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LEXICON P

 

 

paang (ปาง)

See pahng.

Pacific Reef Egret

Common name for a large wading bird, with the binomial designation Egretta sacra. READ ON.

pad (พัด)

Thai. ‘Fan’. Of old an utensil of the Far East. See also punka.

pad bai kapho (พัดใบกะพ้อ)

Thai. A small, round to heart or lotus-shaped fan, with a short handle, and woven from the dried leaves of the fan palm. READ ON.

pad bai laan (พัดใบลาน)

Thai. Fan made of the leaf of a species of palm called Corypha lecontei, which is similar to the sugar palm or ton taan. In China, similar palm-fans known as bajiao shan, are often exquisitely decorated with typical Chinese patterns and designs, and used as decorative items (fig.). It is an attribute of Phra Malai and Shin Thiwali.

pa daek (ປາແດກ)

Lao for pla daek.

pad daam jiw (พัดด้ามจิ้ว)

Thai. A folding fan (fig.). Traditionally made in Chiang Mai in North Thailand and usually painted with scenes of Thai landscapes or ornamental motifs. The folding fan originated in Japan in the 8th century and was taken to China in the 9th century by a Japanese monk who had brought some folding fans to China as an offer to the Emperor. See also fan.

paddy

Name for rice in the husk, before threshing it, as well as for a field where rice is grown.

Paddyfield Pipit

Common name for a small passerine bird in the pipits and wagtail family Motacillidae, and with the scientific designation Anthus rufulus. READ ON.

pad lek (พัดเหล็ก)

Thai for ‘iron fan’. See tessen.

padma (पद्म)

Sanskrit. ‘Lotus flower’, i.e. a pink lotus. White, red and blue lotuses are called differently, i.e. pundarika, kamala, and utpala, respectively. In general, the lotus is a symbol in Indian culture associated with purity, creativity and fertility, and the padma or pink lotus is generally reserved for the highest deities and the Buddha himself. In Buddhism, it is a symbol of Enlightenment. In iconography the lotus is often used as a pedestal for Buddha images or a base for Hindu deities. See also pathum and Padma.

Padma (पद्म)

Sanskrit. Another name for the Hindu goddess Lakshmi, in her form as ‘mother of the earth’. See also padma.

Padmapani (पद्मपाणि)

Sanskrit. ‘Lotus in the hand’. The bodhisattva Avalokitesvara in his appearance as creator, depicted with many small figures that emerge from his body and represent all beings, gods, and buddhas over whom he has the power to create. See also Radiating Avalokitesvara.

Padmasambhava (पद्मसम्भव)

Sanskrit. Name of a deity considered to be an emanation of the Amitabha Buddha and worshiped in Vajrayana Buddhism and Lamaism. He is also known as Guru Rinpoche, among many other appellations.

padmasana (पद्मसन)

Sanskrit. ‘Lotus throne’. The seated pose of a divinity (asana) with crossed legs forming a circular space resembling an open lotus. See also pathum and padma.

Padong (ปะด่อง)

One of the subgroups of the Longneck Karen in Thailand, originally from Burma. They live principally in the province of Mae Hong Son.

padwaanlawichanih (พัดวาลวีชนี)

Thai. ‘Royal Fan and Yak's Tail’ or ‘Royal Fan and Fly Whisk’. Part of the Thai royal regalia or kakuttapan. These are symbolic items that the king uses to ward off any peril that may befall his people. During the reign of king Rama I the fly whisk was made from yak hair, but this was changed during the reign of king Mongkut (Rama IV), replacing it with the tail-hair of a White Elephant, a tradition that still lasts today.

pad yot (พัดยศ)

Thai. ‘Fan of rank’. A kind of fan attached to a stick and used in certain religious and in royal ceremonies. READ ON.

Pae Kong (แป๊ะกง)

Thai-Chinese. Another name for the Tae Chew deity Peung Thao Kong (fig.).

pae kuay (แป๊ะกวย, แปะก๊วย)

Thai-Chinese name for the Ginkgo biloba (fig.), as well as for it seed, i.e. a kind of a semi-large bean with a hard nut-like shell (fig.). When peeled it is of a yellowish colour and used in soups as well as in rice dishes. In English the seeds are known as ginkgo nuts, after the tree they grow on. This tree, which is found in China, is a unique species of tree, with no close living relatives and thus classified as a single species in its own family, i.e. Ginkgoaceae. Ginkgo nuts are often seen for sale in bulk on markets around Bangkok's Chinatown. Also spelt pae guay.

paengman (แป้งมัน)

Thai name for tapioca starch, starch of the cassava.

pae riyan (แปะเหรียญ)

Thai. ‘To paste coins’ or ‘to stick coins’. Name for a kind of tradition or form of tamboon in which worshippers or visitors to certain places of worship, leave or stick coins onto an object of reverence (fig.), such as a Buddha image (fig.), or an object in its vicinity. Also transliterated pè rian or similar.

Paet Riw (แปดริ้ว)

Thai. ‘Eight lines’ or ‘eight stripes’. A nickname for Chachengsao (fig.), that derives from a story which relates that the city's river (fig.) once teemed with giant snake-head fish that needed up to eight cuts (paet riw - fig.) on each side, to make it into sun-dried fish.

paga (ਪੱਗ)

Punjabi name for the Hindi term pagri, meaning ‘turban’.

Pagan (ပုဂံ)

1. For 230 years the capital of Burma and the city of Burma's Golden Era, between the 11th and 13th centuries AD. Its earliest edifice dates from the late ninth century and it was probably founded in 849 AD by the Burmese who lived on the irrigated rice lands of the Mandalay region (fig.), after the collapse of the earlier Pyu Period. The city was eventually abandoned subsequent to the invasion of Kublai Khan in 1287, and in 1297, the remaining regime was toppled by the three brothers who co-founded the Myinsaing Kingdom. There are still around 2,217 pagodas among the remains of another 2,000 temple ruins, as well as the Bagan Archaeological Museum (map - fig.). Originally, the walled city had twelve gates, but the western and northern parts of the city wall were washed away by the Irrawaddy River (fig.) and the Tharabha Gate, i.e. the main gate of the east wall, is today the only near-intact gate of the old city (map - fig.). Among the more important monuments and places of interest are Alodawpyi Phaya (map - fig.), Ananda Phaya (map - fig.), Buphaya (map - fig.), Dhammayangyi Phaya (map - fig.), Dhammayazika Phaya (map - fig.), Gu Byauk Gyi Zedi Myinkaba (map - fig.), Gu Byauk Gyi Zedi Wetkyi-in (map - fig.), Htilominlo Phaya (map - fig.), Kyaukgu Umin (map - fig.), Lawkananda Zedi (map - fig.), Maha Bodhi Phaya (map - fig.), Mahazedi Pagoda (map - fig.), Mahuna Phaya (map - fig.), Myazedi Phaya (map - fig.), Nan Phaya Kyaung (map - fig.), Nathlaung Kyaung (map - fig.), Ngakywenadaung (map - fig.), Kyauk Sa Ga Gyi Phaya (map - fig.), Phaya Thonzu (map - fig.), Pitaka Taik (map - fig.), Pottery Hill (map - fig.), Pya Tha Gyi Phaya (map - fig.), Sabbannu Phaya which is also known as Thatbyinnyu Phaya (map - fig.) and its Tally Temple (map - fig.), Shwegugyi Phaya (map - fig.), Shwezigon Phaya, Bagan (map - fig.), Sulamani Phaya (map - fig.), Tantkyitaung Zedi (map - fig.), Gawdawpalin Phaya (map - fig.), Thambula Temple (map - fig.), Mingala Zedi (fig.), Tabatkya Zedi (map - fig.), Shwesandaw Phaya (map - fig.) and Tuyintaung Zedi (map - fig.). See also Pegu and Hongsawadih. See MAP.

2. Art style from the period and region of Pagan, and amply on display at the Bagan Archaeological Museum in Old Bagan (map - fig.).

3. Name of the 9th King of the Konbaung Dynasty of Burma, who reigned from 17 November 1846 to 18 February 1853, when he was forced to abdicate by his half brothers Mindon Min (fig.) and Kanaung (fig.), in favour of the former. To avoid confusion with the Burmese capital described above, he is usually referred to as Pagan Min (ပုဂံမင်း), i.e. ‘King Pagan’.

Pagan Min (ပုဂံမင်း)

Burmese for ‘King Pagan’.

pagoda

1. A temple, religious or sacred tower, usually in a tapering shape and consisting of several stories, and found in Burma, China, Vietnam (fig.), Korea and Japan. Its form is often octagonal, which corresponds to the Eightfold Path in Buddhism, and it usually has an odd number of stories, as this corresponds with the yang principle of the yin-yang concept, i.e. the bright aspect, which relates to Enlightenment and thus in turn also to heaven. Similar to and sometimes used as a translation for the Thai word chedi, along with the word stupa. It may also refer to an idol found in such a temple or tower. In Thai known as tha.

2. Idol found in such a temple.

3. In Vietnam, a temple in Mahayana Buddhism.

4. In Myanmar, term used generally to refer to a temple and its compound, that is any temple, whether it has an actual pagoda, i.e. a sacred tower (zedi or stupa), or not. In this manner it is similar as described above, i.e. an idol found in a temple. In Burmese referred to as Phaya.

pagri (पगड़ी)

Hindi. ‘Turban’. Name of a shawl-like piece of cloth, that is worn as a kind of headwear, manually wound around the top of the head of men in India. READ ON.

pah chok (ผ้าจก)

Thai. Name for a kind of traditional cloth (fig.) from Central Thailand, which is produced by using the chok weaving technique (fig.). It is typically woven from silk or cotton, or from a combination of both. Also transcribed phah jok.

pah gohng gahng (ป่าโกงกาง)

Thai name for mangrove woods.

pah hahd siao (ผ้าหาดเสี้ยว)

Thai. Name for a kind of fabric with different patterns, woven with the use of a supplementary weft technique. It is a product from Sri Satchanalai, where it is traditionally woven by the Thai Phuan.

pah kahsahwapad (ผ้ากาสาวพัสตร์)

Thai. The saffron −or alternatively, ochre to brown− coloured robe for Buddhist monks. Within the temple compound this robe covers only one shoulder, but when monks go outside they usually cover themselves completely (fig.). When working (fig.) they wear a lighter shirt called angsa (fig.). In both Buddhism and Hinduism, saffron and ochre are colours that symbolize renunciation. Also kahsahwapad. See also traijiewon.

pahkaomah (ผ้าขาวม้า)

Thai. Multi-functional loincloth usually worn around the waist by farmers (fig.), when not used. It serves as a sarong, a loincloth for bathing in the open or as a headscarf but may also be applied as an improvised bag and sometimes even to cook food in.

pah khit (ผ้าขิต)

Thai. ‘Khit cloth’. Name for an ancient type of hand-woven cloth (fig.), which is produced in certain areas of Isaan. It typically uses geometric patterns in contrasting colors, usually a darker pattern over a light background, often with the colours red, purple and dark green. Formerly this style of cloth was used in the traditional household dress of the area, like shoulder cloths, but also to make pillows that are generally known as mon khit, etc. In the past it was customary for Isaan girls to learn to weave khit cloth before getting married. There are about 72 different patterns, each with its own specific designation. In 2004, some of those patterns (fig.) were publicized on a set of four Thai postage stamps (fig.).

Pahk Khlong Talaat (ปากคลองตลาด)

Thai. ‘Canal Mouth Market’ or ‘Market at the Mouth of the Canal’. Name of the biggest wholesale and retail fresh flower market in Bangkok. READ ON.

pahk nahm (ปากน้ำ)

1. Thai. ‘Water mouth’. Designation for the estuary of a river, as well as the end or confluence of any other waterway, such as a canal, etc. Sometimes transliterated Paknam, as in Paknam Incident.

2. Thai. Nickname for the city of Samut Prakan, which is located at the estuary of the Chao Phraya River. Sometimes transliterated Paknam, as in Paknam Incident.

3. Thai. Name of a tambon in the amphur Sawankhalok, in the province of Sukhothai (fig.). See also POSTAGE STAMP.

pah krahb (ผ้ากราบ)

Thai. ‘Prostrating cloth’. A piece of cloth placed in front of an altar or Buddha image for resting one's hands and head while praying. This 25 by 50 centimetre yellow cloth is mainly used by -especially newly ordained- monks and novices and is often seen attached to their traijiewon.

pah mai saket (ผ้าไหมสาเกต)

Thai name for an ancient pattern on silk cloth from Roi Et, made (fig.) with the matmi thechnique (fig.). It is mainly pinkish to violet in colour and has a very detailed pattern, using colours that usually include white and gold. Also transcribed pha mai saket and sometimes called pah mai laai saket.

pah leh laai (ป่าเลไลย์)

See Parileyyaka and pahng pah leh laai.

pahng (ปาง)

Thai. The attitude, position, pose or style of a Buddha image, e.g. as used in the Phra prajam wan system. Also paang.

pahng bamphen thukkarakiriyah (ปางบำเพ็ญทุกรกิริยา)

Thai-Rajasap. ‘The pose of practicing suffering’ or ‘the attitude of observing mortification’. A style of Buddha image in the attitude of mortification (fig.). READ ON.

pahng chan samoh (ปางฉันสมอ)

Thai-Rajasap. ‘Position of eating the gall-nut fruit’. Buddha image seated in the half lotus position with his left hand in his lap and with his right hand placing the gall-nut fruit (samoh) in his mouth to eat (chan). The Buddha sits enjoying happiness under a tree during the seventh week after his Enlightenment when in the morning Indra offers him the samoh, the medicinal fruit of the gall-nut tree, a tree of the genus Terminalia. An alternative pose referring to the same narrative is called pahng rab (phon) samoh and shows the Buddha accepting the fruit with his right hand. Also pahng chan phon samoh.

pahng hahm phra kaen jan (ปางห้ามพระแก่นจันทน์)

Thai-Rajasap. ‘Position of stopping the sandalwood Buddha image’. Buddha image in a standing pose with a abhaya mudra corresponding to Monday in the Phra prajam wan system. In this pose the left hand is raised with the palm forward as if making a stopping sign and it refers to a scene when the Buddha returned from Tavatimsa heaven. When the Buddha was away king Udayana had a sandalwood replica made of him which he erected in a large hall in Sravasti. On his return this Buddha image greeted the Buddha in a miraculous manner, but the Buddha stopped this by raising his left hand ordering the image back to its place to enable it to serve as an example for the making of other images after his death. A variation of this is the abhaya mudra with the right hand raised, known as pahng hahm yaht. Only in Thailand there exists yet another variation in which the Buddha has two hands raised in front of him with the palm forward (fig.), known as the pose of ‘calming the waters’, in Thai pahng hahm samut.

pahng hahm samut (ปางห้ามสมุทร)

Thai-Rajasap. ‘Position of stopping the ocean’ or ‘calming the waters’. Buddha image in a standing pose with an abhaya mudra performed with two hands, a pose found only in Thailand. This pose correspond with Monday in the Phra prajam wan system and refers to an episode where the Buddha calmed the flood waters of the Nairanjana River, a tributary of the Ganges in North India. See also pahng hahm yaht and pahng hahm phra kaen jan.

pahng hahm yaht (ปางห้ามญาติ)

Thai-Rajasap. ‘Position of stopping the relatives’ or ‘calming the relatives’. Buddha image in a standing pose with an abhaya mudra corresponding to Monday in the Phra prajam wan system. In this pose the right hand is raised with the palm forward, as making a stopping sign. It refers to an episode where the Buddha  returning from Tavatimsa heaven after an absence of three months stopped a quarrel among his relatives over the rights for water of a river flowing through their land. He arbitrated between blood relatives, of both his father and mother, forcing them to make a compromise and share the water. See also pahng hahm phra kaen jan and pahng hahm samut.

pahng hyieb lohk (»Ò§àËÂÕºâÅ¡)

Thai. ‘Posture of stepping on the world’. Name of a rather unique and rare Buddha image in a standing pose with one foot on a globe, stepping on the world, subduing it.

pahng kho fon (ปางขอฝน)

Thai. ‘Position of requesting for rain’. Buddha image in a seated or standing pose in which the right hand is held forward on chest level with the finger tips pointing forward or upward and the left hand is bent in front of the waist with the palm upward as if forming a bowl. This pose is related to the pahng song nahm pose and refers to a scene in which the Buddha calls for rain after a long period of drought. In some images the head of the Buddha is lifted upward, as if looking at the sky in anticipation of the coming rain (fig.). See also gandharattha.

pahng leelah (ปางลีลา)

Thai-Rajasap. ‘Attitude of the gracefully procession. Thai designation for a walking Buddha. Also spelled paang lihlaa. See also Leelah.

pahng nahg prok (ปางนาคปรก)

Thai-Rajasap. ‘Position of the overspreading naga’. Buddha image seated in meditation on the coiled body of the naga Muchalinda that uses its head as a cover against rain. This pose refers to a scene during the sixth week after Siddhartha's Enlightenment, when the naga king protected the Buddha, who was in deep meditation under a Taengwood Tree, against heavy rainfall by making a shelter with his multi-headed hood and lifted him above the flood waters by coiling its body under him. According to some old texts it coiled its body around the Buddha (fig.). This pose corresponds with Saturday in the Phra prajam wan system. Occasionally represented with the Buddha seated in a bhumisparsa pose (fig.), a pose often found in Myanmar (fig.), where the overspreading naga is also found depicted over a standing Buddha (fig.). Besides this, it may also refers to Vishnu, of whom the Buddha is an avatar, and who is also often represented seated (fig.) or reclining on the giant snake Ananta, e.g. Anantasayin (fig.). See also POSTAGE STAMP.

pahng pah leh laai (ปางป่าเลไลย์)

Thai-Rajasap. ‘Position of Parileyyaka (pah leh laai) [forest]’. Buddha image in a pose seated in western style with a monkey and an elephant in the front. This image corresponds with Wednesday during night-time in the Phra prajam wan system. The pose refers to a scene in Kausambi during the tenth year after the Buddha's Enlightenment, when the disciples were quarreling amongst themselves causing the Buddha to retire in the forest, searching for calm. A monkey then brought him honey to eat and an elephant, water to lessen his thirst. This pose is also called Rahu (compare with Rahu in the Indian Phra prajam wan system - fig.). See also TRAVEL PICTURES.

pahng pathom thetsanah (»Ò§»°Áà·È¹Ò)

Thai-Rajasap. ‘Position of the first sermon’. Name for Buddha image in a seated pose, that symbolizes the Buddha's first public discourse of his doctrine which was given to five ascetics at Mrigadava, a deer park in Sarnath, edifying the panjawakkih, in iconography depicted with a mudra or gesture known as dhammachakka and vitarka. The largest Buddhs statue in the world portrayed in this position is situated in a giant hall at Wat Phraphuttha Saengtham in Saraburi (fig.). WATCH VIDEO.

pahng peut lohk (ปางเปิดโลก)

Thai-Rajasap. ‘Position of opening the world’. Buddha image in a standing pose, with the arms pendent alongside his body, the forearms lifted slightly outwards and the palms turned forwards. READ ON.

pahng phijahranah chara tham (ปางพิจารณาชราธรรม)

Thai-Rajasap. ‘Position of meditating on the dhamma of aging’. Buddha image seated in the half lotus position, with both hands resting on the knees, the palms down. In English it is usually called the Consider the Great Truth pose, but also referred to as the pose of Considering Old Age. The pose relates to the final year of his life, when the Buddha stopped at a place near Vulture's Peak, known as Veluvana. Aged eighty and seriously ill, the Buddha preached to his disciple Ananda on physical decay, explaining him the Law (Dhamma) of Old Age, i.e. that sickness, old age and death are inevitable to all creatures, describing his body as an old cart which must be repaired with bamboo, and bundled up with narrow strips of leather. The pose is confusingly similar to pahng rab matoop yaht, in which a Buddha image seated in the half lotus position, has both hands resting on the knees, the palms up.

pahng plong kammatahn (ปางปลงกรรมฐาน)

Thai-Rajasap. ‘Position of meditating (kammataan) on the cremation or disposal of [a corpse] (plong)’. Buddha image in a standing pose with a walking stick hanging from his left hand and his right arm pointing downward, the hand slightly forward as if making a gesture, although the positions of the right hand and arm may vary slightly, and sometimes he is holding the walking stick with his left hand (fig.), rather than letting it hang from the hand. It refers to the scene in which the Buddha meditates beside the corpse of a girl in Sawatthi on the nature of phenomenal existence and its cessation. Afterwards he took the girl's shroud and made it into a monastic robe thus symbolizing the transience of life.

pahng prathan phon (ปางประทานพร)

Thai. ‘Position of giving a blessing’ or ‘blessing pose’. Buddha image, usually seated in western style, with one hand held up the thumb and index finger touching or nearly touching, while the other arm is held down with hand palm up and the elbow in L-shape, a pose somewhat similar to certain depictions of the varada mudra (fig.). A famous Buddha image in this pose is known as Luang Pho Prathan Phon (map - fig.), and is found in many places around the nation, such as at the Phra Pathom Chedi in Nakhon Pathom and at Wat Phanan Choeng in Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya. Occasionally, Buddha statues in the blessing pose may be seated in the lotus position, such as the Maha Pathimakorn (ÁËÒ»¯ÔÁÒ¡Ã) Buddha statue at Wat Phrathat Doi Saket in Chiang Mai.

pahng prathap yeun (ปางประทับยืน)

Thai. ‘Position of standing at ease’. Buddha image in a standing pose with both arms hanging  passively alongside the body and the eyes downcast. In this pose the Buddha stands quietly before commencing his duties thus reflecting his complete awareness of what he is doing.

pahng proht Alavaka yak (ปางโปรดอาฬาวกยักษ์)

Thai. ‘Position of preaching to the yak Alavaka’. Buddha image in a seated pose, with the left hand on his lap and the right hand raised in front of the chest with the fingers folded, as in the preaching manner. It is the Buddha image worshipped by people that are born in the year of the rat.

pahng proht sat (ปางโปรดสัตว์)

Thai. ‘Position of preaching to living creatures’. Buddha image as the guardian of animals, in a standing pose with the right hand raised and palm forward, similar to the abhaya mudra, whilst the other hand is raised and stretched outward with the palm up (fig.). The pose refers to a scene in the life of the Buddha when he stayed in a mango grove near the city of Nalantha (นาลันทา) and told Asiphanthabut (อสิพันธบุตร)), a local headman, that he always extends loving-kindness to all living creatures and taught the dhamma thoroughly, without any prejudice to any human being, including people from other religions.

pahng rab matoop yaht (ปางรับมธุปยาส)

Thai. ‘Position of accepting rice porridge’. Fame for the pose of a Buddha image seated in the half lotus position, with both hands resting on the knees, the palms up. It refers to the episode in the Buddha's life before his Enlightenment, when he accepted milk-rice or rice porridge from a young, rich and beautiful milkmaid named Sujata. The pose is confusingly similar to pahng phijahranah chara tham, in which a Buddha image seated in the half lotus position, has both hands resting on the knees, the palms down.

pahng rab samoh (ปางรับสมอ)

Thai. ‘Position of accepting the gall-nut fruit’. Buddha image seated in the half lotus position with his left hand in his lap and his right arm extended to accept (rab) the gall-nut fruit (samoh). The Buddha sits enjoying happiness under a tree during the seventh week after his Enlightenment when in the morning Indra offers him the samoh, the medicinal fruit of the gall-nut tree, a tree of the genus Terminalia. An alternative pose referring to the same narrative is called pahng chan (phon) samoh and shows the Buddha placing the fruit in his mouth with his right hand. Also pahng rab phon samoh.

pahng ram peung (ปางรำพึง)

Thai. ‘Position of reflecting or thinking in retrospect’. Buddha image in a standing pose with both hands crossed over the chest, meaning ‘contemplation’, ‘consideration’ or ‘retrospective thinking’. This pose refers to a scene in which the Buddha contemplates the subtle nature of dhamma and ponders on how to reveal this to mankind. This happened after the visit of the two merchants Tapussa and Bhalika came to pay their respects. The Buddha considered that his teachings may be understood better by some than by others. He compared this with the image of lotus flowers, of which some are already flourishing above the water while others are still below the surface awaiting their bloom. The pose of this image corresponds with Friday in the Phra prajam wan system. A variety exists in which both hands are crossed over the belly rather than over the chest (fig.). See also POSTAGE STAMP.

pahng saiyaat (ปางไสยาสน์)

Thai. ‘Position of sleeping or reclining’. Buddha image in a reclining pose. READ ON.

pahng samahti (ปางสมาธิ)

Thai. ‘Position of meditation’. Buddha image in the seated pose of concentration or meditation, similar to the dhyani mudra. It refers to a higher form of meditation and corresponds with Thursday in the Phra prajam wan system, associated with teachers, lawyers and judges. See also samaddhi.

pahng song nahm (ปางสรงน้ำ)

Thai-Rajasap. ‘Position of having a bath’. Buddha image in a standing pose with a bathing cloth over the left shoulder and the right hand in front of the chest, as if throwing rain water over himself. The left arm hangs passively alongside the body. This pose refers to a scene that happened in Kosala district at Sravasti, in India. After receiving many meagre meals in his alms bowl during a protracted period of drought the Buddha pitied the population and asked his disciples for a bathing cloth near a lotus pond in the garden of Jetavana. When he started to walk in the direction of the pond it began raining and the Buddha washed himself with rainwater. See also pahng kho fon.

pahng tawaai naet (ปางถวายเนตร)

Thai-Rajasap. ‘Position of dedicating (tawaai) [with] the eyes’. Buddha image in a standing pose with the arms crossed in front of the waist, the right hand resting on the left. It refers to a scene just after the Buddha's Enlightenment when he, according to legend, admired the bodhi tree in gratitude for a whole week without even blinking his eyes (naet). During  this event the Buddha was in a state of bliss in which he realized the triviality of all foregoing in his life and contemplated on the suffering of all living things, including the bodhi tree. This image corresponds with Sunday in the Phra prajam wan system and its name may also be translated as ‘the open-eyed posture’. It is also known as the ‘position of standing in pensive thought’.

pahng thukkarakiriyah (ปางทุกรกิริยา)

Thai-Rajasap. ‘Position of mortification’ or ‘attitude of suffering’. A bearded Buddha image in a seated, meditation pose with a thin, emaciated body (fig.). The image refers to a scene in which Siddhartha and the panjawakkih practiced extreme asceticism for six years in a place near the village of Uruvela. He tried to bring his body and passions into subjection by self-denial but his extreme mortification almost resulted in his death, following the idea of Mahavira, who taught that anyone who overcame his desires would be prepared to fast to death (fig.), hence he consumed just one grain of rice per day, until Suchada eventually offered him a bowl of milk-rice porridge, thus ending his six years of asceticism. Afer this, he concluded that there is a middle path between austerity and worldliness and abandoned his mortification. Also called pahng bamphen thukkarakiriyah.

pahng um baat (ปางอุ้มบาตร)

Thai-Rajasap. ‘Position of carrying the alms bowl (baat)’. Buddha image in a standing pose holding an alms bowl with both hands. This image corresponds with Wednesday during daytime in the Phra prajam wan system. This pose refers to the first morning in Kapilavasthu on the Buddha's first visit to his father's palace. In the early morning he went to beg for food among the subjects of his father since nobody had actually invited him for breakfast, although they had received him the night before and had prepared breakfast. Tradition however does not allow mendicant monks to ask for food but eat whatever they are offered by believers.

pah nung (ผ้านุ่ง)

Thai. To wear a cloth as a lower garment. Name for a traditional sarong-like garment for both women and men, especially in the past. READ ON.

pah phrae mongkhon (ผ้าแพรมงคล)

Thai name for a piece of ‘silk’ cloth in several different colours used in elemental worship and tied around objects, either to worship or for protection, such as the bow of a boat or a tree, the latter two often in order to worship or appease naang mai, i.e. female spirits that inhabit trees. In spite of its name this cloth is usually not made of silk (phrae) but is rather of a synthetic fabric. See also hom pah and TRAVEL PICTURE.

pah prachiad (ผ้าประเจียด)

Thai. Piece of cloth with yan numbers and sacred script, used as a charm to make someone invulnerable. Often red but appears also in others colours. Also known as pah yan. See also prachiad. They are often placed above door lintels to bless anyone entering or leaving the house. In Nepal and Tibet, similar pieces of cloth are used as prayer flags. They are put out in the open and the wind will send the prayers written on them out in the world, a principle similar to the Tibetan prayer wheel.

pah sompak (ผ้าสมปัก)

Thai name for a kind of royal sarong-like garment, similar to the traditional pah nung, but of a high, brocade-like quality and given to the nobles according to their position. READ ON.

pah thip (ผ้าทิพย์)

Thai. ‘Celestial or heavenly cloth’. Ornament or decorated piece of cloth hanging in front of a pedestal. It is part of the pedestal and made from the same material. Usually with seated Buddha images or other seated deities.

pah thong goh (ปาท่องโก๋)

Thai-Chinese. Name of a wok-fried pastry which, prior to consumption, is usually dipped in soya milk (nahm tao hoo), sweet and sour milk, or coffee. When fried the dough becomes of a golden colour and swells into a quaint curved x-shape. Sometimes translated as Chinese donut.

pah tihn jok (ผ้าตีนจก)

Thai. Piece of cloth with a decorative pattern, woven with silk and used as part of skirt-like dress. The pattern often has embroidery, made with golden or silver braid or tinsel in the form of a thread, which is woven with intervals, resembling falling rain. Also transcribed pha teen chok, or similar. See also pah nung.

pahtimohk (ปาติโมกข์)

Thai. The code of 227 precepts for a Buddhist monk. See also Buddhist precepts.

pahto (ပုထိုး)

Burmese. Architectural term used for a stupa with a vaulted base, as found in early Bagan style temples, especially so-called gu or cave temples, such as Pahtothamya Gu Phaya (fig.). It is pronounced pahtu or pahtoe, rather than patho, what the given transliteration suggests.

Pahtothamya Gu Phaya (ပုထိုးသားများဂူဘုရား)

Burmese. Name of a temple in Old Bagan. READ ON.

pah wai (ผ้าไหว้)

Thai. Cloth or clothes offered by a groom to his parents in law, after a wedding ceremony.

pah yan (ผ้ายันต์)

See pah prachiad.

pah yok (ผ้ายก)

Thai name for brocade.

pai (ไพ)

Thai. An obsolete coin equal to three satang.

paifang (牌坊)

Chinese. ‘Memorial archway’ or ‘signboard archway’. Name of a traditional Chinese-style architectural edifice in the form of a decorated archway. READ ON.

paijayon (ไพชยนต์)

Thai. Name for Indra's abode, banner and vehicle.

Painted Bronzeback

Another designation for the Common Bronzeback.

Painted Copperleaf

See hoo plah son.

Painted Jezebel

Common name for a medium-sized butterfly, with the binomial name Delias hyparete. READ ON.

Painted Stork

Common name for a large wading bird, with the scientific designation Mycteria leucocephala. READ ON.

pa-kahrang (ปะการัง)

Thai generic designation for ‘coral’, i.e. both solitary and colonial marine invertebrates that develop from coelenterate organisms and consist of a deposit of calcium carbonate, with the coelenterate animal producing a calcareous skeleton and polyps. Over time the coral develop into coral rocks and coral islands, thus creating a coral reef. There are many different kinds, each with its own varieties, including Sea Whips or Sea Fans (fig.), Brain Corals (fig.), Flower Pot Corals (fig.), Mushroom Corals (fig.), Flower Corals (fig.), Bubble Corals (fig.), Common Lettuce Corals, etc.

pa-kahrang dokmai (ปะการังดอกไม้)

Thai name for Wonder Coral. It is a compound of pa-kahrang and dokmai, and can thus be translated as ‘flower coral’.

pak kae salak (ผักแกะสลัก)

Thai. The culinary art of sculpturing vegetables into shapes and reliefs, usually in order to adorn banquets. It is related to fruit carving, which is known in Thai as ponlamai kae salak (fig.), though both arts are similar and their terms are often used interchangeably, and they are very often practiced together (fig.). Most commonly, larger-sized vegetables are used, such as pumpkins, East Asian white radishes (fig.), and carrots. Besides being merely decorative, the carved vegetables may in certain cases also have a practical use, e.g. a carved pumpkin, that is hollowed out and used as a bowl to serve food (fig.). Also transcribed phak gae salak. See also POSTAGE STAMPS.

Paknam Incident

A military engagement that took place during the Franco-Siamese War near Samut Prakan, and is named after this city located at the estuary of the Chao Phraya River. READ ON.

pak pao (ปักเป้า)

1. Thai. A ‘female’ kite that fights the chula (fig.), the ‘male’ kite, during kite contests. The aim is to try and eliminate each others kite in the air. The pak pao has a diamond shape. See also kite flying fights.

2. Thai for ‘globe fish’, ‘balloon fish’ or ‘puffer’ of the genus Tetraodon.

paksah (ปักษา)

Thai-Pali for ‘bird’, particularly used in literature, next to paksi and paksin, all with the same meaning. Mythological compound creatures with some features of a bird, often carry one of the above designations in their name, e.g. Kabin Paksah, Kraison Paksah, Asurapaksi, Theppaksi, etc.

paksi (ปักษี)

Thai-Pali for ‘bird’. Also transcribed paksih or paksee. See also paksah.

paksin (ปักษิน)

Thai-Pali for ‘bird’. See also paksah.

pak tob chawa (ผักตบชวา)

Thai for water hyacinth.

Pak Thong Chai (ปักธงชัย)

Thai. ‘Victory Flag Planting’. Name of an annual tradition in the amphur Nakhon Thai (นครไทย) in Phitsanulok, which is hence also known as the Nakhon Thai Flag Flying Festival. On the waxing moon of the 14th of the 12th month, usually around November, the district organizes a big fair to celebrate and display the unity of its people, who will parade specially made flags through the village and then hike up Khao Chang Luang Mountain where they will plant them on the summit. This is depicted on a Thai postage stamp issued in 2018 to promote tourism in Phitsanulok (fig.).

Pala (पाल)

1. Dynasty that ruled over the Bihar and Bengal regions in northern India, between the 8th and 12th centuries AD.

2. Name given to an art form between the 8th and 12th centuries AD from the North Indian empire of Bihar and Bengal.

paladkik (ปลัดขิก)

See pladkik.

pa-ladkik (ปลัดขิก)

See pladkik.

palanquin

Indian style sedan chair with a hood and concealing curtains. Also yahnamaht and yahnumaht. See also saliang and kaanhaam.

Pale-chinned Flycatcher

Common name for a kind of Flycatcher, with the scientific designation Cyornis poliogenys and a common resident in Nepal, below altitudes of 455 meters. It is about 18 centimeters large and has a greyish head and a well-defined pale creamy throat. The breast is creamy-orange and at the flanks, these colours merge with the whitish belly. Its upperparts are grey, which is darker on the sides.

Pale Grass Blue

Common name for a very small, about 26 to 30 millimeter-sized butterfly. READ ON.

Pale Orb Weaver

Common name for a small spider, with the scientific designation Araneus mitificus and which is found in many countries of South, East, and Southeast Asia. READ ON.

Pali

An ancient language derived from Vedic Sanskrit and used in the sacred texts of Theravada or Hinayana Buddhism, contrary to Sanskrit  which is used in Mahayana Buddhism. Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravada Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha's speech. Closely related to Sanskrit, both languages are sometimes used interchangeably between these religious sects. Pali texts were originally recorded in Sinhala, the official script of Sri Lanka, as well as in other scripts, such as Khmer and Burmese. Later also Mongolian, Thai and Devanagari, through to a Romanized form, have been used.

palladium

1. A sacred image upon which protective and supernatural powers are bestowed.

2. Rare white metallic element used as a catalyst and in jewellery.

Pallas's Squirrel

Another name for the Mountain Red-bellied Squirrel.

Pallava

A Hindu dynasty in Southeast India that flourished between the 4th and 8th centuries AD usually classified as post Gupta, from the 6th to 8th century AD, a significant period in art history.

palm hahng mah jing jok (ปาล์มหางหมาจิ้งจอก)

Thai for Foxtail Palm.

Palong (ปะหล่อง, ပလောင်)

Name of a hill tribe people in Thailand, that originally come from Burma's Shan State (fig.). READ ON.

Pa-mah (พม่า)

Thai name for Burma, which derives from Bamar, i.e. the name of the dominant ethnic group in Myanmar, which is Thai is similarly known as Chao Pa-mah.

Panaspati (पनस्पति)

Sanskrit. ‘Lord of the jungle’ or ‘lord of the wilderness’. A form of Shiva who offers protection against the dangers and demons of the jungle. The term also refers to either a composite winged animal head or a mythical animal that combines the body of Nondi (Shiva's bull), the wings of Hamsa (Brahma's swan) and the head of the Garuda (Vishnu's vehicle), sometimes assumed to be the same as Brahmanaspati. In Thailand, as well as in Mon Dvaravati art, it is occasionally depicted as the vehicle of the Buddha and referred to as Phra Phanatsabodih, which translates as ‘King of the Forest’ or ‘Lord of the Jungle’. Sometimes equated with kala, kala face or kirtimukha.

Panax pseudoginseng

Latin. Scientific name for ginseng.

pan chang (盘长)

Chinese name for the Chinese Knot.

panda

Large, bear-like, black and white mammals native to China and Tibet. READ ON.

pandan

Common name for Pandanus ordorus.

pandanus

English-Latin. Large genus of trees with around 600 species, found from East Africa to Australasia and the Pacific. READ ON.

Pandava (पाण्डव)

The tribe who fought with the Kauravas in the battle at Kuruksthera. Their leader was Pandu and his descendants are hence known as the Pandavas. Whereas Pandu remained childless, he was given an offspring through his wives and the gods. The names of the Pandavas are Yudhishthira, Bhima, and Arjuna, who were begot by Kunti (कुन्ती) with Dharma (also known as Yama), Vayu, and Indra, respectively, and the twins Nakula and Sahadeva, who were born from Madri (माद्री) with the Ashwin Twins. All five brothers were married to the same woman, i.e. Draupadi (द्रौपदी), with whom each had a son of his own. See also Bhima Swarga.

pandita (पण्डित)

Sanskrit. ‘Learned’ or ‘literate’, against apandita (अपण्डित), which means ‘unlearned’ or ‘illiterate’. The original usage of the word refers to a Hindu, usually a Brahman priest, who has memorized a substantial portion of the Vedas, together with the corresponding rhythms for chanting them. Over time its usage changed, first referring to scholars and learned or wise men, especially those skilled in Sanskrit, Hindu law, religion, philosophy or even music, and today the word has become an honorary title conferred on experts with special knowledge of or skill in any subject or field. Both the English word pundit and the Thai word bandit are derived from it. See also Vithura Chadok.

Pandu (पाण्डु)

Sanskrit. ‘Whitish’. King of Hastinapur and leader of the Pandava tribe. He had two wives, i.e. Madri (माद्री), a princess of Madra (माद्र) Kingdom, and Kunti (कुन्ती). One day, he accidently shot a sage with an arrow while hunting in the forest, having mistaken him for a deer. Hence, he was cursed with a spell that prevented him of making love to his wives, save he would die. Remaining childless, Kunti begot three sons by the gods, i.e. with Yama, Vayu, and Indra, while Madri bore a twin son from the physicians to the gods, i.e. the Ashwin twins, the sons of Ashwini. Whereas the gods were the actual fathers of Pandu's offspring, Pandu is recognized as the earthly father of his sons, who are together known as the Pandavas.

pangkaan tang phra prajam wan (ผังการตั้งพระประจำวัน)

Thai. Plan used in the Hindu Phra prajam wan system indicating the order and direction of the different gods, including Rahu and Ketu. The system sometimes follows the navagrahas or nine planets and may hence be different from temple to temple. The position of the statues will therefore be made clear with a map or plan.

pangolin

Generic common name of a –usually– nocturnal, scaly mammal, of the genus Manis, of which there exist several species, with four of them found in South, East and Southeast Asia, i.e. the Sunda Pangolin (Manis javanica - fig.), also known as the Malayan Pangolin or Javan Pangolin; the Chinese Pangolin (Manis pentadactyla); the Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata); and the Philippine Pangolin (Manis culionensis), which is also known as Palawan Pangolin or Malintong. Both the Sunda Pangolin and the Malayan Pangolin are endangered species (fig.), especially due to a high demand from China, where their scales are used in Chinese traditional medicine, notwithstanding that it is today totally illegal and despite all the scientific evidence that these scales have no therapeutic value whatsoever. Due to their many scales, pangolins have often been compared to walking pine cones or artichokes. When it sleeps or feels threatened it curls up into a ball. This state of defense has led to its common name, which is said to derive from the Malay word pengguling, a term used for things that can be rolled up. Pangolins feed on ants and in order to do so, they have extremely long and sticky tongues, as well as strong claws that help them to remove bark or break into termite mounds, etc.

Pangpond (ปังปอนด์)

Thai. Name of a popular Thai cartoon character, which was invented and created by Pakdih Saenthawihsuk (ภักดี แสนทวีสุข). He is presented as an ordinary boy, with large round eyes and 3 strands of hair on his head, and always wears blue shorts and a wine red T-shirt with a large white Thai letter P () on it, i.e. the first letter of his name. He has a lively imagination and a hyperactive personality. His curiosity often gets him into trouble, but he always finds a way out. He owns a dog called Big (บิ๊ก) and has a girlfriend named Na-moh (นะโม). In 1989, he first appeared in the Thai comic weekly Maha Sanook, but now is published in his own comic book. Since 2002, he also features in animated 3D comic movies and in 2003, Pangpond was chosen as the mascot on a set of four postage stamps issued to mark the Thai National Children's Day (fig.).

Pan Gu (盘古)

Chinese. Name of the first living being and creator of all in Chinese mythology, who slept in a black egg until he was born and started creation. READ ON.

panhtain ngo (ပန်းထိမ်ငို)

Burmese for ‘Weeping Goldsmith.

panjanatie (ปัญจนที)

Sanskrit-Thai. The five great rivers of India. See also Sapta Sindhava.

panjawakkih (ปัญจวัคคีย์)

Sanskrit-Thai. The five ascetics to whom the Buddha gave his first sermon (fig.) and who eventually became his disciples. The head of these five ascetics was Ajnata Kaundinya. He was ordained a Buddhist monk by the Buddha and hence became the first ever monk in Buddhism. See also TRAVEL PICTURES (1), (2) and (3).

pansa, phansa (พรรษา)

1. Thai-Pali. ‘Rainy season’. Period from June to October that coincides with Buddhist Lent when the monks retreat in their temples to study and meditate, and refrain from traveling to prevent destroying young vegetation and new life that blooms in this period. According to tradition many young boys are ordained as novices (naen) or monks (phra) for the duration of this period. See also khao pansa and owk pansa. Similar term for the seasonal wet monsoon include phansa reudoo (พรรษฤดู) and phansakaan (พรรษากาล), but is also known by other terms, such as reudoo fon and nah fon.

