Thai Proverbs(สุภาษิตไทย)
Hello everyone,
Did you enjoy practicing your Thai in my last blog? 
Today I would like to continue with some more Thai proverbs. It is difficult to translate these proverbs exactly. Please let me know if there is a better English proverb that explains the Thai proverb more accurately.
1. ความรักทำให้คนตาบอด (kwaam rák tam hâi kon dtaa bɔ̀ɔt)
Love makes people blind.
(Love is blind.)
2. ไก่งามเพราะขน คนงามเพราะแต่ง (gài ngaam prɔ́ kǒn kon ngaam prɔ́ dtɛ̀ɛng)
Roosters are handsome because of their feathers; People are beautiful because of their clothes.
(Fine feathers make fine birds.)
3. ข้าวใหม่ปลามัน (kâao mài bplaa man)
Fresh rice and tasty fish
(A newly married couple)
4. หนอนบ่อนไส้ (nɔ̌ɔn bɔ̀ɔn sâi)
A worm in the guts
(A traitor)
5. เข้าเมืองตาหลิ่ว ต้องหลิ่วตาตาม (kâo muang dtaa lìo dtɔ̂ɔng lìo dtaa dtaam)
In a town where people wink, you must also wink.
(When in Rome, do as the Romans do.)
6. ลูกไก่อยู่ในกำมือ (lûuk gài yùu nai gam muu)
A chick in the palm
(To have control over someone)
7. อาบน้ำร้อนมาก่อน (àap nám rɔ́ɔn maa gɔ̀ɔn)
To take a hot bath before others.
(To have more experience than others)
8. รักวัวให้ผูก รักลูกให้ตี (rák wua hâi pùuk rák lûuk hâi dtii)
Love your cows, tie them up. Love your children, spank them.
(Spare the rod, spoil the child.)
9. ปิดทองหลังพระ (bpìt tɔɔng lǎng prá)
To put gold leaf on the back of a Buddha statue
(To do good deeds without caring for rewards or admiration)
10. ปลาหมอตายเพราะปาก (bplaa mɔ̌ɔ dtaai prɔ́ bpàak)
Fish die because of their mouths.
(To be hung by the tongue)
11. น้ำขึ้นให้รีบตัก (nám kûn hâi rîip dtàk)
To hurry to get water when the tide is high
(Make hay while the sun shines.)
12. จับได้คาหนังคาเขา (jàp dâi kaa nǎng kaa kǎo)
Catch someone with skin and horms.
(Catch someone red-handed.)
13. กระต่ายหมายจันทร์ (grà-dtàai mǎai jan)
A rabbit wishing to have the moon
(To wish for something impossible)
14.วัวแก่กินหญ้าอ่อน (wua gɛ̀ɛ gin yâa ɔ̀ɔn)
Old cows like to eat young grass.
(Old men like young girls.)
15. หาเหาใส่หัว (hǎa hǎo sài hǔa)
Looking for lice to put on one’s head
(To look for trouble)
I think some English proverbs and Thai proverbs are nearly the same. Do you have any examples?
Enjoy Learning kâ
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By Prae
Thai Language teacher
