Pig, Snake, Dirt

All Thai are given at least one short nickname or, as they call it play-name ชึ่อเล่น. Many of these chosen play-names are English but recently, after a government campaign, there has been something of a return to more traditional titles. Nicknames are usually favoured by family and friends as they are easier to use than the usually much l o n g e r official name. Why would anyone struggle to call someone Changsurirothenothenom when that same person will answer to Lek (small)?

Such names are sometimes just simply shortened versions of the orginal - Rungruen becomes Rung, for example. Often though the chosen monniker appears to have no relation to the official name- Plaa (fish), Noi (little), Muu (pig), and Nok (bird) are popular examples. Some, such as Ae and Tee, have no Thai meaning while others are chosen precisely because they denote something that is without value. That's because it's hoped that by naming a child Dirt (pong), Snake (ngoo) or Frog (gop) the spirits will believe the child to be worthless and leave him or her alone.