2. Thai-Rajasap. ‘Year’ or ‘age’. Respectful term used when speaking to or of royalty and monks, in order to indicate age.

pan saai lohk (ปั้นทรายโลก)

Thai. ‘World sand sculpting’. Name of an international art form, that consists of making sculptures from sand and which in Thailand is practiced especially in Chachengsao, where the sculptures usually represent characters and themes from Buddhism and the Ramakien, as well as from Thai folklore. Sand sculptures are also on display at Bangkok's Buddhist Art Garden House, which is known in Thai as Ban Suan Phuttasin (fig.).

panta (พันตา)

Thai. ‘Thousand eyes’. A name for the god Indra. Also transliterated Phan Tah.

Panthaka (पन्थक, ปันถกะ)

Sanskrit-Thai. Name of one of the eighteen arahats, and the elderly brother of Chudapanthaka. READ ON.

panwatsa (พันวรรษา)

Thai. A king who lives for a thousand years, like the king from the story Khun Chang Khun Paen. See also Somdet Phra Pan Pie Luang. Also transliterated Phanwatsah.

Panya Nanthaphikku (ปัญญา นันทภิกขุ)

Thai. ‘Monk with the Wisdom of Ananda’. Designation of a Buddhist monk (Phra pikku) from Pattalung Province. READ ON.

Pa-oh (ပအိုဝ့်)

Burmese. Name of an ethnic group in Myanmar, which are also known as Taungthu and Black Karen. READ ON.

Paowanasoon (เปาวนาสูร)

Thai. Name of an important yak character from the Ramakien, who is fighting on the side of Totsakan. READ ON.

papaya

A small kind of tree with the scientific name Carica papaja that grows to a height of 7.5 meters. The unripe fruits are used as the main ingredient in the popular Thai dish somtam. When ripe the fruits turn orange and resemble the honey melon. Also called melon tree, pawpaw and in Thai malako.

Papaver somniferum

Latin. ‘Sleep-inducing poppy’. A 50 to 150 centimeter tall plant in the botanical family Papaveraceae, from which opium and morphine are extracted. Each plant normally yields 3 to 8 opium pods (fig.) and its flowers may vary in colour from white-pink to red-purple. In Thai known as ton fin.

paper mulberry tree

A deciduous tree with the scientific name Broussonetia papyrifera, which bark is used to make paper. In Thai, it is commonly known as ton sah, ton poh sah and ton poh krasah. See also mulberry and White Mulberry.

Paphiopedilum concolor

Latin-botanical name for a species of terrestrial orchid of the genus Paphiopedilum, endemic to southern China, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. READ ON.

Paphiopedilum exul

Latin-botanical name for a rare species of terrestrial orchid of the genus Paphiopedilum, endemic to Peninsular Thailand. READ ON.

Paphiopedilum sukhakulii

Latin-botanical name for a species of terrestrial orchid of the genus Paphiopedilum, endemic to Isaan. READ ON.

Paphiopedilum villosum

Latin-botanical name for a species of terrestrial orchid of the genus Paphiopedilum, endemic to northeastern India, southern China, Myanmar and Thailand. READ ON.

Papyrus Sedge

See kok ih-yipt.

Parable of the Snake, Elephant and Fox

An ancient Buddhist tale and jataka with a moral teaching on how pride, anger and greed will lead to an untimely death. When an elephant one day stopped with its foot on a hole in which a snake had made its nest, it was arrogant and didn't want to move on the snake's request, saying that since it was the largest of all animals in the forest it didn't had to take orders from any other animals. Hence, the venomous snake became angry and bit the elephant in its leg. The giant died and fell over crushing the snake in the process, thus both were killed. A fox that passed by saw the dead elephant and wanted to eat it, but since it couldn't bite through the thick skin, it entered the corpse though its anus. Once inside, the ravenous fox ate so much that it became too fat to exit the corpse and thus also died inside the elephant. As such, arrogance, rage and greediness led to their premature demise. The story is depicted on one of the 550 glazed terracotta tiles on Shwezigon Phaya (fig.) in Bagan.

Parakeet Flower

See Heliconia.

Paramanuchit Chinorot (ปรมานุชิตชิโนรส)

Thai. Name of the 28th son of King Rama I. READ ON.

param phao sop (ปะรำเผาศพ)

Thai. ‘Body cremation pavilion’. Thai term for a crematorium. Also tee plong sop and Phra Meru (Phra Mehn).

Parasa Moth

Name of a species of slug moth in the family Limacodidae. There are several subspecies, of which Parasa repanda, with the Thai name mot non nahm sen khob khao (มอธหนอนหนามเส้นขอบขาว), Parasa pseudo repanda, and Parasa lepida are among the ones found in Thailand and other parts of Southeast Asia.

Parasurama (परशुराम)

Name of the sixth avatara of Vishnu, described as a descendant of Brahma and apprentice of Shiva. His attributes includes an axe, which he received after undertaking terrible penance to please Shiva, who in turn taught him the martial arts, making him master of all divine weapons. He is also one of the Seven Immortals of Hinduism, referred to in Sanskrit as Chiranjivi. Also transcribed Parasu-Rama and Parashurama.

Pareinma Shin Mingaung (ပရိမ္မရှင် မင်းခေါင်)

Burmese. One of 37 nats that belong to the official pantheon of spirits worshipped in Myanmar. During his life, he was the 11th Century AD King Kyiso of Pagan, and brother of King Anawrahta (fig.). He was the usurper who together with his brother Sokkate forced their stepfather, the 10-11th Century King Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu, i.e. the later nat Htibyuhsaung, to abdicate and become a recluse. Later, Kyiso was accidentally killed by a hunter's arrow while hunting for deer. After which his brother Sokkate became king for a while, until he was killed in a duel by Anawrahta for making his mother one of his consorts. See also LIST OF BURMESE NATS.

Pariah Kite

Common name for a bird of prey, with the scientific name Milvus migrans govinda, i.e. a subspecies of the Black Kite. READ ON.

parian (เปรียญ)

Thai. A graduate in theology.

parihataka (परिहाटक)

Sanskrit term for a ring worn around the arm or leg. See also keyuradhara.

Parileyyaka

Pali. Forest near Kausambi where two conversions took place. The first in the seventh year after the Buddha's Enlightenment, concerning the yaksha Avalaka, a tyrannous monster of immense powers who terrorized an entire city, and four years later, the conversion of the bandit Angulimala (fig.), the delinquent son of a brahmin who entered into the service of an evil master. It is also the forest to which the Buddha retired on his own to find rest and where he enjoyed the company of a lone elephant and a monkey, of whom he received miraculous assistance, a scene often portrayed in iconography and called pahng pah leh laai (fig.). In Thai usually called pah leh laai’, but also ‘pah li laaika’, ‘pah li laaik’, ‘pah leh laaik’, ‘pah pah li laaik’ (pah li laaik forest), and ‘pah pah leh laai’ (pah leh laai forest). The name Parileyyaka is derived from the name of the elephant who waited on the Buddha.

parinippahn (ปรินิพพาน, परिनिब्बाण)

Thai-Pali. Term for a state of complete bliss. With regards to the Buddha, oblivious to worldly things, i.e. when he passed away (fig.). See also Mahaparinirvana.

parinirvana (परनिर्वाणि)

Sanskrit. In Buddhism the final nirvana after death, when all rebirths cease. The Buddha reached parinirvana in 483 BC at Kusinagara in India, after he had gathered all his disciples to hear his final sermon. After the Buddha's demise, the Parinirvana Temple (fig.) was built at this place in order to commemorate the event, and Kusinagara became an important place of worship for Buddhist pilgrims along the so-called Buddha Trail in northern India and southern Nepal. See also Mahaparinirvana.

Parinirvana Temple replica

parinyah (ปริญญา)

Thai for an academic degree. See also education.

parinyah aek (ปริญญาเอก)

Thai for a doctor's degree or doctorate. See also education.

parinyah toh (ปริญญาโท)

Thai for a master's degree. See also education.

parinyah trih (ปริญญาตรี)

Thai for a bachelor's degree. See also education.

Paris Peacock

Name of a large species of swallowtail butterfly, with the scientific name Papilio paris. READ ON.

Parkia Tree

See sa-to.

Parrot and Palm Garden

Name for a bird sanctuary in Chachengsao's Bang Talaat (บางตลาด) district, said to be the biggest parrot farm in Thailand. It consists of a large domain set in a lush green natural environment, with many species of parrots (fig.) and palms. Besides the over 2,000 species of parrots, including some 80 rare breeds, there are also other animals, such as waterfowl, goats and deer. The Parrot and Palm Garden is known in Thai as Suan Palm Farm Nok. See MAP.

Parvati (पार्वती)

Sanskrit. ‘Daughter of the mountain’. The shakti of Shiva in a serene form (fig.) and mother of Ganesha (fig.). She is considered to be the Hindu goddess of marriage (fig.), harmony, love, fertility, beauty, children, and devotion. During Hindu weddings (fig.) and as part of the bridal jewellery, the bride typically wears a nose chain (fig.), known in Hindi as naak shrinkhala, in honour of Parvati. Also known as Uma and Devi.

pasa (पाश)

Sanskrit. ‘Lasso’. An attribute of several Hindu and Mahayana Buddhist deities, including Mahakala (fig.), Ganesha (fig.), who uses it to combat lust and desire, and also of the tantric deity Ushnishavijaya (fig.), as well as of Phra Kaan Chai Sri, the deity responsible for sending the souls of sinners to hell. In Thai called buangbaat.

Pa Sak (ป่าสัก)

Thai. Literally ‘Teak Forest’. Name of a river that originates in the Phetchabun Mountain Range (fig.) of Dahn Saai (ด่านซ้าย), a district of Loei province famous for the annual Phi Tah Khohn festival (fig.). It then flows through the provinces of Lopburi and Saraburi, and merges with the Lopburi River northeast of Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya. The latter in turn joins the Chao Phraya River near the Pom Phet city fortifications (fig.), which empties in the Gulf of Thailand (fig.) near Samut Prakan. Sometimes transliterated Pah Sak or Pasak.

pashmina

A kind of very fine cashmere wool, which is gained from a special breed of mountain goat known as Changthangi or Pashmina Goat, which is indigenous to the Himalayas, where it dwells at high altitudes. Typical products manufactured from this very soft wool are shawls. The ultra-fine cashmere fibers are purportedly several times finer than human hair, and the best quality is allegedly gained from the goat's chin and neck. Though there are blends of cashmere wool with other materials, such as silk, the quality of all cashmere (usually labeled 100% pashmina) is reportedly far superior.

Pashupati (पशुपति)

Sanskrit. Shiva as the ‘Lord of wild animals’ or ‘lord of creatures’. In South India this form of Shiva is represented with four arms, with one hand in a blessing pose, the second opened to accepting an offer, the third holding an axe, and the fourth with a small deer leaping from it.

passionflower

Name of a plant of which worldwide around 500 species exist. Most passionflowers are vines and grow in both the cooler mountains and the much hotter climate of the tropical rain forest. Passionflowers have a wide variety of colourful flowers (fig.), often perfumed and with additional sweet nectar glands on leaves, petioles and sometimes bracts. Its fruits contain a juice with an unique aromatic taste and smell. In Thai called katakrok (กะทกรก), a name with a double usage, notably for the Passiflora caerulea or Passiflora edulis (fig.), as well as for the Olax scandens, a species of plant belonging to another family. See also passionfruit, Bush Passionfruit and Leopard Lacewing.

passionfruit

Tropical fruit belonging to a plant in the family of passionflowers and with the botanical name Passiflora eduli (fig.), which in Thailand is mainly cultivated in the North and Northeast. Immature fruits have a thick, bright green skin, with small light yellow to white spots, but when ripe the skin turns reddish brown. Their shape is somewhat reminiscent of that of certain tomatoes. Inside its thick rind, the passionfruit has multiple, dark-coloured seeds, that are covered with a rather slimy fruit of flesh (fig.). When still immature it is best eaten with a teaspoon and its sweet-and-sour taste perks up by adding a little salt. Its fruiting season is from September to November. In Thai called sawarot. See also Bush Passionfruit.

pata (पट)

Sanskrit. ‘Piece of cloth’. A commemorative plaque or tablet made from earthenware, stone or metal, bearing the depiction of a deity. The name derives from earlier Buddhist cloth paintings. See also votive tablet.

patak (ปฏัก)

Thai name for a kind of goad, a long spiked stick (fig.) used for urging cattle or elephants forward. It is akin to the shorter kho chang, the elephant hook used my mahouts (fig.).

Pata Zoo

Name of a privately owned animal zoo in Bangkok, located on the top two floors, i.e. the sixth and seventh floors, of the Pata Department Store on Phra Pinklao Road. READ ON.

Pathein (ပုသိမ်ထီး)

Burmese name for small hand-painted parasols and umbrellas, with a bamboo framework, which is named after its place of origin, i.e. Pathein, a district of Ayeyawady in Myanmar. It is an attribute of U Shwe Yo (fig.). See also rom and hti, as well as TRAVEL PHOTOS (1), (2) and (3).

Pathet Lao (ປະເທດລາວ)

Laotian. Full Lao name for Laos.

Pathology and Forensic Museum

See Siriraj Hospital Museum.

pathom (ปฐม)

Thai term meaning ‘firstor primary’.

pathum (ปทุม)

Thai. Collective name for both the lotus and water lily. See also padma.

pathum unnahlohm (ปทุมอุณาโลม)

Thai. Name for the royal emblem of King Rama I, which consists of an unnahlohm, i.e. an auspicious emblematic sign used in Buddhism and similar to the yan sign (fig.), over a background shaped in the form of a stylized lotus, a flower known as pathum.

pathumah (ปทุมา)

Thai name for the Siam Tulip (fig.). Also transcribed pathummah. Compare with pathum.

pathummah (ปทุมา)

An alternative spelling for pathumah.

Pathum Tham Thada (ปทุมธรรมธาดา)

Thai-Pali. ‘Holder of the Dharma Lotus’. Name of a Buddhist monk in the reign of King Mongkut (fig.). In 1857 AD, the King invited this monk of Laotian descent and with the title of Phra Kruh, who at that time lived at Wat Bowonniwet Wihaan Rachaworawihaan (fig.), to become the first abbot of the then newly constructed temple Wat Pathum Wanaraam Ratchaworawihaan (fig.). He is nicknamed Kam (ก่ำ).

Pathum Thani (ปทุมธานี)

Thai. ‘Lotus City’. Capital of a province (map) of the same name in Central Thailand. READ ON.

patisotagami

Pali. To go against the current. Term used to describe the event in the Buddha's life, where he floated a bowl upstream, against the current of the river Nairanjana, in order to affirm his thought, i.e. if he was to gain Enlightenment. This episode is often explained as an allegory, which signifies that the Buddha's knowledge and teaching went against all the teachings of his day. Also spelled Patisothagami.

patjai sih (ปัจจัย )

Thai. ‘Four factors’. Term from Thai Buddhism which teaches that four things are absolutely necessary for human life, namely food, clothing, shelter, and medicine, and that if humans have all four of these qualities, it is considered sufficient for daily life.

Patjim (ปัจจิม)

See Prajim.

patka

Term that derives from the Punjabi paga and which refers to an under-turban, i.e. a scarf-like single piece of cloth of about one square meter, used by Sikh boys to wrap their kesh, i.e. uncut hair, which is knotted on top of their head. The cloth, sometimes referred to as a child's turban, is tied over both the topknot and the head. It may also be worn by adult Sikh men beneath their turban, usually in contrasting colours, or when playing sports. See also dastar and pagri.

Patpong (พัฒน์พงษ์)

Thai-Chinese. A famous entertainment district in Bangkok's Bangrak area, named after the Chinese Patpongpanit family that owns much of the quarter's property. Immigrants from Hainan, they purchased the land in the post-bellum years of WWII, when it was little more than an undeveloped plot of land on the outskirts of the city. Situated on the periphery of today's Sathorn's business district, between Silom and Suriwong road, Patpong has become a redlight district consisting of two alleys (Soi Patpong I and Soi Patpong II) with lots of nightclubs, go-go bars and a busy night bazaar. The area is frequented by mostly foreign tourists. Also transcribed Pat Pong, Phatphong and Phat Phong.

Pattalung (พัทลุง)

Thai. ‘City of Elephants’. Capital of a province as well as the name of the province itself, on the east coast of the southern Thai peninsula 840 kms from Bangkok. READ ON.

Pattani (ปัตตานี)

Capital of a province (map) of the same name situated on the east coast of the Thai peninsula in South Thailand. READ ON.

pattasihma (พัทธสีมา)

Thai. The territory or grounds belonging to a wat or temple, usually demarcated by Thai Buddhist flags called thong thammachak (fig.), often alternately with Thai National flags, known as thong chaht.

Pattaya (พัทยา)

Thai. Popular seaside resort (map) on the East coast of Thailand, in the province of Chonburi (map). Its name is possibly derived from ‘thap phaya’, the army (thap) of a phaya, referring to the troops of general Taksin (later king Taksin) that were stationed in the area (fig.).  However, other sources claim that the name comes from the southwest wind which in Thai is spelled slightly differently and named phat taya. Each year on April 19th it celebrates the Pattaya Festival, a local extension and climax of the nationwide Songkraan Festival. Also transcribed Phattaya. See MAP.

Pattaya Festival

Annual festival in Pattaya on 19 April, usually celebrated as a kind of local extension and climax of the nationwide Songkraan Festival.

pattisangkhon (ปฏิสังขรณ์)

Thai. To restore old temples, Buddha images (fig.) and palaces.

Paung Daw Oo Buddhas

See Hpaung Daw U Buddhas.

pawpaw

A nickname for papaya.

peach

The well-known round juicy fruit with downy yellowish and pink skin, which is in China regarded as a symbol of longevity. The peach tree tends to flower quite early in spring, producing pinkish flowers, which are abundantly spread over its branches (fig.). Peach blossoms are considered so pretty that they frequently occur as a subject in Chinese paintings and art. See Peach of Immortality.

Peach of Immortality

In China, the peach (fig.) is a symbol of longevity. Xi Wangmu (fig.), Queen Mother of the West and mother of the Jade Emperor, has a magical tree that bears peaches of immortality. Whoever eats from them will attain everlasting life. READ ON.

peacock

Common name for a kind of large, pheasant-like bird, of which males have bright and colourful feathers. READ ON.

Peacock Pansy

Common name for a nymphalid butterfly found in South and Southeast Asia, and with the scientific name Junonia almana. On the upperside, its wings are rich orange-yellow, with buff outer margins. On the upper margin of the forewings there are short perpendicular bars, with lateral jet-black marginal lines. Both the fore- and hindwings have large ocelli, the ones on the forewings brownish and white-centred, with an outer black-buff ring, the ones on the hindwings dark orange, with a black-white outer ring and a white centre as well as a larger, off-centre black spot. On the underside, the wings are ochreous brown, with the same pattern as above, but much paler. The antennae are dark brown with brownish-orange tips, whereas the head is orange-brown, and the thorax and abdomen are blackish, with orange-brown furry colouring. In Thai, this species is known as phi seua phaensih mayura (ผีเสื้อแพนซีมยุรา). See also WILDLIFE PICTURES.

pea eggplant

See makheua phuang.

peanut plant

See thua lisong.

Peanut Worm

Common name for a species of unsegmented marine worm, with the scientific designation Sipunculus nudus. READ ON.

pearl

See khai muk.

pedah (पेड़ा)

A kind of spiced biscuit from India, made from sweetened khoa (fig.) with flavourings, such as saffron and cardamom (fig.), and formed into balls or thick disc-like chunks. This sweet is originally from of Uttara Phrathet, i.e. Uttar Pradesh. Also transcribed peda and pedha.

Ped Bluesman

Ped Bluesman, a rising blues guitarist and singer from Hua Hin, who usually performs in venues across Bangkok and with his band called Ped's Band (formerly known as Hoochie Coochie Band) mostly covers songs of famous blues artists, such as BB King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Buddy Guy, the Allman Brothers Band, Muddy Waters, etc.

Pegu (ပဲခူး)

State and Kingdom of the Mon before annexation by Burma. READ ON.

Pegu Medaw (ပဲခူးမယ်တော်)

Burmese. ‘Royal Mother Pegu’. Name of a nat, whom previously was a female buffalo, who is said to have raised a prince who got lost in the wilderness. READ ON.

Peking Opera

A form of traditional Chinese theatre, that surfaced at the end of the 18th century AD. READ ON.

Penan

Name of an indigenous people of Borneo, and their language. READ ON.

peng (เป้ง)

Thai for opium weight.

Penh (ពេញ)

Khmer. Name of a wealthy lady, who is associated with the name of the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh, as she had a temple built on a 27 meter tall hill, called phnom in Khmer, in order to house a piece of wood from a candlenut tree which she in 1372 AD had found floating in the Tonlé Sap River (fig.) and that contained images of four buddha's, as well as an image of Vishnu. The compound name of this venerated height, located in the present capital, and of the lady who built the temple on its summit was in 1434 AD chosen to be the name for the city when it was founded. Today the lady Penh has a personal shrine (map - fig.) at this temple, which is known as Wat Phnom (map - fig.), as well as a bronze statue adjacent to the temple's compound.

penjing (盆景)

Chinese. ‘Miniature landscape’. Chinese term for the art of tray scenery, the growing of miniature trees in trays (fig.), usually better known by its Japanese name bonsai (fig.). In Thai, it is known as khao mo, i.e. a form of a miniature garden arrangement with rocks and stones in potted plants. See also topiary (fig.).

Pennywort

See Asiatic Pennywort.

Pensajuba (ပဉ္စရူပ)

Burmese. Name of a composite animal from Burmese mythology. READ ON.

Peony

Generic name for plants in the genus Paeonia. READ ON.

pepper tree

See prik thai.

persimmon

A fruit from China with the scientific name Diospyros kaki. READ ON.

pet daeng (เป็ดแดง)

Thai. ‘Red duck’. Name for the Lesser Whistling Duck.

petrified wood

Name for a rare form of fossilization in which wood or an entire tree has been turned completely into stone, due to an underground process known as petrifaction, in which all the organic materials are being replaced with minerals (i.e. permineralization), whilst the original structure of the wood is being retained. A collection of this kind of fossilized wood can be observed at the Northeastern Museum of Petrified Wood and Mineral Resources, located in the Isaan province of Nakhon Ratchasima. In Thai petrified wood is known as saak deuk dam ban mai klai pen hin (ซากดึกดำบรรพ์ไม้กลายเป็นหิน) or simply mai klai pen hin (ไม้กลายเป็นหิน).

Peung Thao Kong (ปึงเถ่ากง)

Thai-Chinese name of a Tae Chew deity who is also known as Pae Kong (fig.). Places where he is worshipped are known as Sahn Peung Thao Kong (fig.), and he is worshipped as the protection god for places, locations and dwellings, especially with regards to a neighbourhood, a community or a village, whereas to protect and maintain the place of residence concerning ones land, home or house, the deity to be worshipped is Di Zhuia (fig.), i.e. the Tae Chew equivalent of the Thai chao thih, the animist guardian spirit of the land, in Chinese referred to as Tu Di Gong and in Vietnamese known as Tho Cong (fig.). A small altar dedicated to Di Zhuia may also be found in the Sahn Peung Thao Kong.

phaak (พาก)

Northern Thai term for tawak.

phaan (พาน)

1. Thai. A usually golden or silver tray, cup, or bowl (khan) with a base or pedestal. It is often lotus-shaped and used as a platter, especially for presenting gifts to royalty or monks, or to donate offerings to a temple.

2. Thai. Name of a Phraya, who was governor of Nakhon Sri Wichai, i.e. presentday Nakhon Chai Sri (นครชัยศรี) district in Nakhon Pathom, and whom ordered the capture of a clever wild elephant with a nice character, which he wanted to make into his war elephant. Initially it could avoid being caught, but due to the ingenuity of three hunters, known as Saam Phraan, who dug a large pit on the path that the wild elephant regularly traveled on, it was eventually captured.

phaang pha theed (ผางผะทีด)

Thai. Northern dialect. Earthen oil lamp in northern Thai style. Its appearance differs according to the craftsmanship of the maker and age, and some are reminiscent of the dipa used in India (fig.). It is used to enlighten the environment as well as an offering, similar to a lantern or censer, by lighting it and place it decoratively in a temple or at any place of worship during important religious holidays or festivals. Besides this it is also used in daily life as replacement for an ordinary lamp, to illuminate darkness during the night. To kindle a phaang pha theed, a coiled-up, cotton cord is placed in the base of the lamp, as a wick, and lubricated with coconut oil, sesame oil, groundnut oil or tallow. Sometimes called or transcribed phaang pha teed, phaang pra theeb, phaang pra theet, phaang pha theet, phaang pha teeb or phaang pra theep. See also POSTAGE STAMP.

phaap sih sathon saeng bon phah kammayih (ภาพสีสะท้อนแสงบนผ้ากำมะหยี่)

Thai. Name for a style of painting, using fluorescent paint on black velvet, usually with a mixture of bright green, orange, yellow and blue, though sometimes only one colour is used. It is typically sold as souvenirs on street markets and classic themes include picturesque landscapes, Thai village life, and elephants, and to a lesser extend also figures from Thai or oriental mythology. These kind of paintings are surely not for everyone's taste, though they are regularly found in local style pubs and restaurants, usually under a black light (UV light) to intensify the fluorescent effects of the paint.

phab phiab (พับเพียบ)

Thai. ‘To fold full-fledged’. Term for a pose in which one sits in a traditional Thai style, typically on the floor, with the legs folded back to one side, the feet pointing backwards, a pose often seen in Buddhist temples, where it is considered highly ill-mannered to point the feet, the lowest and thus considered the least respectful part of the body, towards the principal Buddha image. While seated on the floor in Buddhist temples, ones feet should therefore always point away from the main Buddha image. The position is a variant of another sitting pose known as phanaeng choeng, which means ‘to sit cross-legged’ and which is typically used when seated in meditation (fig.).

Pha Daeng Nang Ai (ผาแดง นางไอ่)

Name of an epic folktale from Isaan, though thought to have originated in neighbouring Laos. READ ON.

Phad Jahmon (พัดจามร)

Thai. ‘Fly-whisk Fan’. Name of a kind of kreuang khwaen, i.e. net or frame-like, stringed flower arrangements, that are used as a decoration to suspend at windows, doorways, gables, etc. This specific type is knitted in the form of a traditional fan that itself is shaped as a closed lotus bud. Though its bases is made with jasmine buds (fig.) and white dok rak (fig.), for the remainder it typically uses flowers with bright colours. This type of flower decoration is depicted on a Thai postage stamp issued in 2005 (fig.). It is also referred to as Phad Thai (พัดไทย), i.e. ‘Thai Fan’, not to be confused with the dish phad thai (ผัดไทย), which is spelled with pho pheung (), instead of with pho phaan (พ).

phad thai (ผัดไทย)

Thai. Name of a popular dish made from flat rice noodles stirred in a wok (phad) with other ingredients. To begin with the wok is heated up adding cooking oil, an egg that needs to be scrambled with a fork and some chicken broth to soften the noodles which are put in next. Then soybeans are added, followed by dried shrimps, slivers of carrot, green shallots leaves, ground peanuts, tamarind sauce, small cubes of fried tofu and some ginger. The dish is usually served with a whole fresh shallot and a slice of a banana plant's flower bud (fig.).

phad phrik thai dam (ผัดพริกไทยดำ)

Thai. Name of a dish with chunks of meet, chicken or fish, stir fried in a wok (phad), with black (dam) pepper (phrik thai), fish sauce, oyster sauce, and some other ingredients, typically also including sliced onion and bell peppers, and served over rice. According to the choice of meet used, it is referred to by first mentioning the name of the meet, e.g. moo phad phrik thai dam when pork is used, pla phad phrik thai dam if fish is used, etc.

phae (แพะ)

Thai for ‘goat’, while a ‘sheep’ is called kae. The goat, or alternatively the sheep (fig.), is the eight animal sign of the Chinese zodiac (fig.). People born in the Year of the Goat are said to be pretty calm individuals and nurturers, that enjoy taking care of other people. The goat features on many a Thai postage stamp, including the Songkraan Day Postage Stamp, issued in 1991 (fig.), and the Zodiac Year of the Goat Postage Stamp, issued in 2003 (fig.). In Vietnam, the Arahat Khan Mon La Han, one of the Eighteen Arahats (fig.), who is otherwise known as Chudapanthaka (fig.), may be depicted riding a goat (fig.). See also TRAVEL PICTURES.

Phae Meuang Phi (แพะเมืองผี)

Thai. ‘Ghost Land Grove’, sometimes translated as ‘Mysterious Land Grove’. Name of a 167 rai or 66 acres forest park, in Thai called wanna uthayaan, located in Phrae province. The area consists of cliffs and columns, formed by subsidence and erosion of the soil, leaving the crust of harder cements in stunning shapes, some resembling giant mushrooms. According to legend, in the past no human nor animal dared to pass through the area, as it was considered a land of ghosts (phi). Though, one day a villager did pass by and discovered this natural treasure and in 1981 the area was declared a national park. Today, the park features a walking trail and several viewpoints (fig.). Phae Meuang Phi is somewhat similar to the Lalu soil formations in Sa Kaeo (fig.). See MAP.

phaen duang (แผ่นดวง)

Thai. ‘Astrological sheet’. Name for a small gold coloured metal sheet with astrological yan signs distributed at temples or at certain ceremonies and intended to enhance good fortune. One has to write ones name and date of birth on it (using a metal pin or nail) and then deposit it in a large box in the temple. Afterward they are melted and the cast into a Buddha image, thus allowing everyone to contribute in the making of a new Buddha image. Also known as phaen duang yan maha pohkkasap, what translates as ‘astrological yan sheet for great wealth’ and if without the astrological signs also referred to as phaen thong kham.

phaen kra-yo (แผ่นกระยอ)

Thai. ‘Kra-yo sheet’. Name for rice wrappers, very thin sheets of a dough-like pastry, which are used as wrappers for fresh spring rolls, known in Thai as popiya sod (fig.) or popiya Vietnam. The sheets are created by daubing the liquid mixture onto a piece of linen cloth, which is stretched over a steaming kettle filled with boiling water and covered off by a coin-shaped lid, allowing the dough to become solid without drying out. After this short process, the soft sheets are carefully taken off with a very thin spatula (fig.) and sun-dried on large, grid-like frames made from bamboo (fig.). The sheets are round and thin, and look somewhat like pancakes, though almost transparent and white in colour.

phaen thong kham (แผ่นทองคำ)

Thai. ‘Gold sheet’. Name for a small gold coloured metal sheet distributed at temples or at certain ceremonies and intended to enhance good fortune. One has to write ones name and date of birth on it (using a metal pin or nail) and then deposit it in a large box in the temple. Sometimes the metal sheets have the shape of the leaves of a bodhi tree (fig.) and are symbolically hung on a imitation tree at the temple. Afterward they are melted and the cast into the image of an idol or a Buddha image, thus allowing everyone to contribute in its making as a form of tamboon. See also phaen duang.

phaet sawan (แพทย์สวรรค์)

Thai. Physician of heaven’. A designation of Thanwantari, one of the avatars of Phra Narai, who is considered to be a health deity.

phah pah (ผ้าป่า)

Thai. The robes offered to monks during a thod phah pah ceremony. See also phum phah pah.

phah thung (ผ้าถุง)

Thai. A simple sarong-like skirt somewhat like a tube skirt.

Phahurat Manihmai (พาหุรัดมณีมัย)

Thai. The first daughter (fig.) of King Chulalongkorn with his consort Queen Saowapha Phongsri. She was born on 19 December 1878, at Phra Rachawang in Bangkok, but with poor health throughout her childhood, the princess died at the untimely age of eight, on 27 August 1887. She is portrayed on one of a rare set of unmarked postage stamps of the Royal Family issued in circa 1893 (fig.).

phai (ไผ่)

Thai name for bamboo. Also mai phai.

phai nahm tao (ไผ่น้ำเต้า)

Thai. ‘Calabash bamboo’. Name for Bambusa ventricosa, a species of bamboo with bulbous culms (fig.), that won it the nickname Buddha's Belly Bamboo, referring to the obese Chinese Smiling Buddha (fig.), rather than the historical Buddha. This type of bamboo is native to Guangdong province in China, but is widely cultivated in subtropical regions around the world for its ornamental features, for which it is also used in bonsai. The Thai designation is also based on the stem's bulbous shape, which is considered as redolent of a bottle gourd, called nahm tao in Thai. In Vietnamese, it is known as trúc đùi gà (fig.).

Phairoht Thanomwong (ไพโรจน์ ถนอมวงษ์)

Thai. Name of the founder of Ban Hun Lek (fig.), an art project in which he transforms discarded parts of machines, trucks and cars into imitations of robot-like figures, both in human and animal-like form, as well as into futuristic mock vehicles. See also TRAVEL PICTURES.

phakah krong (ผกากรอง)

Thai generic name of a flowering plant, with the botanical name Lantana camara, and found in many tropical and sub-tropical areas of the world. It produces clusters of small flowers with salver-form corollas, which vary in colour depending on the subspecies. The existing array includes the Pink Caprice Lantana, with pink to lilac and white flowers, each with a yellow core; the Spanish Flag, with red and yellow flowers (fig.), like the colours of the national flag of Spain; Cloth of Gold, with clusters of yellow flowers (fig.); Lantana camara blanca, with white flowers with a yellow centre; etc. In the wild, this species is very invasive, but it is also often found as an ornamental plant in gardens, and its flowers are highly favoured by a variety of butterflies.

phak bung (ผักบุ้ง)

Thai for morning glory, swamp cabbage and water spinach, i.e. a vine-like plant (fig.), that grows plentifully in usually shallow, standing water, such as ponds, ditches and roadside canals. READ ON.

phak bung fai daeng (ผักบุ้งไฟแดง)

Thai. ‘Red fire water spinach’. See phak bung.

phak bung farang (ผักบุ้งฝรั่ง)

See phak bung.

phak bung loi fah (ผักบุ้งลอยฟ้า)

Thai. ‘Sky-floating water spinach’. The morning glory flying vegetable. See phak bung.

phak chih (ผักชี)

Thai for ‘coriander’, an aromatic plant which seeds, known in Thai as malet phak chih (fig.), are used in cuisine for flavouring.

phak kahd khao (ผักกาดขาว)

Thai. A Chinese cabbage, with the scientific name Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis, and in English known as napa cabbage or celery cabbage, yet it is in general simply referred to as Chinese cabbage, although that name is also used for many other varieties. It is widely used in East Asian cuisine. The somewhat rutted, elongated leaves, which are light green with white petioles, sit tightly packed together in the cylindrical head, with the tip of the leaves growing toward each other. In Mandarin, it is called da bai cai (大白菜), which means ‘large white vegetable’, a term used to differentiate it from certain types of phak kwahng tung, which are called bai cai (白菜) or xiao bai cai (小白菜), which means ‘white vegetable’ and ‘small white vegetable’ respectively.

phak kahd khao plih (ผักกาดขาวปลี)

Thai. A Chinese cabbage, similar to phak kahd khao, but of a darker green colour, softer and less rutted leaves, that are packed less compact together, and with the tip of the leaves growing outward, rather than toward each other. Despite these differences, it also is commonly referred to as napa cabbage and generally as Chinese cabbage, but has also been given the name Won Bok. It scientific designation is Brassica rapa, subsp. pekinensis, var. cephalata.

phak kahd khao kwahng tung (ผักกาดขาวกวางตุ้ง)

Thai. A Chinese cabbage, with the scientific name Brassica chinensis. It has broad green leaves and white petioles or stems, and is also known as snow cabbage, bok choy (บอกฉ่อย), and in Thai additionally as phak choy (ผักฉ่อย). There is smaller version of the same vegetable, which is referred to as Shanghai bok choy, baby bok choy or mini bok choy, and in Thai also as baby phak choy (เบบี้ผักฉ่อย) or mini phak choy (มินิผักฉ่อย). This smaller version is simply less-mature and the stems are pale green. In Mandarin, it is called bai cai (白菜), or xiao bai cai (小白菜), which means ‘white vegetable’ and ‘small white vegetable’ respectively, with the latter term being used to differentiate it from phak kahd khao, which is called da bai cai (大白菜), meaning ‘large white vegetable’. See also phak kwahng tung.

phak kahd kiyaw kwahng tung (ผักกาดเขียวกวางตุ้ง)

Thai. A Chinese cabbage, with the scientific name Brassica chinensis, with broad green leaves and green petioles. In Mandarin, it is called bai cai (白菜), or xiao bai cai (小白菜), which means ‘white vegetable’ and ‘small white vegetable’ respectively, with the latter term being used to differentiate it from phak kahd khao, which is called da bai cai (大白菜), meaning ‘large white vegetable’. See also phak kwahng tung.

phak kwahng tung (ผักกวางตุ้ง)

Thai. ‘Guangdong (Kwangtung) vegetable’, usually referred to as Cantonese vegetable. READ ON.

phak salad kos (ผักสลัดคอส)

Thai name for Romaine Lettuce or Cos Lettuce, a kind of lettuce that is tolerant of heat, which sets it apart from most other lettuces. It has the botanical name Lactuca sativa var. longifolia, referring to its long, sturdy leaves, that sit on thick, firm ribs. In the West, it is best known for its use as the main ingredient in Caesar salads. In Thailand, it is eaten fresh in salads, and an ingredient in certain dishes, such as phad phrik kaeng (ผัดพริกแกง), kaeng jeud (แกงจืด), and phad phak ruam mit (ผัดผักรวมมิตร). In addition, it is sometimes used as a replacement for kha-nah, as well as different types of phak kwahng tung.

phak siang farang (ผักเสี้ยนฝรั่ง)

Thai. ‘Foreign thorny plant’. Plant with spider-shaped, white to pink-purple flowers (fig.), native to southern South America and with the botanical name Cleome hassleriana. It is an annual plant that grows to a height of 1,5 meter and has spirally arranged palmate leaves. The flowers have four petals and six long stamens. In Thailand it is commonly cultivated as an ornamental plant (fig.). In English, it is known as Spider Flower and Spider Plant. See also Spider Lily (fig.).

phak thod yod (ผักทอดยอด)

Thai. ‘Peak fried vegetable’. An additional name for phak bung, when stir-fried (thod) over a gas flame turned all the way up to its highest point (yod).

Pha Lak Pha Lam (ພະລັກພະລາມ)

Laotian. Name of the local adaptation in Laos of the Indian epic Ramayana. READ ON.

Pha Lam Sadok (ຊາດົກ)

Laotian. The ‘Chadok of Phra Ram or the ‘Jataka of Rama. Name in Laos of the local version of the Indian epic Ramayana, i.e. the Laotian counterpart of the Thai Ramakien, and also known locally as Pha Lak Pha Lam. Pronounced Pha Laam Sadok and sometimes transcribed Pha Lam Xadok.

Phali (พาลี)

See Bali.

phanaeng choeng (แพนงเชิง)

Thai term that means ‘to sit cross-legged’. The pose is typically used when seated, usually on the floor, in meditation (fig.) and is thus represented in most sitting Buddha images (fig.), a style referred to as lotus position. See also phab phiab and Wat Phanan Choeng.

Pha Nahm Tok (ผาน้ำตก)

Thai. Waterfall Cliff’. Name of the third level in the series of seven falls of the Erawan Waterfall (fig.) at Erawan National Park (fig.) in Kanchanaburi Province. See MAP.

phanak phing (พนักพิง)

Thai for a ‘backrest’, the squab of a seat, like those typically used by monks in Buddhist temples and which are commonly shaped in the form of a bai sema (fig.). See also tammaht  and reua khem.

Phan But Sri Thep (พันบุตรศรีเทพ)

Thai. The name and title of a lower palace official with the duty of guarding the outer image hall. The title is one rank below that of Khun Chinnarat. The title literally translates as ‘thousand children of angels’.

Phan Dinh Phung (Phan Đình Phùng)

Vietnamese. Name of a revolutionary who led rebel armies against French colonial forces in Vietnam in the 19th century. READ ON.

phang (พัง)

Thai for a female elephant (fig.). See also Asian Elephant, phlaay and sihdoh.

Phang Nga (พังงา)  

Thai. Name of a river, a provincial capital, as well as of a province on the west coast of the South Thai peninsula, along the Andaman Sea. READ ON.

phangphon (พังพอน)

Thai for ‘mongoose’.

phaniad (เพนียด)

Thai. ‘Elephant kraal’. A stockade or palisade formerly used to round-up wild elephants (fig.). It consists of a huge fence of wooden -usually teak- logs planted in the ground at an angle to keep the elephants in. There is an elephant kraal still in existence today, in Ayutthaya. Chang beer, one of the main brands of beer in Thailand, of which the name means elephant, has designed the entrance gates of its breweries in Ayutthaya and in  Kamphaeng Phet (fig.) in the form of an elephant kraal. See MAP (AYU) and MAP (KAM).

phanom (พนม)

1. Thai-Khmer. ‘Mountain’. A term that derives from the Khmer word phnom and which in Thailand is often used as part of a name for a temple, sanctuary or sacred place, typically located on a hill, as in Prasat Phanom Rung, as well as in Thai place names, e.g. Nakhon Phanom and Wat Phrathat Phanom Woramahawihaan (fig.). The Phasa Isaan term is comparable to the general Thai term khao, the name khiri used in southern Thailand, and the designation doi used in northern Thailand.

2. Thai. Term for things that have the shaped or are made to look like of a phum (fig.) or lotus bud (fig.), such as raising both hands palm to palm (fig.), as in the traditional wai (fig.). As such it is also a synonym for thephanom (fig.) and phranommeua (fig.).

phanom mahk (พนมหมาก)

Thai. ‘Betel mountain’. Architectural term, used for a cone-shaped decorative element, reminiscent of the egg or pear-shaped betel arrangement known as phum mahk (fig.), as well as of the tallest container of a betel-set (fig.), hence the name. They are typically used in pairs and are often found at the entrance of a sanctuary or at the foot of an altar, etc. They are often, though not always, made in (or with elements of) a golden or silver colour and are typically placed on a phaan, which in turn may be standing on a cushion. Smaller versions, folded from a banana-leaf and topped with a small flower or some other ornament, are referred to as krathong dokmai (fig.) and are typically used to accompany toob thian phae offerings (fig.). See also phanom and mahk.

Phanon Mareuk (พานรมฤค)

Thai. Mythological animal from the Ramakien, living in the Himaphan forest. It is half monkey (phanon) and half deer (mareuk), with the agility of a deer and the power to run faster than any normal deer, but able to fully utilize its functional monkey hands for grabbing objects and feeding. It also has an exceptional sense of hearing and, like most monkeys prefers eating bananas and coconuts. In art it is usually depicted with a greenish complexion. See also Singh Phanon.

