Date and time notation in Thailand
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| Full date | 9 āļāļąāļāļ§āļēāļāļĄ 2568 |
|---|---|
| All-numeric date | 9/12/2568 |
| Time | 14:40 |
Thailand has adopted ISO 8601 under national standard: TIS 1111:2535 in 1992. However, Thai date and time notation reflects the countryâs cultural development through the years used. The formal date format is D/M/YYYY format (1/6/2568), nowadays using the Buddhist Era (BE). The full date format is day-month-year format which is written in Thai (āđ āļĄāļīāļāļļāļāļēāļĒāļ āļ.āļĻ. āđāđāđāđ or 1 āļĄāļīāļāļļāļāļēāļĒāļ āļ.āļĻ. 2568). While a 24-hour system is common for official use, colloquially, a 12-hour format with terms like "morning" (Thai: āđāļāđāļē, RTGS: chao) and "night" (āļāđāļģ, kham), etc., or a modified six-hour format is used.
Date
[edit]Thailand uses the Thai solar calendar as the official calendar, in which the calendar's epochal date (Year zero) was the year in which the Buddha attained parinibbÄna. This places the current year at 543 years ahead of the Gregorian calendar. The year 2025 AD is indicated as 2568 BE in Thailand. Despite adopting ISO 8601, Thai official date is still written in D/M/YYYY formats, such as 30 January 2567 BE (2024 AD) or 30/1/2567.[1] Anno Domini may be used in unofficial context, and is written in the same format (D/M/YYYY).
In full date format, the year is marked with "āļ.āļĻ." (Buddhist Era) or "āļ.āļĻ." (Anno Domini) to avoid confusion. As each calendar is 543 years apart, there is very little confusion in the contemporary context.
Day in thai
[edit]Day in a week (Thai: āļŠāļąāļāļāļēāļŦāđ, RTGS: sapda) according to the ISO 8601 international standard, Monday is designated as the first day of the week, while Sunday is considered as the last day. Meanwhile, in Thailand, Sunday was considered the start of the week, which ended on Saturday.
| English | Thai | Transliteration (RTGS) | Abbr. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday | āļ§āļąāļāļāļēāļāļīāļāļĒāđ | Wan Athit | āļāļē. |
| Monday | āļ§āļąāļāļāļąāļāļāļĢāđ | Wan Chan | āļ. |
| Tuesday | āļ§āļąāļāļāļąāļāļāļēāļĢ | Wan Angkhan | āļ. |
| Wednesday | āļ§āļąāļāļāļļāļ | Wan Phut | āļ. |
| Thursday | āļ§āļąāļāļāļĪāļŦāļąāļŠāļāļāļĩ | Wan Phruehatsabodi or Pharuehatsabodi | āļāļĪ. |
| Friday | āļ§āļąāļāļĻāļļāļāļĢāđ | Wan Suk | āļĻ. |
| Saturday | āļ§āļąāļāđāļŠāļēāļĢāđ | Wan Sao | āļŠ. |
Month in thai
[edit]In Thai, the names of months can be categorized based on the number of days they contain. Months with 30 days typically end with the suffix -yon (-āļĒāļ), while those with 31 days end with -khom (-āļāļĄ). An exception is February, which is designated with the suffix -phan (-āļāļąāļāļāđ) and has either 28 or 29 days depending on whether it is a leap year, as determined by the solar leap year system, referred to as pi athikasuratin (āļāļĩāļāļāļīāļāļŠāļļāļĢāļāļīāļ).
