Interesting Facts about Thailand 08

71. The well-known slang word for a gay, ladyboy-like guy ‘toot’ is English in origin. The word in fact, entered the Thai language after the success of the 1982 movie ‘Tootsie’ starring Dustin Hoffman.

72. The Thai lese-majeste law also applies to foreign heads of states. So, if you come to Thailand and say something patronizing or insulting about the likes of the Queen of England or George W Bush, you can, in theory, be sentenced to imprisonment!

73. The popular Thai dish ‘Phat Thai’ (Thai-style fried noodles) was believed to have actually been invented by the wife (La-iad) of anti-Chinese PM dictator Field Marshall Phibulsongkram at the beginning of the Second World War. According to a biography of La-iad, her husband had asked her to “Dish up a tasty noodle dish (with Vietnamese origins) and call it Thai and not bloody Chinese”.

74. King Chulalongkorn the Great (Rama V), in the late 19th century, banned the act of crouching (bending down low in servility) in front of members of the royal family in public. The practice of crouching to royalty was only revived by Field Marshall Sarit Dhanarajata during his stint as prime minister (1957-1963).

75. The name Bangkok is in fact Thai, meaning ‘Village of Olives’. In the past, before the name was changed to Krungthep – Bangkok referred to the eastern side of the Chao Phraya and Thonburi on the west. Foreigners didn’t like the word Krungthep and stuck to saying Bangkok. In the Thai southern dialect, they still say Bangkok (Bang – gawk) instead of Krungthep.

76. Khao Kheow in Sri Racha in Chonburi Province is the only visible mountain from Bangkok. Have a look for it the next time you are on an expressway in the capital and especially going in the Bang-na/Suvarnaphumi Airport direction!

77. Contrary to popular belief, Thailand does not mean ‘Land of the Free’. It does in fact mean ‘Land of the Tai/T’ai Peoples’. The original name Siam was changed to Thailand by FM Plaek Phibulongram as part of his plans to re-conquer what Siam had lost in the past. A completely far-fetched idea as the Tai/T’ai peoples are spread throughout Southern China, North-eastern India and as far east as Vietnam. Unfortunately, FM Plaek hadn’t realized that.

78. Meaning “one hundred and one”, Roi Et is a province in the north-east of Thailand named after the city’s gates and satellite cities. However, there are only eleven city gates and satellites cities. The province should have been called “Sip Et” but to exaggerate the importance of the place it was decided to call it “Roi Et”.

79. Published originally in the 1940′s, So Sethaputra’s “New Model English-Thai Dictionary” is recognized as the most famous Thai-English dictionary written. Sethaputra, did however, compile the dictionary during his 11 years in prison as a political prisoner soon after the events of 1932.

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Read more 100 Things You Didn’t Know about Thailand at ThailandQA Forums.