Phan Reuang (พันเรือง)

Thai. Name of one of the eleven heroic leaders who in 1767, at the end of the Ayutthaya period, fought the invading Burmese in defence of the Bang Rajan camp in Singburi. READ ON.

Phan Thai Nora Singh (พันท้ายนรสิงห์)

Name of the coxswain (phan thai), who in the Ayutthaya Period was in charge of the navigation of the Ekkachai (เอกชัย) Royal Barge. READ ON.

Phanthumatiraat (¾Ñ¹¸ØÁеÔÃÒª, ¾Ñ¹¸ØÁµÔÃÒª)

Thai. Name of a legendary king who appears in the northern Thai legend of Sih Hoo Hah Tah (fig.), a local mythological creature with four ears and five eyes, that eats red-hot charcoal, which it defecates as pure gold. In the local legend of Chiang Rai, this ruler gives his royal daughter Simah (สีมา) in marriage to Ai Thuk Khata (อ้ายทุกคตะ), the owner of this gold-producing creature, whom as his son-in-law also succeeded Phanthumatiraat after his death. He has a statue at Wat Phrathat Doi Khao Kwai Kaew, a hilltop temple in Chiang Rai associated with the legend. This king of mythology is in Thai usually referred to with the royal prefix phaya or thao.

phanuat (ผนวช)

Thai-rajasap. ‘To ordain’, ‘to tonsure’ or ‘enter the Buddhist priesthood’. See also buat, buatnaag, banpacha and upasombot.

Phanurangsih Sawaangwong (ภาณุรังษี สว่างวงศ์)

See Bhanurangsi Savangwongse.

Phap Van (Pháp Vân)

Vietnamese. Vietnamese-Buddhist goddess of the clouds. READ ON.

Phasa (ภาษา)

Thai for ‘language’.

Phasa Isaan (ภาษาอีสาน)

Thai. ‘Northeastern Thai’. Dialect spoken in Isaan or Northeast Thailand, a region more or less coinciding with the Korat Plateau covering an area from Nakhon Ratchasima to the borders of Laos and Cambodia. See also Phasa Thong Thin. Also called Phasa Thai-Lao and Phasa Lao.

Phasa Klahng (ภาษากลาง)

Thai. ‘Central Thai’. The language spoken in Central Thailand as well as the official vernacular used in all other parts of Thailand.

Phasa Neua (ภาษาเหนือ)

Thai. ‘Northern Thai’. Dialect spoken in North Thailand, from Tak to the borders with Burma and Laos. See also Phasa Thong Thin. Also kham meuang and Phasa Phaak Neua.

Phasa Pak Tai (ภาษาปักษ์ใต้)

Thai. ‘Southern Thai’. Dialect spoken in South Thailand, from Chumphon to the border of Malaysia. See also Phasa Thong Thin.

Phasa Phaak Neua (ภาษาภาคเหนือ)

See phasa neua.

Phasa Pheun Meuang (ภาษาพื้นเมือง)

Thai. ‘Native language’. A term used for ‘dialects’. See Phasa Thong Thin.

Phasa Sanskrit (ภาษาสันสกฤต)

Thai for Sanskrit.

Phasa Thai (ภาษาไทย)

The Thai language, Thai. The official language of Thailand and mother tongue of the Thai people. It belongs to the Tai group of the Tai-Kadai language family which are thought to have originated in what is now southern China and probably linked to the Austroasiatic, Austronesian or Sino-Tibetan language families. Thai is, like Chinese, a tonal and analytic language with a complex orthography, relational markers and a distinctive phonology. Thai linguists recognize four dialects of which Central Thai is considered the official vernacular. The other dialects are Northern Thai, Northeastern Thai, and Southern Thai. See also Phasa Thong Thin. MORE ON THIS.

Phasa Thong Thin (ภาษาท้องถิ่น)

Thai. ‘Dialect’. In Thailand linguists recognize four dialects of which Central Thai (Phasa Klahng) is considered the official vernacular. The remaining three dialects are Northern Thai (Phasa Neua or kham meuang), Northeastern Thai (Phasa Isaan), and Southern Thai (Phasa Pak Tai). They are spoken in the areas that more or less coincide with the accepted partition of the country in regions (fig.), with East and West Thailand included with Central Thailand. All dialects belong to the Thai-Kadai language group and are strongly related to Laotian, Northern Thai, and Thai Lu, languages spoken in Laos; Shan and North Thai, spoken in North Myanmar; Nung and Tho, spoken in Northwest Vietnam; Ahom, spoken in Assam; and Zhuang and Thai Lu, spoken in parts of South China.

phasom set (ผสมเสร็จ)

Thai. ‘Mixed [and] done’ or ‘completely mixed’. Name for the Asian Tapir. In short also called som set, which could be translated as ‘done well matched’. It is also known by the shortened name somset (สมเสร็จ).

Phatcharakitiyapha (พัชรกิติยาภา)

Thai. Daughter of Crown Prince and Maha Vajiralongkorn, i.e. the later King Rama X, and Princess Sohmsawalih, and the first granddaughter of King Bhumipon Adunyadet and Queen Sirikit Kitthiyagon. She was born on Thursday 7 December 1978. She graduated as a Doctor in the Science of Law at Cornell University in the United States of America, and in 2012, she was commemorated on a Thai postage stamp in her function as chairperson of the United Nations' 21st session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (fig.). Her personal flag consists of an orange field, i.e. the colour that correspondents with her birthday according to the sih prajam wan system, with the initials Ph. () in orange and Ph. () in yellow, bordered with white (fig.). Her name is often transliterated Bajrakitiyabha.

Phat Phong (พัฒน์พงษ์)

See Patpong.

Phattaya (พัทยา)

See Pattaya.

phat taya (พัทธยา)

Thai. The southwest wind. See also Pattaya.

Phaulkon

See Constantine Phaulkon.

Phawanaphirat (ภาวนาภิรัต)

Thai-Pali. Name of a 20th century senior with the title Phra Kruh and who is also known as Luang Poo Thim Isarikoh (ทิม อิสริโก). He was born in Rayong on 16 June 1879, in the reign of King Rama V, and passed away on 16 October 1975, aged 96. He was the abbot of Wat Lahaanrai (วัดละหารไร่) and is known for introducing the amulet Phra Kring Chinabanchorn (ชินบัญชร). See also POSTAGE STAMP.

phaya (พญา)

Thai for ‘king’ or ‘potentate’. Compare with the Burmese term Phaya.

Phaya (ဘုရား)

Burmese for ‘Buddha’ or ‘Buddha image’, as well as for ‘god’, stupa’ or ‘pagoda’. The term can also be used as a respectful way to address monks, royalty, or deity. Hence, the word is similar in use to the Thai word Phra and is likely linguistically related to the Thai word phaya. However, though here the spelling phaya is used, it is often transliterated bhurarr, whereas its pronunciation sounds rather like bhuya or phuya. Note that in the official transliteration system an end -r is added to indicate a long sound and that the Burmese letter for -r is also used for an -y, as in yaksha which is also known as raksha.

Phayak Kraison (พยัคฆ์ไกรสร)

Thai-Pali name of a mythological creature from Himaphan forest, that has the body of a lion and the head, and often the stripes, of a Bengal tiger. Sometimes transcribed Payak Kraisorn.

phaya krarok dam (พญากระรอกดำ)

Thai. ‘Black squirrel king’. Name for the Black Giant Squirrel.

phayanaag (พญานาค)

Thai. ‘King of snakes’ or ‘snake king’, or literally naga-king, i.e. a mythological figure represented as half-human half-serpent, as according to legend he can transform into a human during waxing moon and transform back into a serpent on the waning moon, and believed to be a form of Indra. Also referred to as phayanagaraat, i.e. ‘royal king of snakes’ (fig.). See also Nakarin, Kham Chanoht, phaya and naag. See also TRAVEL PICTURE.

phayanagaraat (พญานาคราช)

Thai. ‘Royal king of snakes’ or ‘royal snake king’, or literally ‘royal naga-king, i.e. a mythological figure often represented as half-human half-serpent, and believed to be a form of Indra. Also referred to as phayanaag, i.e. ‘king of snakes’ (fig.). He is often depicted with a goatee and his attributes can be a number of things, including a vajra; a green gemstone, referring to his role as guardian of minerals and gems; a sword; and a conch. See also Nakarin, Kham Chanoht, phaya, naag, and raat, as well as phet phayanaag. See also TRAVEL PICTURE.

Phayao (พะเยา)

Thai. Name of a Thai province (map) and its capital city, situated in Northern Thailand. READ ON.

Phayap (พายัพ)

The Northwest of Thailand. Generally understood to be the West of North Thailand (the province of Mae Hong Son), rather than the North of West Thailand (the province of Kanchanaburi). It is the direction of the compass guarded by the lokapala Vayu. See also Udon, Isaan, Taksin, Ahkney, Horadih, Prajim and Burapah.

Phaya Ruang (พญาร่วง)

Thai. Name often used for King Ramkhamhaeng, besides Phra Ruang. Also transliterated Phaya Ruwang

Phaya Sri Mukda Mahamuni Nihl Palanakaraat (พญาศรีมุกดามหามุนีนีลปาลนาคราช)

Thai. Mukda[han]'s Green Royal Mahamuni-protecting Nagaraat’. Name of a giant statue of a 120 meter long naga or phayanagaraat, located on Mount Manorom (มโนรมย์), a hilltop in Mukdahan and home to the Buddhist temple Wat Roi Phraphutthabaht Phu Manorom (fig.). See also TRAVEL PICTURES (1), (2), (3) and (4), and WATCH VDO.

Phayathai (พญาไท)

1. Thai. Name of a khet in Bangkok. Also spelled Phaya Thai and Phyathai.

2. Thai. Name of a former palace, located in Bangkok, which was built in 1909 by King Chulalongkorn, in order to do some farming and to organize the Royal Ploughing Ceremony. After his death in 1910, it served as a residence for Queen Saowapha, his consort and the mother of King Rama VI. The complex consists of several buildings and halls, including Phimaan Chakri (พิมานจักรี), Sri Sut Niwaht (ศรีสุทธนิวาส), Udom Wanaphon (อุดมวนาภรณ์), the separate Thewarat Sapharom hall (เทวราชสภารมย์), etc. Today, the complex belongs to the Ministry of Defence and is part of the military Phra Mongkutklao Hospital, which is named after the sixth monarch from the Chakri Dynasty. Also spelled Phyathai and Phaya Thai. See MAP.

Phaya Thani (พญาตานี)

Thai. Name of a cannon with a length of 3 wah (6 meters) which stands in front of the Thai Ministry of Defence in Bangkok. This large cannon was confiscated by royal troops after the 1785 rebellion of Pattani against Rattanakosin, and offered to King Rama I.

Phaya Thonzu (ဘုရားသုံးဆူ)

Burmese. ‘Three Deities’ or ‘Three Pagodas, and sometimes translated as Temple of Three Buddhas. Name of a Buddhist temple in Bagan. READ ON.

Phayre's Langur

See Phayre's Leaf Monkey.

Phayre's Leaf Monkey

Common name for a species of Leaf Monkey with the scientific name Trachypithecus phayrei and found in South, East and Southeast Asia, including India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. Also called Presbytis phayrei and Phayre's Langur, named after and commemorating Sir Arthur Phayre, a naturalist and the first Commissioner of British Burma. They have grey fur, a dark face with white circles around the eyes and white skin at the mouth, and a long tail. It is similar to the Dusky Leaf Monkey (fig.), but has a lighter fur. Like other Leaf Monkeys, Phayre's Leaf Monkeys are herbivorous, feeding primarily on leaves, fruits and buds, and hence spend most of their lives in the canopy of trees. In Thai it is called kaang waen thin neua. See also Grey Langur (fig.), i.e. a species of Leaf Monkey previously considered a subspecies of the Phayre's Langur.

pha-yoon (พะยูน)

Thai term for ‘dugong’.

Phayu (ผายู)

Thai. Name of the seventh King of Lan Na, who reigned between 1337 and 1355 AD. READ ON.

phayu (พายุ)

Thai for ‘storm’, a word that derives from Vayu (fig.), the name of the Vedic god of the wind and air. See also phayuhayahtrah and nahm thuam.

phayuhayahtrah (พยุหยาตรา)

Thai-rajasap term that derives from Pali and means ‘to march or move in force’, and of a king ‘to proceed in state’ or ‘to move [an army]’. The term is used in the Royal Barge Procession, for one. See also phayu.

Pheasant-tailed Jacana

Common name for a wader, with the scientific designation Hydrophasianus chirurgus. Both sexes are similar, but with a body size of up to 31 centimeter females are larger than males, which grow up to around 27 centimeter. In the breeding season its body is blackish-brown, with white head and foreneck, and a yellowish-buff hindneck. In the middle of the neck, along both sides, runs a black line that divides the colours of the fore and hindneck, and which converge on top of the crown. The short wings are mostly white, and it has a long, blackish tail. The non-breeding plumage, this bird has a white body with dark brown upperparts. The long, blackish tail has disappeared and the black line that runs along both sides of the neck has expanded in width and length, and instead of converging on top of the crown, it now leads to a black eyestripe above, whereas below it now converges, creating a black breastband. The crown is black, the hindneck is a darker yellowish-buff and now extends into a supercilium. The head underneath the black eyestripe, as well as the foreneck are white. Like many waders, it has long legs, toes, and nails, allowing this bird to walk on floating water foliage. They are good swimmers and divers. Their favorite foods are insects, small water animals and water plants. They can be found in swamps or lakes in most parts of the Thailand, except in the West. In Thai, the Pheasant-tailed Jacana is called nok ih-jaew (นกอีแจว). In 1997, this bird was depicted on the first stamp of a set of four Thai postage stamps featuring waterfowl (fig.). See also VIDEO, WILDLIFE PICTURES (1) and (2), and TRAVEL PHOTOS.

pheh-kah (เพกา)

Thai name for the Indian Trumpet Tree.

phen (เพล)

Thai for the hour between eleven and twelve in the morning, when Buddhist monks and novices have their last meal of the day.

pherie (เภรี)

Thai. A kind of drum, more specifically a war drum.

phet (เพชร)

Thai for ‘diamond’. It often appears as a prefix to names and compound word, and besides its literal meaning it is also quite often used figuratively to symbolize strength or richness, or as a synonym of wichian, and thus in turn as another description for wachira (fig.), the sceptre and ancient royal symbol of power, absolute truth and indestructibility, which in Sanskrit called vajra (fig.).

Phetburi (เพชรบุรี)

Another pronunciation for Phetchaburi.

Phetchabun (เพชรบูรณ์)

Thai. ‘Full Diamond’. Province (map) and its capital city of the same name in North Thailand. READ ON.

Phetchaburi (เพชรบุรี)

Thai. Capital city of the jangwat Phetchaburi, as well as a province (map) of the same name, located on the Gulf of Thailand. READ ON.

Phetcharatana Rachasuda (เพชรรัตนราชสุดา)

Thai. Name of the daughter and only child of King Rama VI. READ ON.

phet phayanaag (เพชรพญานาค)

Thai. Naga-gems’. Name of colourful gemstones that have very little worth in gemology, but in Thailand have value as a sacred object, and are named for the phayanaag (fig.) or phayanagaraat (fig.), who —as the king of snakes or naga-king— is considered the guardian of minerals and gems. They are also sometimes referred to as naga eyes and power stones. These gems are found inside stones that are known as hin sila kohn (fig.) and which are allegedly found in many river beds and in caves along the Mekhong River area. These stones or small rocks need to be crushed and opened with a hammer in order to get to the semi-translucent prolate rounded naga-gem which can be of any colour and sits loosely in a cavity in the stone's core and clatters when shaken. They are believed to be sacred, to posses mystical powers, and are said to protect their carrier from any peril of water. They come in a variety of colours and the more rare are the amber, black, green and blue ones, which may cost up to a tenfold the price of stones in another colour. The translucent amber stones are alleged to occur naturally and can be found along the banks of the Mekhong River in the area of Mukdahan. When jewelers put the naga-gems to the test by probing them with the thermoelectric probe tip of a professional gemstone tester, the results on the indicator are the same as they would be if one would be testing glass or plastic.

pheuak (เผือก)

1. Thai for the taro plant, a tropical plant native to Southeast Asia and thought to have originated in the Indo-Malayan region. It belongs to the Araceae family, which members are in Thai generally referred to as known bon. It has a tuberous root, which is used as a vegetable and a ingredient in other food, e.g. as an ice cream flavor, for one. There are several species, but the most common cultivated species is known by the botanical name Colocasia esculenta, and also has several varieties. Its bulbous root with a brownish pink colour is reminiscent of a White Elephant, which in Thai is accordingly called Chang Pheuak (fig.). Above the ground, the taro plant has a strong stem with a single green, rather large, heart-shaped leaf, which like the leaf of the lotus plant, repels water. Its surface is covered with tiny, microscopic structures, that hold aloft any droplets of water that fall onto it, keeping the surface almost entirely dry, yet carrying away all the dust and bacteria. These leaves are in fact self-cleaning and its surface structure has been imitated in certain technical applications. In horizontal growing leaves, up to 2 percent of the water that falls on the surface may remain there and are drawn together. The stagnant drops of rainwater that gather on the leaves are a convenient drinking source for birds and insects (fig.).

2. Thai term used for albinism, especially used with albino animals, as in chang pheuak, kwai pheuak, ngu hao pheuak, Thai names for a White Elephant (fig.), albino water buffalo and an albino Monocellate Cobra (fig.), respectively.

3. Thai term used for leucism, a condition at first sight similar to and often confused with albinism, but which is characterized by reduced pigmentation (fig.). The main difference is that albinos typically have red eyes, due to the underlying blood vessels showing through, whereas leucistic animals have normally coloured eyes. The condition can also be partial and is as such referred to by the term pied, i.e. particoloured, which in animals is often black and white, e.g. Pied Imperial-pigeon (fig.).

pheung (ผึ้ง)

Thai for bee.

phi (ผี)

Thai for ‘ghost’, ‘spirit’, ‘spook’, ‘devil’, ‘jinn’, ‘genie’, ‘demon’ and ‘apparition’.

Phian Akkadhammo (เพี้ยน อัคคธัมโม)

Thai. Name of a revered monk and cleric teacher with the title of Luang Pho. Born in 1926, he was ordained on 4 August 1976 at the age of 41, and passed away on  16 November 2017, aged 91. He was a former abbot of Wat Kreun Kathin in Lopburi. On 5 December 2005, on the occasion of the Birthday Anniversary of King Bhumipon Adunyadet, Luang Pho Phian was conferred the name and honorary title of Phra Kruh Wimon Samanawat and received the certificate of appreciation that comes with it on 17 December 2005, at Wat Rai Khing (วัดไร่ขิง) in Nakhon Pathom.

Phiang Din (à¾Õ§´Ô¹)

Thai. ‘Only Soil’ or ‘Just Earth’. Name of a small yet picturesque waterfall in Loei province, in the vicinity of Suan Hin Pha Ngam (fig.). WATCH VIDEO.

Phi Boong Tao (ผีบุ้งเต้า)

Thai. ‘Ghostly gourd mask’. Name of a mask made from a calabash. READ ON.

Phibun Songkram (พิบูล สงคราม)

Field Marshall and Prime Minister during WW II. READ ON.

Phichai Dahb Hak (พิชัยดาบหัก)

Thai. ‘Victory with a broken sword’ or ‘victory by slashing swords’. Nickname of a local hero from Uttaradit. Born in 1741 AD at Ban Huay Kha and named simply Joy (จ้อย), he later in life was renamed Thong Dih (ทองดี) and became Phraya, a military leader and influential partner of Phraya Tak, the later king Taksin. In 1773 AD, Posupala (Bo Supia), the Burmese Commander-in-Chief, led his troops from Vientiane to capture Phichai, a local city South of Uttaradit. Consequently, Chao Phraya Surasih (สุรสีห์) and Phraya Thong Dih led the Siamese troops to defend the city against the enemy. In the courageous hand-to-hand fight that followed at Wat Aka, Phraya Thong Dih used dual swords as his weapons, and is said to have fought the enemy by slashing the two swords so hard, that one of them actually broke (fig.). In spite of this, he kept fighting vigorously, until he and his men drove the enemy away and succeeded in averting the Burmese invasion. Following the event, he was honoured with the name Phichai Dahb Hak, after the broken sword and the city he had defended. His statue and a small memorial museum in front of Uttaradit's Provincial Hall commemorate this local hero (map - fig.).

Phichaiyaht (พิไชยญาติ)

Thai. Name of a Chao Phraya who was a member of the influential Bunnag family and who served under several Chakri kings, from Rama I to Rama IV. READ ON.

Phichit (พิจิตร)

Thai. Beautiful city’. Name of a jangwat, i.e. a Thai province and its provincial capital city (map) of the same name in North Thailand, situated 344 kilometeres to the North of Bangkok. READ ON.

Phichitmaan (พิชิตมาร)

Thai. ‘Conqueror of Mara’ or ‘conqueror of demons’. A name for the Buddha.

Phikhanesawora

See Phra Phikhanesawora.

phikun (พิกุล)

Thai name for the Star Flower Tree.

Philatelic Museum

Museum on the 2nd floor of Bangkok's northern Metropolitan Postal Bureau, in Saphan Kwai district. READ ON.

Philippine Violet

Common name for a perennial shrubbery plant, with the botanical name Barleria lupulina. It grows up to 90 centimeter tall and is popular for its medicinal value. The root has anti-inflammatory qualities and is used for treatment of insect bites, especially those from centipedes, whereas the leaves are used fresh to treat herpes simplex. It has reddish-purple branches, narrow, purplish dark green leaves, and tubular, bright yellow flowers, that bloom in clusters from a purplish-brown strobilus (fig.). Also commonly known as Hophead and Porcupine Flower, and in Thai called salet phang phon (เสลดพังพอน).

Phimai (พิมาย)

1. See Prasat Hin Phimai.

2. A small city situated about 60 kms Northeast of Nakhon Ratchasima in the vicinity of the remains of Prasat Hin Phimai (fig.).

phiman (พิมาน)

Thai term for the dwelling place of an angel or deity or a ‘celestial residence’. The word is used as part of compound names for a number of royal palaces in Thailand, e.g. Boromphiman Palace in Bangkok (fig.) and Varophat Phiman (วโรภาษพิมาน) in Ayutthaya's Bang Pa-in (fig.). Also transliterated phimaan.

phin (พิณ)

 Thai. Name a traditional, three-stringed, plucked instrument, that originated in Isaan, and which is also found in neighbouring Laos. It has a pear-shaped body and a neck, that typically ends in an upward bent headstock, which is usually shaped in the form of kanok-flame or a naga-head. The neck has a fingerboard over which the three metal strings run, which are usually plucked using a pick. This lute-like instrument is somewhat reminiscent of the four-stringed krajab pih (fig.) and it features in the logo of the Revenue Department (fig.).

Phiphek (พิเภก)

Character from the Ramakien. He was the chief astrologer from Longka and a younger brother of Totsakan, his parents being Thao Lastian (ลัสเตียน), i.e. Asuraphong (อสุรพงศ์), and Nang Ratchada (รัชฎา). He was driven from the city and thus offered his allegiance to Phra Ram (fig.). After the latter eventually defeated Totsakan, he appointed Phiphek as the king of Longka. He is portrayed with a green complexion (fig.), eyes of which the upper eyelid partly covers the eyeball and which are known as tah jorakae (fig.), and characteristically wears a golden crown with a bulbous tip, that is usually decorated with pieces of blue mirrored glass. Hence, he is very similar to Mahothon, another demon character from the Ramakien, who also has a green complexion and equally wears a golden crown with a bulbous tip, but which has a somewhat shorter and more bulging point, and which is decorated with pieces of dark green mirrored glass (fig.). In addition, the later has wide open eyes called tah phlohng (fig.), rather than tah jorakae. In the Ramayana, Phiphek is known as Vibhishana or Bibhishan.

Phi Phi Islands

Name of an archipelago of six isles, including the well-known Koh Phi Phi Don and Koh Phi Phi Le, i.e. the two foremost islands. READ ON.

phiphithaphan (พิพิธภัณฑ์)

Thai for ‘museum’.

Phiphithaphan Hahng Khai Yah Berlin (พิพิธภัณฑ์ห้างขายยาเบอร์ลิน)

Thai name for the Berlin Pharmaceutical Museum.

Phiphithaphan Silpa Thai Ruam Samai (พิพิธภัณฑ์ศิลปะไทยร่วมสมัย)

Thai name for the Museum of Contemporary Art.

Phiphithaphan Thepsri Yantra (¾Ô¾Ô¸Àѳ±ìà·¾ÈÃÕÂѹµÃÒ)

Thai. Name for a museum in Nakhon Pathom that displays a mixture of colourful, both large and smaller to life-sized statues of deities and characters form various eastern religions, most notably from Hinduism and in specific from the Hindu god Ganesha, to whom a single hall alone dedicated to this elephant-headed deity features 33 large statues in various poses and colours, and with a variety of attributes and sometimes a vahana or consort. The museum has both an indoor and outdoor section with a courtyard where a brahmin priest performs rites and blessings. Besides characters from religion it also has a small Thai history section, some Khon masks, i.e. traditional dance masks, and a garden with a pond, an artificial cave and a waterfall. Besides the omnipresent Ganesha, characters on display, include —yet, are not limited to— Shiva (fig.); Brahma (fig.); Vishnu (fig.); Krishna (fig.); Lakshmi (fig.); Uma (fig.); Radha (fig.); Sri Mariamman or Kali (fig. ); Mahakali (fig.); Rahu (fig.), a legless demon, who as the god of darkness is offered black flowers; Garuda (fig.); Skanda or Karttikeya (fig.); the four guardian gods or lokapala Vaisravana, Virudhaka, Dhritarashtra, and Virupaksa; various reusi or hermits (fig.); Buddha images, and some Chinese Taoist deities, etc. There is a room dedicated to the half-human half-serpent Nagaraat (fig.), as well as a separate air-conditioned room with wax images of famous Buddhist monks known as Luang Pho and Luang Poo. Many of the characters in the museum are displayed with the typical attributes ascribed to them, whereas the Hindu deities may additionally be depicted on or with an animal that represents their mount, whilst some may be in the presence of their shakti, i.e. a consort. To a certain extent resembling a temple, the museum has provided for visitors to worship and place offerings that can be obtained at the museum's entrance. WATCH VIDEO (1) and (2).

Phiphithaphan Waht Witthayawat (พิพิธภัณฑ์วาจวิทยาวัฑฒน์)

Thai name for the Museum of Dentistry.

Phiphithaphan Witthayahsaht Lae Thong Fah Jamlong (พิพิธภัณฑ์วิทยาศาสตร์และท้องฟ้าจำลอง)

Thai name for the Museum of Sciences and Planetarium.

phiphop (พิภพ)

Thai for ‘world’ or ‘earth’. Also lohk.

phi phraai (ผีพราย)

Thai. Name of a very violent class of demons, primarily believed to be a kind of water ghosts or water spirits. See also Hohng Phraai.

phi pop (ผีปอบ)

Thai. Name of a kind of a demon-like cannibalistic folk ghost or ghoul found only in Isaan. It is said to eat only human organs and never gets full or satisfied. It is believed that the spirits of those who become such a ghoul are usually from people who in life practiced occultism and were unable to follow its strict rules, violating certain prohibited laws, such as using black magic and sorcery to hurt others. For their frequent evil deeds they are punished by the spirit of the teacher of the occult by being turned into such a ghoul. These type of ghouls are said to be intangible ghosts that will possess the body of a sleeping person, whose liver, kidney and stomach they will eat whilst their victim is asleep. Those who are eaten will hence die without any external wounds, as if they are just sleeping, a phenomenon known as laai tai (äËŵÒÂ), and which translates as ‘death flow’. If in an Isaan village several such suspicious deaths occur, when villagers have died for unknown reasons, the village will perform a ghoul exorcism ceremony, i.e. a kind of ghost hunt. In the eviction ceremony, locally known as siang khong (เซียงข้อง), the villagers use forked sticks to chase the ghouls that reside in various places. When they are able to capture the phi pop ghosts, they are locked inside an earthen jar and burned. The jar will then be closed off with a white cotton pah yan cloth on which in black some sacred yan writings are scrabbled, and buried somewhere outside the village. Sometimes a cut off section of a bamboo stem called a bong is used to confine the ghosts (fig.).

Phirap (พิราพ)

Thai. Name of an asura or yak in the story Ramakien, who is described as very powerful and mischievous. He was expelled by Idsuan and condemned to live only at Mount Atsakhan, where he later created his own garden and planted a fruit tree known as Pawatong. One day, when Phirat was absent, Rama (fig.), Phra Lak (fig.), and Sida entered his garden to rest and picked some fruit from the tree. Upon discovering this, Phirap's servants tried to expel the trio, but Rama put up a fight and killed many of the servants. When Phirap returned and discovered what had happened, he became very angry, but upon seeing the beauty of Sida, he immediately fell in love. Using a magic spell, Phirap then created a darkness, which he used as a cover to abduct Sida. However, Rama shot an arrow to lift the darkness, and subsequently shot and killed Phirap, with a powerful arrow called Phrommat, thus freeing Sida in the process. Phirap is often referred to as Phra Phirap, whilst his name should be pronounced Phiraap. In khon, he is usually portrayed with a deep purple complexion and wearing a golden crown with upward, elongated and pointed ear-covers, though he may also be depicted wearing a kabang (fig.), i.e. a diadem-like crown (fig.). He is also known as Phairaap (ไภราพ), and in the past as Phairawa (ไภรวะ) or Pharahwa (ไภราวะ). See also LIST OF RAMAKIEN CHARACTERS.

Phisadet Ratchani (ภีศเดช รัชนี)

Thai. Name of a prince of the late Rattanakosin Period, who was born on 1 January 1920 as the son of Prince Phitayalongkorn. READ ON.

phisamon (พิสมร)

Thai for ‘amulet’.

phi seua (ผีเสื้อ)

1. Thai for ‘butterfly’. Many species are endemic to Thailand, both daytime and nocturnal butterflies (fig.). Nocturnal butterflies or moths are called phi seua klahng keun in Thai, which can be translated as ‘night butterfly’ or ‘moth’. See also phi seua kathoey.

2. Thai. ‘Butterfly’. Architectural term for a triangular decorative element on a roof corner, usually with temple buildings. Its symmetric design is reminiscent of a butterfly, hence the name.

3. Thai term for an ‘ogre’, a class of male and female demons, as in phi seua samut. They are usually depicted holding, swaying or carrying a club, in Thai known as a krabong.

phi seua jon kah laai jud (ผีเสื้อจรกาลายจุด)

Thai name for the Spotted Black Crow.

phi seua kathoey (ผีเสื้อกะเทย)

Thai name for gynandromorphic butterflies, i.e. butterflies of any given species that have characteristics of both the male and the female. READ ON.

phi seua klahng keun (ผีเสื้อกลางคืน)

Thai for ‘moth’, literally it translates ‘night butterfly’. Thailand has many species of moth, including some very large ones, such as the Giant Uranid Moth and the Atlas Moth. Many moths have interesting wing markings, such as eyespots, known as ocelli, reminiscent of owl's eyes, whilst other species are masters in camouflage, camouflaging themselves to look like a dead leaf, or by curling up to resemble a twig. Some smaller moths camouflage as bird droppings and yet others have an upward bent abdomen (fig.).

phi seua klahng keun kahng kahw pak tai (ผีเสื้อกลางคืนค้างคาวปักษ์ใต้)

Thai. ‘Southern bat moth’. Name for the Giant Uranid Moth, species Lyssa menoetius. It is closely related to the phi seua klahng keun kahng kahw thammada. See also kahng kahw and phi seua.

phi seua klahng keun kahng kahw thammada (ผีเสื้อกลางคืนค้างคาวธรรมดา)

Thai. ‘Common bat moth’. Name for the Giant Uranid Moth, species Lyssa zampa. It is closely related to the phi seua klahng keun kahng kahw pak tai. See also kahng kahw and phi seua.

phi seua muan waan (ผีเสื้อมวนหวาน)

Thai. ‘Queasy-sweet moth’. Name for any of the species of Fruit-piercing Moth.

phi seua non jo mai (ผีเสื้อหนอนเจาะไม้)

Thai. ‘Moth (phi seua) of tree-boring larvae (non)’. Generic name for moths  of the family Cossidae, such as Xyleutes persona (fig.), Xyleutes strix, Zeuzera pyrina (fig.), etc. Members of this family are commonly known as carpenter moths or goat moths. The first designation refers to the fact that the larvae of most species are tree borers that infest wood, in some species taking up to three years to mature, whereas the latter name refers to the fact that they often have an unpleasant smell. The Thai word phi seua literally means ‘butterfly’, but the term is also generally used for moths, which specifically are called phi seua klahng keun, i.e. ‘night butterfly’.

phi seua non kah fahk thammada (ผีเสื้อหนอนกาฝากธรรมดา)

Thai. ‘Common parasite-worm butterfly’. Name for the Painted Jezebel.

phi seua non khao sahn laai seua (ผีเสื้อหนอนข้าวสารลายเสือ)

Thai. ‘Rice caterpillar tiger butterfly’. Name for the ‘Common tiger’, a butterfly with the scientific name Danaus genutia, which is commonly found throughout South and Southeast Asia, from India and Sri Lanka, to Indonesia and Australia. Its wings, with a span of 75-95 mm, have an orange to reddish-brown background colour, with darkened veins that are marked with broad black bands, and black margins with two rows of small white spots. Its body is black with white dots. Males have a prominent black-and-white spot on the underside of the hindwing. There are several subspecies. Also called Striped Tiger.

phi seua sahyan sih tahn thammada (ผีเสื้อสายัณห์สีตาลธรรมดา)

Thai. ‘Common brown evening butterfly’. Name for the Common Evening Brown.

phi seua samut (ผีเสื้อสมุทร)

Thai. ‘Marine butterfly’. A class of demons living in water. READ ON.

phi seua saphai fah (ผีเสื้อสะพายฟ้า)

Thai. ‘Pale blue sling bag butterfly’. Thai designation for the Common Bluebottle.

phi seua yah (ผีเสื้อหญ้า)

Thai. ‘Grass butterfly’. Name for any of the species of Wasp Moths.

phi seua yak (ผีเสื้อยักษ์)

Thai. ‘Giant butterfly’. Name for the Atlas Moth (fig.).

phisiw (พีซิว)

Thai-Tae Chew name for Bi Xie.

Phi Tah Khohn (ผีตาโขน)

Thai. ‘Ghostly vision masked dance performance’. Annual festival in Dahn Saai, in Loei province. READ ON.

Phi Tong Leuang (ผีตองเหลือง)

Thai. ‘Ghosts of the Yellow Leaves’. Local nickname for the Mlabri people, because due to their speedy nomadic lifestyle, in which they never tend to stay in any given place for very long and thus inhabit simple bamboo huts thatched with leaves (fig.), it is said that they abandon their dwellings as soon as the leaves turn yellow. See also phi and tong.

Phitayalahp Phrithiyakorn (พิทยาลาภ พฤฒิยากร)

Thai. Name of a prince of the Rattanakosin Period, who was born on 7 November 1885 as Prince Thaniniwat Sonakun, a grandson of King Rama IV, his father being the 62nd child of King Mongkut. He was a minister of justice, with the title of Krom Meuan, and President of the Privy Council, succeeding Prince Rangsit Prayoonsak (fig.) at his death in 1951 and substituting as Regent for King Rama IX during the latter's royal visit to Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines in 1963. Prince Phitayalahp Phrithiyakorn passed away on 8 September 1974, aged 88. See also POSTAGE STAMP.

Phitayalongkorn (พิทยาลงกรณ์)

Thai. Name of a prince of the Rattanakosin Period, who was a philosopher and had the title of Krom Meuan. The prince was born on 10 January 1876 AD, as the son of Phra Ong Chao Yod Yingyot (พระองค์เจ้ายอดยิ่งยศ), who in the reign of his cousin King Rama V was Uparacha or Vice King of Siam and as the eldest son of Phra Pinklao, and thus a nephew to King Mongkut, held the title of Front Palace. He was one of the most respected poets of the Rattanakosin era and wrote under the pseudonym NMS (นมส). He resided in Wang Pramuan in khwaeng Silom, in Bangkok's khet Bangrak. His eldest daughter was Princess Wiphawadi Rangsit, who inherited his gift for writing. Prince Phitayalongkorn passed away on 23 July 1945 from a cerebral hemorrhage, aged 68. He is known as the Father of Cooperatives in Thailand. See also POSTAGE STAMPS (1) and (2).

Phitsanulok (พิษณุโลก)

1. Thai. ‘World of Vishnu’. A province (map) and its capital city of the same name in North Thailand. READ ON.

2. According to ancient sources, the original name of Angkor Wat. Due to the lack of a v-sound in the Thai language (see Thai Alphabet), the name Phitsanu became a cognate for the name Witsanu, which has a common etymological origin. In early recordings, Angkor Wat was referred to as Phreah Pisnulok or Phra Phitsanulok, i.e. the ‘World of Vishnu’ (Vishnu-loka) and the name Angkor Wat, in Khmer actually Angkor Vat and in Thai Nakhon Wat, meaning Capital Temple’, ‘Temple City’ or ‘City of Temples’, only became a popular designation later on, after its rediscovery and popularization in the West, in the mid-19th century. The names Phreah Pisnulok and Vishnuloka are also reminiscent of Paramavishnuloka, the posthumous title and deified name of Suryavarman II, the founder of Angkor Wat.

phittih (พิธี)

Thai for ‘ceremony’.

Phittih Kohnjuk (พิธีโกนจุก)

Thai. ‘Tonsure Ceremony’. A ritual ceremony in which a small tuft of hair, called juk by the local population, is cut off and shaved (kohn) when the boys reach the age of 11 or 13. Since 12 is a pair number and considered to bring bad luck the ceremony will not be performed at that age. The growing of the tuft of hair goes back on a centuries old belief that it should prevent children from becoming chronically ill. The ceremony is reminiscent of the buat ceremony, which is performed on a person entering the priesthood. The ceremony is generally regarded as a coming of age and in the past, this tradition was also upheld by royalty. At the time of a royal tonsure, a young prince destined for the throne would also be formally invested. In Japan, the topknot of a sumo wrestler is cut off in a hair cutting ceremony upon retirement, thus transforming the wrestler back to civilian status. Also spelt Pittih Kohnjuk. Compare with Phittih Tham Khwan Deuan.

Phittih Phrom Nahm Mon Sop (พิธีพรมน้ำมนต์ศพ)

Thai. ‘Corpse holy water sprinkling ceremony’. A ritual performed by a monk during a funeral ceremony, in which a deceased is sprinkled with nahm mon, i.e. holy water. See also rod nahm mon and Luang Poo Tai Hong Kong.

Phittih Sabaan Tong (พิธีสาบานธง)

Thai for Trooping the Colour.

Phittih Suansanam Thahaan Rachawanlop (พิธีสวนสนามทหารราชวัลลภ)

Thai for the annual Military Parade of the Royal Guards, in English often referred to as Trooping the Colour.

Phittih Tham Khwan Deuan (พิธีทำขวัญเดือน)

See Tham Khwan Deuan.

phlaay (พลาย)

Thai for male elephant (fig.). See also Asian Elephant, phang and sihdoh.

Phlaay Chumphon (พลายชุมพล)

1. Thai. Name of a character in the story Khun Chang Khun Paen, i.e. a child of Khun Paen with Nang Kaew Kiriyah (นางแก้วกิริยา), i.e. a daughter of the Phraya of Sukhothai and Nang Phen Chan (นางเพ็ญจันทร์). The HTMS Phlaay Chumphon, a submarine of the type Madchanu once used by the Royal Thai Navy (fig.), was named after this character.

2. Thai. Name of a submarine, usually referred to as the HTMS Phlaay Chumphon, i.e. a U-boat of the type Madchanu that was once used by the Royal Thai Navy (fig.), and which is named after a character from the story Khun Chang Khun Paen.

phlab (พลับ)

Thai for persimmon. Also called phlab jien, maphlab and takoh.

phlab jihn (พลับจีน)

A Thai name for persimmon.

phlabphlah (พลับพลา)

Thai. The temporary quarters for a king, i.e. a royal pavilion. It is build especially for the king when he has to attend, overlook, or take part in a ceremony, and whereas some pavilions may afterwards be dismantled, as is the case with royal funerals held at Sanam Luang (map- fig.), some are conserved in their original place, e.g. Rajakit Winitchai (map - fig.), while others have been relocated (map - fig.).

phlab phleung teen pet (ลับพลึงตีนเป็ด)

Thai. ‘Duckfeet lily’. Thai name for the spider lily.

Phleng Chaht Thai (เพลงชาติไทย)

Thai. ‘Thai National Anthem’. READ ON.

Phleng Kiat Tamruat Khong Thai (เพลงเกียรติตำรวจของไทย)

Thai. ‘Song of the honour of the Thai Police’. READ ON.

Phleng Sansaroen Phra Barami (เพลงสรรเสริญพระบารมี)

Thai-rajasap. ‘Song of praise to the grandeur’. The Royal Hymn of Thailand. READ ON.

phleng tanyong (เพลงตันหยง)

Thai. Name for the music and lyrics that accompanies the Muslim traditional rong ngeng folk dances of southern Thailand. Although it initially consisted of only vocals, an ensemble is nowadays composed of a violin and one or more small drums known as klong ram manah. Also called phleng tonyohng.

phleng tonyohng (เพลงตนโหยง)

Thai. Another name for phleng tanyong.

phluang (พลวง)

Thai name for dipterocarpus.

phnom (ភ្នំ)

Khmer. ‘Hill’ or ‘mountain’. The term often occurs as part of a name for a temple, sanctuary or sacred place located on a hill or mountain. As such, it stands at the origin of the name of the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh, which derives from a small hill or phnom onto which summit a wealthy lady, called Penh (fig.), had a temple built, i.e. Wat Phnom (fig.), in which she placed a piece of wood from a candlenut tree with images of four buddha's as well as an image of Vishnu, that she in 1372 AD had found floating in the Tonlé Sap River (fig.). In Thai, the term is pronounced phanom and equally used in names for temples or sanctuaries, as in Prasat Phanom Rung.

