Most everyone is familiar with this day, as it is celebrated nearly everywhere the world. Yet, when exactly is April Fools’ Day? And where did April Fools come from? April Fools’ Day is observed on April 1st every year. This day of jokes and pranks is believed to have stemmed from the 16th-century calendar change in France, when New Year’s Day was moved from April 1 to January 1. This action was taken due to the adoption of the Gregorian calendar.

However, a few people were resistant to the calendar change, so they continued to observe New Year’s Day on April 1st, rather than the new date. They were referred to as the “April Fools”, and others started playing mocking tricks on them. This custom endured, and is practiced to this day around the world!

Table of Contents

1. Top One Million Words You Need to Know for April Fools’ Day
2. Thai Phrases You Can Use on April Fools’ Day
3. Some of the Coolest April Fools’ Pranks To Play on Anybody
4. How Can ThaiPod101 Make Your April Fools’ Day Special?
5. Top 1000 Most Useful Phrases in Thai – Testing New Technology

1. Top One Million Words You Need to Know for April Fools’ Day

Do you want to know how to say April Fools’ Day in Thai? Well, there are millions of ways and words, but here are the top one million Thai words you really need to know! Simply click this link. Here are some of them you will find useful:

1. joke – พูดตลก – phûut dtà-lòk
2. funny – ตลก – dtà-lòk
3. lie – โกหก – goo-hòk
4. surprise – ประหลาดใจ – bprà-làat-jai
5. fool – คนโง่ – khon-ngôo
6. April 1st – วันที่ 1 เมษายน – wan-thîi-nùeng mee-sǎa-yon
7. humor – อารมณ์ขัน – aa-rom-khǎn
8. sneaky – ลับๆล่อๆ – láp-láp-lâaw-lâaw
9. prank – ล้อเล่น – láaw-lên
10. play a joke – เล่นตลก – lên-dtà-lòk
11. deceptive – ลวงตา – luuang-dtaa
12. prankster – คนขี้แกล้ง – khon khîi-glâaeng

2. Thai Phrases You Can Use on April Fools’ Day

Don’t limit yourself to practical jokes – use these April Fools’ phrases in Thai to prank your favorite Thai friend or colleague!

1. I learned Thai in 1 month.
   • ผมเรียนภาษาไทยในเดือนเดียว
   • Phǒm riian phaa-sǎa thai nai duuean diiao
2. All classes for today got canceled.
   • วันนี้ยกเลิกเรียนทุกวิชา
   • Wan-níi yók-lôoek riian thúk wí-chaa
3. I’m sorry, but I’ve just broken your favorite pair of glasses.
   • ขอโทษนะ แต่ฉันเพิ่งทำแว่นตาอันโปรดของเธอพัง
   • Khǎaw-thôot ná dtàae chǎn phôoen tham wâaen-dtaa an bpròot khǎawng thooe phang
4. Someone has just hit your car.
   • เพิ่งมีคนมาชนรถเธอน่ะ
   • Phôoeng mii khon maa chon rót thooe nâ
5. I’m getting married.
   • ฉันกำลังจะแต่งงาน
   • Chǎn gam-lang jà dtàaeng-ngaan
6. You won a free ticket.
   • คุณได้รางวัลเป็นตั๋วฟรี
   • Khun dâi raang-wan bpen dtǔua frii
7. I saw your car being towed.
   • ฉันเห็นรถเธอถูกยกไปแล้วน่ะ
   • chǎn hěn rót thooe thùuk yók bpai-láaew nâ
8. They’re giving away free gift cards in front of the building.
   • เขากำลังแจกบัตรของขวัญฟรีกันอยู่หน้าตึกแน่ะ
   • khǎo gam-lang jàaek bàt-khǎawng-khwǎn frii gan yùu nâa dtùek nàe
9. A handsome guy is waiting for you outside.
   • มีหนุ่มหล่อมารอเธออยู่ข้างนอก
   • Mii nùm-làaw maa raaw thooe yùu khâang-nâawk
10. A beautiful lady asked me to give this phone number to you.
    • มีสาวสวยฝากเบอร์โทรมาให้คุณ
    • Mii sǎao-sǔuay fàak booe-thoo maa hâi khun
11. Can you come downstairs? I have something special for you.
    • ลงมาข้างล่างหน่อยได้ไหม ฉันมีอะไรพิเศษจะให้
    • Long maa khâang-lâang nàuy dâi mǎi. Chǎn mii à-rai phí-sèet jà hâi
12. Thank you for your love letter this morning. I never could have guessed your feelings.
    • ขอบคุณสำหรับจดหมายรักที่คุณให้เมื่อเช้านะ ฉันเดาไม่ออกเลยว่าคุณรู้สึกแบบนั้นอยู่
    • Khàawp-khun sǎm-ràp jòt-mǎai-rák thîi khun hâi mûuea-cháo ná. Chǎn dao mâi àawk looei wâa khun rúu-sùek bàaep nán yùu

Choose your victims carefully, though; the idea is to get them to laugh with you, not to hurt their feelings or humiliate them in front of others. Be extra careful if you choose to play a prank on your boss – you don’t want to antagonize them with an inappropriate joke.

3. Some of the Coolest April Fools’ Pranks To Play on Anybody

Right, now that you know the top million April Fools’ words in Thai, let’s look at some super pranks and tricks to play on friends, colleagues and family. Some April Fools ideas never grow old, while new ones are born every year.

Never joke in such a way that it hurts anyone, or humiliates them badly in front of others – the idea is for everybody to laugh and enjoy the fun! Respect is still key, no matter what day of the year it is.

1- Infestation

This trick is so simple, yet so creepy, it’s almost unbelievable. Take black paper, cut out the silhouette of a giant cockroach, a spider or another insect, and stick it inside the lampshade of a table lamp. When the lamp is switched on, it will look like a monstrous insect is sitting inside the lampshade. Or, get a whole lot of realistic-looking plastic insects, and spread them over a colleague’s desk and chair, or, at home, over the kids’ beds etc. Creep-factor: stellar.

2- Which One Doesn’t Fit?

