11 Interesting Facts About Thailand

Thai people have a weird nickname
The vast majority of Thai people have two names: their full, official name, and a nickname. Unlike in many countries, however, the nickname is chosen by the parents and given at birth, often before the official name has been chosen and registered! There is more significance to a nickname in Thailand, however, than simply a shorter and easier-to-remember name. Typically a Thai person only uses his or her official name in formal situations. Even in work, most people use their nicknames. It is quite common for acquaintances to never actually know a person’s full name, only their nickname. Thais historically only used short names, the names that today would be considered nicknames. There were no clans in the Thailand of old, and so no identifying naming conventions were needed. Only the Royal Family had official names, taken from the ancient language of Sanskrit.