Phnom Penh (ភ្នំពេញ)

Khmer. ‘Hill of Penh’ or ‘Penh Mountain’. Name of the capital of Cambodia, which derives from a 27 meter tall hill, called phnom in Khmer, and a wealthy lady, called Penh (map - fig.). The latter had a temple built on the summit, i.e. Wat Phnom (map - fig.), of this hill in order to house a piece of wood from a candlenut tree which she in 1372 AD had found floating in the Tonlé Sap River (fig.) and that contained images of four buddha's, as well as an image of Vishnu. The compound name of this venerated height and of the lady who built the temple on its summit was in 1434 AD chosen to be the name for the city when it was founded. Statues of lady Penh can today be found in and around Wat Phnom.

phoenix

Name often used in English to refer to a Chinese mythical bird which is actually called fenghuang (fig.) in Chinese. It is often depicted together with a dragon (fig.), which is the symbol of the Emperor, and as such is the phoenix a representation of the Empress (fig.). In addition, it symbolizes peace and nobleness.

phohng phaang (โพงพาง)

Thai. ‘Ghost-like’. Name of a traditional Thai children's game, in which one player is blindfolded and made to turn around three times. He is further referred to as the fish. The others hold hands and walk around him starting a question and answer rhyme, chanting: Catch me if you can; the fish swims by, the fish is blind; catch me dead or alive; what will it be, a dead or a live fish?’. If the answer is a dead fish’, the other children can move around freely when the blindfolded player comes around to chase them, but if it answers, a live fish, then everyone else must freeze, and when caught, the fish must guess who the person is and if he guesses right he will be replaced by that unlucky person. In English, a equivalent of this game is known as Blind Man's Buff. See also POSTAGE STAMP.

phom (พ้อม)

Thai. Large, round, cylindrical basket, used for storing unhusked rice or unthreshed paddy. It is woven from thin bamboo strips and patched with earth. It is usually about 120 centimeters wide and either of a similar height or somewhat higher. It is typically kept in a shack with an elevated floor made from bamboo, adjacent or close to the house. See also POSTAGE STAMP.

phong choorot (ผงชูรส)

Thai name for monosodium glutamate (MSG).

phop (ภพ)

Thai-Sanskrit word for ‘world’ or ‘earth’, used besides the more common word lohk. Also phiphop.

photduang (พดด้วง)

Thai. A former currency in Siam, which –due to its specific shape is known as bullet money. READ ON.

photisat (โพธิสัตว์)

Thai for bodhisattva.

Photiyaan (โพธิญาณ)

Thai for Bodhiyan.

phoykuan (โพยก๊วน)

Thai. Bill of exchange, especially the one circulating among Chinese businessmen in the Far East. See also pih and photduang.

Phra (พระ)

1. Thai. ‘Holy’ or ‘sacred’. Term used to express respect and used as a prefix before the names of kings or things associated with the monarchy or royalty, gods and objects of veneration, including Buddha images, e.g. Phra Chao Naresuan, King Naresuan; Phra Rachawang, royal palace; Phra Chedi, a stupa or chedi; etc. Generally used without changing the meaning of a word. It is related to the words Brahman and phreah, as well as with the Burmese term Phaya.

2. Thai. A clergyman, monk or Buddhist priest, e.g. Phrasong and  Phrasong Ong Chao. Also used for a saint or hermit.

3. Thai. A non-hereditary title or bandasak  immediately below a Phrya and above a Luang.

4. Thai. The protagonist or hero in a story, e.g. Phra Narai and Phra Sang.

Phra Ajaan Man (พระอาจารย์มั่น)

Thai. ‘Determined Teacher Monk’. Popular name for Man Phoorithattoh (fig.), with the titles Phra and Ajaan.

phraam (พราหมณ์)

1. Thai for brahman.

2. Thai. A kind of mango.

Phra Ahtit (พระอาทิตย์)

Thai name for the sun god, as well as the god of Sunday. He drives a chariot pulled by seven horses, or alternatively, a rajarot (fig.) pulled by a single mythological lion called singh (fig.), and is the lokapala of the Southwest. He, together with the moon god Chandra, discovered the deceit of the demon Rahu when the amrita was distributed. He is also known by the name Nairitti (fig.) and in Sanskrit he is called Surya. His charioteer who drives him across the sky is called Aruna. In the Ramakien, he is requested to slow down the seven horses that pull his chariot, in order to gain time when Phra Lak (fig.) was struck unconscious by the magical Mokhasak spear, thus allowing Hanuman (fig.) enough time to collect the required herbs to break the spell. See also thep prajam wan.

Phra Angkahn (พระอังคาร)

1. Thai. The god of war and the god of Tuesday. His mount is a buffalo. In a later incarnation, he was born as the monkey-warrior Wisantrahwih (fig.). Also transcribed Phra Angkarn. See also thep prajam wan.

2.  Thai-Rajasap. The ashes of royalty. Also transcribed Phra Angkarn.

Phra Anyah Kohnthanya (พระอัญญาโกณฑัญญะ)

Thai name for Ajnata Kaundinya.

Phra Aphaimanih (พระอภัยมณี)

A Thai epic story in verse written by Sunthorn Phu. READ ON.

Phra Araam Luang (พระอารามหลวง)

Thai. Name for a temple that a King or a member of the royal family had built or restored. Also referred to as Wat Luang. See also Phra, araam, Luang and wat.

Phrabaht (พระบาท)

1. Thai-Rajasap for the feet of a king or a prince. On 27 February 1982, after gaining a decisive victory in military operations to suppress the insurgency of the Communist Party of Thailand (CPT), King Rama IX, the then commander of the Thai Army, visited his troops at Doi Phaya Phiphak (´Í¾­Ò¾ÔÀÑ¡´Ôì) Operation Base on Doi Yao (´ÍÂÂÒÇ) Ridge, in Chiang Rai Province, where in 1981 the final and decisive battle on the top of Doi Phaya Phiphak was fought, which eventually led to the collapse of the CPT. On the occasion of his visit, the King had a print of his bare feet cast into plaster, in order to pay homage to the troops, who between 1968 and 1982 had carried out multiple inspection and suppression operations against the CPT, after the latter in 1954 had created as terrorist situation in the northern regions of Thailand, that led to a guerrilla war that was fought mainly between the CPT and the government of Thailand, and that lasted from 1965 until 1983, when the CPT -after several military defeats and promises of amnesty by the Thai government- abandoned the insurgency entirely, ending the conflict. The King's footprints were later enshrined in a special footprint pavilion, within the compound of the Mengrai Maha Raj Military Camp, home of the 3rd Infantry Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Division. It was later moved to a new pavilion known as Sala Roi Phrabaht which was erected for the auspicious occasion of King Rama IX's 80th Birthday Anniversary on 5 December 2007. See also baht.

2. Thai-Rajasap. Title used as a prefix to the name of a king after 1782, in the Bangkok or Rattanakosin period.

Phra Bodhisattva (พระโพธิสัตว์)

See bodhisattva.

Phra Borom Maha Rachawang (พระบรมมหาราชวัง)

See Phra Rachawang.

Phra Boromma Rachaanusawarih (พระบรมราชานุสาวรีย์)

Thai. Name and prefix for any royal statue or memorial.

Phra Boromma Rachaanuyaht (พระบรมราชานุญาต)

Thai. ‘Royal Permission’ or ‘Royal Assent’. See Krut Trah Tang Hahng.

Phra Boromma Sahrihrikathat (พระบรมสารีริกธาตุ)

Thai. A bone relic of the Buddha, or sometimes of other buddhas, i.e. notable Buddhist monks and saints. They are sometimes preserved in bell-glass displays or miniature stupas, but more likely enshrined in a chedi. When the Buddha died, the cremation of his body was conducted by Ananda, one of his favourite followers. Seven neighbouring rulers, as well as king Ajatasatru demanded that his relics were divided amongst them. The residents of Kusinagara, the place in North India where the Buddha died, initially refused this and it almost led to a war. Through the advice and intervention of a wise man, named Drona, calamity was averted and the relics were divided between the eight countries. In addition, the ashes of the funeral pyre and an earthen jar with relics were given to two more rulers. Temples with Buddha relics in Thailand are referred to as Wat Phrathat.

Phra Buddha Sihing

See Phra Phutta Sihing.

Phra Chadil (พระชฏิล)

Thai-Sanskrit. Name of a reusi, i.e. a hermit (fig.), in the epos Ramakien. He could show Hanuman (fig.) and his army the way to Longka in their search of Nang Sida (fig.), the consort of Phra Ram. See LIST OF RAMAKIEN CHARACTERS.

Phra Chao (พระเจ้า)

1. Title of a prince in Thailand, e.g. Phra Chao Look Yah Teh and Phra Chao Naresuan.

2. In Thailand the prefix of a name or title of a monarch, e.g. Phra Chao Taksin and Phra Chao Chakrapad, where ‘Chakrapad’ means emperor and ‘Phra Chao’ is the prefix.

3. Thai. A god or deity, a divine being.

4. Thai the prefix of a name or title of respected figure, as in Phra Chao Tah.

Phra Chao Look Yah Te (พระเจ้าลูกยาเธอ)

Thai. ‘Prince, son of a king’.

Phra Chao Naresuan (พระเจ้านเรศวร)

See Naresuan.

Phra Chao Seua (พระเจ้าเสือ)

Thai. ‘Tiger King’. Self-proclaimed title of the cruel Ayutthayan King Somdet Phra Sanphet VIII of the Ban Phlu Luang Dynasty. He ruled for only five years, from 1703 to 1708 AD, and was infamous for his reign of tyranny, terror and debauchery. He was a cunning, bullying schemer, who after the death of his predecessor, King Somdet Phra Phetracha, had so terrorized the rightful heir to the throne, i.e. the king's nephew Pichai Surin, that the latter gave it up in his favour. He was born in Phichit and is also known by the names Suriyenthrathibodi (สุริเยนทราธิบดี) and Luang Sorasak (หลวงสรศักดิ์).

Phra Chao Tah (พระเจ้าตา)

Thai. ‘Respectful Grandfather’. Appellation of a hermit character from the story Phra Aphaimanih by Sunthorn Phu, who in English is usually referred to as the Old Hermit. He is also referred to as just Phra Reusi and is depicted on the sixth of a series of eight Thai postage stamps issued in 2009 to publicize the story of Phra Aphaimanih as a major literary work of the Rattanakosin Era (fig.). Also transliterated Phra Chao Ta. See also Phra Chao and Thai Family Tree.

Phra Chao Taksin (พระเจ้าตากสิน)

King Taksin.

phra chedi (พระเจดีย์)

See chedi.

Phra Chinnarat Bai Sema (พระชินราชใบเสมา)

Thai. Name given to a Buddhist amulet that is part of the five Phra Yod Khunphon. READ ON.

Phra Chom Klao (พระจอมเกล้า)

Thai name for Rama IV, the fourth monarch of the Chakri Dynasty. He is one of the Great Kings in Thai history referred to as a Maha Raj and as such his statue (fig.) is included in the monument at Uthayaan Rachaphak (fig.). Also transliterated Phra Jom Klao and Phra Chom Glao.

Phra Chuthathutrachatahn (พระจุฑาธุชราชฐาน)

Thai. Name of the Royal Summer Palace of King Rama V after his return from Europe, and who lived there between 1897 and 1901 AD. The complex consisted of several separate buildings, including the main teakwood mansion Phra Thihnang Manthatrattanaroht, Reuan Mai Rim Thalae (fig.), Reuan Wattanah (เรือนวัฒนา), Reuan Phongsri (เรือนผ่องศรี), Reuan Phirom (เรือนอภิรมย์), and Phra Chedi Ubosot Wat Atsadang Nimit (พระเจดีย์อุโบสถ วัดอัษฎางคนิมิตร), named after Atsadang Dechawut. The palace was near the seashore and a special jetty, known as the Sapaan Atsadaang (fig.), was built to allow the royal family easy access. In 1901, after Koh Sichang was invaded by the French, the main royal residence was taken apart, moved to Dusit in Bangkok, re-assembled and renamed Vimanmek (fig.). The foundations on the ground at the location where this huge wooden mansion once stood are still visible today. Reuan Wattanah today is a museum dedicated to the history of the palace, the island, and the royal family, in particular King Chulalongkorn (fig.) and his son Prince Atsadang Dechawut (fig.). See MAP.

Phra Dabot (พระดาบส)

Thai. ‘Anchorite’. Another term for reusi. READ ON.

Phrae (แพร่)

Thai. ‘Propagate, spread’. Province (map) and its capital city of the same name in North Thailand, 551 kms to the North of Bangkok. READ ON.

Phra Hoo Yahn (พระหูยาน)

Thai. ‘Drooping Ears Buddha’. A popular Buddhist amulet that originates from Wat Phra Sri Rattanamahathat in Lopburi, and which is cast from iron. READ ON.

Phra Idsuan (พระอิศวร)

Thai name for the Hindu god Shiva (fig.), especially when referred to in the Ramakien and in khon performances about this epic, where he is represented with a khon mask in the form of a human head, with a white complexion and wearing a golden chadah-like crown, with a peak which is somewhat inflated in the middle. He is depicted on a 2013 Thai postage stamp, as part of a set of eight khon masks (fig.) issued to commemorate the annual Thai Heritage Conservation Day by publicizing the national art of khon.

Phra In (พระอินทร์)

See Indra. Also Phra Intra.

Phra Intra (พระอินทร์)

See Indra. Also Phra In.

Phra Isaan (พระอีสาน)

Thai for Ishana.

Phra Jan (พระจันทร์)

Thai. The god of Monday and of the moon (fig.). He discovered the deceit by the demon Rahu during the distribution of the amrita, together with Phra Ahtit, the god of the sun. His mount is a horse. Sometimes transcribed as Phra Jantr, comparable to his Sanskrit name Chandra (fig.). See also thep prajam wan. See also TRAVEL PICTURE and THEMATIC STREET LIGHT.

Phra Kaan (พระกาฬ)

Thai. Dark god. A Hindu deity associated with the god of death, as well as with any of the deities that are part of the post Vedic Trimurti, i.e. the divine Hindu triad Vishnu, Brahma and Shiva, or any of their respective shakti. The name is a Thai modification of the Sanskrit word kala, a term used to express time and energy, death and creation, as well as the destruction of the universe and which is personified as Kala or Mahakala (fig.), the Hindu god of time and a form of Shiva, and as Kali or Mahakali, a form of his consort Devi. Both represent the terrifying destructive aspects of time, and it is Kala who orders Yama, the god of death, who will die. The Thai word for ‘time’ (kaan, กาล) is derived from it. Note that the final consonant is written as an ‘l’ () which in Thai at the end of a syllable or word is pronounced as an ‘n’, whereas the final consonant ‘a’ in the Sanskrit name Kala is in fact unwritten yet an ‘a’ is pronounced as in Devanagari script each letter represents a consonant that carries the inherent vowel ‘a’. In Thailand, there are shrines named for Phra Kaan in Ayutthaya and in Lopburi (map - fig.). The latter houses a ancient statue in Lopburi style and with four arms (mostly damaged), which was found without a head at the ruins of laterite blocks (fig.), located behind the modern shrine. The statue is believed to represent either Vishnu or Avalokitesvara, yet because it formerly had a black body it was named Phra Kaan. The now gilded image was later on given a sandstone Buddha head in Ayutthaya style. Sometimes transliterated Phra Kahn and Phrakaan. See also Phra Kaan Chai Sri.

Phra Kaan Chai Sri (พระกาฬไชยศรี)

Thai. Name of the servant of Phra Yom, who is responsible for sending the souls of sinners to hell. In Thai art, he is usually depicted as a golden Chaturbuja deity wearing a chadah (fig.) and holding a sword, a wishing gem (fig.) and a pasa, while seated on his mount, i.e. a winged mythological animal. Also transliterated Phra Kan Chai Si. The term Kaan (กาฬ) in his name means black mark of death’. See also Phra Kaan. WATCH VIDEO.

Phra Kaew (พระแก้ว)

See Phra Kaew Morakot.

Phra Kaew Morakot (พระแก้วมรกต)

Thai name for the Emerald Buddha.

Phra Kamphaeng Soom Ko (พระกำแพงซุ้มกอ)

Thai. Name of a popular and well-known Buddhist amulet from Thung Setthi (ทุ่งเศรษฐี), a field in Kamphaeng Phet. READ ON.

Phra Kaneht (พระคเณศ)

See Ganesha.

Phra Kanthakuman (พระขันธ์กุมาร)

A Thai name for Kanthakumara or Subramaniam.

Phra Kathavarayan (พระกัตตะวรายัน)

Thai name for Kathavarayan.

Phra Khattiyawongsah (พระขัติยะวงษา)

Thai. Name of the first ruler of Roi Et, appointed in 1775 AD during the reign of King Taksin the Great (fig.). He is nicknamed Thon (ทน) and was the son of Thao Jahn Kaew (ท้าวจารย์แก้ว), the leader of Meuang Thong (เมืองท่ง) and himself a high-ranking royal appointee. Thon founded the now modern city of Roi Et by bringing in evacuees from Meuang Thong to the new city's early settlement, then known as Meuang Kum Rahng (เมืองกุ่มร้าง). He is considered a great ruler as he was able turn Roi Et into one of the most prosperous cities in the Northeastern region. A monument in his honour is erected in Roi Et's city centre (fig.).

phra khi mah bintabaat (พระขี่ม้าบิณฑบาต)

Thai. ‘Monks (phra) riding (khi) horses (mah) to go alms begging (bintabaat)’. Term referring to the monks and novices of Wat Tham Pah Acha Thong (map - fig.) in the amphur Mae Chan of Chiang Rai province. Every morning those clergymen set off on horseback rather than on foot to go alms begging in the neighbouring villages. The novices are mostly hill tribe children.

Phra Klang (พระคลัง)

Thai. ‘Treasury saint’. Name for the Thai god of treasury, a kind of guardian angel that guards precious assets. He is depicted in royal attire and wearing a chadah (fig.) and typically holds a closed lotus flower in one hand and a sword in the other, or alternatively a bag of coins. Also transliterated Phra Khlang. See also Vayuphak.

Phra Kring (พระกริ่ง)

Thai. A style of small Buddha image which rattles when shaken, as it carries a relic or sacred object inside, after which the bottom at the base is sealed off. This style of small Buddha image is produced by several temples and the main temple hall at Wat Somdet Phu Reua Ming Meuang in Loei (map) houses a large sample, cast with the same features. WATCH VIDEO.

Phra Krishna (พระกฤษณะ)

See Krishna.

Phra Kritsana (พระกฤษณะ)

Thai name for Krishna.

phra kruh (พระครู)

Thai. ‘Monk-teacher’ or ‘honorable teacher’. A monk whose main task is to teach, either to lay students (fig.) or novices and monks.

Phra Lak (พระลักษมณ์)

Thai. The stepbrother of Phra Ram, i.e. Rama in the epic story Ramakien. He is the son of King Totsarot and Samut Thevi, and was born as the incarnation of Ananta, Vishnu's naga throne (fig.). Loyal to Phra Ram, he shared the latter's 14 year long exile and assisted him (fig.) in the battle (fig.) against Totsakan (fig.). In iconography, he appears identical to Phra Ram, but has a golden complexion (fig.). Hence, in scenes without colouration, he can easily be confused for Phra Ram, but when depicted together, Phra Lak is usually depicted in a lower, i.e. inferior position, or further in the background.

Phra Lob (พระลบ)

Thai. Name of the look-alike of Phra Mongkut, the son of Phra Ram and Sida in the Ramakien. He was created by a reusi or hermit, after it was at some point thought that Mongkut had disappeared. Since he is a clone of Mongkut, he is in murals depicted with a green or a white complexion, usually next to his original.

Phra Loh (พระลอ)

Thai. A story in verse about a handsome prince, who was lured into a love affair with two princess-sisters. READ ON.

Phra Mae Kwan Im (พระแม่กวนอิม)

Thai name for Kuan Yin, the Chinese goddess of mercy. Depicted as a lady, she is the female form of the male bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, the personification of compassion from Mahayana Buddhism. In Japan she is known as Kwannon.

Phra Mae Naak Galyanih (พระแม่นาคกัลยาณี)

Another designation for Naak Galyah.

Phra Maha Malah (พระมหามาลา)

Thai. Name for a kind of royal hat made of golden brocade. It is cylindrical and tapering in shape, and topped with a Phra Kiew Yod (พระเกี้ยวยอด) or Chula Mongkut (จุลมงกุฎ), i.e. a small golden chadah-style coronet. It has a broad brim and is adorned with the blond tail feathers of a bird-of-paradise, a bird known in Thai as nok karawake. This kind of hat is for a king only and appears on a Thai postage stamp issued in 2009 as part of a set of four stamps featuring royal headgear (fig.). In English it is referred to has the Gold Brocade Hat. See also Phra Malah Biang, Phra Malah Phet Yai and Phra Malah Sao Soong (fig.).

Phra Maha Mangkhala Silawangsa (พระมหามังคละสีลวังสะ)

Thai-Pali. Name of a Phra Thera monk and Buddhist scholar (fig.) of the Ayutthaya Period, who lived in Chiang Mai during the reign of King Phaya Tilokarat (1441-1487 AD). He is accredited with writing the Pali prayer Uppatasanti, an ancient Buddhist prayer for peace and calm. In Kham meuang, i.e. northern Thai dialect, this prayer is known as Maha Santing Luang (fig.).

Phra Maha Phichai Mongkut (พระมหาพิชัยมงกุฎ)

Thai. ‘Great Crown of Victory’ or ‘Great Crown of Honour’. Part of the Thai royal regalia or kakuttapan, consisting of a golden crown (fig.) in the form of a chadah. It is worn by the kings of the Royal House of Chakri on the day of their coronation, when they are invested with royal power, which is symbolized by the crown. It weighs 7.3 kilograms and is said to represent Mount Meru, the sacred golden mountain and abode of the gods in both Hindu and Buddhist cosmology. The crown thus also epitomizes the god-like status ascribed to the purportedly divine Thai monarch, who rules as a dhammaracha.

Phra Mahathat (พระมหาธาตุ)

Thai. Relic of the Buddha placed in a stupa. Such a relic without a stupa is called Phra Boromma Sahrihrikathat. Also transcribed Phra Mahataht, Phra Maha Taht, Phra Maha That and Phramahathat. See also sahrihrikathat.

Phra Mahathat Kaen Nakhon (¾ÃÐÁËÒ¸ÒµØá¡è¹¹¤Ã)

Thai. Name of a royal Buddhist temple on the southern edge of the city of Khon Kaen. READ ON.

Phra Mahathera (พระมหาเถระ)

Thai-Pali. Term used for the most senior Buddhist monks, who have been ordained in the Sangha for over 20 phansa or ‘years’, according to the Puniyanusatti.

Phra Maha Ut (พระมหาอุตม์)

Thai. Name for an image or amulet of a seated figure who covers his eyes with two hands. READ ON.

Phra Mahesuan (พระมเหศวร)

Thai. Name of a Buddhist amulet that originates from Wat Phra Sri Rattanamahathat in Suphanburi, and which dates back to the U-Thong Dynasty. READ ON.

Phra Malah Biang (พระมาลาเบี่ยง)

Thai. Name for a royal hat as worn by King Naresuan and his generals in battle (fig.). READ ON.

Phra Malah Phet Yai (พระมาลาเพชรใหญ่)

Thai. Name for a kind of royal hat, made of black suede in the shape of half a citrus fruit, including the tip at the top and with the brim rolled up into a scroll. It is decorated with diamonds in the form of a tiara. The top is decorated with round diamonds, flanked on both sides with diamonds in an arabesque design, and below the tiara is a decorative floral motif also made with diamonds. This kind of hat is somewhat reminiscent of the Chinese name yi shan guan (fig.) and appears on a Thai postage stamp issued in 2009 as part of a set of four stamps featuring royal headgear (fig.). In English it is referred to has the Grand Diamond Hat. See also Phra Malah Biang, Phra Maha Malah (fig.) and Phra Malah Sao Soong (fig.).

Phra Malah Sao Soong (พระมาลาเส้าสูง)

Thai. Name for a kind of royal headgear (fig.), that made of suede in various colour according to the colours of the day (see Phra prajam wan). The crown, i.e. the portion of the hat that covers the top of the head, is cylindrical and tapering in shape, and topped with a Phra Kiew Yod (พระเกี้ยวยอด) or Chula Mongkut (จุลมงกุฎ), i.e. a small golden chadah-style coronet, whilst one side of the broad brim is folded upward. The hat is adorned with a golden rim and gold embroidery, as well as with the blond tail feathers of a bird-of-paradise, which is known in Thai as nok karawake, a name used for both a true and a mythical bird. In addition, it is bejeweled with precious gems according to the rank of the wearer. For instance, a red-coloured gem is for a king whereas a yellow gem is for members of the royal family of Somdet Chao Fah rank. Although the hat exists in many colours, it is often portrayed in its black form, e.g. on a Thai postage stamp issued in 2009 as part of a set of four stamps featuring royal headgear (fig.), and King Bhumiphon wore it on the day of his coronation. In English, it is referred to has the Felt Hat. See also Phra Malah Biang, Phra Malah Phet Yai and Phra Maha Malah (fig.).

Phra Malai (พระมาลัย)

Thai. Name of a legendary Sinhalese monk, who visited the different places of narok, the Buddhist hell. READ ON.

Phra Matchima (พระมัชฌิมะ)

Thai-Pali. Term for Buddhist monks who have been ordained between 5 and 10 phansa or ‘years’, according to the Puniyanusatti. This rank past the junior level of Phra Nawaka and precedes the level of Phra Thera.

Phra Mongkhon Thepmuni (พระมงคลเทพมุนี)

Thai. Another name of Luang Poo Sod (fig.), who was the influential abbot of Wat Pahk Nahm Phasi Chareun (fig.) from 1916 until his death in 1959.

Phra Nahtamunih (พระนาฏมุนี)

Thai. ‘Hermit-actor’ or ‘acting sage’. Another name for Phra Paratamuni.

Phra Nakhon Khiri (พระนครคีรี)

Thai. ‘City on the Mountain’. Name of King Mongkut's former summer palace in Phetchaburi, located on top of a mountain that is known as Khao Wang, literally ‘Palace Mountain’ (fig.). Today it is a historical park with several ancient monuments, such as the Wetchayan Wichian Prasat Throne Hall and an iconic observatory, known as Ho Chatchawaan Wiangchai (fig.). It is accessible by cable car and offers a panoramic view of the city below. See also TRAVEL PICTURES (1) and (2), THEMATIC STREET LIGHT, and POSTAGE STAMPS.

Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya (พระนครศรีอยุธยา)

The full name for Ayutthaya, composed of Phra (sacred), Nakhon (city), Sri (majestic), and Ayutthaya (undefeatable).

Phra Nang Chamadevi (พระนางจามเทวี)

See Chamadevi.

Phra Nang Klao (พระนั่งเกล้า)

Thai name for Rama III (fig.), the third monarch (fig.) of the Chakri dynasty. See also list of Thai kings.

Phra Nang Phaya (พระนางพญา)

Thai. Name of a Buddhist amulet from Wat Nang Phaya (วัดนางพญา) in Phitsanulok (fig.). READ ON.

Phra Narai (พระนารายณ์)

1. Thai name for the Hindu god Vishnu. READ ON.

2. Another name for Phra Naraiyamaharaat, the King of Ayutthaya from 1656, until his death during the revolt of Ayutthaya, in 1688. See also list of Thai Kings.

Phra Naraiyamaharaat (พระนารายณ์มหาราช)

King Narai, ruler of Ayutthaya from 1656 until his death during the revolt of Ayutthaya, in 1688. See also list of Thai kings.

Phra Naresuan (พระนเรศวร)

See Naresuan.

Phra Naret (พระนเรศ)

Thai. Name of a Brahman-Hindu deity, who is worshipped in the military, especially in the Royal Thai Navy. He is an important deity with regards to suppression and is depicted with four arms, as well as with a crown of victory. He is usually found in shrines next to Phra Narai (fig.), a duo referred to as Phra Naret-Phra Narai (พระนเรศพระนารายณ์).

Phra Nawaka (พระนวกะ)

Thai-Pali. ‘New monk’ or ‘novice’. Term for new and junior Buddhist monks who have been ordained between 1 and 5 phansa or ‘years’, according to the Puniyanusatti. This novice or beginner's level precedes the level of Phra Matchima.

Phra Nirantarai (พระนิรันตราย)

Thai. Name of the legendary crime-busting Buddha image which was created in the reign of King Mongkut (fig.) and is housed at Phra Pathom Chedi (fig.) in Nakhon Pathom. The sacred image is revered by the Royal Thai Police (fig.) as its own spiritual idol. Also transliterated Phra Nirantaray and Phra Niran Tarai.

Phra Non Saen Riyan (พระนอนแสนเหรียญ)

Thai. ‘Hundred Thousand Coins Reclining Buddha’. Name of a circa nineteen meter long and three meter tall reclining Buddha at Wat Bang Noi (วัดบางน้อย) in Samut Songkhram. The Buddha image is now covered with various old and new Thai coins, said to number several 100,000, and of brass-like aluminium bronze, copper and nickel alike, making it  sparkle in gold, metallic brown and silver colours. Besides this, there are also a few old and exceptional coins incorporated, the most valuable one said to be a very rare 10 satang coin from the reign of Rama VI with a depiction of this King. The image is the largest reclining Buddha in this province and when the original one, believed to be over 300 years old, had dilapidated, it was renovated by adding new layers over the remaining part of the old image, in acts of pae riyan. See MAP.

phranommeua (ประนมมือ)

Thai. The hands brought together as a greeting or to pay respect. See also wai and namadsakahn.

Phra Paisarop (พระไพศรพณ์)

Thai name for Vaisravana. Also Wetsuwan.

Phra Panjasingkhon (พระปัญจสิงขร)

Name of a character from the story Ramakien, who is also known as Phra Panjasihkohn (พระปัญจสีขร), whilst his name is in English also transcribed Phra Panjasikorn. He has a white complexion and a thin, kranok-shaped moustache with ends that point upward, and he wears a chadah-style crown (fig.) with a bulbous centre. He is depicted on a 2013 Thai postage stamp, as part of a set of eight khon masks (fig.) issued to commemorate the annual Thai Heritage Conservation Day by publicizing the national art of khon.

Phra Paratamuni (พระภรตมุนี)

Thai-Pali. Name for a hermit or reusi that appears in the story Ramakien. READ ON.

Phra Pathom Boromaha Kasatriyatiraat (พระปฐมบรมกษัตริยาธิราช)

Thai-rajasap. Royal title meaning ‘First Great King’, a title usually given to any of the founding kings of a dynasty. The title consists of the words Phra, Pathom (First or Primary), Borom, Maha and Kasatriyatiraat (Raja-King). Both the words Boromaha and Kasatriyatiraat are compound words or kham samaht. The letter ‘m’ in Boromaha (consisting of Borom and Maha) is in the compound word written and pronounced just once; and Kasatriyatiraat is a combination of the words Kasatriya (derived from Kshatriya) and Raat (derived from Raj), hence our above transliteration.

Phra Pathom Chedi (พระปฐมเจดีย์)  

Name of a bell-shaped pagoda, situated in the city of Nakhon Pathom. READ ON.

Phra Phanatsabodih (¾Ãо¹Ñʺ´Õ)

Thai. ‘King of the Forest’ or ‘Lord of the Jungle’. Name of a statue (fig.) depicting the Buddha standing on Brahmanaspati, a composite animal with features of the animal mounts or vehicles of the three main Hindu gods, thus having the beak of Vishnu's Garuda, the horns of Shiva's bull, and the wings of Brahma's hamsa, i.e. a sacred swan. The original statue dates from the Dvaravati Period and depicts the Buddha on top of this creature, which symbolizes the ascendancy of Buddhism over Hinduism. it was discovered around the year 1897 AD under the surface of the water in a canal in Phanat Nikhom (¾¹ÑʹԤÁ), a district in Chonburi Province, and it was carved from fine black stone had a height of just 45 centimeters. After this was in 1931 inspected and confiscated by the Fine Arts Department for its historic value, a stone replica three times the size of the original one was commissioned in 1974 and enshrined at Ho Phra Phanatsabodih (Ë;Ãо¹Ñʺ´Õ) in the very centre of town. Afterwards, other replicas of the statue started to appear in the area, especially in the provinces of Chonburi and Chachengsao (fig.). See TRAVEL PICTURE and WATCH VIDEO (1) and (2).

Phra Phareuhadsabodih (พระพฤหัสบดี)

Thai. Name of the god of learning and of the god of Thursday in the thep prajam wan system. Thursdays are related to knowledge and people born on this day are said to have the qualifications of a teacher. This thought comes from Hindu religion where Thursday is called Guruvar, the Sanskrit name for Jupiter and a name derived from the word guru (teacher). His mount is a male deer and he is teacher to all the other gods. In a later incarnation or chaht, he was born as the monkey-warrior Malunthakeson (fig.). See also Wan Kruh.

Phra Phikhanesawora (พระพิฆเนศวร์)

A Thai name for Ganesha, which is also transcribed Phra Phikanesuan.

Phra Phi Kaneht (พระพิฆเนศ)

A Thai name for Ganesha. In Thai khon performances, he is represented with a khon mask in the form of an elephant's head, either with two tusks or with one tusk broken off, and usually with a red complexion. In hun lakon lek he is represented as a puppet with similar features, but without his usual potbelly (fig.). He is depicted on a 2013 Thai postage stamp, as part of a set of eight khon masks (fig.) issued to commemorate the annual Thai Heritage Conservation Day by publicizing the national art of khon. He is also known by a variety of other names, including Phra Kaneht, Phra Wikhanesuan, Phra Phikhanesawora, Phra Phinai, Winayok, Ekatanta, etc.

phra phim (พระพิมพ์)

Thai for ‘votive tablet’. Sometimes transcribed phrapim.

Phra Phinai (พระพินาย)

Another Thai name for Ganesha. Also transcribed Phra Phinaai or Phra Phinaay.

Phra Phirun (พระพิรุณ)

Thai. Name for the Thai god of rain. READ ON.

Phra Phleung (พระเพลิง)

Thai. ‘God of fire’. A designation for Agni, the Vedic god of fire. Tawaai Phra Phleung, literally ‘to offer to the god of fire’, is an expression used during cremation ceremonies and means ‘to cremate [somebody]’.

Phra Phong Suphan (พระผงสุพรรณ)

Thai. Name of a popular and well-known Buddhist amulet from Wat Phra Sri Rattanamahathat in Suphanburi. READ ON.

Phra Phrom (พระพรหม)

1. Thai name for the Hindu god Brahma, who in the Ramakien is depicted with a khon mask of a white human-like face wearing a golden chadah-like crown of which at the centre of the peak are another four, smaller, white human-like faces, which are positioned back-to-back, as if one for every direction of the compass (fig.). He is depicted on a 2013 Thai postage stamp, as part of a set of eight khon masks (fig.) issued to commemorate the annual Thai Heritage Conservation Day by publicizing the national art of khon.

2. Thai. The name of an amphur in the southern province of Nakhon Sri Thammarat.

Phra Phrom Sih Nah (พระพรหม ๔ หน้า)

Thai. ‘Brahma with four faces’. A Thai name for Brahma when represented with a head with four faces (fig.).

Phra Phrot (พระพรต)

Stepbrother of Phra Ram (fig.), and son of King Totsarot and Queen Kaiyakesi, in the Thai epic story Ramakien. He is the incarnation of the chakra, i.e. the weapon of Vishnu, for one. In iconography, he is usually depicted as a human with a brown complexion, often with a bow.

phra phum chao thih (พระภูมิเจ้าที่)

Thai. Guardian spirits inhabiting a spirit house called sahn chao thih which is usually erected next to a sahn phra phum. They are the spirits who lived on the land before the house was built. The first one will house the chao tih, the latter the phra phum and often also a jawed.

Phra Phut (พระพุธ)

Thai. The Thai deity of Wednesday and the god of speech and commerce. As such, he is depicted on the logo of the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (fig.), holding a book and a sword, the first symbolizing his knowledge in various sciences, the latter symbolizing his sharp intelligence. His mount is an elephant. See also thep prajam wan. See also POSTAGE STAMP.

Phra Phut (พระพุทธ)

Thai term or title used for any buddha, the Buddha or a Buddha image. Also described and pronounced Phraphut, Phra Phutta or Phra Phutta.

Phraphut Chinnarat (พระพุทธชินราช)

See Phraputta Chinnarat.

Phraphuttabaht (พระพุทธบาท)

Thai name for Buddhapada, i.e. the Lord Buddha's Footprint (fig.). It is also the name of a painting by the Thai artist Phichai Niran (พิชัย นิรันต์), which was depicted on a Thai postage stamp issued on 2 August 2013 (fig.) as part of a set of eight stamps on contemporary art in the third series of commemorative stamps to mark the 2013 World Stamp Exhibition, which was held at the convention hall of Siam Paragon in Bangkok between 2 and 14 August 2013. Also transliterated Phra Phutthabaht, Phra Phuttabaht, Phraphutthabaht, or similar.

Phra Phutta Butyarat Chakraphan Phimon Manihmai (พระพุทธบุษยรัตน์จักรพรรดิพิมลมณีมัย)

Thai. ‘Stainless jewel of the empire topaz-gem Buddha image’. Name of an ancient Buddha image, initially from the city of Lavo and currently kept at Phra Thihnang Amphon Sathaan in Dusit Palace, the official residence of the Thai monarchy, since recently inhabited by the Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn.

Phra Phutta Chao (พระพุทธเจ้า)

Thai name for the historical Buddha. Also Phra Phutta for a ‘buddha’.

Phra Phutta Chao Luang (พระพุทธเจ้าหลวง)

Thai for a ‘late king’ or ‘deceased king’.

Phra Phutta Chinnarat (พระพุทธชินราช)

Thai. ‘Familiar Prince Buddha’. Important Buddha image from the 14th century housed in Wat Phra Sri Rattanamahathat in Phitsanulok and cast by order of King Mahadhammaracha Lithai. It is generally considered one of the most beautiful Buddha images in the nation. Compare with Khun Chinnarat. See MAP.

Phra Phutta Leut La (พระพุทธเลิศหล้า)

Thai name for Rama II, the second king of the Chakri dynasty. The name is often followed by the suffix Noppalai, a Pali word meaning ‘welkin’, ‘sky’, or ‘blue infinite’. This is a completion of the word La which means ‘earth’. Hence he is fully called Phrabaht Somdet Phra Phutta Leut La Noppalai and translates roughly as ‘His Majesty the King, Perfect Buddha of the Earth and Sky’. The guided missile frigate with hull code FFG 462 (fig.), of the Royal Thai Navy, is named after this King. See also list of Thai kings.

Phra Phutta Maha Suwan Patimakon (พระพุทธมหาสุวรรณปฏิมากร)

Thai. Official name for the Golden Buddha of Wat Traimit in Bangkok.

Phra Phutta Maha Wachira Uttamopat Satsada (พระพุทธมหาวชิรอุตตโมภาสศาสดา)

Thai. Official name for the Phra Phuttaroop Khao Chee Jan Buddha image.

Phra Phutta Methi Sammakon (พระพุทธเมธีสัมมากร)

Thai. Name of a Buddha image on the shore of Lake One in Bangkok's Sammakon (fig.) Community in Saphaan Soong district. This statue, cut from white marble and also referred to as Luang Pho Khao, i.e. ‘White Revered  Father’, is depicted seated in the pahng samahti meditation pose upon a gilded lotus base and underneath a gilded chattra-style parasol. See also TRAVEL PICTURE, EXPLORER'S MAP and DIRECTIONS.

Phra Phutta Mettaprachathai (พระพุทธเมตตาประชาไทย)

Thai. Name of a large bronze Buddha image located in a Buddhist compound at Wat Thipsukhontharam (fig.), in Kanchanaburi. The image has a height of 32 meters, symbolizing the 32 lakshana, i.e. the auspicious  signs of a great man, especially the 32 major marks described in Buddhist literature from which the predestination of a buddha may be recognized at birth, and is Thailand's largest Buddha image in a standing pose. It is in the Greco-Buddhist Gandhara style (fig.) and is performing a varada mudra (fig.). The statue was built in 2011-2012, in remembrance of the sandstone Buddhas of Bamiyan in Afghanistan, which were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001. The statue is guarded by the giants Waiyawet (fig.) and Subankhiri (fig.). The compound also features a museum on the construction methodes of the Buddha image, as well as on Buddhism in general, including on the spread of Buddhism by the Indian-Mauryan Emperor Asoka, and replicas of Buddhist monuments from the major Buddhist places of worship in India (fig.) and Nepal. The image's full name is Phra Phutta Metta Pracha Thai Trai Lohkkannaht Gandhararath Anuson (พระพุทธเมตตาประชาไทยไตรโลกนาถคันธารราฐอนุสรณ์). See also MAP and TRAVEL PICTURES (1) and (2).

Phra Phutta Mettaprachathai

Phra Phutta Monthon (พระพุทธมณฑล)  

Thai-Pali. ‘Buddha-circle’ or ‘Buddha-mandala’. Name of a Buddhist compound in Nakhon Pathom. READ ON.

Phra Phutta Nawa Banphot (พระพุทธนาวาบรรพต)

Thai. Name for a Buddha image located on the summit of Phu Reua mountain (fig.) in Phu Reua National Park (fig.), in Loei province. During the annual Songkraan festival, the local residents of the amphur organize a procession in which they wear Phi Boong Tao masks (fig.) and bring offerings to this Buddha statue, which is depicted seated in the maravijaya pose. See MAP.

Phra Phutta Praphat Sunthorn Thama Phisan Sala Loi Piman Worasantisuk Munin (พระพุทธประพัฒน์สุนทรธรรมพิศาล ศาลาลอยพิมาลวรสันติสุขมุนินทร์)

Thai. Name of the white standing Buddha image at Wat Sala Loi (fig.) in Nakhon Ratchasima, which is depicted in the abhaya pose with two hands raised (fig.), a mudra that refers to the story of ‘restraining the waters’.

Phra Phuttaroop (พระพุทธรูป)

Thai name for any Buddha image, which derives from the Sanskrit term Buddharoopa (बुद्धरूप), which literally means ‘form of the Buddha’.

Phra Phuttaroop Khao Chee Jan (พระพุทธรูปเขาชีจรรย์)

Thai. ‘Mount Chee Jan Buddha Image’. Name of a  huge laser-carved Buddha image finished with gilded plate attached to the bare side of Khao Chee Jan (Khao Chee Chan) mountain in the vicinity of Wat Yahn Sangwarahrahm Woramahawihaan, in the tambon Huay Yai  of the amphur Sattahip in Chonburi province (map). Its construction was part of a royalty-initiated project in 1996 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of King Bhumipon's accession to the throne. The official name for the Buddha image is Phra Phutta Maha Wachira Uttamopat Satsada. See MAP.

Phra Phutta Sayait (พระพุทธไสยาสน์)

Thai name for a reclining Buddha. Also transcribed Phra Phuttha Sayait and Phra Phut Sayait.

Phra Phutta Sihing (พระพุทธสิหิงค์)

Thai. Name of an ancient Buddha image in Singhalese style, cast in 1243 AD by the orders of King Sihala (สีหฬะ) of Langka. READ ON.

Phra Phutta Sothon (พระพุทธโสธร)

Buddha image in the Sothon Wararam Woriwihaan Temple (fig.) in Chachengsao, a kuh bahn kuh meuang and one of the most sacred images in the country associated with Luang Po Sothon, a Phra saksit who forecast the exact time of his own death. It is one of the five floating Buddha images mentioned in the Legend of the Five Floating Buddha Statues, known in Thai as Tamnaan Luang Pho Loy Nahm Hah Phi-Nong.