Put the photo of a celebrity or a notorious politician in a frame, and take it to work on April Fools’ Day. Hang the photo on the staff picture wall, and wait. You’ll be surprised how long it can take for people to notice that one picture doesn’t fit.

3- Something Weird in the Restroom

At work, replace the air freshener in the restroom with something noxious like insect killer, oven cleaner or your own odious mixture in a spray bottle. Be sure to cover the bottle’s body so no one suspects a swap.

Or paint a bar of soap with clear nail polish, and leave it at the hand wash basin. It will not lather.

Or, if your workplace’s restroom has partitioned toilets with short doors, arrange jeans or trousers and shoes on all but one of the toilet covers, so it looks like every stall is occupied. Now wait for complaints, and see how long it takes for someone to figure out the April Fools’ Day prank. You’ll probably wish you had a camera inside the restroom. But, unless you don’t mind getting fired, don’t put your own recording device in there!

4- Call Me Funny

Prepare and print out a few posters with the following instructions: Lion Roar Challenge! Call this number – 123-456-7890 – and leave your best lion’s roar as voicemail! Best roarer will be announced April 10 in the cafeteria. Prize: $100. (Lion’s roar is just an example; you can use any animal call, or even a movie character’s unique sound, such as Chewbacca from Star Wars. The weirder, the funnier. Obviously!) Put the posters up in the office where most of the staff is likely to see them. Now wait for the owner of the number to visit you with murderous intent. Have a conciliatory gift ready that’s not a prank.

5- Minty Cookies

This is another simple but hugely effective prank – simply separate iced cookies, scrape off the icing, and replace it with toothpaste. Serve during lunch or tea break at work, or put in your family’s lunch boxes. Be sure to take photos of your victim’s faces when they first bite into your April Fools’ cookies.

6- Wild Shopping

At your local grocer, place a realistic-looking plastic snake or spider among the fresh vegetables. Now wait around the corner for the first yell.

7- The Oldest Trick in the Book

Don’t forget probably the oldest, yet very effective April Fools’ joke in the book – smearing hand cream or Vaseline on a door handle that most staff, family or friends are likely to use. Yuck to the max!

8- Sneeze On Me

Another golden oldie is also gross, yet harmless and utterly satisfying as a prank. Fill a small spray bottle that you can easily conceal with water. Walk past a friend, colleague or one of your kids, and fake a sneeze while simultaneously spraying them with a bit of water. Expect to be called a totally disgusting person. Add a drop of lovely smelling essential oil to the water for extra confusion.

9- Word Play Repairs

Put a fresh leek in the hand wash basin at home or work, and then tell your housemates or colleagues this: “There’s a huge leak in the restroom/bathroom basin, it’s really serious. Please can someone go have a look?!” Expect exasperation and smiles all around. Note that this prank is only likely to work where people understand English well.

10- Scary Face

Print out a very scary face on an A4 sheet of paper, and place it in a colleague’s, or one of your kid’s drawers, so it’s the first thing they see when they open the drawer. You may not be very popular for a while.

11- Wake Up To Madness

Put foamy shaving cream, or real whipped cream on your hand, and wake your kid up by tickling their nose with it. As long as they get the joke, this could be a wonderful and fun way to start April Fools’ Day.

12- Computer Prank

This one’s fabulous, if you have a bit of time to fiddle with a colleague, friend or your kid’s computer. It is most effective on a computer where most of the icons they use are on the desktop background itself (as opposed to on the bottom task bar).

Take and save a screenshot of their desktop with the icons. Set this screenshot as their background image. Now delete all the working icons. When they return to their computer, wait for the curses when no amount of clicking on the icons works.

13- Monster Under the Cup

This one will also work well anywhere people meet. Take a paper cup, and write the following on it in black pen: “Danger! Don’t lift, big spider underneath.” Place it upside-down on prominent flat surface, such as a kitchen counter, a colleague’s desk or a restaurant table. Expect some truly interesting responses.

14- Prank Door

Write in large letters on a large and noticeable piece of paper: PUSH. Tape this notice on a door that should be pulled to open, and watch the hilarious struggle of those clever souls who actually read signs.

4. How Can ThaiPod101 Make Your April Fools’ Day Special?

If you happen to visit Thailand, or if you work for any Thai company, knowing the above Thai prankster phrases can really lighten up your day. Showing you have a sense of humor can go a long way to cement good relationships in any situation. These phrases are at your disposal for free, as well as are these 100 core Thai words, which you will learn how to pronounce perfectly.

Also, don’t stop at learning April Fools’ phrases in Thai – bone up your Thai language skills with these FREE key phrases. Yes, ThaiPod101 doesn’t joke when it comes to effective, fun and easy learning.

Now, as a bonus, test our super-learning technology, and learn the Top 1000 most useful phrases in Thai below! But that’s not all. Read on to learn how you can be eligible for large enrollment discounts at ThaiPod101.

5. Top 1000 Most Useful Phrases in Thai – testing new technology

Help us by being a language guinea pig! Listen to this video above with embedded cutting-edge, frequency-based learning technology that enables you to learn large amounts of data in record time.

• Note: This technology is in beta-phase of development, and we invite your input for fine-tuning.
• To participate: Watch the video for instructions, and leave a comment to rate it. Your comment will make you eligible for large enrollment-fee discounts. To watch the video, please click the play button.

Thank you for helping ThaiPod101! We’re serious about making learning Thai fun.

Learn all the Thai New Year wishes online, in your own time, on any device! Join ThaiPod101 for a special Thai New Year celebration!

Can you relate to the year passing something like this: “January, February, March – December!”? Many people do! Quantum physics teaches us that time is relative, and few experiences illustrate this principle as perfectly as when we reach the end of a year. To most of us, it feels like the old one has passed in the blink of an eye, while the new year lies ahead like a very long journey! However, New Year is also a time to celebrate beginnings, and to say goodbye to what has passed. This is true in every culture, no matter when New Year is celebrated.

So, how do you say Happy New Year in Thai? Let a native teach you! At ThaiPod101, you will learn how to correctly greet your friends over New Year, and wish them well with these Thai New Year wishes!

