Thailand (Siam)

Capital : Bangkok (Krungthep, 'City of Angels')

History

The country's religion is Buddhist but society has absorbed many outside influences. Intermarriage with the Chinese is common, usually Chinese man with Thai woman, and Western influnces are visible. The name Thailand is taken from the Siamese word for 'free'.

Pronunciation

Thai	English
'ch' and 'j'	interchangeable
'kh'	like k
'ph' and 'bh'	like p
'th' and 'dh'	like t
'v'	like 'b
'w'	like 'v'
'a'	like 'ah'
'ai'	like i
'ae'	like 'ai' in air
'i'	like e
'u'	like oo
final 'b'	like p
final 'j'	like d
final 'l'	like 'n'
final 'se'	not pronounced
ng at beginning	like ng at end

Thai Names

Most names are pronounced with the last syllable stressed. Some can be used for either males or females.

Male

Alak	Ananda	Annan	Anuia	Anuman	Anurak
Badinton	Baharn	Bahn	Bapit	Baroma	Bhakdi
Bhumipol	Boon-mee	Boon-Nam	Burut	Cha	Chai
Chairat	Chaiyanuchit	Chaiyo	Chakri	Chalerm	Chalermchai
Chanthara	Chao	Chao-Khun-Sa	Chao-Tak	Charoen	Charoensom
Charong	Chatchalerm	Chatchom	Chatri	Chaturon	Chavalit
Chesda	Chompoo	Chongrak	Choochai	Chuachai	Chuan
Chuanchen	Chuia	Chula	Chulalongkorn	Chulamai	Churai
Chuthamani	Daeng	Deng	Dhipyamongkol	Ditaka	Dithakar
Dok	Duchanee	Emjaroen	Erawan	Fah	Fufanwonich
Gee	Hanuman	Intradit	Ittiporn	Jaidee	Jao
Jarunsuk	Jatukamramthep	Jayavarman	Kamnan	Kanda	Karmatha
Kasem	Kasemchai	Kasemsan	Keetau	Khakanang	Khun
Kit	Kitti	Kittibun	Kittichai	Kittichat	Kob
Komalat	Korn	Kraisee	Kraisingha	Kriengsak	Kris
Krita	Krom-Luang	Kukrit	Kusa	Kwanchai	Kwanjai
Lamom	Lamon	Lap	Lek	Loesan	Luk
Maha	Mahidol	Malian	Manitho	Mee	Mengrai
Metananda	Mok	Mokkhavesa	Mongkut	Monyakul	Nadee
Nai-Thim	Nak	Nang-Klao	Narai	Naresuan	Naris
Narisa	Net	Ngam	Nikom	Nikon	Nintau
Nit	Noi	Nongchai	Noppadon	Norachai	Nui
Nung	Nuta-Laya	Obb	Othong	Pairat	Paitoon
Pakhdi	Palat	Paramendr	Parnchand	Pet	Petchara
Petchra	Phaibun	Phara	Phinihan	Phraisong	Phrom-Borirak
Phya	Pichai	Pichit	Pira	Pra	Prachuab
Pramoj	Prasong	Praves	Prisna	Proi	Pu
Rachotai	Rak	Ramkamhaeng	Rangsan	Ratanankorn	Ratsami
Sajja	Sanouk	Santichai	Sanun	San'ya	Sap
Sarawong	Sataheep	Satrud	Sawat	Seni	Si
Siam	Sinn	Sombat	Somchai	Somdetch	Somdet-Ong-Yai
Sompron	Son	Soo	Sook	Sophuk	Sri
Srimuang	Su	Suda	Sudarak	Suk	Sumatra
Sunan	Sundaravej	Suntarankul	Sunti	Sup	Suphatra
Suphayok	Supoj	Supp	Supsampantuwongse	Suriwongse	Suriyawong
Sutep	Tai	Tak-Sin	Tam	Tau	Tep
Tham-boon	Thammaraja	Thanit	Thanom	Thawanya	Thawi
Thongkon	Thurdchai	Ti	Tiloka	Ting	Tinsulaananda
Ton	Tong	Totsakan	Toy	Ubol	Udom
Unakan	Vajiralongkorn	Vajiravudh	Vessandan	Vidura	Wasi
Wattana	Wiset	Witsanunat	Wongsa	Xuwicha	Yai
Yhukon	Yindee	Yod	Yongchaiyudh	Yongchaiyuth	Yubamrung