Phra Phutta Thammakaya Thep Mongkhon (พระพุทธธรรมกายเทพมงคล)

Thai. ‘Auspicious Dhammakaya Buddha Deity’. Name of a 69 meter tall and —at the knees— 40 meter wide Buddha image in Wat Pahk Nahm Phasi Chareun (fig.), i.e. the origin of the Buddhist Dhammakaya tradition, after which this image is named and which was founded in the early 20th century by this temple's abbot, Luang Poo Sod (fig.). Construction of this giant Buddha statue started in 2017 and was completed in mid-2020. WATCH VIDEO.

Phra Phutta Trai Rattananayok (พระพุทธไตรรัตนนายก)

Thai. Name of the principal Buddha statue in the main wihaan of Wat Kanlayanamit Woramahawihaan, a first class Buddhist temple of royal rank, located on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River (fig.) in Thonburi. It  is circa 15.15 meter tall and seated in the bhumisparsa pose. King Rama III had it cast after the 19 meter tall gilded Buddha of Wat Phanan Choeng in Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya (fig.), in May 1837. It is also known as Luang Pho Toh, as well as by its Chinese name Sampokong (ซำปอกง), and was for a long time the tallest seated Buddha image in the capital, a record since mid-2020 broken by the giant 69 metre tall Phra Phutta Thammakaya Thep Mon Buddha image (fig.) of Wat Pahk Nahm Phasi Chareun. See also Trairat and nayok.

Phra Phutta Trih Lohk Seht (พระพุทธตรีโลกเชษฐ์)

Thai. Name of the principal Buddha image at the ubosot of Wat Suthat in Bangkok. It was cast in the Rattanakosin Period and is 4 wah and 18 niw high, i.e. 8 meters and 37.494 centimeters, or 8 meters 37.366 centimeters to be exact. The Buddha image is seated in the maravijaya pose. See MAP.

Phra Phutta Yotfa Chulalok (พระพุทธยอดฟ้าจุฬาโลก)

Thai name for King Rama I. Sometimes transcribed as Buddha Yod Fa Chulalok. He is also called Phra Pathom Boromaha Kasatriyatiraat, a title meaning the First Great King [of the Chakri dynasty] (fig.). He is one of the Great Kings in Thai history referred to as a Maha Raj. As such, his statue (fig.) is included in the monument at Uthayaan Rachaphak (fig.). The guided missile frigate with hull code FFG 461 (fig.), of the Royal Thai Navy, is named after this King. See also list of Thai kings.

Phra pikkasu (พระภิกษุ)

See Phra pikku.

Phra pikku (พระภิกขุ)

Thai. A Buddhist monk or priest. See also bhikku.

phrapim (พระพิมพ์)

Thai name for a votive tablet. Also transcribed phra phim.

Phra Pinklao (พระปิ่นเกล้า)

Thai. Name of a younger brother of King Rama IV, who was vice-king or uparacha. He has an arboretum in Chachengsao and a bridge in Bangkok (map - fig.) named after him.

Phra pit tah (พระปิดตา)

Thai. ‘Buddha covering the eyes’. Popular name for a Phra Maha Ut image or amulet (fig.) which has the depiction of a seated figure shielding his eyes with both hands.

Phra Pok Klao Bridge

Name of a bridge that was built in 1982 on the occasion of the Bicentennial of Bangkok. READ ON.

Phra prajam wan (พระประจำวัน)

1. Thai. System of personal worship in Thailand in which each day of the week corresponds with a certain representation of a Buddha image. READ ON.

2. Thai. System of worship in Hinduism, often in accordance with the navagraha or nine planets. READ ON.

Phra prajam wan geut (พระประจำวันเกิด)

See Phra prajam wan.

Phra Prakohntan (พระประโคนธรรพ์)

Thai. Name of character from the Ramakien. READ ON.

Phra Prang Sahm Yod (พระปรางค์สามยอด)

Thai. ‘Three Spikes Prang’. Name of a monument located in the amphur meuang of Lopburi and which consists of three adjoining towers made from sandstone and laterite. Due to its Bayon style features, it is assumed that it was built during the reign of the Khmer king Jayavarman VII, when Lopburi was part of the Khmer empire. It initially was a Brahman-Hindu shrine devoted to the Hindu Trimurti of Vishnu, Brahma and Shiva (fig.), the divine triad which is represented in the three towers. The towers can be accessed and each of them individually houses a Shivalinga. In the 17th century, during the reign of king Narai the Khmer shrine was converted into a Mahayana Buddhist temple and a wihaan was built in front of it. In the central tower a pahng nahg prok Buddha image (fig.) was erected, whilst in the prang on the right a statue of the Phra Bodhisattva was erected and in the tower on the left a sculpture of the female bodhisattva Prajnaparamita (fig.) was placed. Also transcribed Phra Prang Sam Yot. See MAP.

Phra prathaan (พระประธาน)

Thai. The main or principal Buddha image in a temple. WATCH VIDEO (1) and (2).

Phra Racha Banlang Pradap Muk (พระราชบัลลังก์ประดับมุก)

Thai. ‘Royal Thone Decorated with Pearl’. Name of a royal throne decorated with mother-of-pearl. It is housed inside Dusit Maha Prasat (fig.), the oldest building in the compound of the Grand Palace, which was commissioned by King Rama I. The throne is surmounted by the Nine-tiered White Umbrella of State (fig.), known as a chattra or chat.

Phra Rachalanjakon (พระราชลัญจกร)

Thai-rajasap for the personal seals used by monarchs, to stamp, impress or seal up official documents and private papers. They can be divided into many division and categories depending on style and usage, but in general there are three types, i.e. the Royal Seal, the Privy Seal, and the Great Seal.

phra rachaphithi sip song deuan (พระราชพิธีสิบสองเดือน)

Thai. ‘Royal ceremonies during twelve months’.  A literary work written by king Chulalongkorn in which the traditional activities and ceremonies in each month are explained, starting from the Sukhothai and Ayutthaya Periods until the Rattanakosin Period, and in addition some Buddhist rituals are clarified. For each month it describes one or more significant ceremonies as well as a number of less important rituals, plus any seasonal holidays. See also praphenih sip song deuan.

Phra Rachawang (พระราชวัง)

Thai. ‘Royal palace’. The residence of the king and the royal family during the Rattanakosin Period. It's construction was started by Rama I on 6 May 1782 and it was aimed to recreate the glory of Ayutthaya, the former capital which was destroyed by the Burmese in 1767, only 15 years after this event. Its site was originally occupied by a large Chinese community who the government had transferred to a place south of the city walls, an area today known as Chinatown. During subsequent reigns the palace has been extensively modified and remodelled. The palace complex (fig.) consists of several throne halls, such as the Chakri Throne Hall (fig.), Dusit Maha Prasat (fig.), Phra Thihnang Mahison Maha Prasat (fig.), and Phra Thihnang Siwalai Maha Prasat (fig.), residential quarters and administrative offices, such as the Bureau of the Royal Household (fig.), as well as the Pavilion of Regalia, Royal Decorations and Coins (map - fig.), whilst an adjacent palace temple was built to house the Emerald Buddha. It was the religious and administrative centre of the Siamese Kingdom until the end of the absolute monarchy, in 1932. Also known as the Grand Palace. Its complete name is Phra Borom Maha Rachawang. See also Phra Rachawang Deum. See also MAP, QUADCOPTER PICTURE and POSTAGE STAMPS (1), (2), (3), (4) and (5).

Phra Rachawang Deum (พระราชวังเดิม)

Thai. ‘Former Palace’ or ‘Original Palace’, but usually translated as the ‘OLd Palace’. It is the Thai name for the Thonburi Palace, i.e. the former royal residence of King Taksin in Thonburi (fig.), now within the compound of the naval base of the Royal Thai Navy at Wichai Prasit Fort (fig.).

Phra Ram (พระราม)

Thai name for Rama (fig.) or Ramachandra, the seventh avatar of the god Vishnu, and the hero (fig.) from the Indian epic Ramayana, in Thailand called Ramakien. He was the son of king Totsarot and queen Kao Suriya. He was able to lift the Molih bow and thus received Sita in marriage. Whereas as the avatar of Vishnu, he may have a green complexion, as seen in the murals of Wat Phra Kaew, in murals on the Khmer Reamker, he has a white complexion. Yet, in khon, Phra Ram wears only a chadah-style crown (fig.) and no mask at all, or –alternatively– a khon-mask with a green face (fig.). Then again, e.g. as in puppetry, his complexion is white, but when he reverts to his divine form, referred to as Phra Narai, he is depicted with a purple complexion (fig.) and usually in Chaturbuja-style, i.e. with four arms (fig.). He may also be depicted riding the Garuda, which in the Ramakien is known as Suban, and also called Krut. See also POSTAGE STAMPS and THEMATIC STREET LIGHT.

Phra Rod (พระรอด)

Thai. Name of a popular and well-known Buddhist amulet from Wat Mahawan (วัดมหาวัน) in Lamphun. READ ON.

Phra Rot Meri (พระรถเมรี)

Thai name for a Southeast Asian folktale based on an apocryphal jataka saga. READ ON.

Phra Ruang (พระร่วง)

Thai. Title given to King Indraditya of Sukhothai (fig.), the father of King Ramkhamhaeng (fig.), and as an extension thereof the name of the dynasty that started with him. Nowadays, the title is also often used to refer to King Rankhamhaeng, who as a member of the Phra Ruang Dynasty is often called Phaya Ruang or Phra Ruang. In 1238 AD, King Indraditya liberated the Thai people from the yoke of the Khmer, prompting the Khmer King to sent an envoy to arrest him. According to legend, this emissary, called Khom Dam Din, was able to travel underground very fast using magical powers. However, when he emerged to deliver the Khmer King's message, legend says that he was turned into stone by Phra Ruang. King Indraditya died in 1268 AD. Today, he is remembered with a monument in the amphur Nakhon Thai, in Phitsanulok Province (fig.). Also transliterated Phra Ruwang. See also list of Thai Kings and TRAVEL PICTURE.

Phra Ruang Lang Peun (พระร่วงหลังรางปืน)

Thai. A popular Buddhist amulet that originates from Wat Phra Sri Rattanamahathat in Sri Satchanalai, in Sukhothai Province, and which dates back to the Lopburi Period. READ ON.

Phra Ruwang (พระร่วง)

See Phra Ruang.

Phra Saeng (พระแสง)

See Phra Saeng Khan Chai Sri.

Phra Saeng Khan Chai Sri (พระแสงขรรค์ชัยศรี)

Thai. ‘Sword of State’, also known as the ‘Sword of Victory’ and a part of the Thai royal regalia or kakuttapan. It symbolizes the king's power over the army and his role as protector of the nation.

Phra saksit (พระศักดิ์สิทธิ์)

Thai. Certain Buddhist monks in Thailand to whom special spiritual powers are ascribed. Often these monks transfer their powers (saksit) onto amulets and votive tablets (fig.) which are consequently collected by devotees.

Phra Samasam (พระสัมมาสัม)

Thai. ‘The One Who Enlightened Himself’ or ‘He Who Understood Rightly (or Correctly) by Himself’. A name or title sometimes given to the Buddha, because he understood the dhamma, that is to say, the Four Noble Truths, without having studied it, nor by having heard it from others. Compare with Mahamuni, Mahalabamuni and Saadsada.

Phra Samut (พระสมุทร)

Thai. Name for the Thai god of the oceans. When Phra Narai (fig.) incarnated as Phra Ram (fig.), Phra Samut took the avatar of Nilaraat (fig.), in order to assist Rama in his battle against Totsakan (fig.).

Phra Sang (พระสังข์)

See Sangthong.

Phrasangkaraat (พระสังฆราช)

Thai term for the Supreme Patriarch of the Buddhist church. READ ON.

Phra Sangkatjaai (พระสังกัจจายน์)

Thai. Name of  a Buddhist monk, who was an arhat during the time of the Lord Buddha. READ ON.

Phra Sao (พระเสาร์)

Thai. The god of Saturday. His mount is a tiger. See also thep prajam wan.

Phra Sayaam Thewathiraat (พระสยามเทวาธิราช)

See Siam Thewathiraat.

Phra Seua Meuang (พระเสื้อเมือง)

Thai. Name of the deity in charge of protecting the country, both on land and in the water. He watches over the military forces and troops, and keeps the Kingdom free of foreign invasion. In art, he is depicted standing upright and wearing a chadah (fig.), while holding a gada (mace) in one hand and raising a chakra (fig.), an emblem often used by the Army (fig.), with the other. WATCH VIDEO.

Phra Siam Thewathiraat (พระสยามเทวาธิราช)

See Siam Thewathiraat.

Phra Sian (พระเศียร)

Thai (rajasap). Term for the head of a king (fig.), a high-ranking royal, or that of a Buddha image. It is the most sacred part of a Buddha image and if a statue is damaged the head would be set aside and still be worshipped, such as the head or Phra Sian of Wat Mahathat (fig.) in Ayutthaya (fig.), which over time became encased by the roots of a banyan tree (map - fig.). In daily Thai speech and writing, the words hua (หัว) and srisa (ศรีษะ) are also used for ‘head’, with the former being the more casual form and the latter the more polite, whereas for Buddha images also the term Phra Phak (พระพักตร์) is widely used, which means and refers to the ‘face’ more than the head, but is often used interchangeably.

Phra Siwalih (พระสิวลี)

Thai. Name of a venerated monk. He is the son of princess Suppawasah (ÊØ»»ÇÒÊÒ), daughter of the king of Kohliya (कोह्लिया, â¡ÅÔÂÐ). From early on in her pregnancy, when he was still in his mother's womb, Siwalih already caused a lot of good fortune to his mother, due her adoration for him. According to legend he stayed in his mothers womb for seven years (compare with Lao Tzu) and she was in labour pains for seven days, but immediately after his birth she started to work again as usual. Later, Siwalih ordained as a monk with Sariputta. On the day of his ordination, as soon as he got his hair cut off, with the very first cut of the razorblade, he attained Enlightenment, as a result of his merit. And from the moment he had his head completely shaved, he became an arahan. He perfected his luck factor, caused a lot of gain amongst his fellow monks and received praise from the Enlightened One, who said he was a champion in bringing luck. It is therefore since long believed that anyone who worships Phra Siwalih or a relic of him, will receive peace in the form of happiness and good luck. Phra Siwalih is usually portrayed as a travelling monk, walking with a klot (the closed umbrella on his shoulder), a staff and a yahm shoulder bag. In Myanmar, he is known as Shin Thiwali (fig.), and ususally portrayed holding a Burmese-style pad bai lahn or pad yot, i.e. an ecclesiastical fan used by monks (fig.). Thailand has several large statues of this legendary monk erected all over the nation, such as in Wat Khao Noi, a Buddhist hilltop temple in the seaside resort of Hua Hin, features a 21 meter tall statue of Phra Siwalih, whilst the giant statue at Wat Suk Kasem Thammikaram (ÇÑ´ÈØ¢à¡ÉÁ¸ÃÃÁÁÔ¡ÒÃÒÁ) in Angthong, is with a height of 39 meters said to be the largest in the world (fig.). See also thudong and WATCH VIDEO (1) and (2).

Phra Somdet Wat Rakhang Khositaraam (พระสมเด็จวัดระฆังโฆสิตาราม)

Thai. Name of a popular and well-known Buddhist amulet from Wat Rakhang Khositaraam Woramahawihaan in Bangkok. READ ON.

Phrasong (พระสงข์)

See Sang.

Phrasong (พระสงฆ์)

Thai. Term for a Buddhist monk, of which there are 350,000 in Thailand, assembled into the Sangha, the community of monks that follow the Buddhist canon. READ ON.

Phra song kreuang (พระทรงเครื่อง)

Thai. ‘Adorned Buddha’. A Buddha image decorated with  royal attire and/or jewels, and commonly wearing a chadah headdress. See also adorned Buddha and crowned Buddha.

Phra Song Meuang (พระทรงเมือง)

Thai. Name of the deity responsible for watching over, as well as maintaining the various governmental departments and ministries. He is also in charge of protecting the welfare and happiness of the country's citizens. In art, he is depicted standing upright and wearing a chadah (fig.), while holding a sword in one hand and raising the Sankha, i.e. the ‘conch of victory’ (fig.), with the other. WATCH VIDEO.

Phrasong Ong Chao (พระสงฆ์องคเจ้า)

Thai. A Buddhist member of the clergy, monk or priest. See also Phrasong.

Phrasoot (ประสูติ)

Thai. ‘To beget, to give birth, to be born’, especially of a prince (rajasap). In religious context the term refers to the birth of the Buddha as prince Siddharta, which took place underneath a sala tree (according to some sources under a teak tree) in Lumbini. In iconography usually represented as Maha Maya who holds the branch of a tree with her right hand (fig.) at times whilst an infant emerges from her side, often in the presence of Brahma and/or Indra (fig.). Immediately after his birth, the newborn prince Siddharta is said to have taken seven steps and that at each step where he touched the ground a lotus blossomed (fig.). In iconography, the newborn prince is most commonly portrayed standing upright while pointing to the sky with the index finger of his right hand (fig.). Derived from the Sanskrit word Prasuti and sometimes transcribed prasut or prasuht. See also somphop, sawankot and sinphrachon.

Phrasooti (प्रसूति)

Sanskrit. Another transliteration for Prasuti.

Phra Sri Ahn (พระศรีอารย์)

Thai. A future bodhisattva who will save humanity.

Phra Sri Sakkaya Thotsaphonlayan Prathan Phutta Monthon Sutthat (พระศรีศากยะทศพลญานประธานพุทธมณฑลสุทรรศน์)

Thai. ‘Holy Sakya Buddha with Full Force Vision and Presiding Protector of the Buddha-mandala’. The full, official name of the Phra Phutta Monthon image in Nakhon Pathom.

Phra Suk (พระศุกร์)

Thai. The god of Friday and of love and beauty. His mount is an ox. See also thep prajam wan.

Phra Suthon (พระสุธน)

Protagonist in the story Manohra.

Phra Tha Kradahn (พระท่ากระดาน)

Thai. ‘Board Position Buddha image. Name of a Buddhist amulet that originates from Sri Sawat (ศรีสวัสดิ์) in Kanchanaburi Province, and which has artistic influences from the Lopburi Period. READ ON.

Phrathat (พระธาตุ)

1. Thai. Relics of saints and Buddhist monks, usually notable Buddhist monks. They typically consist of small pieces of bone, that are kept in bell-glass displays or miniature stupas. See also atti, Phramahathat and that. See also Phra Boromma Sahrihrikathat.

2. Thai. Name for a stupa in Isaan, or −in general− for a pagoda with a relic of a saint or Buddhist monk.

Phrathat Sri Song Rak (พระธาตุศรีสองรัก)

Thai. Stupa for the Love of Two. Name of a circa 17 meter tall pagoda located on the banks of the Man (หมัน) River in the amphur Dahn Saai (ด่านซ้าย) in Loei Province. READ ON.

Phra Thep Withayakhom (พระเทพวิทยาคม)

Thai. ‘Angelic Incantation’. Honorific name of the noble Buddhist monk Luang Pho Khun.

Phra Thera (พระเถระ)

Thai-Pali. Term for senior Buddhist monks who have been ordained between 10 and 20 phansa or ‘years’, according to the Puniyanusatti. They are beyond the level of Phra Matchima and precede the most senior and highest level of Phra Mahathera.

Phra Thewathat (พระเทวทัต)

Thai name of Devadatta.

Phra Thihnang (พระที่นั่ง)

1. Thai. Term used for a hall or room in a royal palace, as well as for a mansion in a royal palace or royal summer palace compound. See also Phra Thihnang Anantasamahkom.

2. Thai. ‘Royal’.

Phra Thihnang Amphon Sathaan (พระที่นั่งอัมพรสถาน)

Thai. Name of one of the palace buildings within the Dusit area. It was built in 1906 during the reign of King Rama V, who on 23 October 1910 passed away on the third floor of this edifice. The successive kings Rama VI and Rama VII, who later resided in Dusit Palace, consequently never lived on the third floor, but used only the first two floors of the building, as they considered the third floor to remain the restricted residence of Rama V. When King Bhumipon Adunyadet in 1950 returned from his studies in Switzerland, he took residence in Phra Thihnang Amphon Sathaan, prior to his coronation and marriage on 5 May 1950. It later became the birthplace of three of his children, i.e. Prince Vajiralongkorn, Princess Sirinthon and Princess Chulaphorn Walailak. Officially, the building is today no longer inhabited and has been used as a shrine for important statues and Buddha images, such as Phra Sayaam Thewathiraat and Phra Phutta Butyarat Chakraphan Phimon Manihmai. However, the palace was restored and when around 2014, the Standard (fig.) of Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn can occasionally be seen flying from the flagpole in the inner court, there are rumours that he might have moved from his official residence, i.e. the Sukhothai Palace. See MAP.

Phra Thihnang Anantasamahkom (พระที่นั่งอนันตสมาคม)

Thai. The Ananta Samahkom Hall (fig.), otherwise known as the Throne Hall in Bangkok (fig.), where today the national legislature assembles. READ ON.

Phra Thihnang Aphisek Dusit (พระที่นั่งอภิเศกดุสิต)

Thai. ‘Dusit Coronation Hall’. See Aphisek Dusit Throne Hall.

Phra Thihnang Chakri Maha Prasat (พระที่นั่งจักรีมหาปราสาท)

Thai name for the Chakri Throne Hall.

Phra Thihnang Khoo Ha Khareuhaat (พระที่นั่งคูหาคฤหาสน์)

Thai. ‘Royal Hall Cavern Mansion’. Name of a royal pavilion inside Tham Phraya Nakhon, a cave (fig.) near Khao Sahm Roi Yot National Park (fig.) in Prachuap Khirikhan, and a feature on this province's emblem (fig.). The mansion is also referred to as Phra Thihnang Khoo Ha Sawan, i.e. ‘Royal Heavenly Cave Hall’. This edifice, a kind of mondop-sala, was built in 1890 on the order of King Chulalongkorn, after his second visit to the cave and today houses his statue. The front and back doorways of the pavilion are adorned with pink curtains, i.e. the colour that corresponds to Tuesday according to the sih prajam wan-system and the day of birth of King Rama V. See MAP.

Phra Thihnang Khoo Ha Sawan (พระที่นั่งคูหาสวรรค์)

Thai. ‘Royal Heavenly Cave Hall’. Another name used for Phra Thihnang Khoo Ha Khareuhaat.

Phra Thihnang Mahison Maha Prasat (พระที่นั่งมหิศรมหาปราสาท)

Thai. Name of a small, one-storied, royal hall in Phra Rachawang, i.e. the Grand Palace in Bangkok, located in Siwalai Garden and bordering the central court. At the front, it has and arched doorway flanked by a double staircase, one on either side of the doorway, which lead up to a grandstand-like balcony. It was built by King Rama IV to enshrine the ashes of King Rama II, though those were in the reign of King Rama V moved back to their original place, i.e. the Ho Phrathat Monthien, another group of buildings within the inner court of the Grand Palace. Today, the Mahison Hall houses some Buddha images. See also Mahison Rachareuthay, Phra Thihnang, Maha, Prasat, POSTAGE STAMP, QUADCOPTER PICTURE, and MAP.

Phra Thihnang Manthatrattanaroht (พระที่นั่งมันธาตุรัตน์โรจน์)

Thai. The original name of the Vimanmek Mansion (fig.) when it was still the main residence at Royal Summer Palace Phra Chutathutrachatahn (map - fig.) on Koh Si Chang, i.e. before its relocation from the island to Bangkok's Dusit Palace, as in 1901, after Koh Sichang was invaded by the French, the main royal residence was taken apart, moved to Dusit in Bangkok, re-assembled and renamed. The foundations on the ground at the location where this huge wooden mansion once stood are still visible today.

Phra Thihnang Phutthaisawan (พระที่นั่งพุทไธสวรรย์)

Thai. Name of a Royal Hall (Phra Thihnang) formerly located within the compound of the former Wang Nah Palace, originally the residence of the Krom Phra Rachawang Bowon Sathaan Mongkhon , and today part of the National Museum in Bangkok. It was built by the order of Somdet Phra Bowon Raja Chao Maha Surasinghanat, the first viceroy of the Rattanakosin period (fig.), in order to perform royal religious rituals, and initially named Phra Thihnang Sutthahsawan (พระที่นั่งสุทธาสวรรย์). When the uparacha Surasinghanat in 1787 went to Chiang Mai, he sent back the Phra Phutta Sihing Buddha image (fig.), to be placed in the Phutthaisawan Royal Hall (fig.). The inside of the Royal Hall now still has a row of seats for members of the Royal Family and high-ranking officials (fig.), and the inner door panels at the rear of the hall (fig.) feature on a Thai postage stamp issued in 2008 as part of a set of four stamps on door guardians (fig.). The outer door panels are all decorated with gilded lacquer (fig.). See MAP.

Phra Thihnang Siwalai Maha Prasat (พระที่นั่งศิวาลัยมหาปราสาท)

Thai. Name of a royal hall in Phra Rachawang, i.e. the Grand Palace in Bangkok, located on the southeast side of Siwalai Garden, i.e. the backyard of Boromphiman Palace (fig.). It was built in 1878 to enshrine the statue of King Rama V as the then reigning monarch of the Chakri Dynasty. In 1918, King Rama VI had the statue moved to Prasat Phra Thep Bidon (ปราสาทพระเทพบิดร) in the complex of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, to join the royal pantheon, and the Siwalai Hall remains empty to this day. See also POSTAGE STAMP, MAP, and QUADCOPTER PICTURE.

Phra Thihnang Song Tham (พระที่นั่งทรงธรรม)

Thai. ‘Royal Hall to Attend a Sermon. Name of a temporary ceremonial residence used by the King, senior members of the royal family, and the Privy Council, when they attend certain religious ceremonies, such as a cremation. It is usually flanked on each side by a Sala Look Khun, the venue where senior government and palace officials are seated.

Phra Thihnang Suttaisawan Prasat (พระที่นั่งสุทไธสวรรยปราสาท)

Thai. Name of a two-storey Royal Hall (Phra Thihnang) in Bangkok, located on —and part of— the east wall of the Grand Palace, situated between the Thewa Phitak (เทวาพิทักษ์) and the Sakchaisit (ศักดิ์ไชยสิทธิ์) gates. When Rama I had the royal palace built between 1782 and 1784 AD, it was originally called Phlabphlah Soong (สุทไธสวรรย), which may freely be translated as ‘Elevated Royal Tribune Pavilion’. On the upper floor it has a balcony that gives out on the street from where the King could watch over a parade or come out to greet his subjects. After King Mongkut (fig.) had the hall renovated in 1853, he renamed it to its current designation. See also QUADCOPTER PICTURE, TRAVEL PHOTO, and MAP.

Phra Thutangkha Chedi (พระธุตังคเจดีย์)

Thai. Name of a Buddhist pagoda-hall located within the compound of Wat Asokaraam (fig.) in Samut Prakan. READ ON.

Phra Upakhut (พระอุปคุต)

Thai. Name of a Buddhist deity, who is believed to protect and have authority over all water. READ ON.

Phra Wacharaton (พระวัชรธร)

Thai name for a style of crowned Buddha image from Vajrayana Buddhism. READ ON.

Phra Warun (พระวรุณ)

A Thai god and guardian of the West. Also Varuna.

Phra Wet (พระเวท)

Thai name for Veda.

Phra Wet Photisat (พระเวทโพธิสัตว์)

Thai for ‘Veda bodhisattva’, a designation for Maha Chomphoo, who in Chinese is called Wei Tuo, who in turn is associated with Skanda, the Hindu god of war.

Phra Wikhanesuan (พระวิฆเนศวร)

Another Thai name for Ganesha.

Phra Witsanukam (พระวิษณุกรรม)

Thai designation for the divine architect of the Universe and the presiding Hindu deity of all craftsmen and architects. He is one of three creator gods found in Hinduism, alongside the Vedic god Prajapati and the Puranic god Brahma. His name is mentioned at the end of the full official name for Bangkok, Krung Thep Maha Nakon, that ends with the words Witsanukam Prasit and translates as ‘built by Vishnukam’. He is also regarded protector or patron god of the arts (fig.), together with Ganesha. He also appears in the Ramakien and in khon performances, he is represented with a khon mask in the form of a human head with a green complexion and wearing a diadem-like crown or a chadah-like crown with a black protuberance and a small golden peak, as well as a V-shaped kranok-like ornament over the ears (fig.). He is depicted on a 2013 Thai postage stamp, as part of a set of eight khon masks (fig.) issued to commemorate the annual Thai Heritage Conservation Day by publicizing the national art of khon, as well as in small print on a stamp issued in 2020 as part of the seal of the Ministry of Commerce, in which he is depicted in a dancing pose (fig.). His name may also be transcribed Phra Vishnukam.

Phraya (พระยา)

See Phrya.

Phra Yod Khunphon (พระยอดขุนพล)

Thai. ‘Warlord's Top Buddha images. Collective name given to a set of five popular Buddhist amulets, that originated in the past, going as far back as the Lopburi, Sukhothai and the early Ayutthaya Periods, and which survived up to the present time, being continuously remade and worshipped throughout. READ ON.

Phra Yom (พระยม)

Thai name for Yama.

phreah (ព្រះ)

A Khmer word meaning ‘holy’ or ‘sacred’. It is related to the Sanskrit word Brahman and the Thai word Phra. Sometimes spelled preah.

Phreah Bat Dambang Kranhoung (ព្រះបាត់ដំបងក្រញូង)

Khmer. ‘King [of the] Lost Rosewood Stick’ or ‘Lord [of the] Missing Rosewood Club’. An appellation for Neak Tah Dambang Kranhoung (fig.) after he lost the magic club that helped him become a king.

phrenology

‘Cranial science’. See also kwan.

Phrommachan (พรหมจรรย์)

Thai for Brahmacharya.

Phrommat (พรหมาสตร์)

Thai. Name for the the powerful arrow of Rama (fig.), which he used to shoot the asura Phra Phirap (fig.) and to behead Atsakammalah, amongst others. It is the first of the three arrows in the royal emblem (fig.) of King Rama VII, which are collectively known as Prajadhipok Saktitejana, and as part of the emblem they also appear on his Privy Seal (fig.), one of his royal seals, which in Thai are called Phra Rachalanjakon. Sometimes transcribed Phrommas, and pronounced Phrommaat.

Phrommathep (พรหมเทพ)

Thai. ‘Brahma god’. Name of a spit of land near the southern cape of Phuket island, a panoramic spot and popular during sunset. Also Laem Phrommathep and Phromthep. See MAP.

Phrommawihaan (พรหมวิหาร)

Thai. ‘Viharn or abode of Brahma’. Term used in Buddhism to refer to the Sublime Attitudes or the Sublime States of Mind, which are described to number four in total. Cultivation of these Four Sublime Attitudes, also known as the Four Immeasurables, has the power to cause the practitioner to be reborn into Brahma Loka, i.e. the World or Realm of Brahma, the abode of the Brahmas and the highest of the celestial worlds, which consists of twenty heavens and where the inhabitants are free from sensual desires. In Sanskrit, known as Brahmavihara.

Phrom Nakhon (พรหมนคร)

Thai. ‘City of Brahma’. Name of a legendary prosoporous city ruled by king Phrommathat, the fater of Phra Sang in the story Sangthong (fig.).

Phrya (พระยา)

Thai. A non-hereditary title or bandasak, immediately below a Chao Phrya, and above a Phra. Often pronounced and transcribed as Phya or Phraya. Phichai Dahb Hak (fig.) was a famous Phrya.

phuang chomphu (พวงชมพู)

Thai name for the Coral Vine, i.e. a species of creeper (fig.) that belongs to the family Polygonaceae, and with the botanical name Antigonon leptopus. Alternatively known as chomphu phuang. See also POSTAGE STAMP and TRAVEL PICTURE.

Phuang Kaew Sih Chan (พวงแก้วสี่ชั้น)

Thai. ‘Four-storey Crystal Cluster’. Name of a kind of kreuang khwaen, i.e. net or frame-like, stringed flower arrangements, that are used to suspend at windows, doorways, gables, etc. It is knitted of mainly jasmine buds (fig.) and white dok rak (fig.), jampah flowers (fig.), and some red roses or dok kulaab (fig.). This type of flower decoration is depicted on a Thai postage stamp issued in 2005 (fig.) It is also referred to as Phuang Ananyah (พวงอนัญญา), i.e. ‘Unique Cluster’.

phuang malai (พวงมาลัย)

1. Thai. ‘Cluster of flowers’. A flower garland, primarily made of fragrant jasmine and generally decorated with other colourful flowers. READ ON.

2. Thai. ‘Cluster of flowers’. Name of an orchid with the botanical name Rhynchostylis retusa and English referred to as Foxtail Orchid. In Thai, it is also known as euang aairet (เอื้องไอยเรศ). See also POSTAGE STAMPS.

phuang manao (พวงมะนาว)

Thai. ‘A cluster of lemons’, i.e. a garland, wreath or lei, made of lemons. READ ON.

phuang sao (พวงสาว)

Thai. A wooden tool consisting of small bobbin-like wheel for silk thread to pass over. It is fixed on a pair of poles that are placed over a bowl in which silk cocoons are boiled (fig.) and used to unwind the silk threads from the cocoons. From here they are reeled onto a nai (fig.).

phuchong (ภุชงค์)

See Puchong.

Phuc Loc Tho (Phúc Lộc Thọ)

Vietnamese name for the Three Star Gods, who are in Chinese as Fu Lu Shou (fig.) and in Thai referred to as Hok Lok Siw (fig.). Also Phuoc Loc Tho (Phước Lộc Thọ).

Phuket (ภูเก็ต)

Province (map) and island (map) in the Andaman Sea facing the west coast of the southern Thai peninsula. READ ON.

Phuket Gateway

Name of the Tourist Information Centre in Phuket which was built to facilitate visitors coming to the island. It consists of a landscaped garden with 29 large slabs of concrete, erected as pillars. The number of slabs have a symbolical meaning, i.e. the number 2 represents the two heroines of Phuket, whereas the number 9 refers to king Rama IX. The pillars have lists of stories about Phuket on them which were provided by the Phuket Historical Preservation Group. The centre also has a library and a mini theatre showing the Phuket way of life and documentaries of Thailand. The highlight of however is the Ban Lae Chiwit Monument (map - fig.), a sculpture that consists of a giant tortoiseshell, surrounded by large eggs and which name translates as ‘Home And Life’. It was created by professor emeritus Thana Lauhakaikul (ธนะ เลาหกัยกุล) and reflects the turtle watching legend of Mai Khaw (Mai Kao) beach in the North of Phuket island. Besides this, the tortoiseshell is a symbol for any ‘house’ or ‘home’, whereas the eggs stand for ‘life’ and ‘development’. The sculptor intentionally did not create the tortoiseshell of any specific species of tortoise, thus referring to all homes in general, rather than to the distinctive leathery turtle that occurs on Mai Khaw beach and which in Thai is known as tao ma feuang (เต่ามะเฟือง). The shape of the eggs also indicate generality, as their shape is round when seen from the back, like the round eggs of tortoises, but oval when seen from aside. The Ban Lae Chiwit Monument is similar to Sagittarius (fig.), another sculpture of the same sculptor in Lumphini Park, in Bangkok. Phuket Gateway is located in Ta Chatchai, in the amphur Thalahng, Mai Khaw sub-district, near the Thep Krasatri Bridge (สะพานเทพกระษัตรี), that connects the island with the mainland province of Phang Nga. In Thai it is called Pratoo Meuang Phuket (ประตูเมืองภูเก็ต).

Phu La (Phù Lá)

Vietnamese. Name of an ethnic group that lives in the hills of northeastern Vietnam, mostly in Lao Cai Province and some in  Ha Giang Province, as well as in southeastern China, where they are incorporated into and classified as members of the Yi ethnic group. Whereas their population in Vietnam is estimated to be at around 10,000, there are less than 5,000 of them living in China. Besides increasingly speaking Vietnamese, the Phu La also have their own language, which is a branch of the Tibeto-Birman language group known as Lolo.

phum (พุ่ม)

Thai for pear-shaped arrangements, i.e. an egg-like oval body, which is rounded at the bottom, but more pointed −almost cone-shaped− at the top, and which are used as offerings or as architectural features. Its form derives from that of a lotus bud. It can be made of a variety of materials, even rice. There exist several kinds and varieties, such as phum khao, phum dokmai, phum mahk, phum phah pah, etc. Some varieties, such as those made from khao tok, i.e. puffed rice, resemble a similar, yet sphere-shaped, Vietnamese artifact made from white, tiny sea shells (fig.). See also THEMATIC STREET LIGHT (1), (2), and (3).

Phu Mahk Yahng (ÀÙËÁÒ¡ÂÒ§)

Thai-Isaan. Milk Fruit Mountain. Name of a mountain in Roi Et province, that near its summit has a kind of Buddhist forest temple, that is fully known as Samnak Song Phu Mahk Yahng (Êӹѡʧ¦ìÀÙËÁÒ¡ÂÒ§), and which offers a stunning view of the valley below. The summit also has a colourful Buddha statue with the panjawakkih, i.e. the five ascetics to whom the Buddha gave his first sermon (fig.). The mountain also has a small cave where monks or visitors can retreat to meditate in silence. See also Milk Fruit (fig.). WATCH VIDEO.

phum dokmai (พุ่มดอกไม้)

Thai. Real or replica flowers arranged in the shape of a pear, i.e. an egg-like oval body which is rounded at the bottom, but more pointed −almost cone-shaped− at the top, and which is used as an decorative object for offering (fig.). It is often made from dried flowers, wax, silk, etc. It also exists as an architectural element, made from more durable materials, such as bronze (fig.). A similar arrangement made from slices of betel nut is known as phum mahk. Its form derives from that of a lotus bud. Also phum. See also POSTAGE STAMPS, TRAVEL PICTURE, and THEMATIC STREET LIGHT (1), (2), and (3).

phum mahk (พุ่มหมาก)

Thai. A phum or pear-shaped arrangement of sliced betel nut, that is used as an offering in Buddhist temples and ceremonies, especially in the more rural areas of Thailand. It is sometimes referred to by the name of the tray on which this offering is placed, i.e. mahk sum, an ornamental phaan-like tray, reminiscent of a khan kaew, though square in shape and decorated with four naga-figures, one on each corner and their tails meeting at the top (fig.). See also phanom mahk and phum dokmai. See also THEMATIC STREET LIGHT.

phum phah pah (พุ่มผ้าป่า)

Thai. A compound term made up of the words phum and phah pah and referring to a so-called robe tree or money tree, i.e. a symbolic tree put up to collect monetary donations to buy robes to be offered to monks during a thod phah pah or kathin ceremony.

phumriang (พุมเรียง)

Thai. A tree of the family Sapindaceae, yielding black edible fruit. Also cham ma liang.

Phu Pha Erawan (ภูผาเอราวัณ)

Thai. Erawan Rocky Mountain’ or ‘Erawan Mountain Cliff’. Name of the seventh and highest level in the series of seven falls of the Erawan Waterfall (fig.) at Erawan National Park (fig.) in Kanchanaburi Province. The name derives from the multi-headed elephant (fig.) from Hindu mythology as it is said that the falling water at this level breaks up over the natural obstacles while cascading down its path and thus creates shapes of water that are reminiscent of the multiple trunks of Erawan. See MAP.

Phu Phrabaht (ภูพระบาท)

Thai. His Majesty's Mountain. Name of a Historical Park in Udonthani with unusual rock formations. READ ON.

phurba (ཕུར་བ)

Tibetan for kila.

Phu Reua (ภูเรือ)

Thai. ‘Boat Mountain’. Name of a National Park in Loei province, located in an amphur of the same name. READ ON.

Phu Singh (ภูสิงห์)

Thai. ‘Lion Mountain’. Name of a mountain in Beung Kahn. READ ON.

Phut (¾Ø·¸)

Thai for Buddha. See Phra Phut.

Phu Thai (ผู้ไท, ภูไท, ผู้ไทย)

Thai. ‘Mountain-people’. Name of an ethnic group and their language. READ ON.

phuthon (ภูธร)

Thai. A term rarely used and meaning ‘local’ or ‘localitiy’, which is sometimes translated ‘rural’ or ‘provincial’, as in Tamruat Phuthon (ตำรวจภูธร), i.e. ‘Provincial Police’, a designation used for any unit of the Royal Thai Police (fig.) outside of Bangkok. However, phuthon may also mean ‘king’, ‘monarch’ or ‘royal’, akin to the expressions racha and kasat, as well as ‘mountain’, akin to khao. Sometimes transliterated phuthorn or phoothon.

phutsah (พุทรา)

Thai name for the Chinese Date or Indian Jujube, a small berry-like stone-fruit of an oriental tree of the genus Ziziphus. Its flesh is creamy-white and crispy in some varieties, while grainy in others. It is sweet with a slightly sour taste or acidulous, depending on the variety. They are also found in dried form, usually pitted (fig.). The tree is a food plant for the larvae of the Common Pierrot (fig.).

Phutta (¾Ø·¸)

Thai for Buddha. See Phra Phut.

phuttachaht (พุทธชาด)

Thai name for the Jasmine Vine, i.e. a species of creeper that belongs to the jasmine family Oleaceae, and with the botanical name Jasminum auriculatum. See also POSTAGE STAMP.

Phuttagaya (พุทธคยา)

Thai name for Bodh Gaya.

Phutthaphum (พุทธภูมิ)

Thai. ‘Buddha's land’. Name in Thai Buddhism used to refer to the realm of death, into which one enters after leaving watthasongsaan, i.e. the cycle of life. In Buddhist temples, such as Wat Rong Khun in Chiang Rai and in the cave temple at the foot of the Marble Mountains (fig.) in Da Nang, this is symbolized by a bridge that one has to traverse, crossing over a pool of hands, i.e. the Lake of the Doomed, whose arms and hands surface from its depth, in a bid to try reaching for help. Those, who enter Phuttaphum, will still be reborn and die again, until they have reached Enlightenment and become a buddha, after which they will go to nirvana.

phuttan (พุดตาน)

Thai designation for the Cotton Rose, a shrub or small tree with the botanical name Hibiscus mutabilis and of which the flowers turn three colours on the same day, changing from white in the morning, to pink during noon, and red in the evening. This unique feature is seen as analogous to the cycle of life and the Cotton Rose is hence regarded by the Chinese as an auspicious flower that represents stability and fertility. It was one of seven types of dok maijan, i.e. sandalwood flowers, used in the royal cremation ceremony of King Rama IX, in October 2017.

phuttaraksah (พุทธรักษา)

Thai. The ‘Buddha's cure’, the ‘Buddha heals’, the ‘Buddha guards’, etc. Flowering plant of the genus Canna. They grow in clusters (fig.) and their leaves are similar to those of the curcuma or turmeric. It is often seen in Thailand, usually of yellow, orange-red, or pink colour. The yellow variety (fig.) is the symbol of Father's Day in Thailand, celebrated annually on the king's birthday, i.e. 5 December. The yellow variety is depicted on a Thai postage stamp issued in 2003 (fig.). In English, it is commonly known as Canna Lily, and its botanical name is Canna x generalis.