Table of Contents

1. How to Celebrate New Year in Thailand
2. Must-Know Thai Words & Phrases for the New Year!
3. Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions in Thai
4. Inspirational New Year Quotes
5. Inspirational Language Learning Quotes
6. How To Say Happy New Year in 31 Languages
7. How ThaiPod101 Can Help You Learn Thai

But let’s start with some vocabulary for Thai New Year celebrations, very handy for conversations.

1. How to Celebrate New Year in Thailand

Let’s discuss New Year’s Day, or, as it’s generally known, New Year, which is celebrated on January 1 every year. New Year activities in Thailand are unique and quite different to those in other countries.

Now, before we get into more detail, do you know the answer to this question-

On New Year’s Day, one activity that has been popular for a long time is sending “Sor Kor Sor” or “Song Kwam Suk” greeting cards. The full name means “sending happiness”. What is the history behind these?

If you don’t already know, you’ll find out a bit later. Keep reading.

When it gets close to the New Year festival, Thai people will start to clean their houses and decorate them with lights. Then, on December 31, people will go to their local temples or วัด (wát) to listen to preaching and practice Dharma. There are several popular temples where Thai people often go, including Wat Phra Kaew and Wat Kallayanamitra. The most popular activity during New Year’s Eve is praying all night long until the break of the new year. But of course, the New Year’s countdown is a widely recognized tradition as well.

On January 1, people will make offerings, listen to preaching, and ask for blessings or คำอวยพร (kham uuai phaawn) from their elders. Some will go to several temples for “luck enhancement”, in the hopes of establishing a good beginning to the new year. Most people will also take time to be with their family and friends and enjoy festive activities. One such activity is drawing lots for gift exchanges. The Thai word for gift is ของขวัญ (khǎawng khwăn).

On the New Year, people usually send greeting cards or การ์ดอวยพร (gáat uuai phaawn) and wish each other luck by saying “Happy New Year” or “Hello New Year” with big smiles on their faces. In addition, shops usually play a popular song called “Pon pee mai” which means ‘New Year blessings’, and was composed by King Rama IX as a gift to the Thai people.

In the past, April 1 was designated as New Year’s Day, but in 1941, the government changed Thailand’s New Year’s Day to January 1 in keeping with the international tradition.

Now it’s time to answer our quiz question-

What is the history of the popular activity on New Year’s Day of sending “Sor Kor Sor” or “Song Kwam Suk”?

Actually, Thailand did not originally have a tradition of sending “Sor Kor Sor”. Rather, they adopted this cultural practice from foreign countries after the late Ayutthaya period. The greeting cards come in the form of paper with writing or printed images.

Happy New Year!
สุขสันต์วันปีใหม่
sùk-sǎn wan-phii-mài

2. Must-Know Thai Words & Phrases for the New Year!

1- Year

ปี
bpii

This is pretty self-explanatory. Most countries follow a Gregorian calendar, which has approximately 365 days in a year, while in some cultures, other year designations are also honored. Therefore, New Year’s day in Thailand could fall on a different day than in your country. When do you celebrate New Year?

2- Midnight

เที่ยงคืน
thîiang-khuuen

The point in time when a day ends and a new one starts. Many New Year celebrants prefer to stay awake till midnight, and greet the new annum as it breaks with fanfare and fireworks!

3- New Year’s Day

วันปีใหม่ วันปีใหม่
wan-bpii-mài

In most countries, the new year is celebrated for one whole day. On the Gregorian calendar, this falls on January 1st. On this day, different cultures engage in festive activities, like parties, parades, big meals with families and many more.

4- Party

งานเลี้ยง
ngaan-líiang

A party is most people’s favorite way to end the old year, and charge festively into the new one! We celebrate all we accomplished in the old year, and joyfully anticipate what lies ahead.

5- Dancing

เต้นรำ
dtên-ram

Usually, when the clock strikes midnight and the New Year officially begins, people break out in dance! It is a jolly way to express a celebratory mood with good expectations for the year ahead. Also, perhaps, that the old year with its problems has finally passed! Dance parties are also a popular way to spend New Year’s Eve in many places.

6- Champagne

แชมเปญ
chaaem-bpeen

Originating in France, champagne is a bubbly, alcoholic drink that is often used to toast something or someone during celebrations.

7- Fireworks

ดอกไม้ไฟ
dàawk-máai-fai

These are explosives that cause spectacular effects when ignited. They are popular for announcing the start of the new year with loud noises and colorful displays! In some countries, fireworks are set off to scare away evil spirits. In others, the use of fireworks is forbidden in urban areas due to their harmful effect on pets. Most animals’ hearing is much more sensitive than humans’, so this noisy display can be very frightful and traumatising to them.

8- Countdown

การนับถอยหลัง
gaan náp-tháauy-lăng

This countdown refers to New Year celebrants counting the seconds, usually backward, till midnight, when New Year starts – a great group activity that doesn’t scare animals, and involves a lot of joyful shouting when the clock strikes midnight!

9- New Year’s Holiday

วันหยุดปีใหม่
wan-yùt bpii-mài

In many countries, New Year’s Day is a public holiday – to recuperate from the party the previous night, perhaps! Families also like to meet on this day to enjoy a meal and spend time together.

10- Confetti

เศษกระดาษสีที่ใช้โปรยในงานรื่นเริง
sèet grà-dàat sǐi thîi chái bprooi nai ngaan rûuen-rooeng

In most Western countries, confetti is traditionally associated with weddings, but often it is used as a party decoration. Some prefer to throw it in the air at the strike of midnight on New Year’s Eve.

11- New Year’s Eve

วันส่งท้ายปีเก่า
wan sòng-tháai bpii-gào

This is the evening before New Year breaks at midnight! Often, friends and family meet for a party or meal the evening before, sometimes engaging in year-end rituals. How are you planning to give your New Year greetings in 2018?

12- Toast

ดื่มอวยพร
dùuem-uuai-phaawn

A toast is a type of group-salutation that involves raising your glass to drink with others in honor of something or someone. A toast to the new year is definitely in order!

13- Resolution

ข้อตั้งใจ
khâaw dtâng-jai

Those goals or intentions you hope to, but seldom keep in the new year! Many people consider the start of a new year to be the opportune time for making changes or plans. Resolutions are those intentions to change, or the plans. It’s best to keep your resolutions realistic so as not to disappoint yourself!