| No. | English | Thai | Transliteration (RTGS) | Abbr. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | January | āļĄāļāļĢāļēāļāļĄ | Makarakhom or Mokkarakhom | āļĄ.āļ. |
| 2 | February | āļāļļāļĄāļ āļēāļāļąāļāļāđ | Kumphaphan | āļ.āļ. |
| 3 | March | āļĄāļĩāļāļēāļāļĄ | Minakhom | āļĄāļĩ.āļ. |
| 4 | April | āđāļĄāļĐāļēāļĒāļ | Mesayon | āđāļĄ.āļĒ. |
| 5 | May | āļāļĪāļĐāļ āļēāļāļĄ | Phruetsaphakhom | āļ.āļ. |
| 6 | June | āļĄāļīāļāļļāļāļēāļĒāļ | Mithunayon | āļĄāļī.āļĒ. |
| 7 | July | āļāļĢāļāļāļēāļāļĄ | Karakadakhom or Karakkadakhom | āļ.āļ. |
| 8 | August | āļŠāļīāļāļŦāļēāļāļĄ | Singhakhom | āļŠ.āļ. |
| 9 | September | āļāļąāļāļĒāļēāļĒāļ | Kanyayon | āļ.āļĒ. |
| 10 | October | āļāļļāļĨāļēāļāļĄ | Tulakhom | āļ.āļ. |
| 11 | November | āļāļĪāļĻāļāļīāļāļēāļĒāļ | Phruetsachikayon | āļ.āļĒ. |
| 12 | December | āļāļąāļāļ§āļēāļāļĄ | Thanwakhom | āļ.āļ. |
Year in thai
[edit]The Thai calendar has evolved significantly throughout the nation's history, from their culture and tradition. Each era has been used to mark the passage of time, reflecting the historical and religious influences of the era.
Buddhist Era
[edit]The lunar calendar (Thai: āļāļāļīāļāļīāļāļāļąāļāļāļĢāļāļāļī, RTGS: patithin chanthrakhati) system is based on the cycles of the moon. A lunar month lasts about 291/2 days, and the year consists of 12 months with the occasional insertion of an extra month (13th month) to keep the lunar and solar years aligned. Each month is divided into two phases the waxing moon (āļāđāļēāļāļāļķāđāļ, khang khuen) and the waning moon (āļāđāļēāļāđāļĢāļĄ, khang raem).
The traditional Thai lunar calendar follows the Buddhist Era (āļāļļāļāļāļĻāļąāļāļĢāļēāļ, phutthasakkarat), which is 543 years ahead of the Gregorian calendar.
Important dates on the Thai calendar were often connected to Buddhism, such as Vesakha Puja (āļ§āļąāļāļ§āļīāļŠāļēāļāļāļđāļāļē; wan wisakhabucha), which commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and passing of the Buddha. These holidays are determined by the lunar calendar.
Shaka era
[edit]Shaka era[2] (Thai: āļĄāļŦāļēāļĻāļąāļāļĢāļēāļ, RTGS: maha sakkarat) is widely used in historical evidence such as stone inscriptions and chronicles from both the Sukhothai and early Ayutthaya periods. Shaka era was established by King Kanishka of the Kushan dynasty, beginning after the Buddhist Era 622 (Shaka era corresponds to 622 CE).
Chula Sakarat
[edit]Chula Sakarat[3] (Thai: āļāļļāļĨāļĻāļąāļāļĢāļēāļ, RTGS: chunlasakkarat) is an era influenced by Burma. The king of Pagan first started using it in Burma in 1182 CE and it spread to the Lan Na Kingdom starting after 1181 CE. Thais like to use Chula Sakarat in astrological calculations and to indicate the year in inscriptions, legends, records, and chronicles until the time of King Chulalongkorn when he announced its abolition and used Rattanakosin Era instead.
Rattanakosin Era
[edit]The Ratanakosin Era[4] (RS, Thai: āļĢāļąāļāļāđāļāļŠāļīāļāļāļĢāļĻāļ, RTGS: Rattanakosinsok) was established on 1 April 1889 by Chulalongkorn, starting with the year Bangkok was declared as the capital as 1 RS. Thailand continued the Rattanakosin Era until 131 RS. It was announced to be canceled during the early reign of King Vajiravudh, eventually being turned into the Buddhist Era instead.
Gregorian year
[edit]The Buddhist calendar is widely used in Southeast Asian countries that follow the Theravada school of Buddhism, particularly in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. In Thailand, it was formally adopted in 2455 BE (1912 AD), during the reign of Vajiravudh, replacing the Rattanakosin Era. Although it has been in use since the Ayutthaya period, it continues to be used today. The Buddhist Era (BE) starts one year after the Buddha's parinirvana, making the Buddhist calendar 543 years ahead of the Gregorian calendar.
