The story behind Thailand's surnames

Watch The story behind Thailand's surnames - The Nation Thailand on Dailymotion

Transcript

00:00Did you know Thailand didn't have surnames until the early 18th century?

00:04Before that, people weren't known by just one name or title.

00:07This changed around 1913 when King Rama VI introduced surnames to modernize the country.

00:14King Rama VI made it law for everyone to have a family name,

00:18helping to shape a more organized society.

00:21These surnames can also tell us about a person's background.

00:24If someone is a former soldier, their surname will often include words like Yothin.

00:29People involved with careers that involve elephants may have Khocha or Khacha in their surnames.

00:35Medical professionals commonly have words like Wit or Wet.

00:39Surnames can also tell us about where someone is from.

00:42For example, southern names may show Malay influence,

00:46while northern names might link to the Orana Kingdom.

00:50Today, surnames reveal more than just a name.

00:52They give us a glimpse into a person's background.