14- Parade

ขบวนแห่
khà-buuan hàae

New Year celebrations are a huge deal in some countries! Parades are held in the streets, often to celebratory music, with colorful costumes and lots of dancing. Parades are like marches, only less formal and way more fun. At ThaiPod101, you can engage in forums with natives who can tell you what Thai New Year celebrations are like!

3. Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions

So, you learned the Thai word for ‘resolution’. Fabulous! Resolutions are those goals and intentions that we hope to manifest in the year that lies ahead. The beginning of a new year serves as a good marker in time to formalise these. Some like to do it in writing, others only hold these resolutions in their hearts. Here are our Top 10 New Year’s resolutions at ThaiPod101 – what are yours?

Learn these phrases and impress your Thai friends with your vocabulary.

1- Read more

อ่านหนังสือมากขึ้น
àan nǎng-sǔue mâak-khûen

Reading is a fantastic skill that everyone can benefit from. You’re a business person? Apparently, successful business men and women read up to 60 books a year. This probably excludes fiction, so better scan your library or Amazon for the top business reads if you plan to follow in the footsteps of the successful! Otherwise, why not make it your resolution to read more Thai in the new year? You will be surprised by how much this will improve your Thai language skills!

2- Spend more time with family

ใช้เวลากับครอบครัวมากขึ้น
chái wee-laa gàp khrâawp-khruua mâak-khûen

Former US President George Bush’s wife, Barbara Bush, was quoted as having said this: “At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict, or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child, a parent.” This is very true! Relationships are often what gives life meaning, so this is a worthy resolution for any year.

3- Lose weight

ลดน้ำหนัก
lóot nám-nàk

Hands up, how many of you made this new year’s resolution last year too…?! This is a notoriously difficult goal to keep, as it takes a lot of self discipline not to eat unhealthily. Good luck with this one, and avoid unhealthy fad diets!

4- Save money

ออมเงิน
aawm-gnoen

Another common and difficult resolution! However, no one has ever been sorry when they saved towards reaching a goal. Make it your resolution to save money to upgrade your subscription to ThaiPod101’s Premium PLUS option in the new year – it will be money well spent!

5- Quit smoking

เลิกบุหรี่
lôoek bù-rìi

This is a resolution that you should definitely keep, or your body could punish you severely later! Smoking is a harmful habit with many hazardous effects on your health. Do everything in your power to make this resolution come true in the new year, as your health is your most precious asset.

6- Learn something new

เรียนรู้สิ่งใหม่
riian-rúu sìng-mài

Science has proven that learning new skills can help keep brain diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s at bay! It can even slow down the progression of the disease. So, keep your brain healthy by learning to speak a new language, studying towards a qualification, learning how to sew, or how to play chess – no matter how old you are, the possibilities are infinite!

7- Drink less

ลดเหล้า
lót-lâo

This is another health resolution that is good to heed any time of the year. Excessive drinking is associated with many diseases, and its effect can be very detrimental to good relationships too. Alcohol is a poison and harmful for the body in large quantities!

8- Exercise regularly

ออกกำลังกายเป็นประจำ
àawk-gam-lang-gaai bpen bprà-jam

This resolution goes hand-in-hand with ‘Lose weight’! An inactive body is an unhealthy and often overweight one, so give this resolution priority in the new year.

9- Eat healthy

ทานอาหารมีประโยชน์
thaan aa-hǎan mii bprà-yòot

If you stick with this resolution, you will lose weight and feel better in general. It is a very worthy goal to have!

10- Study Thai with ThaiPod101

เรียนภาษาไทยกับ ThaiPod101.com
riian phaa-sǎa thai gàp thai-pàwt wan-oo-wan dàwt khawm

Of course! You can only benefit from learning Thai, especially with us! Learning how to speak Thai can keep your brain healthy, it can widen your circle of friends, and improve your chances to land a dream job anywhere in the world. ThaiPod101 makes it easy and enjoyable for you to stick to this resolution.

4. Inspirational New Year Quotes

Everyone knows that it is sometimes very hard to stick to resolutions, and not only over New Year. The reasons for this vary from person to person, but all of us need inspiration every now and then! A good way to remain motivated is to keep inspirational quotes near as reminders that it’s up to us to reach our goals.

Click here for quotes that will also work well in a card for a special Thai new year greeting!

Make decorative notes of these in Thai, and keep them close! Perhaps you could stick them above your bathroom mirror, or on your study’s wall. This way you not only get to read Thai incidentally, but also remain inspired to reach your goals! Imagine feeling like giving up on a goal, but reading this quote when you go to the bathroom: “It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop.” What a positive affirmation!

5. Inspirational Language Learning Quotes

Still undecided whether you should enroll with ThaiPod101 to learn a new language? There’s no time like the present to decide! Let the following Language Learning Quotes inspire you with their wisdom.

Click here to read the most inspirational Language Learning Quotes!

As legendary President Nelson Mandela once said: “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.” So, learning how to say Happy New Year in Thai could well be a way into someone special’s heart for you! Let this year be the one where you to learn how to say Happy New Year, and much more, in Thai – it could open many and unexpected doors for you.

6. How To Say Happy New Year in 31 Languages

Here’s a lovely bonus for you! Why stop with Thai – learn how to say Happy New Year in 31 other languages too! Watch this video and learn how to pronounce these New Year’s wishes like a native in under two minutes.

7. Why Enrolling with ThaiPod101 Would Be the Perfect New Year’s Gift to Yourself!

If you are unsure how to celebrate the New Year, why not give yourself a huge gift, and enroll to learn Thai! With more than 12 years of experience behind us, we know that ThaiPod101 would be the perfect fit for you. There are so many reasons for this!