Phuttasakkaraat (พุทธศักราช)

Thai. The Buddhist era in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia beginning on the first anniversary of the parinirvana of the Buddha, in 543 BC. Usually abbreviated as BE.

Phutta Sahtsanah (พุทธศาสนา)

Thai name for Buddhism.

Phuttathaat (พุทธทาส)

Thai. ‘Buddha's slave’. Name for a Buddhist monk or bhikku. READ ON.

Phuttha Uthayaan Maharaat (พุทธอุทยานมหาราช)

Thai. ‘Maha Raj Buddhist Park’ or ‘Great King Buddha Park’. Name of a religious site in Ayutthaya that features a giant statue of Luang Pho Thuad, who is also referred to as Luang Poo Thuad (fig.), and which is part of the Buddhist temple Wat Wachira Thammaram (วัดวชิรธรรมาราม - fig.).

Phutta Witchalai (พุทธวิชชาลัย)

Thai. ‘Wisdom of the Buddha’. Name of Bangkok's College of Buddhism and Philosophy in Bang Khen district, which is located adjacently to the Buddhist temple Wat Phra Sri Mahathat Woramahawihaan (วัดพระศรีมหาธาตุวรมหาวิหาร - fig.). It is in English is referred to as Buddhavijjalaya College and is associated with Bangkok's Rajabhat University in Phra Nakhon district, whilst most its academic services in projects related to Buddhism have since 2014 been reassigned to the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. See MAP.

phu upatham (ผู้อุปถัมภ์)

Thai name for ‘patron’, ‘protector’ or ‘aider’, as well as for ‘adoptive parent’.

Phya (พระยา)

See Phrya.

Picnic Incident

Name of an incident that happened on 10 December 1636 in Ayutthaya, when a party of around a dozen Dutchmen went for a boat ride on the Chao Phya River. They became drunk and made a nuisance of themselves near one of the ancient capital's holiest temples, Wat Worachet, which they disrespectfully called Wat Boeretiet, what literally means ‘a boor's tit’ and was possibly used jokingly to describe the pagoda-like chedis and prangs, both sacred Buddhist structures. Besides having sailed past the king's palace and breached the palace safety regulations, they went on and behaved obstinately and spitefully against all Siamese who crossed their path, scolding at some, calling names to others. They even hit a servant of the prince and entered a house to steal food from a sick Siamese. When King Prasat Thong (1629 to 1656 AD) learned about the incident, he was so furious he had all the Dutchmen involved arrested and ordered trampled to death by elephants (fig.). As a consequence the king also placed restrictions on the trading activities of the Dutch East India Company. The event is described in detail in the diary of Jeremias van Vliet, the acting director of the V.O.C. outpost in Ayutthaya at the time of the incident.

picture-wing fly

See malaeng wan ponlamai.

Pied Bushchat

Common name for a 13 centimeter tall passerine bird in the family Muscicapidae, and with the scientific designation Saxicola caprata. Males are almost entirely black, except for a white lower belly, rump, and elongated wing patch, while females are dull brown and slightly streaked, with a rusty rump and flanks, a pale vent and throat, and a black tail. Juveniles are similar to females, but they have a scaly appearance on the underside. This species has a wide range, and besides being found in South and Southeast Asia, it also occurs in West and Central Asia. There are about 16 subspecies, many of them island forms, and the subspecies occurring in Thailand is known as Saxicola caprata burmanicus, which is also found in Myanmar, India, South China, and Indochina. In Thai, it is called nok yod yah sih dam (นกยอดหญ้าสีดำ), literally ‘black grass-top bird’.

Pied Crested Cuckoo

Common name for a bird of the family Cuculidae and with the scientific designation Clamator jacobinus. It is also commonly known as Jacobin Cuckoo, or just Pied Cuckoo. It is found in Central Africa, the southern part of the Middle East, and in parts of South and  Southeast Asia. Whereas it occurs in Sri Lanka and parts of Myanmar year-round, in the northern parts of the Indian subcontinent it only appears as a widespread breeding visitor in summer, whilst in Thailand it is a rare winter visitor. Since it is in part migratory, the time of its arrival in northern India heralds the start of the Southwest monsoon rains. It is slim and medium-sized, but with a rather broad, white-tipped tail. Above, it has mostly black plumage with a distinctive white wing patch, whereas the underside is overall creamy white. It also has a characteristic rear crown tuft or crest. In Thai, this bird is known as nok kakkoo khao dam (นกคัคคูขาวดำ), i.e. ‘black-and-white cuckoo bird’.

Pied Fantail

A small bodied, insectivorous bird, with the scientific name Rhipidura javanica, found in Southeast Asia and common in the lowlands of Thailand. Its upperparts are dark grayish-brown to black (fig.) and its underparts are white, with a broad black band on the breast (fig.). The head is blackish with a thin white supercilium, i.e. an eyebrow-like stripe over the eye (fig.). Its outer tail feathers are broadly tipped white and it has black hairs protruding from between the bill and forehead, and to a lesser extend from between the bill and chin. It can often be seen on the ground, hopping from one spot to another, with its tail held upright, open like a fan. In Thai called nok ih-phraed, often specified as nok ih-phraed thaeb ok dam.

Pied Imperial-pigeon

Common name for a relatively large, pied species of pigeon in the family of Columbidae, which is found in Southeast Asia, ranging from Myanmar and Thailand to Java in the South and the Philippines in the East. It is plain white, with black primaries, flight feathers and tail-tip. It dwells in mangrove and coastal forests, woodlands, plantations and scrub. Pied Imperial-pigeons feed on fruit, in particular the fruit of nutmeg trees, giving it the nickname ‘nutmeg pigeon’. It is highly nomadic and will travel long distances from its sleeping and nesting sites to forage in the forests. In Thai it is known as nok lum phoo khao and nok kalum phoo khao.

Pied Kingfisher

A small black and white bird in the family of water kingfishers. READ ON.

Pied Paddy Skimmer

Another name for the Blackspot Widow.

pig

Bristly, omnivorous, artiodactylous mammal with a broad snout, that often appears in Oriental mythology, i.e. in Hinduism a boar (varaha or male pig) was an avatar of the god Vishnu; in Chinese tradition the pig is twelfth and last animal sign in the Chinese zodiac (fig.); and Zhu Bajie is a half-man half-pig character (fig.) in the story of Xiyouji, better known as ‘Journey to the West’, who is also responsible for cleaning the altars of Buddhist temples where boiled pig's heads are frequently offered (fig.). Those born in the Year of the Pig belong to the element shui (水), that represents water and correspondents to the colour black and the celestial stems ren () and gu (). The pig is said to be witty and clever, knowledgeable in law and philosophy, but is insubordinate to others. The Sun and Venus are said to serve as the hands of those born in the Year of the Pig, meaning that they have to work hard and endure in order to get their work done, whilst Saturn controls their minds, which causes them to be temperamental and hot-headed, though quickly angered, they are also quick to get over it and they do not easily hold grudges against others. Those born in the Year of the Pig have a tendency to leave the place of their birth and settle elsewhere, and Mars is said to be their seat. The pig features on many a Thai postage stamp, such as the Zodiac Year of the Pig Postage Stamp, issued in 2007 (fig.) and the Songkraan Day Postage Stamp issued in 1995 (fig.). It is also the mount of Nang Rakasot Thewi, i.e. one of the seven Nang Songkraan, namely the one who is celebrated if Songkraan is on a Tuesday. See also Wild Boar, boar, sukon, and lao moo.

pigeon pea

Common name for a plant with the botanical names Cajanus indicus and Cajanus cajan, and in Thai referred as thua rae and thua ma hae (fig.).

Pig Memorial

Name of a monument located along the Old City Moat on Rattanakosin Island, adjacent to the Pihkun Bridge (fig.). It was constructed in 1913 to commemorate the 50th birthday anniversary of Queen Saowapha, who was born on 1 January 1864 AD, though with the Thai New Year being in April, then still considered the Year of the Pig according to the Chinese zodiac, which according to the Gregorian calendar was in 1863 AD. In Thai, the monument is known as anusahwarih moo (อนุสาวรีย์หมู), though it is officially called saha chaht (สหชาติ), which means those who were born in the same year, a name refers to the fact that it was commissioned by three of her contemporaries, who were born in the same year, namely Prince Narisara Nuwattiwong (who designed the memorial), as well as Phraya Phiphatkosa (พิพัฒนโกษา) and Phraya Ratcha Songkhram (ราชสงคราม), as a gesture of gratitude to the Queen. The monument is in cast-iron and was initially erected standing atop a base made from big stone slabs pilling on top of each other, which today has been replaced by a higher hill-like base made of cement. See also Varaha (fig.). See MAP.

Pig-tail Macaque

See ling hang san.

pih (ปี่)

Thai. General name for a flute of which there are many varieties, such as the pih chawah (Javanese flute - fig.), pih mon (Mon flute), pih klahng (central flute), pih nai (inner flute), pih nauk (outer flute), etc. See also saranai, pih phaat and bansuri.

pih (ปี้)

1. Thai. Originally counters or gambling chips introduced to Thailand by Chinese gamblers during the Ayutthaya Period and used in gambling houses. Later they were also used in business transactions and eventually became an official currency, until they were banned for commercial purpose by the government in 1875. They are usually made of porcelain, but may also be of glass, horn, tin or brass. They are different in appearance and display motifs of animals and flowers and such on one side, and the Chinese character of the owner and its value on the reverse side. See also bia, phoykuan and photduang.

2. Thai. Name for a tab formerly carried by a Chinese to show that he had paid the poll tax.

pihb (ปีบ)

A Thai name for the Indian Cork Tree, besides kasalong. Commonly it is also known as Tree Jasmine, a designation also used for the Radermachera ignea, which in Thai is known as pihb thong. Sometimes transcribed peeb or peep.

pihb thong (บีปทอง)

Thai. ‘Golden pihb’. Name for a tree with the botanical name Radermachera ignea and, like the related Indian Cork Tree, also commonly referred to by the name Tree Jasmine. In Thai, it is in addition called kasalong kham. Sometimes transcribed peeb tong or peep thong.

Pihkun Bridge

Name of a walkway bridge over the Old City Moat, connecting Rattanakosin Island with eastern Bangkok, located near the later built Pig Memorial (fig.). It was constructed in 1911 with the private funds of Queen Saowapha, a consort of King Rama V, in order to mark her 48th birthday and her 4th birthday cycle, which coincided with the Year of the Pig, and hence is in Thai known as Saphaan Pihkun (สะพานปีกุน), which translates as ‘Bridge of the Year of the Pig’. The bridge has four decorative posts, that symbolize four birthday candles, one for each cycle of 12 years. See MAP.

pih phaat (ปี่พาทย์)

Name of a kind of music ensemble which features wind and percussion instruments which in Thai are also known as rhythm tools. It includes two pih, i.e. the pih nai or inner flute’ and pih nauk or outer flute’, as the chief instruments, supported by the ranaat ek (fig.), ranaat ek lek (fig.), ranaat thum (fig.), ranaat thum lek (fig.), kong wong yai (fig.), kong wong lek (fig.), the tapohn (fig.), klong thad (fig.), and the ching (fig.). In addition, it might also include a pair of klong khaek (fig.), krab (fig.), a jakae (fig.), and chaab, i.e. both the chaab lek (fig.) and chaab yai (fig.), and sometimes one or more mohng (fig.). It is used to accompany different royal and traditional ceremonies, as well as in theatre and dance performances such as khon, lakhon, nang yai, etc. A set of 8 Thai postage stamps issued in 1982, depict the Thai musical instruments that are typically used in a pih phaat (fig.).

pilaster

A decorative column that projects a little from the wall, usually on both sides of a doorway. Also colonette.

Pileated Gibbon

Name of a kind of gibbon, i.e. a species of primate in the family Hylobatidae, with the scientific designation Hylobates pileatus and also commonly known as Crowned Gibbon (fig.). Males and females exhibit sexual dichromatism, i.e. have different fur colourations and marking patterns. Males are black with a white ring around the face, whereas females (fig.) are creamy white-grey with a blackish belly, face and head (fig.). Whilst females have long shaggy hair on the sides and back of the head, males have a ring of rather bristly hair around the crown, which sometimes, depending on the light, appears to be greyish. Pileated Gibbons are found in eastern Thailand, western Cambodia and southwest Laos. They are diurnal, arboreal and feed predominantly on fruits, leaves and small animals. Like other gibbons, they are monogamous.

pin (ปิ่น)

Thai. An ornamental pin for a topknot. It also means [the one] ‘at the top’ and as such is an epithet for the king, as in pin kasat, ‘king of kings’. See also pin phiphop and pintoh.

Pindola (ปิณโฑล)

1. Pali-Thai. Name of one of the initial sixteen arahats, as well as one of the later eighteen and who is considered their leader. READ ON.

2. Pali-Thai. Name of one of the candidates for inclusion as the 17th or 18th arahat, often referred to as the second Pindola, to distinguish him from Pindola Bharadvaja  READ ON.

pine

See ton son.

pineapple

Fruit of the Ananas comosus. READ ON.

pineapple bamboo hat

Epithet for a cone-shaped traditional farmer's hat, that is hand-woven from bamboo with complex braiding, creating small pyramid-like squares like those on a pineapple.

pineapple guava

See farang kee nok.

Ping (ปิง)

Thai. Name of a river in North Thailand that flows through Chiang Mai and merges with the Nan, Yom and Wang rivers near Nakhon Sawan together forming the Chao Phraya river. A name similar to that of the river Ping also occurs in the old name of Chiang Mai, that is Nopburi Sri Nakhon ‘Phing’. See MAP.

Pindaya (ပင်းတယ)

Burmese. Name of a town in Myanmar's Shan State. The name is believed to have derived from the legend of Prince Kummabhaya (fig.), who shot and killed an evil giant spider with an arrow from his bow, and as a result made the exclamation pinguya, i.e. ‘taken the spider’, which over time corrupted into the name Pindaya. The region is famous for the the Pindaya Caves (map - fig.), i.e. three separate limestone grottoes, that together contain over 8,000 Buddha images of different sizes and in a variety of poses and mudras (fig.).

pinguya (ပင့်ကူးယူ)

Burmese. Exclamation allegedly made by the legendary Prince Kummabhaya (fig.) when killing an evil giant spider and meaning ‘taken the spider’. It is thought that it over time corrupted and became the name Pindaya.

Pink Cassia

Another name for the Pink Shower Tree, a deciduous tree that grows up to 12 meters and has the scientific Latin name Cassia bakeriana. In Thai it is called kalapaphreuk, and look kalapaphreuk, the name for its fruits, may also refers to a kind of riyan prooythaan, i.e. a monetary gift in the form of a coin that is wrapped in a package skillfully handmade in the form of a fruit using a ribbon. Besides this, both the Thai and English name are often used generally for all cassia trees with pink flowers, of which there are many different kinds, including the Cassia grandis (horse cassia, in Thai kalaphreuk), Cassia javanica (Javanese cassia, in Thai chaiyaphreuk), Cassia agnes (in Thai sometimes confusingly called rachaphreuk). In English, also called Wishing Tree.

Pink Dragon Millipede

Name for a kind of bristly looking millipede (fig.) with a bright pink colour, which was given the scientific name Desmoxytes purpurosea. It is only rather recently discovered in the greater Mae Khong area and was first described in 2007 by scientists in Thailand. It has glands that produce cyanide as a defence mechanism and its bright complexion is thought to act as a warning to potential predators. In Thai it is called king keuh mangkon chomphoo and it is sometimes referred to as shocking pink dragon millipede.

Pink-headed Jewel Beetle

A species of metallic wood-borer beetle in the family Buprestidae and with the scientific name Chrysochroa buqueti rugicollis. READ ON.

Pink-necked Green pigeon

A species of bird with the scientific name Treron vernans and belonging to the family Columbidae. It is found in Southeast Asia, from southern Myanmar to the Malay peninsula, including Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand, to Sulawesi, the Philippines and Borneo. Its habitat includes tropical and subtropical moist lowland, mangrove and montane forests. Both the male and female are predominantly green with a yellow stripe in the wings, a yellow tinge on the belly and mixed dark green and yellow thighs, but males have a grey head and throat with a pinkish-purple upper breast and neck, and an orange lower breast. They eat mainly fruits and their colourful plumage allows them to blend perfectly in the foliage of fruiting trees (fig.). In Thai called nok plao ko sih muang.

Pink Rain Lily

Common name for a tropical plant with the botanical designation Zephyranthes rosea and also commonly referred to as Rosy Rain Lily, Rose Fairy Lily, and Rose Zephyr Lily, and derive from the fact that this small plant produces short-lived flowers only after seasonal heavy rains or storms, with the name Zephyr referring to the Greek god Zephyrus (ζέφυρος), i.e. the personification of the West Wind, who is associated with rainfall. The plant’s funnel-shaped flowers have six bright pink petals with a green central perianth tube and six yellow stamina.

Pink Skunk Clownfish

Common name for a species of anemone fish, with the scientific designation Amphiprion perideraion. READ ON.

Pink Tassel-flower

Epithet for the Calliandra surinamensis (fig.), a shrub with tassel-like flowers that are white with pink. This up-to-three meter tall shrub belongs to the family Fabaceae and is related to the somewhat taller shrub Calliandra haematocephala or Red Powder-puff (fig.), which bears similar flowers, but which can be either white with pink or red. In Thai, the Pink Tassel-flower is known as jamajurih (จามจุรี), a name also used for the Rain Tree, alternatively called East Indian Walnut or Monkey Pod, i.e. a large tree in the same family (Fabaceae) and with similar flowers, but with the botanical names Albizia saman, Samanea saman, and Albizia lebbeck. To differentiate the shrub from the tree, usually the prefix phreuk (พฤกษ์) is added, whilst for the tree the prefix ton (ต้น) is used. The tree is the floral emblem of the Chulalongkorn University, since the pink flowers represent Tuesday, the birthday of King Chulalongkorn. In addition, as this tree sheds its slimy pods and leaves, and turns the ground below dirty and slippery, it serves as a warning to students to tread carefully during examinations, in order not to slip and fall, i.e. to fail.

pin phiphop (ปิ่นพิภพ)

Thai. ‘Lord of the world’. A compound of the words pin and phiphop.

Pin-striped Tit-Babbler

Common name for a small yellowish-brown babbler with striped underparts and a rufous forehead and wings. It has the binomial name Mixornis gularis and is also commonly known as known as Yellow-breasted Babbler. This striking passerine bird is widely distributed, found in the undergrowth and middle levels of forested habitats, from eastern India and Nepal downward to Bangladesh and mainland Southeast Asia, and parts of Indonesia and the Philippines. In Thai, it is known as nok kin malaeng ok leuang (นกกินแมลงอกเหลือง), i.e. literally ‘yellow-breasted insect-eating bird’. See TRAVEL PICTURES.

Pin-tailed Parrotfinch

Common name for a colourul species of finch found throughout Southeast Asia, and with the scientific name Erythrura prasina. Males are about 16 centimeters tall, are green above, with a blue face and throat, and orangey-buff below, with some pinkish-red colouring in the middle of the belly, and a bright red lower rump that extends into the tail, which is also red. Their beaks are black and the legs and feet pinkish. Females (fig.) are similar, but have a much shorter tail and in all measure just around 12.5 centimeters in length. They lack the blue face and chin of the male and instead have some pale powder-blue wash on the head sides. They also lack the red colouring on the lower belly, which is rather washed-out buffish.

pintoh (ปิ่นโต)

Thai. A kind of lunch box consisting of a stack with a number of cylindrical containers, one placed above another and held together by wooden or metal slats, that additionally form a handle on the top. There typically consist of three to five containers, though just a single one also exists. InEnglish, it is  sometimes referred to as a tiffin carrier or tiffin box, an expression that derives from an Indian word meaning a ‘light meal’ or ‘snack’. It is used for carrying food, usually light lunches prepared for schoolchildren by their mothers, or occasionally for farmers to take along when they go to work in the field. The different compartments are used to separate the various items or different constituents of a meal, e.g. a curry, some rice and a dessert. The word pintoh could be translated as ‘to grow (toh) to the top (pin)’, though the term likely derives from the Japanese bento, meaning ‘box lunch’. This probably refers to the stack in which the vessels are placed on ‘top’ of each other and hence ‘grows’ to a certain height, although it might just as well refer to the fact that children grow as they eat. Traditional pintoh are made from wood, later models usually from metal (fig.) and modern ones from stainless steel (fig.). Also transcribed pinto.

Pinya (ပင်းယ)

Burmese. Name of the Myinsaing Kingdom after the rebellion of Athinkhaya Saw Yun (fig.) and the consequent breakaway of Sagaing. It existed from 1313 to 1365 AD, alongside the Sagaing Kingdom, with Pinya ruling over southern Upper Burma and Sagaing controlling northern Upper Burma.

Pinyin (拼音)

Chinese. ‘Spell sound’. System of Romanized spelling for transliterating Chinese. The system first came into being in the fifties, with the aid of Russian scholars and thus initially rendered the Chinese characters in Cyrillic script. Only when Sino-Soviet relations became deteriorated in the late fifties, Pinyin slowly started to use Roman script. Pinyin was developed in order to do away with the inconsistency of earlier conflicting transliteration systems made by Westerners, that were usually based on Chinese topolects, rather than on Mandarin. The local or regional dialects from which these foreign systems derived often were Hakka, Hokkien or Cantonese, which are spoken in Fujian and Canton respectively, the area to which foreigners were previously largely restricted. The different foreign systems were also unconventional and contradictory, as they were usually strongly determined by the native tongue of the person writing out the transliteration, which for instance would be very different in English then in French. Hence, the inventors and developers of Pinyin aimed at standardizing the system for all alphabetical languages. Now universally accepted as the official transliterating system, it claims to indicate how a word should be pronounced in Putonghua, i.e. the ‘common speech’, though it is not perfect and any student of Chinese would tell you that it falls short to fully suit their need. Its formal name is Hanyu Pinyin, with Hanyu (汉语) meaning ‘Chinese language’. Other commonly spelling systems still in use today are Wade-Giles, named after its two late nineteenth century creators, and Chinese Postal Map Romanization, of which the former is more prevalent. The term Pinyin is related to Pinyin Wenzi (拼音文字) which means ‘alphabet’ in Chinese. In Pinyin, the word is spelled with diacritic punctuation marks that determine the tone, i.e. pīnyīn.

pipa (琵琶)

Chinese. Name for a Chinese four-stringed lute, which has a pear-shaped body and a neck with 30 frets. The musical instrument is held upright and played with both hands (fig.). The strings are plucked with the right hand, sometimes holding a wooden plectrum, or with several small plectra attached to the fingers. It is one of China's oldest musical instruments, with a history of over 2,000 years. The pipa is named after the sounds that the instrument produces and its designation is thus onomatopoeic. It is the main attribute of Chi Guo Tian (fig.), one of the Chinese Four Heavenly Kings (fig.). Also spelled pih pah or peepaa.

Piper nigrum

Latin name for the pepper tree. See prik thai.

pisang tanduk

Malay-Indonesian. ‘Horn banana’. Name of a species of large banana (fig.), that occurs from Sri Lanka, to Indonesia and Malaysia. They are mostly used in cooking, especially to make fried banana chips, known locally as pisang goreng. Commonly called plantain banana (fig.) and scientifically known as Musa acuminata or Musa balbisiana, depending on the variety. In Thailand, plantain bananas are known as gluay glaay, though usually nicknamed gluay nga chang, i.e. ‘elephant tusk bananas’.

pitahaya

See pitaya.

pitaka (पिटक)

Sanskrit. ‘Basket’. Term used to refer to any one of three parts or ‘baskets’ of the Tripitaka, i.e. Buddhist manuscripts written in Pali and used in Theravada Buddhism. They contain discourses of the Buddha, as well as exegetic texts, and a canon with rules on monastic discipline. They are divided into three parts and separately known as Vinay Pitaka, Sutra Pitaka, and Aphitam Pitaka. In Thai called pitok.

Pitaka Taik (ပိဋကတ်တိုက်)

Burmese-Sanskrit. ‘Library of the Pitaka’, i.e. Buddhist manuscripts. Name of a brick hall in the ancient city of Bagan used to keep Buddhist scriptures. READ ON.

pitaya

Name for the dragon fruit or pitahaya, which in Thai is known as kaew mangkon.

pitcher plant

Generic name for a tropical carnivorous plant of the genus Nepenthes. READ ON.

pitok (ปิฎก)

Thai term that derives from the Sanskrit word pitaka, which can be translated as ‘basket’ and refers to any one of three parts or ‘baskets’ of the Tripitaka, which in Thai are known as Traipitok, i.e. three sets of Buddhist manuscripts containing discourses of the Buddha, as well as exegetic texts, and a canon with rules on monastic discipline. Also transcribed pidok.

pit tah tih moh (ปิดตาตีหม้อ)

Thai. ‘Close the eyes and strike the pot’. Blindfold pot-hitting. Name of a traditional Thai children's game from the past, in which participants must try to smash a terracotta cooking pot (moh) with a a long stick, whilst having been blindfolded and spun around at least once. Players may be cheered on by other team members, who shout instructions, while opponents might try to interfere by shouting false directions. Whoever cracks the pot wins the game. See also POSTAGE STAMP.

pit thong (ปิดทอง)

Thai. ‘To cover with gold’, especially applying gold leaf to Buddha images and sacred objects. Usually gold leaf used in temples is of an inferior quality containing about 4% gold, whereas genuine gold leaf is made from pure gold.

Pittih Kohnjuk (พิธีโกนจุก)

See Phittih Kohnjuk.

pit viper

A subfamily of venomous vipers, with the scientific name Crotalinae, found in Asia and the Americas. These snakes are characterized by the presence of a heat-sensing pit organ located between the eye and the nostril on either side of the head (fig.). This highly evolved pit organ is a complex structure located in a cavity of the upper jaw and consists of a membrane that divides the cavity into two sections of unequal size, with the larger of the two facing forward and exposed to the environment. The two sections are connected by a narrow duct, that can be opened or closed by a set of surrounding muscles. By controlling this duct the snake can balance the air pressure on either side of the membrane, which has many nerve endings. When prey comes into range, infrared radiation falling onto the membrane allows the snake to determine its direction and distance, enabling it to strike accurately at any heat-radiating object, even if deprived of sight, smell or hearing, as tests have revealed. The pit organ of this nocturnal predator is thus of great value for hunting at night. In Thai called ngu pahk kraba, literally ‘tray-mouth snake’. Also spelled pitviper.

piyad (เปี้ยด)

Thai. Name of a bamboo woven basket used in Northern Thailand to collect the grains when threshing rice the traditional way. It is similar to the kraboong in the Central region, but rounder and shorter, with an edged round mouth and narrow square base, and a pair of ears for carrying rods. It is generally divided into three sizes: large (piyad luang), medium (piyad hahm) and small (piyad noi). Its shape may vary depending on local usage and preference, e.g. a piyad from Nan and Phrae provinces comes without an edged mouth and is sometimes called bung teep. Piyad are at times woven in intricate patterns and varnished with rubber resin.

Piya Maha Raj (ปิยะมหาราช, ปิยมหาราช)

Thai. ‘Beloved Great King’. A predicate for King Chulalongkorn. Pronunciation Piya Maha Raat and also transliterated Piya Maha Rach.

piyaw (เปี้ยว)

Thai name for the calling crab or fiddler crab, a species of semi-terrestrial marine crab with distinctively asymmetric claws and of which there are just under a hundred known species, all belonging to the genus Uca, within the family Ocypodidae. Males typically have a single, enlarged claw and its English common name, fiddler crab, refers to the fact that when it feeds, using the smaller claw back and forth to bring food to its mouth, it looks as if it is playing the other, larger claw, like a fiddle. It is also known as calling crab, as this single oversized claw with males, which can be either on the right or left side, is used to signal, as well as in courtship to attract females, by waving it high in the air and tap it on the ground. Besides this the large claw is also used for protection. In Thailand they typically live among mangrove roots. Also called poo piyaw (ปูเปี้ยว), poo kaam daab (ปูก้ามดาบ) and poo kaam yao (ปูก้ามขาว), i.e. ‘long claw crab’. See also sand bubbler crab and poo sahaem kaam daeng. See also WILDLIFE PICTURES and THEMATIC STREET LIGHT.

pla (ปลา)

Thai for ‘fish’. READ ON.

pla bai (ปลาใบ)

Thai common name for the Indo-Pacific Sailfish, a species of large marine fish with the scientific name Istiophorus platypterus. It has a large dorsal fin which it can raise, reminiscent of the sail of a boat and from which it gets its common name. It is dark blue above and silvery white below, and its upper jaw is elongated, resembling a spear, similar to Atlantic Sailfish (Istiophorus albicans), and other billfish, such as Marlin and Swordfish. In Thai, it also known as pla kratohng thaeng rom (ปลากระโทงแทงร่ม) and pla kratohng rom (ปลากระโทงร่ม), which loosely translates as ‘mustached umbrella stabbing fish’. Since Krabi means ‘sword’, the Swordfish became the symbol of this seaside province and features on the promenade along the beach of Ao Nang Bay (fig.) in the form of a large bronze of two fishermen catching a Sailfish, a statue reminiscent of a similar bronze at Phi Phi Don (map - fig.), one of the Phi Phi Islands (fig.), whereas the street lights at both these locations are also adorned with Sailfish. The Indo-Pacific Sailfish holds the record for the fastest swimming fish in the world, reaching speeds of 90 kilometers per hour. It is nicknamed the Queen of the Seas and is commonly found around the Phi Phi Islands in the Andaman Sea off Krabi. See THEMATIC STREET LIGHT (1) and (2), as well as TRAVEL PICTURES (1), (2), (3), (4), and (5), and WATCH VIDEO.

pla beuk (ปลาบึก)

Thai name for a large kind of catfish, generally referred to as Giant Catfish (fig.) and in Thai also known as pla beuk yak. See also pla dook.

pla beuk yak (ปลาบึกยักษ์)

Thai name for the Giant Catfish (fig.).

Pla Boo Thong (ปลาบู่ทอง)

Thai. ‘Golden Goby’. Name of a romantic love story. READ ON.

pla chalaam hahng yahw (ปลาฉลามหางยาว)

Thai. ‘Long-tailed Shark’. Designation for the Thresher Shark, as well as a name also commonly used in English as a synonym for this species.

pla chalaam waan (ปลาฉลามวาฬ)

Thai for ‘Whale Shark’.

pla chon (ปลาช่อน)

Thai. Literally ‘spoon fish’, ‘spade fish’ or ‘slice fish’. Name for the Striped Snakehead or Asian Snakehead, a kind of freshwater fish. READ ON.

pla daek (ปลาแดก)

Thai. A term derived from the Lao pa daek and used in Isaan for pla rah.

pla dao (ปลาดาว)

Thai. Literally ‘starfish’, i.e. the marine echinoderm with five or more radiating arms, which on the undersides have tube feet used for locomotion and —in predatory species— for opening the shells of mollusks, and mostly with suckers used to attach to surfaces. Some starfish have hard spikes on their bodies and some species are poisonous, yet in China some species are used as food and eaten fried on skewers (fig.). Starfish are said to have anti-inflammatory properties and are hence also found in dried form in traditional pharmacies all over Southeast Asia and the Far East, where they are crushed and used as an ingredient in Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat a variety of ailments, ranging from acute slow convulsion, tetanus and epilepsy, to irritable bowl syndrome, hearth disease, and allergies such as asthma. Since they are not real fish, starfish are by some referred to as sea stars.

pladkik (ปลัดขิก)

Thai. A phallus, usually carved from wood, typically mai khoon (ไม้คูณ), i.e. wood of the Casia fistula, also known in Thai as rachaphreuk, but also other wood or materials may be used, e.g. cast from bronze. It is comparable to the ancient Roman fascinum which was used to ward off disease. They come in all possible sizes and smaller ones (fig.) are often worn by men around their waist hanging from a string or chain as an amulet or as a talisman, and depending on the purpose, it should be worn on the correct side accordingly, i.e. left, right, front or back. It symbolizes the Hindu god Shiva and is supposed to avert misfortune and trigger good luck - Shiva is Sanskrit for ‘auspicious’. It is seen by some as a fertility symbol and thus comparable to the linga (fig.), which is a symbol of the creative power of Shiva and symbolized in the hump on the Zebu (fig.) bull Nondi, i.e. the mount of Shiva (fig.). Some pladkik may have the figure of a tiger, a monkey or some other animal, or even a lady, attached to it. A pladkik with a monkey also refers to the linga, as the Thai word for monkey sounds similar to the word for linga, namely ‘ling’. When with a tiger, it may refer to the ‘tiger of desire’, knowing that in Sanskrit a tiger is called viagra. Some may also have cabalistic writing and yan signs carved on them. In ancient Rome, people believed that phallic charms offered proof against the evil eye. Such an amulet was called fascinum in Latin, from the verb fascinare, meaning ‘to cast a spell’ which is the origin for the English verb to fascinate, in the sense of ‘to paralyse someone with fear’. Besides this the Romans carried amulets of hands in the fig gesture (mano fico), a fist with the thumb pressed between the middle and index fingers, a sign with a sexual connotation which, like the Thai pladkik, was often covered with magical symbols. The monks Luang Pho Ih (หลวงพ่ออี๋) of Sattahip and Luang Pho Leua (หลวงพ่อเหลือ) of Paet Riw are well-known for their carving of pladkik. Somewhat larger, medium-sized pladkik, are carried as an attribute by participants to the annual Phi Tah Khohn festival in Loei Province (fig.). Part of the Suan Traithep (สวนไตรเทพ), known in English as Traithep Dream Forest (fig.), a theme park in Khon Kaen, is fashioned as a garden with large phalluses erected upright in a field known as Thung Krajiew (ทุ่งกระเจี๊ยว), i.e. ‘Field of  Cocks’ (vdo). The Erawan shrine in Bangkok also features a fertility corner, where people who long for children come to offer wooden phalluses in order to facilitate pregnancy. Similarly, in Japan, large phalluses are found in specific fertility shrines and carried around in Phallic Processions or Penis Parades during certain festivals, such as the Shinto Kanamara Matsuri and Honen Matsuri or ‘Harvest Festival’, and represent fertility and sexual health. Alternative transliteration and pronunciation paladkik and pa-ladkik.

pla dook (ปลาดุก)

Thai for ‘catfish’, especially airbreathing catfish belonging to the family Clariidae, which also includes the walking catfish, a species of freshwater airbreathing catfish native to Southeast Asia and with the scientific name Clarias batrachus. The latter is named after it's ability to wiggle on land using its pectoral fins combined with the snakelike movements of its elongated body. Airbreathing catfish are characterized by a large flat head with four barbels, an elongated body with long dorsal and anal fins, and by the presence of a so-called labyrinth organ, an extension of the gill plates, i.e. the bone that anchors the gills and which consists of multiple folds covered with tiny blood vessels that take oxygen from the air, allowing them to breathe atmospheric oxygen and enable them to survive out of the water for extended periods. Pla dook native to Thailand are generally overall blackish grey to greyish brown above, sometimes with paler spots or markings and whitish underneath, as well as around the mouth and sometimes the eyes. See also pla beuk.

pla dook yak (ปลาดุกยักษ์)

Thai name for the Giant Catfish, besides the names pla beuk and pla beuk yak (ปลาบึกยักษ์).

plaeng kaai (แปลงกาย)

Thai. ‘To transfigure the body’, as well as ‘to disguise’ or ‘to impersonate’. Term used for a deity who splits his being and in part descends from heaven to incarnate on earth, while the other self remains in heaven. Also known as plaeng tua (แปลงตัว) and sometimes referred to as baeng tua (แบ่งตัว), literally ‘to split the body’. Compare with the concepts of avatar and arahitogami.

Plaeng Nah Sathit (แปลงนาสาธิต)

Thai. ‘Demonstration field’. Name of a green plot of land along Sri Nagarindra Road in Bangkok's khet Bangkapi, created to introduce and publicize upcountry-style farming to city dwellers. READ ON.

plaew (เปลว)

Thai. A flame or tongue of flame. Also plaew fai.

plaew fai (เปลวไฟ)

Thai. Tongue of flame, as used e.g. in the kanok or kranok design. Also plaew.

pla fah (ปลาฝา)

Thai. ‘Capped fish’. Isaan name for the Asiatic soft-shell turtle, which in Thai is known as taphaab (fig.).

Plain-backed Sparrow

Common name for a species of sparrow, with the scientific designation Passer flaveolus. It is between 13.5 and 15 centimeters tall and is found in mainland Southeast Asia (fig.). Adult males (fig.) have yellowish underparts, rufous-chestnut upperparts and a distinctive black throat patch, as well as black wing streaks, bill, tail tip and lores. Females are overall paler, have a pale supercilium, and a pale bill with a black tip. Also called Pegu Sparrow and in Thai known as nok krajok tahn (นกกระจอกตาล). See also WILDLIFE PICTURES.

Plain Earl

Common name for a butterfly found in South and Southeast Asia, with the scientific name Tanaecia jahnu. Above, the male is dark brown to blackish, with a small, off-white edge on the forewings, and a similar, yet much broader off-white band, on the lower part of the hindwings. The darker colours of both the wings and body have a slightly purplish shine, which is referred to in the Thai name phi seua baron muang dam (ผีเสื้อบารอนม่วงดำ), i.e. ‘purple-black baron butterfly’. Females are more dull and a lighter brown, without any of the white with males.

Plain Flowerpecker

Common designation of a tiny bird in the flowerpecker family, with the scientific name Dicaeum concolor. Both sexes are similar, with greenish-olive upperparts and mostly pale olive-greyish underparts, apart from the centre of the belly, and sometimes the throat, which is creamy coloured. The sides of the head are quite pale and the bill of adults is dark, whereas that of juveniles is pinkish with a dark tip. Like other flowerpeckers, the Plain Flowerpecker has a tubular tongue with a feathery tip, which allows it to sip nectar, though it also feeds on berries, as well as small insects. With a body size of 8.5 to 9 centimeters, it is the smallest bird in Thailand, together with the Golden-bellied Flyeater (Gerygone sulphurea) and some other species of flowerpecker, such as the Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker (fig.), all with an identical size. In Thai it is called nok kah fahk sih riyab. 

Plain Lacewing

Common name of a species of butterfly in the tribe Heliconiini and a subspecies of the Orange Lacewing (Cethosia penthesilea), with the scientific designation Cethosia penthesilea methypsia, and known in Thai as phi seua katokrok sih khlam (ผีเสื้อกะทกรกสีคล้ำ). See also Leopard Lacewing (fig.) and POSTAGE STAMP

Plain-pouched Hornbill

Common name for a species of hornbill, with the scientific name Rhyticeros subruficollis. READ ON.

Plain Prinia

Common name for a species of bird, with the scientific name Prinia inornata. Adults of both sexes are 13.5 to 15 centimeters tall, brownish-grey to olive above, with a clear, whitish supercilium and whitish-buff underparts. The bill is blackish, though often paler towards the base, and the legs and feet are pinkish. Immature birds (fig.) are described as warmer above and washed yellowish below (fig.). It is insectivorous and is typically found in wet lowland grassland, reeds, open woodland, scrub and on occasion in parks and gardens. It is also commonly known as White-browed Prinia (fig.), and in Thai it is called nok krajib yah sih riab. It is sometimes described as a species of warbler, referred to as Wren-Warbler and –akin to the Streaked Fantail Warbler– listed in the family Cisticolidae, which is unlike most other warblers, as those generally belong to the family Phylloscopidae. See also WILDLIFE PICTURES (1), (2) and (3), as well as TRAVEL PICTURE.

Plain Tiger

Common name for a species of butterfly, with the scientific name Danaus chrysippus and belonging to the subfamily Danainae or Milkweed Butterflies, i.e. butterflies that lay their eggs on various milkweeds on which their caterpillars feed. There are several species spread over Asia (fig.), Africa and the Mediterranean region, with the subspecies living in Thailand being the Danaus chrysippus chrysippus, a variety that has several forms itself and also occurs in other parts of Asia, as well as in the Mediterranean region and northern tropical Africa. Danaus chrysippus chrysippus is a medium-sized butterfly, with a wingspan of about 7–8 centimeters, with males slightly smaller than females, but more brightly coloured. It has tawny wings, with black on the apical half of the forewing, white spots and a white band. The hind wing has a thin border of a black enclosing series of semicircular white spots, and three black spots around the centre (fig.). In addition to the three spots, there is also a fourth spot, which is white and broadly bordered with black (fig.). The white of this fourth spot is somewhat better visible on the underside of the wings, which otherwise are similar in pattern to the upper side, but less bright in colour. The anterior part of the body is black with many white spots, whereas the posterior is tawny with black (fig.). See also WILDLIFE PICTURES.

Plain-throated Sunbird

See Brown-throated Sunbird.

Plaintive Cuckoo

Common name for a species of bird, with the scientific name Cacomantis merulinus. READ ON.

pla kad (ปลากัด)

Thai. ‘Biting fish’. A fighting fish used in illegal betting. READ ON.

pla kooy (ปลาโค่ย)

Thai name for the koi, a hybrid species of fish belonging to the family of Cyprinidae. READ ON.

pla krahae (ปลากระแห)

Thai name for the Tinfoil Barb.

pla krathung hew (ปลากระทุงเหว)

Thai generic name for several species of garfish, that belong to the families Belonidae (needlefish) and Hemiramphidae (halfbeaks). Species found in the region include the Slender or Banded Needlefish, the Freshwater Needlefish, the Pygmy Halfbeak, the Forest Halfbeak, and the Stripe-nosed Halfbeak (fig.).

pla meuk (ปลาหมึก)

Thai term that literally means ‘ink fish’, but which is also used for many kinds of cephalopod, such as squid or cuttlefish, but not for all cephalopods, excluding for example the Chambered Nautilus (fig.), which in Thai is known as hoi nguong chang. The word meuk, also called nahm meuk (น้ำหมึก) means ‘ink’, and particularly relates to black ink, as well as to the ability of many cephalopods to squirt a black watery substance, which is referred to as ink. On Thai beaches, one can occasionally encounter a cuttlebone that has been washed ashore (fig.), i.e. a hard, brittle, internal structure found in cuttlefish, which is composed chiefly of a carbonate mineral known as aragonite, and has a chambered, gas-filled shell used for buoyancy control. These cuttlebone are commonly used as calcium-rich dietary supplements for caged birds.  Squid or cuttlefish are very similar but can be told apart from their eyes, i.e. whereas squid have round pupils, those of cuttlefish are W-shaped.

pla moh (ปลาหมอ)

Thai name for fish in the family Anabantidae, which are commonly known as climbing gouramies or climbing perches, due to their ability of terrestrial locomotion, i.e. to climb out of water and crawl short distances. In order to do so, they possess a so-called labyrinth organ, i.e. a structure in the head of the fish, which allows them to breathe atmospheric oxygen. Hence, these fish are commonly seen gulping at air at the surface of the water. Due to this, this particular fish is also named in a Thai proverb.

pla moh sih (ปลาหมอสี)

Thai name for any fish from the family Cichlidae in the order of Perciformes, which includes the commonly seen intergeneric hybrid Flowerhorn, a species of fish also known as luohan (fig.), as well as the elegant Balloon ram.

pla ngun pla thong (ปลาเงินปลาทอง)

Thai. ‘Silver fish-gold fish’. Another name for goldfish (fig.), normally referred to as pla thong. It derives from the fact that some species of goldfish are not completely gold, i.e. red or orange, but rather gold merged with silver, with the latter being their original natural colour. And, whereas for Chinese people goldfish, are thought of as a prelude for fortune, since there Chinese name jīnyú (金鱼) sounds as jīnyú (金逾) or jīnyú (金余), which means ‘surplus of money’ or ‘gold in excess’, for Thai people the term silver fish-gold fish is rather reminiscent to the silver and gold trees, that they offer to the king.

plantain

Name for a large species of banana. See gluay glaay.

