Where 2 o'clock follows 7 o'clock

Thailand is probably unique in the world in being the only country not to use either a 24 hour or 12 hour clock. Using a 6 hour clock for 12 hours and a 7/5 hour clock for the other 12 hours makes telling time in the country 'interesting at best'

Edited by Paul - 20-Nov-2007 at 02:13

very interesting... but still i cant comprehend how it works.. does it differentiate from the sounds of the clock? beats and chimes?

Not quite sure what you mean. In the old days, the drum/gong in the village or temple sounds differently to differentiate between day and night (eg 7 am and 7 pm. Both were indicated by seven beats but sounds differently)

There are other ways to tell the time as well. For example, thieng koon (midnight) is also known as "Song Yahm". Yahm roughly translates to "time of day", originally referring to the division of the day which used to be divided into eight three-hours period. Midnight was the start of the second period in the night hence "song yahm" (two/second yahm). So you'll also have Yahm Nung (9pm) and Sam Yahm (3am) (though neither are in common usage).

From 8am to 11am the system applied to the time from 6 to 7am seems to be more in common use (so 8am would be pad mong chow, 9am kao mong chow, "8 chime and 9 chime respectively) but the other system is also used as well. Also, officially (eg, in government offices, timetables and TV programs) the 24-hour clock is in use. You just have to know there's a lot of ways to say the same time. =P

Originally posted by Voskhod very interesting... but still i cant comprehend how it works.. does it differentiate from the sounds of the clock? beats and chimes? Not quite sure what you mean. In the old days, the drum/gong in the village or temple sounds differently to differentiate between day and night (eg 7 am and 7 pm. Both were indicated by seven beats but sounds differently) There are other ways to tell the time as well. For example, thieng koon (midnight) is also known as "Song Yahm". Yahm roughly translates to "time of day", originally referring to the division of the day which used to be divided into eight three-hours period. Midnight was the start of the second period in the night hence "song yahm" (two/second yahm). So you'll also have Yahm Nung (9pm) and Sam Yahm (3am) (though neither are in common usage). From 8am to 11am the system applied to the time from 6 to 7am seems to be more in common use (so 8am would be pad mong chow, 9am kao mong chow, "8 chime and 9 chime respectively) but the other system is also used as well. Also, officially (eg, in government offices, timetables and TV programs) the 24-hour clock is in use. You just have to know there's a lot of ways to say the same time. =P

well then.. i still remember in the village.. in North Malaysia.. during solat time, they use some kind of drum.. not a drum actually nor a gong.. it's made of wood.. and it was hang and someone will hit it.. in certain way to indicate prayers time.. i dont think they use it already nowadays..