• Custom-tailored Learning Paths: Start learning Thai at the level that you are. We have numerous Learning Pathways, and we tailor them just for you based on your goals and interests! What a boon!
• Marked Progress and Fresh Learning Material Every Week: We make new lessons available every week, with an option to track your progress. Topics are culturally appropriate and useful, such as “Learning how to deliver negative answers politely to a business partner.” Our aim is to equip you with Thai that makes sense!
• Multiple Learning Tools: Learn in fun, easy ways with resources such 1,000+ video and audio lessons, flashcards, detailed PDF downloads, and mobile apps suitable for multiple devices!
• Fast Track Learning Option: If you’re serious about fast-tracking your learning, Premium Plus would be the perfect way to go! Enjoy perks such as personalised lessons with ongoing guidance from your own, native-speaking teacher, and one-on-one learning on your mobile app! You will not be alone in your learning. Weekly assignments with non-stop feedback, answers and corrections will ensure speedy progress.
• Fun and Easy: Keeping the lessons fun and easy-to-learn is our aim, so you will stay motivated by your progress!

There’s no reason not to go big in 2018 by learning Thai with ThaiPod101. Just imagine how the world can open up for you!

Do you know any ways to wish someone a ‘Merry Christmas’ in Thai? ThaiPod101 brings you easy-to-learn translations and the correct pronunciation of Thai Christmas phrases!

Christmas is the annual commemorative festival of Christ’s birth in the Western Christian Church. It takes place on December 25th and is usually celebrated with much food and fanfare! However, not all cultures celebrate Christmas. In some countries, Christmas is not even a public holiday! However, many countries have adapted Christmas and its religious meaning to tally with their own beliefs, or simply in acknowledgment of the festival’s importance to other cultures. If you want to impress native Thai speakers with culturally-appropriate Christmas phrases and vocabulary, ThaiPod101 will teach you the most important ways to wish someone a ‘Merry Christmas’ in Thai!

Table of Contents

1. How to Celebrate Christmas in Thailand
2. Holiday Greetings and Wishes
3. Must-Know Christmas Day Vocabulary
4. Twelve Days of Christmas
5. Top 10 Christmas Characters
6. How ThaiPod101 Can Help You

1. How to Celebrate Christmas in Thailand

Let’s discuss Christmas Day, which falls on December 25 every year. The celebration of this day has been heavily influenced by the West, and although this day has not been officially declared a holiday, Thai people don’t hesitate to celebrate it. It is another day that Thais long for.

Now, before we get into more detail, do you know the answer to this question-

In Thai, “Christmas” has a separate meaning as well. What do you guys think it means?

If you don’t already know, you’ll find out a bit later. Keep reading.

Christmas in Thailand often begins at big department stores, which are elegantly decorated with colorful lights. There is music or ดนตรี (don-dtrii) as well as a Christmas tree, which is a symbol of the festive period. In Thai, a Christmas tree is called ต้นคริสต์มาส (dtôn khrít-mâat). These items create an atmosphere that encourages many people to come out and take pictures as keepsakes. In the past year, the Central World department store imported and exhibited the largest Christmas tree in South East Asia. With a record height of 36 meters, it impressed both Thai people and tourists alike.

Because Christmas is not an official holiday in Thailand, many non-Christian schools continue their normal teaching schedules. Still, in many places events are hosted every year to celebrate Christmas, including chorus competitions, stage shows, and quizzes about Christmas Day. Activities that are highly anticipated by children include parties or งานเลี้ยงสังสรรค์ (ngaan líiang săng-săn) and drawing lots for the gift exchange, because this is a chance for them to eat delicious food and receive new toys.

In Thailand, animals or สัตว์ (sàt) are often dressed in Santa Claus costumes on Christmas Day. Elephants in Ayutthaya are dressed as Santa Claus and walked to schools where they distribute gifts to children. Tigers in the Sriracha Zoo, or (สวนสัตว์ศรีราชา) wear Santa Claus hats and take photos with tourists. Even pandas in the Chiang Mai Zoo (สวนสัตว์เชียงใหม่) wear Santa Claus costumes. People in the West may view this as animal cruelty, but in the eyes of Thai people, it is adorable.

Since many Thai people are Buddhists, there are usually no Christmas tree decorations in houses during Christmas time. Thai children usually misunderstand the traditional story and think Santa Claus is supposed to hand gifts directly to them, because this is what happens in schools, where school teachers usually dress up as Santa Claus and walk around, distributing sweets to children.

Now it’s time to answer our quiz question-

In Thai, “Christmas” has a separate meaning as well. What do you guys think it is?

The word “Christ” refers to ‘Christianity’ and “Mas” means ‘moon’. From the Thai interpretation, Christmas means “Jesus Christ is the light of the world, like moonlight in the night time”.

2. Holiday Greetings and Wishes for the Holiday Season

1- Merry Christmas!

เมอร์รี่คริสต์มาส!
mooe-rîi-khrít-mât

Do you know how to say ‘Merry Christmas’ in Thai? Learn here how to pronounce it perfectly! ‘Merry’ means to be joyful, to celebrate and generally be in good spirits. So, with this phrase you are wishing someone a joyful, celebratory remembrance of Christ’s birth!

2- Happy Kwanzaa!

สุขสันต์วันควันซ่า
sùk-sǎn wan khwan-sâa

Surprise your African-American, or West African native friends with this phrase over the Christmas holidays! Kwanzaa is a seven-day, non-religious celebration, starting on Dec 26th each year. It has its roots in African American modern history, and many people celebrate both Kwanzaa and Christmas!

3- Have a happy New Year!

ขอให้มีความสุขในปีใหม่
khǎaw-hâi mii khwaam-sùk nai bpii-mài

In countries where Christmas is not officially celebrated, but a Gregorian calendar is observed, this would be a friendly festive-season wish over New Year.

4- Happy Hanukkah!

แฮปปี้ฮันนูกาห์
háep-bpîi han-nuu-gâa

Hanukkah is the beautiful Hebrew festival over November or December each year. It is also called the ‘Festival of Lights’ and is celebrated to commemorate the Jewish freedom of religion.

5- Have a great winter vacation!

ขอให้สนุกกับวันหยุดฤดูหนาว
khǎaw hâi sà-nùk gàp wan-yùt rúe-duu-nǎao

This is a good phrase to keep handy if someone doesn’t observe any religious festival over the Christmas holidays! However, this will only be applicable in the Northern hemisphere, where it is winter over Christmas.