Year calculation
[edit]- Buddhist Era = Anno Domini + 543
- Buddhist Era = Maha Sakarat + 621
- Buddhist Era = Chula Sakarat + 1181
- Buddhist Era = Rattanakosin Era + 2324
Thai numerals in Thai official document
[edit]Thai numerals are commonly used in official government documents in Thailand for conserving Thai cultures and it is in a day month year format by day and year are written in Thai numerals and month is written in Thai. Additionally, in the official documents, year is written in the Buddhist era. For example, to write a full date format, 1 June 2013, in Thai government documents, āđ āļĄāļīāļāļļāļāļēāļĒāļ āļ.āļĻ. āđāđāđāđ.[5]
| Arabic | Thai numerals | Transliteration (RTGS) | Thai |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | āđ | sun | āļĻāļđāļāļĒāđ |
| 1 | āđ | nueng | āļŦāļāļķāđāļ |
| 2 | āđ | song | āļŠāļāļ |
| 3 | āđ | sam | āļŠāļēāļĄ |
| 4 | āđ | si | āļŠāļĩāđ |
| 5 | āđ | ha | āļŦāđāļē |
| 6 | āđ | hok | āļŦāļ |
| 7 | āđ | chet | āđāļāđāļ |
| 8 | āđ | paet | āđāļāļ |
| 9 | āđ | kao | āđāļāđāļē |
| 10 | āđāđ | sip | āļŠāļīāļ |
Colloquialism in Thailand
[edit]Date colloquialism in Thailand
[edit]The time points of days in the past, present, and future, which are found in the Thai language, are expressed using various words, including:[6]
- Past:
- Present:
- "āļ§āļąāļāļāļĩāđ" (RTGS: wan ni) refers to today.
- Future:
Month colloquialism
[edit]The time points of months in the past, present and future, which are found in Thai language, are expressed using many words, including:
- Past:
- "āđāļāļ·āļāļāļāļĩāđāļāđāļēāļāļĄāļē" (RTGS: duean thi phan ma) refers to previous month or last month.
- "āđāļāļ·āļāļāļāļĩāđāđāļĨāđāļ§" (RTGS: duean thi laeo) refers to previous month or last month.
- "āđāļāļ·āļāļāļāđāļāļ" (RTGS: duean kon) refers to previous month or last month.
- "āđāļāļ·āļāļāļāļĩāđāđāļĨāđāļ§āļĄāļē" (RTGS: duean kon) refers to a month that came before the last month but does not specify an exact time frame.
- Present:
- "āđāļāļ·āļāļāļāļĩāđ" (RTGS: duean ni) refers to this month.
- Future:
- "āđāļāļ·āļāļāļŦāļāđāļē" (RTGS: duean na) refers to next month or one month after the current month.
- "āđāļāļ·āļāļāļāļąāļāđāļ" (RTGS: duean that pai) refers to next month or one month after the current month.
- "āđāļāļ·āļāļāļŦāļāđāļēāļāļđāđāļ" (RTGS: duean na nun) or "āđāļāļ·āļāļāļŦāļāđāļēāļŦāļāđāļē" (RTGS: duean na na) refers to the month two months from now, two months after the current month or more.
Year colloquialism
[edit]The time points of years in the past, present and future, which are found in Thai language, are expressed using many words, including:
- Past:
- "āļāļĩāļāđāļāļ" (RTGS: pi kon) refers to the year before last or one year before the current year.
- "āļāļĩāļāļĩāđāđāļĨāđāļ§" (RTGS: pi thi laeo) refers to the year before last or one year before the current year.
- "āļāļĩāļāļĨāļēāļĒ" (RTGS: pi klai) refers to more than one year before the current year, but it does not specify exactly how many years ago.
- Present:
- "āļāļĩāļāļĩāđ" (RTGS: pi ni) refers to this year.
- Future:
Time
[edit]There are two systems of telling time in Thailand. Official time follows a 24-hour clock. The 24-hour clock is commonly used in military, aviation, navigation, meteorology, astronomy, computing, logistical, emergency services, and hospital settings, where the ambiguities of the 12-hour clock cannot be tolerated.
In the second, everyday usage, the day is divided into four six-hour periods.[7]: 101 Additional words are used to identify the period specified (similar to a.m. or p.m. for a 12-hour system).
