Mike:	éh! phî āo àrāi mā yóe yáe lōei	เอ๊ะ! พี่เอาอะไรมาเยอะแยะเลย	Eh! You’ve brought so many interesting things. What are they?
Pang:	phî āo khǒng mā wâi sǎn phráphūm	พี่เอาของมาไหว้ศาลพระภูมิ	They are offerings to pay respect to the spirit house.
Mike:	phî āo àrāi mā wâi bâng	พี่เอาอะไรมาไหว้บ้าง	What kind of offerings did you bring?
Pang:	klâui  máphráo-òn khànómtôm khànóm thûaifū láe námdāeng	กล้วย มะพร้าวอ่อน ขนมต้ม ขนมถ้วยฟู และน้ำแดง	Bananas, a young coconut, khanom tom (a round sweet ball of sticky rice flour coated with grated coconut with sweet stuffing), khanom thuaifu (steamed cupcake) and red soda pop.
Mike:	wâi yàng ùen dâi mǎi	ไหว้อย่างอื่นได้ไหม	Can you offer other things?
Pang:	dâi khà  chà pēn kài rǔe núea yàng ùen kô dâi	ได้ค่ะ จะเป็นไก่หรือ เนื้ออย่างอื่นก็ได้	Yes, chicken, beef or other kinds of meat.
Mike:	phî mâi mī phūangmālāi mā dûai rǒe	พี่ไม่มีพวงมาลัยมาด้วยเหรอ	You don’t’ have a garland with you.
Pang:	mī sì khá  pēn phūangmālāi jèt sǐ jèt sòk	มีสิคะ เป็นพวงมาลัยเจ็ดสีเจ็ดศอก	Yes, I do. (It’s) called a seven-color, seven-cubits garland.
Mike:	phūangmālāi phiset rǒe phî	เป็นพวงมาลัยพิเศษ ใช่ไหมพี่	A special kind of garland, right?
Pang:	châi khâ  phî yàk khòpkhūn thân thî phî thāmngān thînî dâidī  mâi mī pānhǎ àrāi	ใช่ค่ะ พี่อยากขอบคุณท่านที่ พี่ทำงานที่นี่ได้ดี ไม่มีปัญหา อะไร	Right. I just want to thank “him” because I can work well here without any problems.
Mike:	“thân” thî phî phût mǎithǔeng khrāi	“ท่าน” ที่พี่พูดหมายถึงใคร	Who are you talking about when you say “him”?
Pang:	ǒ  kô khūe phráphūm châothî thî sàthìt yù nāi sǎn phráphūm ngāi khá	อ๋อ ก็คือพระภูมิเจ้าที่ ที่สถิตย์อยู่ในศาลพระภูมิไงคะ	Ah, the guardian god who lives in the spirit house.
Mike:	ô  láeo phráphūm châothî khūe khrāi khrâp phî	อ้อ แล้วพระภูมิเจ้าที่ คือใครครับพี่	Ah! What does the guardian do?
Pang:	khūe thēwádā phû phíthâk râksǎ thîdīn thî rāo sâng ākhān khá	คือเทวดาผู้พิทักษ์รักษา ที่ดินที่เราสร้างอาคารค่ะ	He’s guards the property on which the tiny building was built.
Mike:	ô  sǎn phráphūm khūe thîyù khǒng thân	อ้อ! นี่คือที่อยู่ของท่าน	I see, and the spirit house is his residence.
Pang:	châi khâ  thân kô phíthâk râksǎ châokhǒng láe phûyù āsǎi dûai	ใช่ค่ะ ท่านก็พิทักษ์รักษา เจ้าของและผู้อยู่อาศัยด้วย	That’s right. He also guards and protects the owner and people who stay there.
Mike:	phǒm kháochāi láeo  khòpkhūn khrâp	ผมเข้าใจแล้ว ขอบคุณครับ	I see. Thanks.

Did you notice this? The first line of this week’s conversation contains a conversational adverb, yóe yáe, which means “a lot, much, many”. Sometimes the second syllable is replaced by others like mâk — yóe mâk; and kōen pāi (too much, many, over) – yóe kōen pāi, indicating a sense of judgment. See the examples in the short conversation below: Wife:         I bought so many things today. = wānni chǎn súe khong yóe mâk Husband:   I think you’ve bought too much. = khūn súe mā yóe kōen pāi láeo

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This lesson was prepared by Acharn Sunee Siidao, Educational Specialist.

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Last modified: August 17, 2006 |

Welcome back to a new adaptation of Phût Phāsǎ Thāi after our transitional Songkran break. As per the valued suggestions of our readers, the transliterations now follow the Royal Institute's system (http://www.royin.go.th/th/profile/index.php), which includes tone markers. In terms of content, the column will continue to provide you with everyday language on specific topics.

๑๕ singhakhom ๒๕๔๙   ( 15 August 2006)

Phût phāsǎ Thai During their visit in June 2003, David and Victoria Beckham stopped to by six colourful spirit houses while walking about in Pran Buri. – REUTERS Spirit houses / sǎn phráphūm On the way to Prachuap Khiri Khan in June three years ago to film a television commercial promoting skin cream, David Beckham and his wife, Victoria, stopped to look at spirit houses at a roadside shop. On the return trip, they stopped again and ordered six colourful shrines to be shipped to their home in England. Many of my farang friends have asked me about the miniature buildings that seem to be a must at Thai homes and offices. The tiny spirit houses are known as sǎn phráphūm in Thai. The spirits who reside in these symbolic residences are the guardian gods - or phráphūm châothî - of the property. They look after the fortunes of those who own, live in or work there and protect them from bad luck and potential enemies. This tradition started in the Brahmin culture. These sǎn phráphūm always face east or north, which are considered auspicious directions according to Thai customs. The style and size of the house depend on the status of the owner. As a regular practice, people pay respect to phráphūm châothî with a garland or flowers, but on special occasions the offerings are a meal and an abundant set of luxurious garlands.