6- See you next year!

เจอกันปีหน้า
jooe-gan bpii-nâa

Going away on holiday over Christmas season, or saying goodbye to someone about to leave on vacation? This would be a good way to say goodbye to your friends and family.

7- Warm wishes!

ขอให้มีความสุข
khǎaw-hâi mii khwaam-sùk

An informal, friendly phrase to write in Thai Christmas cards, especially for secular friends who prefer to observe Christmas celebrations without the religious symbolism. It conveys the warmth of friendship and friendly wishes associated with this time of year.

8- Happy holidays!

สุขสันต์วันหยุด!
sùk-sǎn wan-yùt

If you forget how to say ‘Merry Christmas!’ in Thai, this is a safe, generic phrase to use instead.

9- Enjoy the holidays!

ขอให้สนุกในวันหยุด!
khǎaw-hâi sà-nùk nai wan-yùt

After saying ‘Merry Christmas’ in Thai, this would be a good phrase with which to wish Christmas holiday-goers well! It is also good to use for secular friends who don’t celebrate Christmas but take a holiday at this time of the year.

10- Best wishes for the New Year!

ขอให้โชคดีในปีใหม่!
khǎaw-hâi chôok-dii nai bpii-mài

This is another way of wishing someone well in the New Year if they observe a Gregorian calendar. New Year’s day would then fall on January 1st.

3. Must-Know Christmas Day Vocabulary

Christmas is associated with many traditions and religious symbols in multiple countries across the world. It originated centuries ago in the West with the birth of Christianity, and the celebrations are often embedded with rich cultural significance. So, by now you know how to say Merry Christmas in Thai! Next, learn pertinent vocabulary and phrases pertaining to Christmas, as well as how to pronounce them correctly. At ThaiPod101, we make sure you sound like a native speaker!

1- Christmas

คริสต์มาสต์
khrít-sà-mât

This is the Thai word for ‘Christmas’. Most happy Christmas wishes in Thai will include this word!

2- Snow

หิมะ
hì-má

In most Northern-hemisphere countries, Christmas is synonymous with snow, and for Christmas, the snowman is often dressed as Santa Claus.

3- Snowflake

เกล็ดหิมะ
glèt-hì-má

Snowflakes collectively make up snow. A single snowflake is small, white, light like a feather and icy cold! When put under a microscope, the snowflake reveals itself to have the most beautiful, symmetrical patterns. These patterns have become popular Christmas decorations, especially in Western countries.

4- Snowman

ตุ๊กตาหิมะ
dtúk-gà-dtaa hì-má

As you guessed – a snowman is only possible to build if it is snowing! What a fun way to spend Christmas day outside.

5- Turkey

ไก่งวง
gài-nguuang

Roast turkey is the traditional main dish on thousands of lunch tables on Christmas day, mainly in Western countries. What is your favorite Christmas dish?

6- Wreath

พวงดอกไม้
phuuang dàawk-mái

Another traditional Western decoration for Christmas, the wreath is an arrangement of flowers, leaves, or stems fastened in a ring. Many families like to hang a Christmas wreath outside on their houses’ front doors.

7- Reindeer

กวางเรนเดียร์
gwaang reen-diia

Reindeer are the animals commonly fabled to pull Santa Claus’ sled across the sky! Western Christmas folklore tells of Father Christmas or Santa Claus doing the rounds with his sled, carrying Christmas presents for children, and dropping them into houses through the chimney. But who is Santa Claus?

8- Santa Claus

ซานตาคลอส
saan-dtaa khláawt

Santa Claus is a legendary and jolly figure originating in the Western Christian culture. He is known by many names, but is traditionally depicted as a rotund man wearing a red costume with a pointy hat, and sporting a long, snow-white beard!

9- Elf

เอลฟ์
éeo

An elf is a supernatural creature of folklore with pointy ears, a dainty, humanoid body and a capricious nature. Elves are said to help Santa Claus distribute presents to children over Christmas!

10- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

รูดอล์ฟกวางจมูกแดง
ruu-dáawp gwaang jà-mùuk daaeng

‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ is a Christmas song based on an American children’s story book with the same name. Rudolph is one of Santa’s reindeer. The song became more famous than the book, and can still be heard playing in many shopping malls over Christmas time across the globe!

11- North Pole

ขั้วโลกเหนือ
khûua-lôok nǔuea

The cold North Pole is where Santa Claus is reputed to live with his reindeer!

12- Sled

เลื่อนหิมะ
lûuean-hì-má

A sled is a non-motorised land vehicle used to travel over snow in countries where it snows a lot, and is usually pulled by animals such as horses, dogs or reindeer. This one obviously refers to Santa’s sled! Another word for sled is sleigh or sledge.

13- Present

ของขวัญ
khǎawng-khwǎ

Gift or present giving is synonymous with Christmas Eve and the greatest source of joy for children over this festive time! This tradition signifies that Christ’s birth was a gift to mankind, but not all people who hand out presents over Christmas observe the religious meaning.

14- Bell

ระฆัง
rá-khang

On Christmas Day, or Christmas Eve, many religious celebrants enjoy going to church for a special sermon and Christmas rituals. The start of the sermon is often announced with bells or a bell, if the church has one. For this reason, the sound of ringing bells is often associated with Christmas Day.

15- Chimney

ปล่องไฟ
bplàwng-fai

The chimney is the entrance Santa Claus uses to deliver children’s presents on Christmas Day, according to folklore! Wonder how the chubby man and his elves stay clean…?!

16- Fireplace

เตาผิง
dtao phǐng

In most countries where it snows, Christmas is synonymous with a fire or burning embers in houses’ fireplaces. Families huddle around its warmth while opening Christmas presents. Also, this is where Santa Claus is reputed to pop out after his journey down the chimney!

17- Christmas Day

วันคริสต์มาสต์
wan-khrít-sà-mât

This is the official day of commemorative celebration of Christ’s birth, and falls each year on December 25.

