Before the current calendar, Thailand used lunar calendar (Thai: ปฏิทินจันทรคติ /bpà-dtì-tin jan-tá-rá ká-dtì/) which is a calendar that is based on cycles of the lunar phase. Until year 1889 in the reign of King rama V, Thailand formally announced to use the solar calendar (Thai : ปฏิทินสุริยคติ bpà-dtì-tin sù-rí-yá ká-dtì/) in which the years are counted in the Buddhist Era (BE: พ.ศ. พุทธศักราช póot tá sàk-gà-ràat). The Buddhist calculation starts 543 years before the Christian Era ( ค.ศ. คริสต์ศักราช krít sàk-gà- ràat).
When talking about ‘year’ with a Thai person, the number could cause you confusion if you don’t know about Thai calendar. So let’s learn a quick math lesson here. 🙂
The formula is super simple :
Thai year = western year + 543
Western year = Thai year – 543
( It is easy to remember 543, right?)
For example;
This year in Western Calendar is year “2015“, for Thai people this year is 2015 + 543 which equals “2558“.
Look at this dialogue:
Jim: When is your birthday? วันเกิดคุณวันที่เท่าไหร่ wan-gèrd kun wan-tîi tâo-rài?
Nan: 21st December. วันที่ 21 ธันวาคม wan-tîi 21 duean tan-waa-kom
Jim: What year were you born? คุณเกิดปีอะไร kun gèrd bpii à-rai?
Nan: Year 2530 ปี bpii 2530
Jim: I beg you pardon? 2530?
Nan: It is the year in the Thai solar calendar or Buddhist Calendar that we use in Thailand. It began 543 years before the Christian Era.
Jim: Ahhh… I see. So you were born in 1987 in Western Calendar.
Nan: That is correct!
Hope this lesson helps you communicate with Thai people better. 🙂
Photo Credit : dek-d.com
So useful