The distinguishing words are:[8]
- 00:00-00:59 = āđāļāļĩāđāļĒāļāļāļ·āļ (RTGS: thiang khuen)
- 01:00-05:59 = āļāļĩ (RTGS: ti)
- 06:00-11:59 = āđāļĄāļāđāļāđāļē (RTGS: mong chao)
- 12:00-12:59 = āđāļāļĩāđāļĒāļ (RTGS: thiang)
- 13:00-15:59 = āļāđāļēāļĒāđāļĄāļ (RTGS: bai mong)
- 16:00-18:59 = āđāļĄāļāđāļĒāđāļ (RTGS: mong yen)
- 19:00-23:59 = āļāļļāđāļĄ (RTGS: thum)
Thailand is in the UTC+07:00 time zone, which is also known as Indochina Time (ICT) and military time zone Golf.
Thai six-hour clock
[edit]The Thai six-hour clock divides the day into four distinct 6-hour periods and reflects traditional Thai customs. While modern Thailand primarily uses the 24-hour clock for official purposes, this system remains a cultural heritage from earlier Thai norms. It is still occasionally used in informal settings, especially in rural areas and casual conversation.
Notation of the Thai time system:[9]
- The first six-hour period (01:00â06:00) is expressed using the numbers 1 through 6, followed by the phrase "āļāļĩ" (ti).
- The second six-hour period (07:00â12:59) is expressed using the numbers 1 through 6, followed by the phrase "āđāļĄāļāđāļāđāļē" (mong chao).
- The third six-hour period (13:00â18:59) is expressed using the numbers 1 through 6, followed by the phrase "āļāđāļēāļĒ" (bai) or "āđāļĄāļāđāļĒāđāļ" (mong yen).
- The fourth six-hour period (19:00â00:59) is expressed using the numbers 1 through 6, followed by the phrase "āļāļļāđāļĄ" (thum).
The terms mong and thum originate from the sounds produced by traditional Thai instruments: the gong and the drum, respectively. These sounds were historically used as signals to mark the passage of time. mong represents the sound of the gong, associated with signaling the day, while thum represents the sound of the drum, used to signify the night. This system of timekeeping was formalized during the reign of King Mongkut.
Thai 24-hour clock
[edit]The 24-hour clock in Thai is used similarly to the international system, especially in formal contexts like transportation, news, military, and government. By expressing 00:00-23:59, followed by the phase "āļāļēāļŽāļīāļāļē" (RTGS: nalika)[10]
| 24-hour numerical notation | Time | Modified 6-hour | 24-hour | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thai | RTGS | Thai | RTGS | ||
| 24:00 or 00:00 | Midnight | āđāļāļĩāđāļĒāļāļāļ·āļ | thiang khuen | āļĒāļĩāđāļŠāļīāļāļŠāļĩāđāļāļēāļŽāļīāļāļē or āļĻāļđāļāļĒāđāļāļēāļŽāļīāļāļē | yi sip si nalika or sun nalika |
| 01:00 | 1 early morning | āļāļĩāļŦāļāļķāđāļ | ti nueng | āļŦāļāļķāđāļāļāļēāļŽāļīāļāļē | nueng nalika |
| 02:00 | 2 early morning | āļāļĩāļŠāļāļ | ti song | āļŠāļāļāļāļēāļŽāļīāļāļē | song nalika |