Female

Abhasra	Achara	Adung	Anchali	Apsara	Ban
Banjit	Benjakalyani	Boon-mee	Boon-Nam	Busaba	Butri
Cantana	Catchada	Chaiama	Chalermwan	Chanachai	Chandra
Chanhira	Chanthara	Chao-fa	Charanya	Chariya	Charoen
Charoenrasamee	Charunee	Chatmanee	Chatrsuda	Chatumas	Chaveevan
Chawiwan	Chintana	Chirawan	Choi	Chomechai	Chomesri
Chomsiri	Chuachan	Chuasiri	Chulaborn	Chumbot	Churai
Damni	Dao	Dhipyamongko	Dok	Dok-Rak	Duan
Duang-Prapha	Hansa	Jaidee	Jintana	Kaeo	Kalaya
Kamala	Kamchana	Kanchana	Kanita	Kannika	Kanya
Khae	Khun	Kimnai	Klip	Kohsoom	Krijak
Kultilda	Kwaanfah	Kwanjai	Lalana	Lamai	Lamom
Lek	Lukden	Ma-dee	Mae	Mae-Duna	Mae-Khao
Mae-Noi	Mae-Pia	Mae-Ying-Thahan	Mai	Malee	Mali
Malivalaya	Maliwan	Manee	Mani	Manya-Phathon	Maprang
Mekhala	Mekhalaa	Mekhla	Monthani	Naruemon	Ngam
Ngor	Nim	Nimnuan	Nittaya	Noi	Noklek
Noom	Pakpao	Petchra	Phak-Phimonphan	Phan	Phara
Phi	Phim	Piam	Pichitra	Pitsamai	Prahong
Pranee	Prang	Praphat	Rajini	Ramphoei	Ratana
Rochana	Rutana	Saeng	Saowapa	Sarai	Sarakit
Savitree	Sawat	Simla	Sirikit	Sirindhorn	Somawadi
Songsuda	Son-Klin	Srinak	Sri-Patana	Srisuriyothai	Sua
Suchada	Sugunya	Sukanda	Sukonta	Sumalee	Sumana
Sunanda	Sunatda	Sunetra	Sunisa	Supaporn	Sureeporn
Talap	Tamarine	Thaksincha	Thao-Ap	Thiang	Tookta
Tppiwan	Tui	Tuk	Tukata	Tulaya	Tum
Tuptim	Ubolratana	Um	Ung	Wani-Ratana-Kanya	Wipa
Wismita	Yaowalak	Yen	Ying	Yodmani

Surnames

Native Thai surnames tend to be fairly short. The very long surnames are often those of the large number of Chinese immigrants who moved into the country after the Communist revolution and adopted Thai names. Apparently, a newly registered name has to be one that does not already exist and longer names are less likely to be duplicated

Aduladej	Apichart	Ariyanuntaka	Benjawan	Boonmee	Bunnag
Chaipatana	Chaiyasan	Chakrabonse	Chalerm	Chalor	Chamlong
Chamroon	Chao	Chavalit	Choonhavon	Dabaransi	Darawan
Ekaluck	Hubson	Inchareon	Jivacate	Kantawong	Kawrungruang
Keacham	Khadpo	Khumpai	Kukrit	Kulawanit	Leekpai
Luang	Mahidol	Monkoltham	Nitaya	Nitpattanasai	Noppachorn
Nut	Panomyaong	Parnthep	Patalung	Phatipatanawong	Phya
Pibul	Pichit	Pisit-na	Plaphol	Prachuab	Pramoj
Prapass	Prateung	Praves	Preecha	Prem	Pridi
Prinya	Puarborn	Samak	Samenem	Silpa-archa	Sitdhirasdr
Srichure	Srisai	Sudham	Supachai	Supasawat	Klinpraneet
Suprija	Sutabuhr	Tanasugarn	Tangwongsan	Tantasatityanon	Thabchumpon
Thanwareth	Thawan	Thong-oon	Tomson	Tongproh	Traivut
Veerapol	Wongrutiyan	Yao-Yun	Yongchaiyudh

Rulers

Sukhothai

Name	Reign		Spouse
Intradit	1238-70
Ramkamhaeng	1279-c.99	son of Intradit
Li Thai (Thammaraja)	1347-68

Lanna

Mengrai	-1317
Tiloka	1442-88

Ayutthaya

Naresuan	1590-1605
Narai	1657-88

Thonburi

Taksin	1767-82

Bangkok (Chakri Dynasty)

Rama 1 (Chao Phya Chakri)	1782-1809	General under Taksin
Rama 2	1809-24
Rama 3 (Chesda)	1824-51
Rama 4 (Mongkut)	1851-68	brother of Rama 3
Rama 5 (Chulalongkorn)	1868-1910	son of Rama 4	Saowapa Sunanda
Rama 6	1910-25
Rama 7	1925-35
Rama 8 (Ananda Mahidol)	1935-46	nephew of Rama 7
Rama 9 (Bhumipol Adulyadej)	1946-	brother of Rama 8	Sirikit
Vajiralongkorn		son of Rama 9

Hill Tribes

Akha

Hmong/Meo

Karen

Lahu

Lawa

Yao

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This collection of names compiled by Kate Monk. Copyright January 1997, Kate Monk. Last updated November, 97. Copies may be made for personal use only.