18- Decoration

ของประดับ
khǎawng bprà-dàp

Decorations are the colourful trinkets and posters that make their appearance in shops and homes during the Christmas holiday season in many countries! They give the places a celebratory atmosphere in anticipation of the big Christmas celebration. Typical Christmas decorations include colorful photographs and posters, strings of lights, figurines of Santa Claus and the nativity scene, poinsettia flowers, snowflakes and many more.

19- Stocking

ถุงเท้าคริสต์มาส
thǔng-tháao khrít-sà-mât

According to legend, Santa Claus places children’s presents in a red stocking hanging over the fireplace. This has also become a popular decoration, signifying Christmas.

20- Holly

ฮอลลี
haawn-lîi

Holly is a shrub native to the UK, and parts of Europe, Africa and Asia. It is characterised by glossy, spiny-toothed leaves, small, whitish flowers, and red berries. Ironically, its significance for Christmas relates to Christ’s crucifixion and suffering rather than his birth. However, the leaves’ distinctive shape and image have become popular Christmas decorations.

21- Gingerbread house

บ้านขนมปังขิง
bâan khà-nǒm-bpang khǐng

According to legend, the gingerbread house synonymous with Christmas is related to Christ’s birth place, Bethlehem. Bethlehem literally means ‘House of Bread’. Over centuries, it has become a popular treat over Christmas time in many non-religious households as well.

22- Candy cane

ลูกอมไม้เท้า
lûuk-om mái-tháo

According to folklore, Christmas candy canes made their appearance first in Germany in the 16th century. A choir master gave children the candy canes to suck on in church in order to keep them quiet during the Christmas sermon! Apparently, the candy is shaped like a cane in remembrance of the shepherds who were the first to visit the baby Jesus. Today, like gingerbread houses, they are still a popular sweet over the festive season!

23- Mistletoe

มิสเซิลโท
mít-sôoeo thoo

Mistletoe is a parasitic plant that grows on certain trees. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that the mistletoe has magical powers, and could protect a household from evil if hung above a door during December. The belief didn’t last but the habit did, and the mistletoe is another popular Christmas decoration!

4. Twelve Days of Christmas

Wow, you’re doing extremely well! You know how to wish someone a Merry Christmas in Thai, and you learned pertinent vocabulary too! The Twelve Days of Christmas is not very well known in modern times, so, you’re on your way to becoming an expert in Christmas traditions and rituals. Well done!

The Twelve Days of Christmas, also known as Twelvetide, is a traditional festive period of 12 days dedicated to celebrate the nativity of Christ. Christmas Day is, for many who observe Twelvetide, the first day of this period.

‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ is also a popular Christmas song about a series of gifts given on each day of Twelvetide. According to experts, these gifts were created as a coded reference to important symbols in the Christian church. Here is a list of those gifts mentioned in the song! Do you recognise them?

5. Top 10 Christmas Characters in American Culture

This is fantastic, you know how to explain almost everything about Christmas in Thai! However, do you know the most popular Christmas characters in American culture? Your knowledge will not be complete without this list.

6. ThaiPod101 Is One Of The Best Online Language Schools Available!

We don’t just say this – we can prove it! Geared to your personal needs and goals, we have several learning paths from which to choose. From Thai for Absolute Beginners to Advanced Thai, lessons are designed to meet you where you are, and increase your language abilities in fun, easy and interactive lessons! Mastering a new language has never been this easy or enjoyable.

We have over a decade of experience and research behind us, and it shows! With thousands of audio and video lessons, detailed PDF lessons and notes, as well as friendly, knowledgeable hosts, ThaiPod101 is simply unbeatable when it comes to learning correct Thai. Plenty of tools and resources are available when you study with us. New lessons are added every week so material remains fresh and relevant. You also have the option to upgrade and enjoy even more personalised guidance and services. This is a sure way to fast-track your learning!

So, this Christmas, why don’t you give yourself a present and enroll in ThaiPod101? Or give an enrollment as a present to a loved one. It will be a gift with benefits for a whole lifetime, not just over Christmas!

Learn 4 tools and techniques to stop translating in your head and start thinking in Thai

Going through Thai lessons is enough to get by and learn the basics of Thai, but to truly become fluent you need to be able to think in Thai. This will allow you to have conversations with ease, read smoothly, and comprehensively understand natives. To do this, you need to go beyond just completing daily or weekly lessons.

We naturally translate in our heads because it’s viewed as the easiest way to learn the definitions needed when learning a language. This way of learning can actually hinder your skills and fluency later on. If your brain has to make neural connections between the word you’re learning, what it means in your native tongue, and the physical object the connection will not be nearly as strong. When you bypass the original translation between Thai and your native language then there is a more basic and strong connection between just the Thai vocabulary word and the tangible object.

In this blog post, you will learn the 4 important techniques to easily and naturally begin to speculate about the daily occurrences in your life. The best part is all of these techniques are supported and can be achieved through ThaiPod101.com.

Create Your Free Lifetime Account and Start Learning the whole Thai Language from the Beginning!

1. Surround yourself with Thai

By surrounding yourself with Thai constantly you will completely immerse yourself in the language. Without realizing it you’ll be learning pronunciation, sentence structures, grammar, and new vocabulary. You can play music in the background while you’re cooking or have a Thai radio station on while you study. Immersion is a key factor with this learning process because it is one of the easiest things to do, but very effective. Even if you are not giving the program your full attention you will be learning.

One great feature of ThaiPod101.com is the endless podcasts that are available to you. You can even download and listen to them on the go. These podcasts are interesting and are perfect for the intention of immersion, they are easy to listen to as background noise and are interesting enough to give your full attention. Many of them contain stories that you follow as you go through the lessons which push you to keep going.

2. Learn through observation

Learning through observation is the most natural way to learn. Observation is how we all learned our native languages as infants and it’s a wonder why we stop learning this way. If you have patience and learn through observation then Thai words will have their own meanings rather than meanings in reference to your native language. Ideally, you should skip the bilingual dictionary and just buy a dictionary in Thai.

ThaiPod101.com also offers the materials to learn this way. We have numerous video lessons which present situational usage of each word or phrase instead of just a direct translation. This holds true for many of our videos and how we teach Thai.

