Thailand’s name change explained

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Transcript

00:00Did you know that Thailand wasn't always called Thailand?

00:03For centuries, it was known as Siam.

00:06The word Siam is believed to come from Sanskrit and Bali, meaning dark or brown, often used

00:11by foreigners to describe the people of this land.

00:15It was the official international name of the kingdom for hundreds of years.

00:20But in 1939, the name was officially changed to Thailand.

00:24The word Thai means free, symbolizing national pride and reflecting the fact that Thailand

00:29was never colonized by foreign power.

00:32So from Siam to Thailand, the name change tells the story of identity, independence and resilience.

00:39So next time when you hear the word Siam, so you know that's Thailand only.