to uphold," or "to worship."
  • ศาสนา (sàat-sà-nǎa) is a word from Pali that originally meant the "dissemination" of the Buddha's teaching.
  • In the Thai language, it has come to take the more general meaning of "religion."
  • We use it as a prefix to form the names of individual religions, much like we use ภาษา (phaa-sǎa) as a prefix to form the names of languages.
  • Examples:
  • ผมนับถือศาสนาพุทธ (phǒm náp-thǔue sàat-sà-nǎa-phút.)

      ➤ "I follow Buddhism." * เขานับถือศาสนาคริสต์ (khǎo náp-thǔue sàat-sà-nǎa-khrít.)

      ➤ "He believes in Christianity." * ดิฉันนับถือศาสนาฮินดู (dì-chǎn náp-thǔue sàat-sà-nǎa-hin-duu.)

      ➤ "I believe in Hinduism." * เรานับถือศาสนายิว (rao náp-thǔue sàat-sà-nǎa-yiu.)

      ➤ "We are followers of Judaism."

• <<…อะไร (...à-rai)<<
  • This usually means "what."
  • However, it can also mean "any."
  • If there is a noun right before อะไร (à-rai), then it means "any (of that noun)."
  • Otherwise, it can also stand by itself.
  • Examples:
  • ไม่มีอะไรเลย (mâi mii à-rai looei.)

      ➤ "There isn't anything at all." * ไม่มีเรื่องอะไรที่น่าดู (mâi mii rûueang à-rai thîi nâa-duu.)

      ➤ "There aren't any movies that are worth watching."

• <<ดีไหม (dii mǎi)<<
  • We use this phrase as a way to extend an invitation to someone.
  • First, you'd say what the activity or event is and then follow with ดีไหม (dii mǎi).
  • The literal meaning would be "Is (that activity) good?"
  • But it is closer in actual meaning to "Would you like to (do this activity)?"
  • Example:
  • มาทานข้าวกันที่บ้านเราดีไหมครับ
    • (maa thaan khâao gan thîi bâan rao dii mǎi khráp.)

        ➤ "How about you come to our house to eat?"

Common Religions in Thailand

• The Theravada school of Buddhism is the dominant religion in Thailand, followed by about 95% of the population.
• Theravada Buddhism originated in South India and Sri Lanka and spread to Southeast Asia.
• The Mahayana branch of Buddhism is also practiced by a small minority, mostly among some ethnic Chinese.
• Islam is the second-largest religion in Thailand, with about 4% of the population, mostly in the southern part of the country.
• Christians make up less than 1% of the population, and Christian missionaries in Thailand have not had much success in converting locals.
• There are small numbers of Hindus and Sikhs in Thailand, and some Hindu gods are revered by Thai Buddhists.
• Animism and spirit worship are also practiced in Thailand, with small spirit houses all over the country where offerings are made daily.