3. Speak out loud to yourself

Speaking to yourself in Thai not only gets you in the mindset of Thai, but also makes you listen to how you speak. It forces you to correct any errors with pronunciation and makes it easy to spot grammar mistakes. When you speak out loud talk about what you did that day and what you plan to do the next day. Your goal is to be the most comfortable speaking out loud and to easily create sentences. Once you feel comfortable talking to yourself start consciously thinking in your head about your daily activities and what is going on around you throughout the day.

With ThaiPod101.com you start speaking right away, not only this, but they have you repeat words and conversations after a native Thai speaker. This makes your pronunciation very accurate! With this help, you are on the fast path to making clear and complex sentences and then actively thinking about your day.

4. Practice daily

If you don’t practice daily then your progress will be greatly slowed. Many people are tempted to take the 20-30 minutes they should be practicing a day and practice 120 in one day and skip the other days. This isn’t nearly as effective because everyday you practice you are reinforcing the skills and knowledge you have learned. If you practice all in one day you don’t retain the information because the brain can realistically only focus for 30 minutes at most. If you’re studying for 120 minutes on the same subject little of the information will be absorbed. Studying everyday allows you to review material that you went over previous days and absorb a small amount of information at a time.

It’s tough to find motivation to study everyday, but ThaiPod101.com can help. It’s easy to stay motivated with ThaiPod101.com because we give you a set learning path, with this path we show how much progress you’ve made. This makes you stick to your goals and keep going!

Conclusion

Following the steps and having patience is the hardest part to achieving your goals, it’s not easy learning a new language. You are essentially teaching your brain to categorize the world in a completely new way. Stick with it and you can do it just remember the 4 tools I taught you today! With them, conversations, reading, and understanding will become much easier. The most important thing to remember is to use the tools that ThaiPod101.com provides and you will be on your way to being fluent!

Learn Thai With ThaiPod101 Today!

Hey Listeners!

Summer is here and love is in the air! But are you going to be able to go on that date with that special someone… who only speaks Thai?!

Step up your game with our Top 10 Thai words and phrases for going on a date! And don’t forget to sign up for a FREE (Yes, it’s a FREE account) lifetime account at ThaiPod101.com to further your skills even more!

1. I love you.
ฉันรักคุณ (chǎn rák khun)

2. You’re so beautiful.
คุณสวยมาก (Khun sǔuay mâak)

3. Girlfriend
แฟนสาว (faaen-sǎao)

Click Here To Sign Up For A FREE Lifetime Account & Start Learning Thai In Minutes!

4. Rose
ดอกกุหลาบ (dàawk-gù-làap)

5. I think of you as more than a friend.
ผมคิดกับคุณมากกว่าแค่เพื่อน (Phǒm khít gàp khun mâak gwàa khâae phûuean)

6. Love
รัก (rák)

7. I’ve got a crush on you.
ฉันหลงรักเธออยู่ (Chǎn lǒng rák thooe yùu)

8. Boyfriend
แฟนหนุ่ม (faaen-nùm)

Want More? Click Here To Sign Up For FREE Now! Become A Thai Master!

9. Kiss
จูบ (jùub)

10. We were meant to be together.
เราเกิดมาคู่กัน (Rao gòoet maa khûu gan)

Still Want More? You’ll Find It All On Our Site! Sign Up For A FREE Lifetime Account Here! Yes. FREE, FREE, FREE!

P.S. If you are in a really lovey dovey mood, check out some of these related word lists!
1. Summer Essentials
2. 15 Love Phrases for Valentine’s Day
3. Must-Know Valentine’s Day Vocabulary
4. At A Thai Restaurant
5. The Top 10 Conversational Phrases In Thai

Hi there Listener,

When you’re learning Thai and want real progress…look for the consistent method. One that’s non-stop and keeps you going. What’s a good one? ThaiPod101 Lessons – free audio and video lessons, every week. In fact, a new season of lessons has started this month that you can grab. Anything else? Vocab lists, where you learn new words and phrases all the time. And don’t forget that our 29% OFF Summer of Thai Sale ends Friday!

In this month’s newsletter…

1. Sale Ends Friday! Click Here to Get 29% OFF Basic or Premium!
2. A New Season Has Started: New, Free, Weekly Thai Lessons
3. Free Feature Alert: Speak More Thai With Word & Phrase Lists

1. Summer of Thai Sale ends Friday! Get a HOT 29% OFF!
Want to speak and understand Thai like a native speaker? Get 29% OFF and start speaking Thai with lessons by real teachers. Unlock our entire Thai course and learning system – 110+ hours of audio and video lessons, mobile apps, lesson notes, study tools and more! Just $2.84/month and up to $69.60 OFF! Ends 7/31/2015!

Click Here to Save up to $69.60 on the Most Effective Thai Course!
(Discounted prices ONLY available until Friday, July 31st, 2015!)

2. New Lessons Started this July – Here’s the 2015 Lesson Schedule!
Now, we know that you want more lessons. They’re non-stop, free and get you speaking more Thai in minutes. So, you should know that new lessons and seasons started on July 6th. What kind of lessons? And what days do they come out on? Check the publishing schedule. And if you want to get our entire system – over 110+ hours of lessons – grab the 29% discount above!

Click Here to See the New Lesson Publishing Schedule!

3. Free Feature Alert: Speak More Thai with Word & Phrase Lists
Here’s another non-stop way to boost your Thai – Thai Word and Phrase Lists. They’re based on holidays, current events and all-around useful topics. Our listeners learned how to talk about their summer plans in Thai with a recent list! Just click below, access any list and review with definitions, sample sentences and audio pronunciation.

Click Here to Access the Free Thai Word & Phrase Lists.

To your Thai fluency,

Team ThaiPod101

P.S. Ends Friday! Get a HOT 29% OFF the Most Effective Thai Course!
Ready to master more Thai this summer? Get 29% OFF any plan and start speaking Thai with lessons by real teachers. Unlock our ENTIRE learning system – 110+ hours of audio and video lessons, mobile apps, lesson notes, study tools and more! Just $2.84/month and up to $69.60 OFF! Ends 7/31/2015!

Click Here to Get 29% OFF the Most Effective Thai Course!
(Discounted prices ONLY available until Friday, July 31st, 2015!)