| 03:00 | 3 early morning | āļāļĩāļŠāļēāļĄ | ti sam | āļŠāļēāļĄāļāļēāļŽāļīāļāļē | sam nalika |
| 04:00 | 4 early morning | āļāļĩāļŠāļĩāđ | ti si | āļŠāļĩāđāļāļēāļŽāļīāļāļē | si nalika |
| 05:00 | 5 early morning | āļāļĩāļŦāđāļē | ti ha | āļŦāđāļēāļāļēāļŽāļīāļāļē | ha nalika |
| 06:00 | 6 in the morning | āļŦāļāđāļĄāļāđāļāđāļē | hok mong chao | āļŦāļāļāļēāļŽāļīāļāļē | hok nalika |
| 07:00 | 7 in the morning | āđāļāđāļāđāļĄāļāđāļāđāļē | chet mong chao | āđāļāđāļāļāļēāļŽāļīāļāļē | chet nalika |
| 08:00 | 8 in the morning | āđāļāļāđāļĄāļāđāļāđāļē | paet mong chao | āđāļāļ āļāļēāļŽāļīāļāļē | paet nalika |
| 09:00 | 9 in the morning | āđāļāđāļēāđāļĄāļāđāļāđāļē | kao mong chao | āđāļāđāļēāļāļēāļŽāļīāļāļē | kao nalika |
| 10.00 | 10 in the morning | āļŠāļīāļāđāļĄāļāđāļāđāļē | sip mong chao | āļŠāļīāļ āļāļēāļŽāļīāļāļē | sip nalika |
| 11.00 | 11 in the morning | āļŠāļīāļāđāļāđāļāđāļĄāļāđāļāđāļē | sip et mong chao | āļŠāļīāļāđāļāđāļ āļāļēāļŽāļīāļāļē | sip et nalika |
| 12:00 | Midday | āđāļāļĩāđāļĒāļāļ§āļąāļ | thiang wan | āļŠāļīāļāļŠāļāļāļāļēāļŽāļīāļāļē | sip song nalika |
| 13:00 | 1 in the afternoon | āļāđāļēāļĒāđāļĄāļ | bai mong | āļŠāļīāļāļŠāļēāļĄāļāļēāļŽāļīāļāļē | sip sam nalika |
| 14:00 | 2 in the afternoon | āļāđāļēāļĒāļŠāļāļāđāļĄāļ | bai song mong | āļŠāļīāļāļŠāļĩāđāļāļēāļŽāļīāļāļē | sip si nalika |
| 15:00 | 3 in the afternoon | āļāđāļēāļĒāļŠāļēāļĄāđāļĄāļ | bai sam mong | āļŠāļīāļāļŦāđāļēāļāļēāļŽāļīāļāļē | sip ha nalika |
| 16:00 | 4 in the afternoon | āļāđāļēāļĒāļŠāļĩāđāđāļĄāļ | bai si mong | āļŠāļīāļāļŦāļāļāļēāļŽāļīāļāļē | sip hok nalika |
| 17:00 | 5 in the afternoon | āļŦāđāļēāđāļĄāļāđāļĒāđāļ | ha mong yen | āļŠāļīāļāđāļāđāļāļāļēāļŽāļīāļāļē | sip chet nalika |
| 18:00 | 6 in the evening | āļŦāļāđāļĄāļāđāļĒāđāļ | hok mong yen | āļŠāļīāļāđāļāļāļāļēāļŽāļīāļāļē | sip paet nalika |
| 19:00 | 1 at night | āļŦāļāļķāđāļāļāļļāđāļĄ | nueng thum | āļŠāļīāļāđāļāđāļēāļāļēāļŽāļīāļāļē | sip kao nalika |
| 20:00 | 2 at night | āļŠāļāļāļāļļāđāļĄ | song thum | āļĒāļĩāđāļŠāļīāļāļāļēāļŽāļīāļāļē | yi sip nalika |
| 21:00 | 3 at night | āļŠāļēāļĄāļāļļāđāļĄ | sam thum | āļĒāļĩāđāļŠāļīāļāđāļāđāļāļāļēāļŽāļīāļāļē | yi sip et nalika |
| 22:00 | 4 at night | āļŠāļĩāđāļāļļāđāļĄ | si thum | āļĒāļĩāđāļŠāļīāļāļŠāļāļāļāļēāļŽāļīāļāļē | yi sip song nalika |
| 23:00 | 5 at night | āļŦāđāļēāļāļļāđāļĄ | ha thum | āļĒāļĩāđāļŠāļīāļāļŠāļēāļĄāļāļēāļŽāļīāļāļē | yi sip sam nalika |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Buddhist Calendar".
- ^ "āļĄāļŦāļēāļĻāļąāļāļĢāļēāļ ( Shaka Era )". www.digitalschool.club. Retrieved 2024-11-22.
- ^ "āļāļļāļĨāļĻāļąāļāļĢāļēāļ". www.digitalschool.club. Retrieved 2024-11-22.
- ^ "āļĢāļąāļāļāđāļāļŠāļīāļāļāļĢāđāļĻāļ". www.digitalschool.club. Retrieved 2024-11-23.
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