Plantain Squirrel

Name for a species of quick and agile tree squirrel that occurs from Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore to Sumatra, Java and Borneo. This rodent belongs to the family Sciuridae and has the scientific name Callosciurus notatus. It has a 20 to 30 cm long body with a similar sized tail. It is greyish-brown with two stripes, cream and black, on the sides of its chestnut belly. It is extremely adaptable, occurring in a wide range of habitats including secondary and coastal forest, mangrove, gardens, plantations, parks and semi-urban areas. It feeds mainly on fruits, especially those planted by man, but it will also eat insects such as ants and ant larvae, and bird's eggs. It is also called oriental or tri-coloured squirrel and in Thai kra-rohk kahng laai thong daeng (กระรอกข้างลายท้องแดง). See also plantain.

pla ob kleua (ปลาอบเกลือ)

See pla yahng kleua.

pla rah (ปลาร้า)

Thai. A kind of preserved fish, which is habitually made into a putrid chili paste called pla ra sab (ปลาร้าสับ - fig.) or a chili sauce called nahm phrik pla rah (น้ำพริกปลาร้า - fig.). In Isaan, it is often mixed with somtam to make it more salty, a dish known as somtam Lao. It is usually made from small fresh water fish which are mixed with bran and salt, and left to ferment in an earthen jar for seven to eight months. There is a saying that the flavour strongly increases if the fish is fermented ‘until maggots appear’ (fig.). In Isaan, the practice is said to be over 4,000 years old. The condiment is especially popular in Isaan and Laos, where it is known by the names pla daek and pa daek respectively, as well as in some parts of Vietnam and Cambodia. In Laos and some parts of Isaan, it is more like a thick, seasoned fish sauce that often contains chunks of fish, and where the ingredients may also include some pineapple. In Thailand the term pla rah is also slang for ‘dirty’, as well as ‘uncouth’ and ‘sloppy’. In Cambodia, they use the Khmer term prahok.

pla salid (ปลาสลิด)

Thai. Name of a true native fish of Thailand, with the scientific designation Trichogaster pectoralis. It is a traditional food fish, that is usually salted and sun-dried before being consumed with rice, commonly as deep fry fish. READ ON.

pla som (ปลาส้ม)

Thai. ‘Sour fish’. Name for different kinds of preserved fish, such as pla som fak. Since there are several kinds ingredients may vary and apart from the fish they may include salt, steamed sticky rice, garlic and seasoning powder.

pla som fak (ปลาส้มฟัก)

Name of a kind of pla som, consisting of fermented, shredded fish, mixed with rice and wrapped in banana leaves.

Plaster Bagworm

See non plok.

pla taphian sahn (ปลาตะเพียนสาน)

Thai. ‘Woven barb-fish’. A fish mobile (fig.), i.e. a hanging artwork made with fish said to represent a kind of barb, and woven or plaited either from coloured or painted paper, from real banknotes, or from another material. Most commonly palm leaves are used, which in Thai are called bai lahn, and those kind are hence referred to as pla taphian sahn bai lahn (fig.). Hanging them in ones home or business is believed to bring prosperity.

pla taphian sahn bai lahn (ปลาตะเพียนสานใบลาน)

Thai. ‘Barb woven from palm leaves’. An artificial fish woven from folded palm leaves (fig.) called bai lahn. The fish represents a barb, a kind of miniature carp of the genus Puntius, which in Thai is called pla taphian. Multiple fish are often made into a mobile, with some large fish above and smaller ones, i.e. their offspring, that dangle below. Fish are symbols of abundance and fertility and thus single palm leaf fish or fish mobiles (fig.) are placed in the doorways of homes and shops, and sometimes above a cradle, to invite good fortune. The custom of making fish mobiles is said to originate from Ayutthaya Province, where it was introduced by Thai Muslims, particularly the spice traders who sailed in houseboats along the Chao Phraya River. Sometimes they are folded from banknotes and used to attract an abundance of money.

pla thong (ปลาทอง)

Thai for ‘goldfish’, a domesticated freshwater fish in the carp family, which is popularly also called pla ngun pla thong, and of which there are many breeds. It originates from a less colourful carp species that is native to East Asia, that is known by the scientific designation Carassius auratus, and which was first domesticated in ancient China, where goldfish are known as jin yu and considered symbols of good luck that attract wealth. Species popular as aquarium fish are the Black Moor, Butterfly Tail, Bubble Eye, Common Goldfish, Celestial Eye, Comet, Curled-gill, Egg-fish, Fantail, Imperial Goldfish, Jikin, Lionhead, Lionchu, Meteor, Panda Moor, Oranda (fig.), Pearlscale, Pompom, Ranchu, Ryukin (fig.), Shubunkin, Shukin,  Tamasaba, Tosakin, Telescope Eye, Veiltail, and the Wakin. See also Flowerhorn and Koi Carp.

pla tihn (ปลาตีน)

Thai. ‘Footed fish’. Name for the mudskipper, a small freshwater fish of the genus Periophthalmodon.

pla tu (ปลาทู)

Thai. ‘Mackerel’. Generic name for a species of sea fish, that belongs to the genus Rastrelliger in the family Scombridae, which includes tuna fish. There are several subspecies found in Thai waters, i.e. Short-bodied mackerel (Rastrelliger brachysoma or Rastrelliger brachysomus - fig.), known in Thai as pla tu san (ปลาทูสั้น) or pla tu tua san (ปลาทูตัวสั้น); Indian mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta), in Thai called pla tu mohng (ปลาทูโม่ง) or pla lang (ปลาลัง - fig.); and Island mackerel (Rastrelliger faughni), in Thai named pla tu pahk jingjok (ปลาทูปากจิ้งจก), which translates as ‘mackerel with the mouth of a gecko’. Pla tu is often found on fish or food markets, where it is sold either fresh or prepared in small round bamboo baskets, known as kheng, in which the fish is steamed. They are recognizable by their yellowish fins, of which some have black tips, and certain species also by the sharp fin-like scales on either side of the tail. When steamed, the head of the fish is often bent to an angle almost at right to the body, to allow it to fit into the basket. See TRAVEL PICTURES.

pla wahn (ปลาวาฬ)

Thai generic name for ‘whale’. Also simply wahn. See also Hin Sahm Wahn (fig.) and Whales Monument (fig.).

pla yahng kleua (ปลาย่างเกลือ)

Thai. ‘Grilled salted fish’. Name for a dish consisting of a fish covered in pounded salt and then baked or grilled. It could be any type of large fish, but typically tilapia and snake-head fish (fig.) are used. Often the sides of the fish are slit (fig.) and herbs, such as lemon grass, are stuffed in its mouth to enhance flavours (fig.). It is a dish generally found for sale on markets. Also referred to as pla ob kleua, meaning ‘baked salted fish’.

pla yong (ปลาหยอง)

Thai. ‘Fish that shivers of fear’. Name for a recipe of shredded fish. It can be made of any kind of fish and is often eaten with sliced bread, as a sandwich. The name derives from moo yong (fig.), which literally translates as ‘pig [hairs] that stand erect through fear’, and is a term used for dry, shredded pork. Pla yong is an OTOP product of Mae Khlong district in Samut Songkhram, for one.

pleuak khai wichit (เปลือกไข่วิจิตร)

Thai. ‘Artistic eggshell’. An art form in which bird eggshells are decorated. READ ON.

ple yuan (เปลญวน)

Thai. ‘Hammock’. A mat-like cot of rope network, cloth, canvas or woven bamboo strips (fig.), suspended above ground by cords at the ends, and used for sleeping or resting. Literally it means ‘Annamese cradle’. The word Annamese (Yuan) means ‘Vietnamese’ and thus suggest a connection with this country, perhaps the fact that during the Vietnam conflict, the North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong forces regularly employed jungle hammocks fabricated from scavenged or captured US parachute cloth and shroud lines. Hammocks are widely found and used in many varieties, all over Thailand.

plih (ปลี)

1. Thai name for a chattra (fig.), the multi-layered umbrella, when used as an decorative ornament on top of a temple building (fig.), such as a bot, a wihaan, a chedi (fig.), a mondop, or even on top a chadah. With a chedi, the plih is located above the plong shanai (fig.). In Myanmar, this ornament is called hti.

2. Thai. Short for hua plih.

pling (ปลิง)

Thai for a leech living in freshwater, a bloodsucking invertebrate animal with the scientific name Hirudinaria manillensis which belongs to the family Hirudinae. They were formerly often used medically, for bloodletting. Its bite is not painful but the leech will inject a blood-diluting and anti-styptic agent that prevents the blood from curdling, enabling the leech to suck blood easily. Its counterpart living on land has the Latin name Haemadipsa interrupta and is in Thai known as taak. However, the term pling is occasionally also used for terrestrial leeches, but then usually the suffix bok (บก), meaning ‘land’, is added, i.e. pling bok (ปลิงบก).

pling thalae (ปลิงทะเล)

Thai for ‘sea cucumber’, a marine animal with an elongated body, that lives on the sea floor and belongs to the class Holothuroidea. READ ON.

plinth

1. A support consisting of a square block at the base of a column.

2. Base or pedestal. The rectangular to round stand on which a statue is placed.

plong (ปลง)

Thai. ‘To dispose of’ or ‘to cremate’, especially of dead bodies.

plong borikaan (ปลงบริขาร)

Thai-Rajasap. To give away one's worldly belongings before one passes away, a term used especially with regard to Buddhist monks.

plong phom (ปลงผม)

Thai-Rajasap. ‘To have the head shaved’, especially of Buddhist monks.

plong shanai (ปล้องไฉน)

Thai. Architectural term for the conical part of a chedi, between the hemispherical or bell-shaped base with the chan astsadong, and the plih, i.e. an ornamental spire in the form of an ornamental multi-layered umbrella called chattra. At its base, the plong shanai usually has the form of a stack of rings that decrease in size towards the top, though the last part towards the peak is generally smooth, yet still tapering (fig.).

Ploughing Ceremony

An ancient brahman custom that marks the beginning of the rice planting season. See also raeknakwan.

Plum-headed Parakeet

Another name for Blossom-headed Parakeet.

Plum Judy

Common name of a butterfly in the family Riodinidae, and with the scientific name Abisara echerius. Above, males are rich maroon to purple-brown with a blue gloss, and several black spots on the hindwing, all of them bordered on the outside with white. Below, they are dull maroon-brown, with subterminal transverse pale bands and also with spots, i.e. one group of three and another group of two, which are black and bordered on the outside by a white line, whist two pale circular spots separate the two groups of black and white-bordered spots. The head, thorax and abdomen are also maroon-brown, though somewhat pale on the underside, while the antennae are black with scattered pale specks. Females are very similar, but hazel-brown and overall paler, and with smaller spots. It is often found amidst foliage, repeatedly perching and taking off again, whilst constantly changing orientation and the position of its head, a characteristic that may help in recognizing this species from a distance.

Plum Mango

English name for several similar varieties of fruit trees within the same genus, namely Bouea macrophylla, in Thai known as maprahng (fig.); Bouea oppositifolia, in Thai known as mapring; and Bouea burmanica, in Thai known as mayong (fig.). There is yet another species with the binomial name Bouea microphylla, which in Thai is also referred to as mapring, although it is considered a distinct species.

po (ปอ)

Generic Thai name for fibre crops, such as the East Indian jute and kenaf, of which the bast fibre, that is the fibre collected from the bark of the plant, is used as sacking. See also po kaew.

po ban (ปอบ้าน)

See po khao.

po daeng (ปอแดง)

Thai. ‘Red jute’. Designation of an up to 30 meters large tree, with the scientific specification Sterculia foetida, a name referring to Sterquilinus, the god of manure in Roman mythology, due to its malodorous flowers. It has clustered leaves and its fruits consists of large, reddish-orange, crescent-shaped seedpods, somewhat reminiscent of the form of krab (fig.), that often grow in star-shaped clusters and usually hold about 10-12 dark, oval-shaped seeds each. When ripe, they will burst open to release their seeds and slowly change colour to brownish-orange to brown (fig.). The pods often fall to the ground, but should not be touched unprotected, as contact with bare skin may cause itchiness or irritation. When blossoming it bears yellowish-pink flowers. Also known as samrohng. This tree is similar and related to the Sterculia pexa, known in Thai as po khao, but the latter is smaller and has smaller fruits (fig.). The Thai term po means jute’ and was given to Sterculia trees as from the fiber extracts of the bark of certain species a jute-like natural fabric is made.

poh (โพธิ์)

Thai for bodh. The perfect knowledge or Enlightenment by which one can become a buddha. Also called bodhiyan and alternatively transliterated pho.

Poh Khun (พ่อขุน)

Thai. Title of the sovereign or king during the Sukhothai Period (1238-1350). In the Ayutthaya Period (1350-1767) the title for a monarch is Somdet (Phra), in the Thonburi Period (1767-1782) this has changed into Somdet Phra Chao and in the Rattanakosin or Bangkok Period (after 1782) it is Phrabaht Somdet (Phra). These titles are used as a prefix to the monarch's name, which may be followed by a suffix like Maha Raj, meaning Great King.

Pohng Deuad Pah Pae (โป่งเดือดป่าแป๋)

Thai. Name of a hot spring (fig.) in Huay Nahm Dang National Park (fig.), on the border of Mae Hong Son and Chiang Mai provinces, in Northern Thailand.

Poh Sop (โพสพ)

Thai goddess of rice, who also known as Mae Kwan Khao and Mae Poh Sop. Thai people believe that her soul dwells within a rice plant. Thus, in order to please this goddess, rice farmers organize a ritual known as Phithih Rap Khwan Khao (พิธีรับขวัญข้าว), literally the Ritual to Welcome Kwan Khao, in which they convey their gratefulness to this goddess on four occasions: i.e. at the time of ploughing; when they saw the rice; when they uproot and transplant the ton klah rice plants; and at the time of harvest, when they carry the rice to the barn. The ritual often involves the use of talaew being placed in or at rice paddies (fig.). This goddess is portrayed with ears of rice, sometimes in combination with a kwak gesture. Also spelled Pho Sop. There is a temple named after this deity in Surat Thani's Chaiya district and there is a large gilded statue of her at a roundabout in Songkhla's Ranot district (fig.). See also kwan and khao, POSTAGE STAMPS (1) and (2), TRAVEL PICTURE, and THEMATIC STREET LIGHT.

poi (ปอย)

Thai for a tuft, tassel or a lock of hair. In the past, tufts were traditionally left to grow on a child's head, to prevent it from becoming chronically ill, and was only removed at the age of adolescence, then considered to be eleven or thirteen. However, in some instances, as in the Poi Sang Long festival, the word may be understood figuratively, referring only to the traditional age when the tuft, also known as juk, was cut off during a traditional tonsure ceremony called Pittih Kohnjuk, after which one was considered an adult. Also called krajuk, kwan, kle, bindu, pomjuk and molih.

Poi Look Kaew (ปอยลูกแก้ว)

Thai. Crystal tuft. Northern Thai name for Poi Sang Long, the Buddhist ordination ceremony (buat) of young boys (sahmmanaen) in many parts of northern Thailand, also called Poi Noi. The candidate novices are called look kaew (fig.), rather than buatnaag, naag or naga, as is customary elsewhere in Thailand. Look kaew means crystal’ and refers to the fact that ordaining children make merit for their parents, whereas poi means ‘tuft’ and refers to their age, when they reach adolescence.

Poi Noi (ปอยหน้อย)

Thai. Small tuft. Another Northern Thai name for Poi Look Kaew, which in Thai is referred to as Poi Sang Long. Noi means smalland may refer to the fact that the candidate novices are in fact children, whereas ‘tuft’ refers to their age, i.e. when they are considered adolescents. See also poi and look kaew.

Pointed Flatwing

Common name for a species of moth of the family Uraniidae, with the scientific designation Micronia aculeata. It has a wingspan of up to 5 centimeters. It is mostly white with some fuzzy, brownish wavy bands, and a typifying black spot at the tail of the hindwing, reminiscent of those on Ornithospila lineata (fig.).

Poi Sang Long (ปอยส่างลอง)

Thai. Tuft-remitting trial. Thai name for the Poi Look Kaew or Poi Noi festival, that is held annually in northern Thailand, especially in Mae Hong Son and in which young boys, referred to as look kaew (fig.) and usually of Shan origin, are ordained as novices during the school holidays, usually in the beginning of April, though sometimes as early as February. The boys are dressed up princely and during the procession towards the temple, they ride on horseback or are carried on grownups' shoulders, a symbolic reference to prince Siddhartha, who abandoned his secular life on a horse (fig.). The horses used are Thai Ponies, which are referred to as mah look kaew (fig.). During the ceremony, some boys will wear dark shades to symbolize their lack of knowledge of the dharma, the Buddhist teachings. Children that ordain are considered to gain merit for their parents, not for themselves. It is understood that in doing so, they pay off or remit a debt towards their parents, for giving life and for raising them. The word long means trial’ and refers to the fact that being a novice or monk is considered a testing period, in which one learns about higher values and refrains from certain pleasures. Compare with shinpyu, buat and Buat Chang Had Siew (fig.). See also poi.

po kaew (ปอแก้ว)

Thai name for a species of plant commonly known as Hemp hibiscus, which is related to roselle and likewise used for the production of bast fibre. See also po.

po khao (ปอขาว)

Thai. ‘White jute’. Designation of an up to 20 meters large tree, with the scientific specification Sterculia pexa, a name derived from Sterquilinus, the god of manure in Roman mythology, due to the unpleasant smell of its flowers. It has digitate leaves, that grow usually clustered near the end of thick, stumpy twigs. Its 6-7 centimeter large fruit, consists of reddish-orange seedpods, that often grow from long drooping stalks in 3-5 star-shaped clusters and hold about 10 dark, oval-shaped seeds each. When ripe, the seedpods will burst open to release their seeds and the colour slowly changes to brown. When blossoming it bears bright yellow, orange or red flowers in whorls of upright clusters. Also known as po ban (ปอบ้าน). This tree is similar and related to the Sterculia foetida, known in Thai as po daeng, but the latter grows taller, and has larger and broader fruits (fig.). The Thai term po means jute’ and was given to Sterculia trees as from the fiber extracts of the bark of certain species a jute-like natural fabric is made.

pok-ka-lok (ปกกะหลก)

Another name for pok lok.

Pokklao (ปกเกล้า)

Thai name for King Rama VII, the seventh monarch of the Chakri dynasty. See also Prajadhipok and King Prajadhipok Museum.

pok lok (ปกหลก)

Northern Thai term for a wooden bell used to hang around the neck of large domesticated, usually free-grazing animals, such as Zebu cattle and water buffaloes. The bell has an elongated box-like shape, with two or sometimes three long, wooden clappers, that are vertically lined up next to each other on the inside, and stick extensively out from under the edge of the bell. When the animals move about, the bell makes a wooden pok-pok sound, hence its name. Sometimes called pok-ka-lok. See also hok kwai.

Police

See Royal Thai Police.

pomace fly

See malaeng wih.

pomegranate

See thabthim.

pomelo

Evergreen tree with a round crown belonging to the citrus family and with a height of between four and twelve meters. Its large fruits resemble enormous grapefruits thus giving them the Latin name Citrus grandis (fig.). Cultivated throughout Southeast Asia for its refreshing sweet-sour taste and those of the finest taste in Thailand come from the region of Nakhon Pathom, Chai Naat, and Phichit. Sweet and strong pomelo is often eaten as a salad or enjoyed with syrup. Its season is from November until February. Also called shaddock and in Thai som-oh.

Po Meuang (พ่อเมือง)

Thai. The sovereign of an ancient city state.

pomjuk (ผมจุก)

Thai. ‘Tuft of hair’. The growing of a tuft of hair on a child's shaven head, is based on a centuries old superstition and is to prevent children from becoming chronically ill. At eleven or thirteen years old the juk is cut off during a traditional tonsure ceremony called Pittih Kohnjuk. Also brahmins grow a small tuft of hair at the back of their head, in the bindu chakra (‘circle of drops’), a part where it is believed that a fluid is produced which can become either amrita, the elixir of immortality, or the poison of death. Occasionally, a pomjuk is split up into two strands of plaited hair (fig.). See also kwan, krajuk, juk, poi, kle, bindu and molih.

pom kahng (ป่อมข่าง)

Thai. Previous name for the Oriental Garden Lizard, which nowadays is rather called king kah. Its scientific name is Calotes versicolor and it belongs to the family Agamidae, though the name is also used in Isaan for the Calotes mystaceus, a similar species of lizard with a blue-green head, commonly known as Blue Crested Lizard (fig.).

Pom Maha Kaan (ปัอมมหากาฬ)

Thai. ‘Great Black Fort’. Name of a three-storey, octagonal shaped fort, on the edge of Rattanakosin island, alongside Khlong Rop Krung, literally the ‘Canal Encircling the City’. It is made from bricks coated with cement and measures 38 meters wide and 35 meters high, surrounded by a 4,9 meter high wall, measured from the ground up to the top of the bai sema battlements. It has a two-tiered, cone-shaped roof, which is said to look like an inverted lotus leaf. There are 6 canons in the battlement cavities. It was declared a national monument in 1949 and was at some point during the reign of Rama IX depicted on the 10 baht banknotes. It was built in 1783 and in 1982 it was renovated by the Fine Arts Department. In English it is also referred to as the Mahakan Fort. Despite its name, the fort is not black but overall white, and the designation Maha Kaan is actually the Thai pronunciation for the name of the black Indian god Mahakala (fig.), i.e. the personification of kala in a terrible form, who is associated with the destructive aspects of Shiva, as well as with one of the eight protectors of the law. Pom Maha Kaan is one of 14 strongholds that in the past defended the city and only one of two surviving, the other one being Pom Phra Sumeru. See also TRAVEL PICTURE and MAP.

Pom Meuang Chachengsao (ป้อมเมืองฉะเชิงเทรา)

Thai. ‘Chachengsao City Fort’, usually referred to as the City Fortress. It was built in 1794, during the reign of King Rama III. It is located along the current Maruphong (มรุพงษ์) Road, which runs parallel with the Pakong River in the eastern part of the city. See MAP.

Pom Phlaeng Fai Fah (ป้อมแผลงไฟฟ้า)

Thai. ‘Electrical Fire Fort’. Name of an old fortress, located at the tambon Talat of the amphur Phra Pradaeng, in Samut Prakan, that in the past served as a military base at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River to guard the advance by river to Bangkok. Today, the area of the fortress has been developed into a recreational area, and only some parts of the fortress are still in good condition. It is one of the many fortresses that were commissioned by King Rama I along the river, in order to protect the Kingdom. The upper part of the fortress today still displays some old cannons. See MAP.

Pom Phra Ahtit (ปัอมพระอาทิตย์)

Thai. ‘Phra Ahtit Fort’. Another designation for the Pom Phra Sumeru, named after the current street on which it is located, i.e. Phra Ahtit Road.

Pom Phra Chulachomklao (ป้อมพระจุลจอมเกล้า)

See Chulachomklao Fortress.

Pom Phra Sumeru (ป้อมพระสุเมรุ)

Thai. ‘Phra Sumeru Fort’ or ‘Mt. Meru Fort’. One of two remaining forts that once defended Rattanakosin, the other one being Pom Maha Kaan. Out of 14 strongholds that were built to defend the old city, Pom Phra Sumeru was the northernmost, located in Banglamphoo at the convergence of Khlong Rop Krung and the Chao Phraya River. It consists of a fortified wall with battlements and a tower where armament, weapons, ammunition and gunpowder were kept. Over time it became dilapidated, but in 1981 it was renovated by the Fine Arts Department, on the basis of pictures dating back to the reign of king Rama V, thus making it look exactly as before, whilst improving its surroundings by making them into a public park with a royal pavilion. Also pronounced Pom Phra Sumehn and sometimes referred to as Pom Phra Ahtit. See MAP.

Pom Thung Setthi (ป้อมทุ่งเศรษฐี)

Thai. ‘Millionaire's Field Fortress’. Name of an old fort in Kamphaeng Phet. READ ON.

pong lang (โปงลาง)

Thai. Name for a xylophone-like percussion instrument which is played by either one (fig.) or two musicians. It consists  of a structure with 13 wooden logs stringed together with a rope on both sides, with the lower pitch end attached to a post and the other end hooked to the far end of an horizontal bar, near the player's foot. If played by two performers, they sit on either side, one playing the melody, the other playing the drone accompaniment. It is usually placed on a stand and it is typically used in the Isaan region.

pong pong seed

See look tihn pet nahm.

ponlamai dab klin (ผลไม้ด้บกลิ่น)

Thai name for fruit which is preserved whilst absorbing and maintaining its aroma.

ponlamai kae salak (ผลไม้แกะสลัก)

Thai designation for fruit carving.

poo (ปู)

Thai for crab.

poo (ปู่)

Thai for ‘paternal grandfather’, i.e. dad's dad. See Thai Family Tree.

poochaniyawathu (»Ùª¹ÕÂÇѵ¶Ø) LISTEN

Thai for ‘sacred object’ or ‘holy item’.

Poo Chao Saming Phraay (ปู่เจ้าสมิงพราย)

Thai. Name of a reusi nah seua (fig.), i.e. a hermit with a human body and the head of a tiger, who appears in the narrative of Phra Loh. He is described to live on a mountain in a forest near the city Meuang Song (เมืองสอง).

poo jeud (ปูจืด)

Thai for freshwater crab. They are found all over Thailand, in a wide range of water bodies, from waterfalls and fast-flowing rivers to swamps. Most are omnivores and primarily nocturnal, emerging to feed at night. Yet, several species of freshwater crab are in Thailand eaten themselves, especially as an ingredient in somtam poo. Freshwater crabs that live in rice fields are also referred to as poo nah. In 1994, a set of four postage stamps were issued by Thailand Post depicting some striking and rare freshwater crabs found in Thailand (fig.), including the Waterfall Crab (Phricotelphusa limula), the Mealy Crab (Thaipotamon chulabhorn), the Panda Crab (Phricotelphusa sirindhorn), and the Regal Crab (Thaiphusa sirikit). See also poo pah chai len.

poo mah (ปูม้า)

Thai. ‘Horse crab’ or ‘bench crab’. Name for the Blue Swimming Crab, a large marine crab, with a carapace that can measure up to 20 centimeters in width. The colour of females is greenish grey with some shades of blue and marked with white blotches, whereas males are more bluish allover and have longer claws. These crabs are indigenous throughout the Indic and West Pacific Oceans, from Japan and the Philippines throughout South, East and Southeast Asia. Though largely marine, it also enters estuaries for food and shelter, especially when reproducing. Yet, unable to tolerate low salinities for extended periods, it will eventually move back to the sea, especially during the rainy season when mass emigrations occur. Blue Swimming Crabs are edible and can often be seen at restaurants and on markets, usually still alive with their claws tied. Live blue crabs are called poo mah pen (ปูม้าเป็น), in Thai. In English, these crabs are also known as Blue Manna Crab, Blue Crab, Flower Crab and Sand Crab. Its binomial name is Portunus pelagicus. See also POSTAGE STAMP and WATCH VIDEO.

poo maphrao (ปูมะพร้าว)

Thai. ‘Coconut crab. Name for the largest land-living arthropod in the world, with the scientific name Birgus latro. This terrestrial crab can grow to a size of over one meter and is divided into two sections, i.e. a hardened abdomen and a front section that has ten legs. Though adults do not carry shells, juveniles −akin to hermit crabs (fig.)− salvage snail shells to protect their abdomen, which in that stage is still soft. Despite its name, the coconut crab only rarely feeds on coconuts, which take a lot of effort to open in order to access the flesh, hence it primarily eats other nuts, seeds and fleshy fruits. It did, however, develop a special technique to open coconuts, which includes stripping the husk off the nut and accessing the content via the three germination pores, which are the somewhat softer part of the shell, which it bangs with its pincers until they split open. Being an able climber, the crab may also drag a stripped coconut up a tree and drop it in order to crack the shell. The coconut crab is found on islands across the Indian Ocean and parts of the Pacific Ocean, but became extinct on islands with a large human population, as well on the mainland, in part due to hunting for its meat. In Thailand, there is evidence that coconut crabs have been spotted in the wild at least twice, i.e. in 1983 by a group of fishermen on Koh Sih (เกาะสี่), an island in the area of the Similan Islands, who captured it and which is today on display at Phuket Aquarium; and in 1993, when a circa 1 kilogram weighing species was spotted by a group of soldiers, who were guarding Green Turtle (fig.) eggs on Koh Neung (เกาะหนึ่ง), an island part of the Similan Islands. After this, there are no more known reports of coconut crabs being spotted in the wild in Thailand. See also sea coconut.

poo nah (ปูนา)

Thai. ‘Field crab. Name for a species of medium-sized land crab, often found on mud flats and in rice paddies (fig.), where they are considered a pest. It is one of several species of crab that may be used as an ingredient in somtam poo. To keep up with demand  they are now bred at specialized farms and —though rarely— some people even keep them as pets (fig.).

poo pah chai len (ปูป่าชายเลน)

Thai. ‘Wetland forest crab. Generic name for any species of crab living in mangrove, of which there are about thirty species found in Thailand, including several kinds of Fiddler Crab (fig.), Red-claw Marsh Crabs (poo sahaem kaam daeng - fig.), etc. Some are quite colourful, whilst other are rather dull, with camouflage colours that fit in with the local environment. Most dwell on the muddy floors, where they live in burrows, yet some are able climbers and can be founding climbing the buttress roots of mangrove (fig.). Some species might also be referred to as poo sahaem (ปูแสม), meaning Avicennia crab’, with Avicennia being a certain variety of mangrove.

poo pan saay (ปูปั้นทราย)

Thai. ‘Sand molding crab’. Name for the sand bubbler crab.

poo sahaem kaam daeng (ปูแสมก้ามแดง)

Thai. ‘Red-claw Avicennia (mangrove) crab’. Name of a tiny crab with the scientific name Chiromanthes eumolpe, that dwells on mudflats near the sea. Its carapace (upper shell) is only about 2.5 centimeters wide and rather square in shape. It typically has red claws (kaam daeng) and lives in burrows which it digs on shores near brackish or salt water, where it feeds on organic leftovers. In English called Red-claw Marsh Crab. See also piyaw and Sand Bubbler Crab.

poo se-shuan (ปูเสฉวน)

Thai for ‘hermit crab’, a species of decapod (ten-footed) crustacean, that belongs to the superfamily Pagurideae, which encompasses six families and about five hundred different species. READ ON.

pooy kak (โป๊ยกั๊ก)

Thai name for ‘star anise’, a small native evergreen tree of southwest China with the scientific name Illicium verum, which star shaped fruits are widely used in Chinese and Indian cuisine. In Thailand, it is used as one of several ingredients in phalo powder, an ingredient to make a sauce called phalo (พะโล้), which in turn is used in dishes such as khai phalo. Also transliterated pohy gag.

Pooy Sian (โป๊ยเซียน)

1. Thai name for a plant or shrub, with the botanical name Euphorbia milli and commonly known in English as Crown of Thorns, Christ Thorn or Christ Plant. This succulent climber has large spines and whitish-pink to red flowers. It grows up to about 180 centimetres tall and the Tambon Wat Phrik (วัดพริก), i.e. ‘Pepper Temple District’ in Phitsanulok, claims to be the home of the world's tallest Christ Plant.

2. A Thai name for the Eight Immortals from Chinese mythology.

Popa Medaw (ပုပ္ပားမယ်တော်)

Burmese. ‘Royal Mother Popa’ i.e. the Queen-Mother of Mount Popa (fig.). Name of a nat, whom previously was a flower-eating ogress called Me Wanna (Me Wunna - fig.) and who had two sons with U Byatta (fig.), the royal messenger. Their sons, known as Shwe Hpyin Gyi and Shwe Hpyin Nge, jointly referred to as Taungbyone Min Nyinaung (fig.), i.e. the ‘Brother Lords’ (fig.), were executed on the orders of King Anawrahta when they failed to place a brick each at the Taungbyone pagoda in order to complete it, as was ordered by the king, thus leaving some gaps. As a consequence, Me Wunna died of a broken heart and the trio was later admitted in the pantheon of nats worshipped in Myanmar. In art and iconography, Popa Medaw is usually portrayed wearing a green dress and either one or two demon-masks on top of her head (fig.), while holding some peacock-feathers in each hand, though when portrayed as Me Wunna, she usually holds some flowers instead. She is also often depicted with a golden complexion. Pronunciation is Popa Medo and Me Wanna. See also Medaw and LIST OF BURMESE NATS.

Pope's Pit Viper

A venomous and dangerous pit viper with the scientific name Trimeresurus popeiorum, yet sometimes listed as Trimeresurus fucatus. It is found in northern India, Southeast Asia and parts of Indonesia. As the confusion with the names may suggest, this species of snake is at times somewhat difficult to identify, due to the many exceptions of its possible features. In general, the dorsal surface of this species is medium green and the ventral scales pale green. The first row of body scales are white or whitish, creating a body stripe or shine, which extends from the head to the tail. Occasionally, this white stripe may have a reddish stripe underneath. Males may also have a white post-ocular stripe, and if there is a reddish stripe on the body, there is usually also one on the head, but unlike those of the body, the red stripe will here be on top of the white one. The end of the tail is brownish. It has a typical triangular head and its eyes are generally greenish yellow in colour, though it may sometimes have red eyes. As with all vipers, it has a heat-sensing pit organ located between the eye and the nostril on either side of the head (fig.). Trimeresurus popeiorum is also called Pope's Tree Viper and Pope's Bamboo Pit Viper, whilst Trimeresurus fucatus is also known as Siamese Peninsula Pit Viper. In Thai this species is simply called ngu khiaw hahng mai thong khiaw, meaning ‘green burned-tail green-bellied snake’. This species is often confused with similar species of the same genus, such as Trimeresurus stejnegeri and Trimeresurus gumprechti. See also WILDLIFE PICTURES.

Popinjay

Name of a species of semi-large butterfly, with the binomial name Stibochiona nicea. READ ON.

popiya (เปาะเปี๊ยะ)

Thai for ‘spring roll’, a Chinese-style fried pancake filled with vegetables and some other ingredients. Although there are a number of varieties, in Thailand this appetizer is usually made of wun sen glass noodles, finely shredded cabbage leaves, grated carrots, some chopped black mushrooms, soybeans, and either minced pork or tofu for a vegetarian version. This is then wrapped in a dough made of sticky rice flour and made into a roll which is sealed with egg white. Other ingredients may include chopped shrimps, onions, celery, crabmeat and bean sprouts. Other, especially Chinese varieties, may have red bean paste inside. It can be eaten fresh (cold), steamed or deep-fried until golden brown and crisp. Fried it is called popiya thod and fresh popiya sod (fig.). Fresh spring rolls are also known as summer rolls (fig.) and may use paen kra-yo or edible rice paper as a wrapper, made of flour of white rice and tapioca. It is usually served as a starter with a dipping sauce. For fresh spring rolls this is a salty soy or fish sauce mixed with chopped fried garlic, finely ground fermented soybeans, sugar and served with some ground peanut and freshly minced chili, whereas for fried spring rolls a sauce called sot sri racha is used, or alternatively a sweet-and-sour sauce made from either rice vinegar or lime (lemon) juice, fish sauce, sugar and water, and served with minced garlic, chopped peppers and sometimes a shredded carrot. In Vietnam, where spring rolls are the national dish, they are called cha gio, literally ‘minced pork rolls’, a version in Thailand known as popiya Vietnam (ปอเปี๊ยะเวียดนาม) and the vegetarian version is called goi cuon, literally ‘mix salad roll’. There is however another, lesser known variant of Vietnamese spring roll, with a similar concept, but with a different filling and known as bo bia (bò bía), a name very similar to (and perhaps the base for) the Thai name popiya. In China, spring rolls are usually eaten during Chun Jie, the Spring Festival, hence the English name. In the Philippines and Indonesia they are called lumpia, a name also used in Belgium and The Netherlands, although those rolls are usually much larger in size. Also transcribed po pia.

porcelain

See kreuang thuay chaam.

porcupine

See men.

Postal School

Educational institution founded by Prince Bhanurangsi Savangwongse (fig.), a younger brother of King Rama V. Since 1875, the prince had been publishing a daily newspaper called Court, which was intended for royalty and high officials. It had a local stamp affixed for delivery services, which laid the groundwork for the later use of Thai postage stamps and the Thai postal service in general. The prince's experience in the distribution of the Court, which was subtitled Khaw Rachakaan (ข่าวราชการ), i.e. ‘News of the service of the Crown’, had led to his appointment as the first Director-General of the Post Department. In order to meet the growing demand for competent personnel to serve in the rapidly expanding Thai Post and Telegraphy organization, which officially started services on 4 August 1883, after preparations that began in 1880, the prince in 1889 founded the Postal School, with the aim to provide practical education in the area of postal services and prepare expert government officials. Both the school's centenary (fig.) and its 120th anniversary (fig.) were celebrated with commemorative postage stamps. Also known as the School of Postal Services and in Thai called rohng rian praisanih. See MAP.

pottery

Thailand has a tradition of pottery, stretching from the making of simple earthenware to complex designs, such as benjarong, celadon and Sangkhalok pottery. Archeological excavations in Ban Chiang uncovered ornate earthen pots with a typical rust coloured whirlpool design painted on a faded yellow background (fig.), which is believed to date from around 3000 BC. Today, the island of Koh Kret (fig.) in the Chao Phraya River near Bangkok is still an active centre of pottery, run by Mon people. In addition, there is Dahn Kwian Pottery Village (fig.) in Nakhon Ratchasima, and the province of Ratchaburi, which is famous for its ohng mangkon pottery (fig.). In Thai, pottery (fig.) as a product is generally called kreuang pan din pao, whereas the process of making pots, i.e. exclusively vessels, jars, tubs and containers, but not any other objects or figurines, is known as kaan tham moh.

Pottery Hill

Name of a minor elevation in Bagan that offers a panoramic view of the area and is a popular viewpoint, especially during sunset. It is largely made up of shards of broken pottery, hence the name. From this place a number of monuments can be seen, the closest and with the waning sun being monument nº 820 (fig.), which dates from the early 11th century AD, yet the most prominent, on the other hand, is the larger yet more remote 13th century AD Pya Tha Gyi Phaya (fig.). See MAP.

poultry basket

A semi-round to square bamboo basket with a large opening at the top and used to transport or confine domestic fowl, such as chicken, ducks, geese, etc. It is made from thin strips of bamboo, with the top part woven with spacious eyes as gaps for air-circulation. The large opening at the top can be blocked with flat bamboo sticks, to prevent the animal from escaping. It is used particularly by the northern hill tribe people. In Thai called takra sai kai, a name that also refers to a basket used to transport fighting cocks.

Powderblue Surgeonfish

A species of colourful tropical marine fish, with the scientific name Acanthurus leucosternon. READ ON.

prachiad (ประเจียด)

Thai. An armlet used as an amulet or charm to make someone invincible and which may sometimes have yan inscriptions. It is typically used in muay thai boxing, worn on the biceps (fig.). The concept is similar to that of the mongkhon  (fig.), a loop-shaped band worn on the head. The practice of wearing an arm ring around the biceps on the upper arm comes from ancient India, where it is known by the Sanskrit term keyuradhara (fig.). Sometimes transcribed prajioud or prajied. See also pah prachiad.

Prachinburi (ปราจีนบุรี)

1. Thai. Province (map) in East Thailand as well, as the name of its capital city, situated 135 kms East of Bangkok. READ ON.

2. Thai. Name of a small river in eastern Thailand. It originates in the amphur Kabinburi of Prachinburi Province  at the confluence of three other rivers, i.e. the 132 km long Phra Prong (พระปรง) River, the ca. 25 km long Hanuman River, and the Prajan Takhaam (ประจันตคาม) River. It then flows to the tambon Bang Taen (บางแตน) in the amphur Ban Sang (บ้านสร้าง), where it joins the Nakhon Nayok River to become the Bang Pakong River

Prachuap Khirikhan (ประจวบคีรีขันธ์)

Thai. ‘Land of mountain chains’. Name of a province (map) and its capital city, which is situated along an eight kilometer long bay (fig.) on the Gulf of Thailand. READ ON.

pradakshina (प्रदक्षिण)

Sanskrit. ‘Circumambulation’, i.e. the act of moving around a sacred object. A clockwise circular procession around a temple or an important shrine or stupa with the temple or shrine at the right, as performed in Thailand during the festival of Khao Pansa when worshippers circle the main sanctuary of a temple three times holding burning candles or other offerings (fig.). It is as a form of worship that derived from Hindu ceremonies in India and is reminiscent of the Tibetan Kora, the pilgrim circuit around monasteries, temples, lakes, mountains or anything holy in Tibet. In Thailand is called thaksinahwat. See also prasavya.

Pradit Phairo (ประดิษฐ์ไพเราะ)

Name of a legendary Thai musician skilled in traditional Thai instruments and classical Thai compositions. READ ON.

Prae Roop (ប្រែរូប)

Khmer. Present-day name of a Hindu temple at Angkor. READ ON.

praet (เปรต)

Thai. A class of demons from hell, said to be taller than a house, now and then appearing at night, and weeping at the top of their voices.

Prahlada (प्रह्लाद)

Sanskrit. ‘Joy’ or ‘happiness’. Name of the son of Hiranyakashipu (fig.), who was hated by his father for worshipping the god Vishnu, whom –in his third avatar as the boar Varaha (fig.)– had killed his brother, Hiranyaksha (fig.). Later, his father got himself also killed by Vishnu, in his fourth avatar as Narasimha, a man-lion. This scene is often portrayed in iconography as Hiranyakashipu being killed on the lap of Narasimha, while Prahlada and his mother are sitting at his feet and watch (fig.).

prahok (ប្រហុក​)

Khmer term for a kind of fermented fish. See pla rah.

prahsaht (ปราสาท)

See prasat.

