Promises in Thailand

[alwayskeen]

Anyone know any promises in Thai equivalent to "on my baby's life", or "on my mothers grave" etc?

 

I get fed up hearing jing jing, uttered firmly and with a seriously stern expression when the speaker is just plain lying. You can guess I'm talking about bar girls here!

 

Just wondering, can they be pinned down with a death-threatening piece of linguistic superstitious hocus-pocus?

[herds]

not quite as threatening but I use:

 

koon sa bahn chai mai - คุณสาบานใช่ไหม

 

which is a bit like, ''do you swear?"

Edited March 11, 2009 by herds

[Ajay75]

You could say this if they dont believe you but you'd probably need to hear it said to copy the correct tones:

 

yaa\ ngoo^ bpay no_y\ lee_y = dont be so silly / stupid

 

or an easy one:

 

may^ daay^ puut len\ = i'm not joking

 

I dont think they get the concept of rhyming slang / sayings although I did have one girl who someone had taught her how to say "you muppet" which raised a smile.

[alwayskeen]

Thanks - I maybe have a go at both of those, but I'm still looking for the "you're dead and so are all your family if you lie" kind of promise.

Must be something..............

[herds]

"you're dead and so are all your family if you lie"

 

"taa go-hok, kooon gab krob krua koon ja dtaai urey"

 

ถ้าโกหก คุณกับครอบครัวคุณ จะตายเอืย (think that's pretty much spelt ok)

 

that is pretty much it, if you suspect she is selling the thai house you bought her then fair enough but otherwise it's a pretty hardcore thing to say man.

[barney]

I always just use "sanyaa"

[Martinell]

not quite as threatening but I use:

 

koon sa bahn chai mai - คุณสาบานใช่ไหม

 

which is a bit like, ''do you swear?"

 

Yes but don't put to much in it, the culture is different.