Prai Nah Bot (ปรายหน้าบท)

Thai. ‘Sow Before the Chapter’. Name of a character used as the preluder in the lesser Thai shadow play known as nang thalung. The character represents the performer who recites the invocation, introduces what follows and gives comments on certain issues to the audience. He is usually depicted as a young man carrying a flag or a lotus flower in his hand (fig.). Pronounced Praai Naa Bot and also transcribed Praay Na Bot.

Praisanih Thai (ไปรษณีย์ไทย)

Thai. ‘Thailand Post’. Name of the Thai state enterprise, that provides postal and financial services (fig.), some types of telecommunication service in and from Thailand, and since 2011 it even has its own food delivery service, known as Yummy Post (fig.). It also issues a number of post related souvenirs and collectables, such as various miniature letterboxes and figures of postmen with uniforms throughout time (fig.). Until its privatization in 2003, it was part of the Communications Authority of Thailand (CAT - fig.), but now operates (fig.) in the form of a company (fig.). However, in its earlier form it was established in 1883 and the first post office was located in a building along the Chao Phraya River (fig.). In 2013, Thailand celebrated the 130 anniversary of Thai Postal Services by organizing the World Stamp Exhibition in Bangkok and by issuing a number of commemorative stamps, including a stamp to celebrate 130 years since the first issue of a Thai postage stamp on 4 August 1883 (fig.), as well as a postage stamp (fig.) to commemorate Thailand Post's 10th anniversary as a state company. As of 1986, the Thailand Post Head Office (fig.) is in Bangkok's Laksi district, adjacent to the CAT offices. See also General Post Office. See also TRAVEL PICTURE (1) and (2), as well as THEMATIC STREET LIGHT.

Praisanihyakahn (ไปรษณียาคาร)

Thai. Thailand's first ever Post Office building located at the banks of the Chao Phraya River, to the South of the Memorial Bridge (fig.), near the mouth of Khlong Ohng Canal, i.e. the southern part of Khlong Rop Krung (map - fig.). It was initially built in 1871, as the residence of Phra Preecha Kolakan (พระปรีชากลการ), the former Prince of Prachinburi, who was later convicted of murder and executed on 24 November 1879, while his assets were seized. When on 4 August 1883, the Thai Postal Service was established, the building's prime location at the river made it perfect to become its first office building. It originally stood on a location nearby, but was relocated in order to make way for the construction of the Phra Pok Klao Bridge in 1982, which runs more or less parallel to the Memorial Bridge and was built on the occasion of the Bicentennial of Bangkok. See MAP.

Prajadhipok (ประชาธิปก)

Thai-Western name for King Rama VII (fig.), the monarch who in 1932 signed the very first Thai Constitution (fig.), that would bring an end to more than seven hundred years of Absolute Monarchy. His second name is Sakdidet (ศักดิเดชน์) and in Thai, he is usually referred to by the name Pokklao.

Prajadhipok Saktitejana (ประชาธิปกศักดิเดชน์)

Thai-rajasap. ‘Divines Arrows of Prajadhipok’. A set of three arrows that is part of the royal emblem of King Prajadhipok (fig.), and are said to represent Phrommat, i.e. the powerful arrow of Rama (fig.), which he used to shoot the asura Phirap; Pralaivata, the Wind Arrow; and Agnivata, the Fire Arrow, which derives its name from Agni. This set of three arrows also appears on this king's Privy Seal (fig.), i.e. one of his royal seals called Phra Rachalanjakon. In common Thai, the three arrows are referred to as Phra Saeng Son (พระแสงศร).

Prajapati (प्रजापति)

Sanskrit. ‘Lord of creatures’ or ‘progenitor’. The Vedic god of creation. He is one of three creator gods found in the Hindu tradition, alongside Vishvakarma and the Puranic god Brahma. But the term also means progenitor and in the Vedas, Indra and other deities are termed prajapati. The term later referred to Brahma and his ten mind-born sons, which were called Brahmaputra, Brahmarishi or Prajapati. These preside over the secondary process of creation and are the progenitors of the humans (Manu, literal: to think), the gods, the minor gods, the natural phenomena and animal life.

Prajim (ประจิม)

1. Thai. ‘West’ or ‘western’. The direction of the compass guarded by the lokapala Phra Warun (who is known in Sanskrit by the name of Varuna). See also Taksin, Udon, Burapah, Ahkney, Horadih, Isaan and Phayap. Also Patjim and Adsadongkot.

2. Thai. Name of the western wind. Also Patjim.

Prajnaparamita (प्रज्ञापारमिता, ปรัชญาปารมิตา)

1. Sanskrit-Thai. ‘Traversed Wisdom’, usually translated as ‘Perfection of Wisdom’. The bodhisattva of knowledge in Mahayana Buddhism. With her attained wisdom as the highest merit she is considered the spiritual mother of all buddhas and the philosophical aspect of Tara. Her attributes are a book and a lotus (fig.). In Cambodia, she is considered to be the female counterpart of Avalokitesvara (fig.) and is hence in Khmer art usually portrayed wearing the image of Amitabha in her headdress (fig.). In iconography, she is furthermore typically depicted with a rather square face, thick eyebrows, closing eyes and a slightly smiling face. She is sometimes represented seated on a padmasana or lotus throne and with four arms (fig.), of which the lower two are usually in the dhammachakka pose. In Thai usually referred to as Nang Prajnaparamita and in Pali called Panyaparami.

2. Sanskrit-Thai. ‘Perfection of Wisdom’. Name of one of the Six Paramitas in Mahayana Buddhism.

prakam (ประคำ)

Thai name for a string of beads used in Buddhism, similar to prayer beads used in other religions, such as Roman Catholicism, Hinduism and Islam, where they are known as rosary or chaplet, japa mala, and misbaha or tasbih, respectively. It consists of a rope with round -usually wooden- beads, and generally ends in a coloured dangling tassel. It is worn around the neck or wrist by Buddhist monks (fig.), as well as lay people and used during prayers or as a talisman. Besides this it is also an attribute of many deities, such as Huan Xi Fo (fig.) and Brahma (fig.), who uses it to keep track of the universe's time and which symbolizes the substances used in the progress of creation. In Sanskrit it is called akshamala and generally comprises of 50 beads, corresponding to the number of characters in the Sanskrit alphabet, although numbers may vary and some have 108 beads, representing the 108 signs of a buddha (fig.), which are also found on the soles of the Buddha and thus on Buddhapada, footprints of the Buddha (fig.).

prakash, prakasha (प्रकाश)

Sanskrit term that can be translated as ‘light’ and ‘brightness’, as well as ‘the very best of something’. The term is also used for the Sikh opening ritual in gurudwaras, in which the sacred Sikh scripture called Guru Granth Sahib, i.e. the second rendition of the Adi-Granth, is carried from its overnight resting place to the temple's sanctum, at dawn.

prakob (ประคบ)

Thai. To massage with a hot herbal compress, called look prakob samunphrai (fig.), which contains medicinal herbs and aromatic plants. It is used to warm and soothe the receiver's body. Also called prakob phaen boraan, i.e. ‘massage with a herbal compress in the traditional manner’.

Prakrit (ปรากฤต, प्राकृत)

Language group related to Sanskrit and to which Pali also belongs. It means ‘ordinary’, ‘natural’, ‘normal’ or ‘usual’ and indicates the homely speech or vernacular, contrary to the lingua franca or literary and religious orthodoxy of Cultured Sanskrit.

prakuat (ประกวด)

See kaan prakuat.

Prambanan

The largest Hindu temple in Java, known as Candi Prambanan. It was built between 900 and 930 AD on the plateau of Prambanan. The central tower with a height of 45 meters has an almost vertical structure and is a symbolic representation of the cosmic mount Meru.

pramong (ประมง)

Thai for ‘fishery’ or ‘fisherman’. The term is used for the fishing industry as well as for personal fishing, both on sea and in fresh water. Thais use several methods of fishing, including cast nets (fig.), chonsae (fig.), large hand nets (fig.), fish coops, which in Thai are known as soom pla (fig.), not so legal harpoons or shamuak (fig.) and even totally illegal, dynamite. In China, fishermen on the Li River use well-trained Great Cormorants to catch fish, a local trade known as cormorant fishing (fig.). Also spelled pamong (ปะมง) while the word minakon is a synonym which may also be transliterated minagorn.

prang (ปรางค์)

Thai name for a beehive-like tower monument of Khmer origin in the form of a closed bud of a water lily and built by order of a private distinguished person. Derived from the Cambodian sanctuary tower and often seen in architecture of the Ayutthaya and Bangkok Periods. Sometimes described as a corncob shaped tower or a rectangular stupa. Compare with a chedi. Also Phra prang. Pronunciation prahng.

praphenih (ประเพณี)

Thai for ‘tradition’, ‘custom’ or ‘festival’.

praphenih rap bua (ประเพณีรับบัว)

Thai. ‘Lotus receiving tradition’. Ancient custom held annually in Samut Prakan, on the day of the 14th lunar month. In the past, Bang Phli district was inhabited by three peoples of different backgrounds, i.e. Thai, Laotian and Raman. While collecting lotus flowers to offer to the monks, these locals would also give some lotus flowers to their neighbours in order to show kindness to each other. The custom over time became a festival which today is accompanied by a water parade of decorated boats. Besides a number of smaller boats, the parade in 2020 had a total of eight main barges, each fashioned in a different theme and decorated with Thai mythological characters and animals, as well as with a distinct figurehead of a Thai or Hindu mythological character, especially prominent characters from the Ramakien and Himaphan forest. As the boats pass slowly by, spectators throw lotus flowers at them, especially at the first vessel which carries a Buddha image accompanied by Brahmin priests, who catch the flowers and pile them onto the Buddha image. Hence, the festival is also known as praphenih yohn bua (ประเพณีโยนบัว), i.e. ‘lotus throwing tradition’. See also POSTAGE STAMPS, TRAVEL PICTURES (1), (2) and (3), and WATCH VIDEO.

praphenih sip song deuan (ประเพณีสิบสองเดือน)

Thai. ‘Customs or traditions (praphenih) of the twelve months’. Practice of local customs which are traditionally held monthly according to the twelve months of the annual calendar and based on the phra rachaphithi sip song deuan. The Isaan variant is called hihd sip song.

Praphenih Soh Thang Pan (ประเพณีโส้ทั้งปั้น)

See Soh Thang Pan.

prasada (प्रासाद)

Sanskrit-Pali for prasat or prahsaht.

prasat (ប្រាសាទ, ปราสาท)

Khmer-Thai. Palace for a king or god in which the tower in both religious and secular perspective represent mount Meru, the abode of the gods in the clouds. In Thailand the term refers to the whole temple complex and in Cambodia there is the popular prasat hin. The expression is derived from the Pali-Sanskrit word prasada meaning ‘ornamental construction with a needle-like spire’, which itself is reminiscent of the Sanskrit word prasha (प्राश), meaning ‘spear’. Also translitereated prahsaht. Compare with the Burmese term pyatthat. See also QUADCOPTER PICTURE.

prasat hin (ปราสาทหิน)

Khmer-Thai. ‘Stone palace’. A sandstone sanctuary in Khmer style. Prasat in Cambodia. See also POSTAGE STAMPS (1) and (2).

Prasat Hin Ban Phluang (ปราสาทหินบ้านพลวง)

Khmer-Thai. A sandstone sanctuary in the province of Surin built on a platform of laterite and with several sculptured lintels in bas-relief. The name could signify: ‘stone palace’ (phrasat hin) ‘house’ (ban) near ‘dipterocarpaceae trees’ (phluang).

Prasat Hin Meuang Tam (ปราสาทหินเมืองต่ำ)

Khmer-Thai. Name of an ancient Khmer-Hindu temple in the province of Buriram. READ ON.

Prasat Hin Phanom Wan (ปราสาทหินพนมวัน)

Khmer-Thai. Name of an ancient Khmer-Hindu temple in the province of Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat). It is the fifth largest prasat in Thailand, built in the 11th century AD, and was later converted into a Buddhist shrine. The chief building consist of several edifices that are connected by a corridor and built on platform of laterite and sandstone, that is 25.5 meters long and 10.2 meters wide, and at one end has a prang with 3 arched doors, each with a decorative lintel. Around the main platform is a courtyard with an elevated outer wall with 4 entrances, 54 meters wide and 63.3 meters long. There are two baray, a remote one to the north and the other nearby to the east. The latter one is known as sra phleng (สระเพลง), literally the ‘pool of music’. See also TRAVEL PICTURE (1) and (2) and MAP.

Prasat Hin Phanom Wan

Prasat Hin Phimai (ปราสาทหินพิมาย)

Hindu-Mahayana Buddhist sanctuary (fig.) in Nakhon Ratchasima (fig.), in the amphur Phimai. The construction of this Khmer edifice (fig.) in Angkorian style started under King Jayavarman V in the late 10th century and was completed during the rule of King Suriyavarman I in the first half of the 11th century. Hence the completion of this temple (fig.) happened even before the construction of Angkor Wat. As part of the Khmer Empire Phimai was by then already directly connected to Angkor by road. Akin to many other edifices from the ancient Khmer Period, it has a Naga-bridge or Sapaan Naak (fig.), which in Khmer is known as Spean Neak. See MAP.

Prasat Meuang Phrao (ปราสาทเมืองพร้าว)

Khmer-Thai. Former name of the Khmer sanctuary Sadok Kok Thom in Sa Kaeo.

Prasat Meuang Singh (ปราสาทเมืองสิงห์)

Khmer-Thai. ‘Palace of the lion city’. Name of an historical site in Kanchanaburi, located on the northern bank of the River Kwae (Kwai) Noi, in meuang Singh, a sub-district of the ampheu Sai Yok (map). The complex is surrounded by mountain ranges and is encircled with ditches and ridges. It has a rectangular layout and six pools. In the ruins, a stone sculpture of Lokesvara was found made in the Khmer Bayon style (fig.), as well as a statue of a Radiating Avalokitesvara (fig.), both dating from the 13th century AD. They were removed and now stand in the National Museum in Bangkok (fig.). The site of Prasat Meuang Singh was officially opened on 3 April 1987 by Princess Maha Chakri Sirinthon and is today as one of ten Historical Parks in Thailand. See MAP.

Prasat Museum

Private museum located  in a lush garden in the Bangkapi area, near Samohson Krung Thep Krihtah, i.e. the ‘Bangkok Athletics Club’. It features a collection of objects and replicas of famous Thai architectural structures, from prehistoric times up to the Rattanakosin Period, such as Teuk Farang (ตึกฝรั่ง), i.e. the ‘Western Building’; Tamnak Daeng (ตำหนักแดง) or ‘Red Palace’, which is a copy of the Red Palace within the Bangkok National Museum; and Ho Phra (หอพระ), i.e. ‘Sacred Hall’, which was copied from Wat Yai Suwannaram (วัดใหญ่สุวรรณาราม) in Phetburi. In Thai, the museum is known as Phiphithaphan Prasat (พิพิธภัณฑ์ปราสาท). See MAP.

Prasat Phanom Rung (ปราสาทพนมรุ้ง)

Khmer-Thai. Literally Prasat Phanom Rung means ‘Rainbow Hill Palace’, but it is usually translated as ‘Palace on the Great Hill’. It is the name of an ancient Khmer temple in the province of Buriram, situated at 383 meter above sea level and constructed between the 10th and 13th centuries AD. It has many well preserved bas-reliefs, including one showing Anatasayin (fig.). See MAP.

Prasat Preah Vihear (ប្រាសាទព្រះវិហារ)

Khmer name for Khao Phra Wihaan, an ancient Hindu temple built between the 9th and 12th centuries AD during the Angkorian Period. See MAP.

Prasat Satjatham (ปราสาทสัจธรรม)

Thai. ‘Sanctuary of Truth’. Name of a prasat (an ornamental construction with a needle-like spire) made entirely out of wood. It is built on a 80 rai plot of land called laem rachawej beach near North Pattaya, in the province of Chonburi. The building is around 100 meters wide and equally high, comparable to the height of a modern apartment building with 20 floors. The area inside is 2,115 square meters. Construction started in 1981 and it therefore is a new building with an original approach, trying to avoid imitating earlier styles. It features many carvings with themes from Buddhism and Hinduism, as well as from mythology. The complex is enclosed by a wall with battlements (fig.), that are known in Thai as bai sema (fig.). See MAP.

Prasat Sra Kamphaeng Yai (ปราสาทสระกำแพงใหญ่)

Thai. ‘Great walled pond sanctuary’. An 11th century Khmer sanctuary in Sri Saket, which comprises of three prang on the same pedestal, oriented to the East. Whereas the middle and main prang is made of sandstone, the two smaller ones are made of bricks. There are two wihaan, one in front of each of the smaller, brick prang. These structures on the inner court are surrounded by a laterite gallery, with a width of 54 meters and a length of 62 meters. In the eastern gopura, i.e. the main entrance, a Khmer inscription reveals that this monument in the Baphuon style, was initially devoted to the Hindu god Shiva, but was converted into a Mahayana Buddhist temple in the 13th century. See MAP.

Prasat Ta Meuan (ปราสาทตาเมือน)

A centre consisting of three sites of Khmer temple ruins in the South of the province of Surin, in close proximity to the border of Cambodia which are separately known as Prasat Ta Meuan, Prasat Ta Meuan Tot (Prasat Ta Meuan Toht), and Prasat Ta Meuan Thom. Together, they are also referred to as Klum Prasat Ta Meuan (กลุ่มปราสาทตาเมือน), i.e. ‘Prasat Ta Meuan Group or Cluster’. The three monumental buildings have been portrayed on a set of Thai postage stamps issued in 2009 to mark the annual Thai Heritage Conservation Day (fig.).

prasavya (प्रसव्य)

Sanskrit. Anti-clockwise procession around a temple, an important shrine or stupa, keeping the buildings on the left. In Islam, this form of circumambulation in counter-clockwise direction is performed around the Kaaba (al-Ka'bah) in Mecca. In Thailand, it is called uttarawat and performed during royal funerals, such as that of the late King Bhumiphon in 2017. See also pradakshina.

prasit (ประสิทธ์)

Thai term for ‘to accomplish.

Prasuti (प्रसूति)

Sanskrit. ‘Childbearing’. Name of the daughter of Svayambhuva and Manu. She is Daksha's consorts, with whom she has  thirteen daughters, hence the meaning of her name. Also transcribed Prasooti. See also Phrasoot.

prathat fai (ประทัดไฟ)

Thai. ‘Firecracker’ or ‘banger’. Thai name for cluster of small explosive fireworks (fig.) on a string, wrapped in usually red cardboard or hard paper casings. Li Tian (李畋), a Chinese monk from Hunan province, is accredited with inventing firecrackers, about a thousand years ago. In Chinese tradition they were formerly used to scare off a mythical monster called Nian, the same Chinese word for ‘year’. For a long time, at the beginning of spring, the monster terrorized the people of a certain Chinese village, but was eventually frightened away with the loud noises of firecrackers. Chinese Lunar New Year, called Trut Jihn in Thai, today still commemorates this defeat of evil and firecrackers are therefore an integral part of the celebrations. Over time their loud noises evolved to the purpose of creating a joyful holiday mood and they are commonly used during Chinese holidays. In Chinese called bian pao. See also Guo Nian and Golden Boy and Jade Girl.

prathom (ประถม)

Thai for elementary or primary school. In the Thai educational system, this consists of six years and is preceded by two years of anubahn or kindergarten, and six years of mathayom or high school, which is divided into three years of junior high school and three years of senior high school. See also education.

Pratityasamutpada (प्रतित्यसमुत्पादा)

Sanskrit. ‘Chain of Causation’, sometimes referred to as ‘Dependent Arising’. The name of an important part of Buddhist metaphysics, that states that phenomena arise together in a mutually interdependent web of cause and effect.

Pratu Tha Phae (ประตูท่าแพ)

Thai. ‘Raft Landing Gate’. See Tha Phae.

prayag (प्रयाग)

Sanskrit. Though it literally means ‘sacrifice’, it usually refers to any place of confluence of rivers, especially the confluence of the Ganges with any of its tributaries. It is believed that Ganga originally was a goddess who watered the gardens of Heaven, but that her purifying powers were needed on Earth. Ganga thus agreed to come down to help mankind, an event that according to Hindu belief happened in a place known today as Gangotri, a mountainous town at a height of 3,100 meters, in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. However, since the impact of her descend could destroy the Earth, Shiva was asked to intervene. To mitigate her descended, she thus had to come through the jata or matted hair of the god Shiva. Though, this not only cushioned her fall, but also channeled her flow into thousands of lesser streams. Hence, each prayag or confluence is now considered an auspicious place to worship, as they are marking points where Ganga's waters, once dispersed by the locks of Shiva, are reunited. Dev Prayag, located at the confluence of two rivers, known only by their local names Alaknanda and Bhagirathi, is the place where the Celestial River is for the first time referred to by the name Ganges. Though many prayag are important places of Hindu worship, some also have become important places of pilgrimage, such as Triveni Sangam in the city of Allahabad, which was formerly called Prayag, where the Ganges confluences with another holy river, i.e. the Yamuna. In fact, the Hindi word sangam (संगम) actually means ‘confluence’ and Triveni Sangam means ‘Confluence of Three Rivers’, i.e. the Ganges and the Yamuna, as well as the invisible Sarasvati, which is understood to be either a former river that dried up, as mentioned in the Mahabharata, or –according to the scriptures of the Rigveda– a subterranean river that flows underground to unite with the other two rivers from below, though the latter is by most interpreted to be either a myth or a mythical river.

prayer beads

See prakam.

prayer flag

A rectangular piece of white or coloured cloth, with black woodblock-printed texts and images, as used in Tibetan and Nepalese Buddhism. READ ON.

prayer wheel

Name for a spindle made from metal, wood or leather, inscribed with or containing prayers or mantras, used especially by Tibetan Buddhists. READ ON.

praying mantis

See takkataen tam khao.

Prayoonwong (ประยูรวงศ์)

Thai. Name of a Chao Phraya who was a member of the influential Bunnag family and who served under several Chakri kings, from Rama I to Rama IV. READ ON.

preserved egg

See khai yiew ma.

Prevost's Squirrel

Common name for a species of squirrel with the scientific name Callosciurus prevosti, which is found in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. It has black upperparts and a black tail, reddish-orange underparts, and white sides, whilst the lower face and chin are rather greyish. Due to these three main coulors, it is also commonly known as Asian Tri-coloured Squirrel, whilst its Thai name is kra-rohk sahm sih (กระรอกสามสี), i.e. ‘three- coloured squirrel’.

Pride of Burma

See Asohk Ra-yah.

Pridi Banomyong (ปรีดี พนมยงค์)

See Pridi Phanomyong.

Pridi Phanomyong (ปรีดี พนมยงค์)

Thai. Name of a highly-revered Thai politician, who was a former three-terms Prime Minister and a Senior Statesman of Thailand, as well as the founder of the Thammasat University. READ ON.

prik (พริก)

Thai for ‘pepper’ or ‘chili’. Also transcribed phrik. See also prik khee noo, prik pon, and prik thai.

prik khee noo (พริกขี้หนู)

Thai. ‘Bird droppings pepper’. Name for a small but very hot variety of chili pepper, in English known as the bird's eye pepper, guinea pepper, Thai pepper or bird pepper, and with the scientific Latin name Capsicum frutescens. The chilis change colour from green to orange and then red, when ripening (fig.) and they grow pointing downward from the plant. Also transcribed prik kee nu, phrik kih noo or similar, and the Thai name may also refer to a similar cultivar of which the chilis grow pointing upward from the plant (fig.). The shrub is referred to as ton prik kee noo. Also spelled phrik khi nu, or similar.

prik pon (พริกป่น)

Thai. ‘Pounding pepper’. Name for the cayenne or red pepper. Also phrik pon.

prik thai (พริกไทย)

Thai. ‘Thai pepper’. Name for the pepper tree that produces black pepper (fig.), a spice with a hot, sharp flavour. This kind of pepper is used both in dried form and fresh in certain curries, usually with the peppercorn still attached to its stem. Its Latin name is Piper nigrum. See also cayenne. Also phrik thai.

Prince of Chumphon

See Aphakon Kiatiwong.

Prince of Songkhla

1. Title of Mahidol Adulyadej, the father of king Bhumipol Adulyadej. Also spelled Prince of Songkla.

2. Name of the first university of southern Thailand, established in 1967. Also spelled Prince of Songkla.

Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre

Computerized research and information centre for anthropology located on Sirindhorn Road in Talingchan district. The centre was established in 1991 by Silapakorn University as a non-profit academic institution, to mark the 36th birthday of princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, and in response to her wish that Thailand should have a centre for research and collecting material relating to anthropology, ethnology and archeology. The central mission of the centre is to promote anthropological research in and about Thailand, and to support Thai scholars in anthropology and the social sciences. Consequently, the centre primarily focuses on serving the Thai academic community and promoting Thai language scholarship.

Prisdang Chumsai (ปฤษฎางค์ ชุมสาย)

Thai. Name of a Siamese prince and writer, and a diplomat during the reign of Rama V. He was born on 23 February 1851 as the youngest son of Prince Chumsai, i.e. the fourth son of King Rama III. He accompanied Rama V on his first foreign trip to Singapore, where the prince stayed on to study. Due to his excellent performance, the king later sent him to England to study engineering, making him the first known Siamese ever to enjoy a western education abroad. Later, Prince Prisdang was appointed Siamese ambassador to Europe, which enabled Rama V to establish a direct link with European governments, thus consolidating his own power and bypassing other powerful players of his time, i.e. Sri Suriyawongse (fig.) and other members of the Bunnag family. Prince Prisdang is remembered for his diplomatic activities in Europe and for making the first proposal ever for a constitutional government, as early as in 1885. However, this had enraged the king, who replied that the people were not yet ready for such a transition, and the prince fell out of favour. Hence, he went in exile and spend much of his later life in poverty, only returning to Siam after the death of Rama V. Prince Prisdang passed away on 16 March 1935 in Bangkok, almost three years after Thailand had become a Constitutional Monarchy after all. For his role in helping Thailand to become a member of the Universal Postal Union, which Thailand joined on 1 July 1885, the prince is commemorated on a postage stamp issued on the annual National Communications Day in 2010 (fig.). His name is pronounced Pritsadahng Choomsaai and may also be transliterated Pritsadangk Jumsai.

prison

See reuan jam.

Prithivi (पृथिवी)

Sanskrit. The ‘wide one’ or the ‘extended one’. It refers to earth as well as its personification as a god or goddess. As a goddess she is associated with fertility and in the Vedas she is celebrated as the mother of all creatures and the consort of the sky. Often depicted as a standing bodhisattva holding a bowl with seeds or flowers, yet she also appears in the form of a cow, being chased and milked by Prithu, an avatar of Vishnu. Prithivi is also understood to be the essence of the element earth, i.e. Mother Earth, and as such related to Bhumidevi. The name is also associated with Shiva and is sometimes transcribed Prithvi.

Prithu (पृथु)

Sanskrit. ‘Great’, ‘Important’, ‘Wide’ and ‘Clever’. An avatar of Vishnu mentioned in the Vedas and in the Mahabharata. He is described as an ayonija, i.e. not born from the womb, and he became the first true Kshatriya, after healing some people of their wounds. He is also known for chasing and milking the earth goddess, Prithivi, when she appeared in the form of a cow.

Proboscis Monkey

Name of a sandy-brown arboreal primate, with a large belly and a distinctive, protruding nose, which earned it the scientific name Nasalis larvatus. READ ON.

pro hin (เปราะหิน)

Thai. ‘Youthful Concubine’. Name of a perennial plant with the botanical designation Caulokaempferia saxicola and which lasts for several seasons. It can grow on rocks or on other plants and bears deep yellow flowers that grow in clusters at the top of the stem, which is between 75 to 205 millimetres tall. It is depicted on a postage stamp issued in 2009 as part of a set of four stamps on wild flowers found in Thailand (fig.). Also known as Pro Phu Nuan (เปราะภูนวล).

prom (ปรม)

Thai term meaning ‘greatest’, ‘excellent’, ‘whole’, ‘most extremely’. It is an adverb which is used in conjunction with other words, as in Prom Rajatiraat, i.e. Greatest King of Kings. See also maha.

prooythaan (â»Ã·ҹ)

Thai. Literally ‘to scatter food’ and in a broader sense ‘to sprinkle alms’. Term used for a Buddhist practice in which monetary gifts in the form of coins, known as riyan prooythaan (fig.), are thrown into a crowd of visitors to an event, typically during a buatnaag ordination ceremony called buat (fig.), or at a funeral. The coins are wrapped in packages skillfully handmade from colourful ribbons or strapping bands, often fashioned in the form of flowers, such as lotus flower buds, though also various other —often very unique and original— shapes are nowadays created, such as fruits, that are separately referred to as look kalapaphreuk and are typically green and in the form of lemons, but sometimes other colours or fruits, such as durians, are created. WATCH VIDEO.

pro phu miang (เปราะภูเมี่ยง)

Thai. A short-cycle plant, with the botanical name Caulokaempferia alba. It has rhizomes and grows among grasses. It blooms between between May and July, and bears white flowers that resemble butterflies (fig.). It is commonly found in Phu Mieng Wildlife Sanctuary in Phitsanulok Province.

Proretineta vermacula

Latin. Scientific designation for a rare species of cicada found in northern Vietnam. It has a black body and bright yellowish orangey eyes, and at the back of the neck it has an off-white to pale orangey band across the neck. The forewings are mostly black with orange veins and some orange colouration at the base and off-white colouration on the outer edges, while near the middle is also an off-white band that runs across the breadth of either wings. It is somewhat similar in appearance to the Orange Cicada, which is found in Indochina and China, and known by the scientific name Angamiana floridula, as well as to the Tosena paviei, which occurs in the Indomalayan Realm or Ecozone, which includes most of South and Southeast Asia, as well as the southern parts of East Asia.

Psyche

Common name for a 2.5 to 5.3 centimeter small butterfly of the family Pieridae, with the scientific designations Leptosia nina and Leptosia xiphia. It is found in South and Southeast Asia, including in Thailand, where is called phi seua khao khrae (ผีเสื้อขาวแคระ), which translates as ‘white dwarf butterfly’. Above, the wings are mainly white, with a black spot and some black colouring on the apex of the upper forewing (fig.). The underside of the wings is whitish with yellowish-greenish strigae, i.e. patterns of thin lines, and minute dots (fig.). The thorax and abdomen are whitish, the head is slightly brownish, and the antennae are dark with a pale tip. The sexes are similar, but the black markings on the upperside of the female's forewings are usually slightly broader. This small butterfly's flight is rather weak and erratic, and its body bobs up and down as it beats its wings. See also TRAVEL PICTURES.

Puay Eungphakon (ป๋วย อึ้งภากรณ์)

Thai. Name of the a Thai bureaucrat who played a central role in the shaping of Thailand's economic development and in the strengthening of its system of higher education. READ ON.

Puchong (ภุชงค์)

1. Thai-Pali-Sanskrit. Name of a hermit, i.e. a reusi character, who appears in the Ramakien. His name means ‘naga’ or ‘snake’ and in khon, he is hence portrayed wearing a crown topped with the head of a naga. He has a human face and a white complexion. He is usually referred to as Reusi Puchong.

2. Thai-Pali-Sanskrit name for naga.

Puff-faced Water Snake

A nocturnal, semi-aquatic species of snake with the scientific name Homalopsis buccata, commonly distributed in Southeast Asia, including in Malaysia, Singapore, Borneo, Indonesia and Thailand. It is a common dweller of agricultural areas and can be found in lowland areas, where its habitat consists of fresh water bodies, including rivers, forest streams, ponds, paddy fields, swamps and canals. It is nocturnal and feeds mainly on small fish and frogs. Adults may grow to a length of 137 centimeters and have a faded reddish brown body and tail, with grayish green, black-edged bands above, whilst the belly is a whitish pale. In juveniles the dorsal black-edged bands are much paler, and their colour may vary from yellowish white to slightly orange-red, whilst the body and tail are a darker brown and the belly is somewhat paler. In addition, they may have two beige pale to white patches on the back of the head (fig.). Its large, broad head has dark patches on the snout and forehead, as well as a dark streak that runs from the loreal scale, through the large reddish eye, down to the cheek. In Thai, it is called ngu hua ka-lohk, meaning ‘cranium-headed snake’ and referring to the mask-like markings on its head, which are somewhat reminiscent of a human skull, though the species is in Thai also known as ngu leuam oh.

Puff-throated Bulbul

Common name for a bird in the family Pycnonotidae, with the binomial name Criniger pallidus. This bulbul is characterized by almost complete chestnut-brown upperparts and erect crest, a puffy white throat and yellowish underparts. The brightness of the yellow suffusion on the underparts varies, but is never as bright as that on the White-throated bulbul (Criniger flaveolus). Some birds with a very faint yellow tinge are difficult to distinguish from the Ochraceus Bulbul (Criniger ochraeus), except by voice and range. The Puff-throated Bulbul is a common resident of Thailand, found in evergreen forests, from the foothills to an altitude of 1,200 meters.

puja (पूजा)

Hindi. The devotion to a certain Hindu deity by worshipping his or her image. The image of the deity is sprinkled with water, offerings are made and appropriate homage is paid. Besides prayer, rituals of worship may include the offering of food, money or even cigarettes, the burning of incense, the ringing of bells, the use of lights or oil lamps, etc. Compare with the Thai word bucha.

pujari (पुजारी)

Hindi term for a Hindu temple priest. They are generally recruited from the brahmin caste and are responsible for performing all kinds of temple rituals.

Pukaam (พุกาม)

The ancient name for Burma used in Thailand, as well as the name of the present-day Burmese town of Pokokku. Also transcribed Pugaam.

pumpkin

See fak thong.

Punchinello

Name for a small butterfly, with the scientific name Zemeros flegyas. READ ON.

pundarika (पुण्डरीक)

Sanskrit. ‘Lotus flower’, i.e. a white lotus. Pink, red and blue lotuses are called differently, i.e. padma, kamala, and utpala, respectively. The white lotus represents the state of spiritual perfection or Enlightenment. In addition, it is associated with the White Tara (fig.) and proclaims her perfect nature.

pundra (पुण्ड्र)

Sanskrit. ‘Sectarian mark’. Name for a kind of tilaka as used by the followers of Hindu religious sects. It is usually applied on the the forehead but may be worn on other parts of the body as well, especially on the torso. Pundra distinguish themselves from other tilaka, such as the bindi, by the fact that they are worn only as a symbol to denote which sect one belongs to. As such, most Hindu religious sects have their own designs of pundra, e.g. followers of Vishnu mark their foreheads with a urdhva-pundra, a simple U-shape often with a red dot inside (fig.), applied by hand using river clay mixed with sandalwood paste; followers of Shiva mark their foreheads or chests (fig.) with a tri-pundra, three horizontal lines (fig.) drawn with ashes, etc.

pungi (पुंगी)

Hindi. Indian flute-like wind instrument, also known as been (bihn), which is made from a gourd and typically played by snake charmers, as to its sound snakes are apparently attracted (fig.). The pungi is somewhat reminiscent of the Chinese hulusi (fig.).

Puniyanusatti (ปุญญานุสสติ)

Thai-Pali. The system of names or terms given to Buddhist monks according to their level of seniority, i.e. a ranking order depending on their phansa, i.e. the years spent as an ordained monk, beginning with the level of Phra Nawaka, used for new monks and junior monks who have been ordained between 1 and 5 years, followed by Phra Matchima (5 to 10 years), then Phra Thera (10 to 20 years), and finally to the level of Phra Mahathera, used for senior monks who have been in the Sangha for over 20 years. Note that in this system temporary ordinations, such as during the Buddhist Lent period of khao pansa, may count as a full year if one stays ordained for a minimum three month period, i.e. until owk pansa. Also transliterated Punyanutsati.

punji stick

One or more spikes made out of wood or bamboo, which are placed in a pit in the ground and concealed by camouflaging it with natural objects, such as dead leaves, as a kind of trap. READ ON.

punka (ပန်ကာ)

Burmese. ‘Fan’. Term for a fan, which in its traditional form consists of a framed rectangular piece of textile or a rug, that is attached to the ceiling and operated with a rope, making it swing back and forth by pulling the rope, somewhat like a church bell. This archaic fan, in the past usually reserved for the rich and royalty, was typically operated by a servant. Today, it can still be found over a large Buddha image at the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon (fig.), where visitors can gain merit by fanning the image.

Punyanutsati (ปุญญานุสสติ)

See Puniyanusatti.

pura

Balinese temple.

Purana (पुराण)

Sanskrit. Ancient stories or legends, based on pre-Hindu traditions. There are eight great Puranas and many lesser, and they were composed between 300 AD and 1000 AD, roughly from the Gupta period to the time of the arrival of Islam in India. Myths of Vishnu and Shiva make up a large part of these stories.

puranakata (ปูรณฆฏะ)

Thai term for a floral design that consists of a vase with flowers and hence may also be referred to as moh puranakata. The design may have various shapes often occurring as a flower vase pattern on walls, usually in the form of a bas-relief, as a lattice or perforated pattern on a screen or window (fig.), as well as painted. It is sometimes believed to be associated with the Vase of Plenty, another term for the Treasure Vase or Kalasa found in Buddhism, especially in Lamaism (fig.). In northern Thailand it may also be referred to as Lan Na lotus flower pot design. See also ton mai ngeun ton mai thong.

purdah (पर्दा, پرده)

1. Hindi-Persian. ‘Curtain’. A designation from Hindi-Persian-English used to indicate the system of separation or isolation of Indian women; the harem system. Also purda. In Thai wisut.

2. Hindi-Persian. ‘Curtain’. Partition curtain that hides women from the view of men, used to isolate Muslim or Hindu women in India. The burqa (burka), an enveloping outer garment with a shuttlecock veil that covers the entire body and face, with the exception of a small region around the eyes which is yet oftentimes still covered by a concealing net, and which is worn by some Muslim women in certain Islamic traditions, derives from this principle. Also purda. In Thai wisut. See also hijab and zenana.

Purple Heron

Common name for a large wading bird in the family Ardeidae and with the scientific designation Ardea purpurea. There are several subspecies with the one living in Asia being Ardea purpurea manilensis. Adults grow up to 90 centimeters tall and are overall grey in colour, with a darker grey back, and brownish-maroon patches on the shoulders and the sides of the neck. The throat is whitish with a chestnut wash and vertical black stripes. It has a black crown and nape, and a narrow yellow bill, which is dark above. Its habitat consists of reed beds or trees close to large lakes or other extensive wetlands. In Thai, this wading bird is called nok krasah daeng, i.e. ‘red heron’.

Purple Knight

See baan mairoo rohy farang.

Purple Sage

See Saeng Neon.

Purple Sunbird

Common name for a 10.5 to 11.5 centimeters tall sunbird, with the binomial name Cinnyris asiaticus. READ ON.

Purple Swamphen

A bright, bluish purple marshbird, with a red bill and frontal shield, dark red eyes, white undertail coverts, and brownish red legs, with huge feet READ ON.

purple yam

An edible tuber or root vegetable of a plant, with the botanical names Dioscorea alata and Dioscorea rubella. READ ON.

pu tou (襆頭)

Chinese. ‘Headcover’ or ‘headwrap’. An early form of informal Han headwear that dates back as far as the Jin Dynasty and which resembles a bandana or head scarf. It over time developed into several other styles and variations, perhaps even the zhan jiao fu tou, of which the two elongated, horn-like projections on either side are reminiscent of the loose ends of the bandana-like pu thou.

Puxian (普贤)

Chinese. ‘Universal worthy one’ or ‘universal virtuous person’. The bodhisattva of truth in Mahayana Buddhism, who is also known by the Sanskrit name Samantabhadra. READ ON.

pwe (ပွဲ)

1. Burmese term for a public function, communal event, mass celebration or festival. See also pwe taw.

2. Burmese. A classifier or measure word for dishes and offertories. See also pwe taw.

pwe taw (ပွဲတော်)

1. Burmese for ‘festival’. See also pwe and sometimes transliterated pwai tau, pvaito, pwe daw, or pweto.

2. Burmese. Term for meat and drink served to royalty, as well as food offered to a spirit or nat. See also pwe and gado bwe. Sometimes transliterated pwai tau, pvaito, pwe daw, or pweto.

Pwo (โป)

A subgroup of the Karen tribe in Thailand, as well as in Myanmar. They are divided into two groups, i.e. the East Pwo, who live in the Burmese Kayin State and in western Thailand, and the West Pwo, who live in the Irrawaddy Division of Myanmar. In their own language, the Pwo call themselves Mo Htee, which translates as Mother Side.

pya (ပြာ)

Burmese for ‘ash’ or ‘ashes’.

Pya Tha Gyi Phaya (ပြာသာဒ်ကြီးဘုရား)

Burmese. ‘Great Tha Ash [Relic] Pagoda’. Name of a double cave-type brick monastery in Bagan. READ ON.

pyatthat (ပြာသာဒ်)

Burmese. ‘Spire’. Term for a multi-tiered, spire-like roof, i.e. an edifice, pagoda or chedi in Burmese style, with multiple roofs, usually made from wood. The pyatthat's vertical ornamental embellishments at corners and niches are known as tuyin. Inside, this type of edifice is often decorated with wood carvings of mythological figures, floral motifs and astrological symbols, or wooden engravings depicting the Jataka. The design of the pyatthat is used in both religious and royal context, as can still be seen today in the Royal Palace in Mandaley (fig.), emphasizing a clear link between state and religion. The typical shape most probably originated from the chattra. The term pyatthat is closely related to the Khmer-Thai term prasat, which in turn derives from the Sanskrit-Pali term prasada, and refers to an ‘ornamental construction with a needle-like spire’. Yet, in addition, the Burmese word pya also means ‘ash’ or ‘ashes’, which makes it reminiscent to the Thai word Phrathat, a term that refers to relics of saints and Buddhist monks.

Pygmy Damselfly

Common name for a species of small damselfly, with the scientific designation Agriocnemis pygmaea. READ ON.

pyit taing daung (ပစ်တိုင်းထောင်)

Burmese. A tumbling kelly, i.e. a knock-about egg-shaped doll in Myanmar with a serene smiling face. READ ON.

Pyu (ပျူ)

The earliest inhabitants of Burma on record, i.e. a Tibeto-Burman-speaking people, who founded the first city-states in present-day Upper Burma, and that existed from circa the 2nd century BC to the mid-11th century AD, i.e. approximately from the Bronze Age to the beginning of the classical states period, when the Pagan Kingdom emerged.

Pyusawhti (ပျူစောထီး)

Burmese. Name of a ca. 3rd Century AD King of Bagan in Upper Burma. READ ON.