I assume you know already that in Thailand we are living 543 years ahead of the western year. But there is an another misunderstanding between Thai and Western people, the telling the time to each other. Most western people use a 24-hours system or an AM/PM system. Well of course in Thailand it goes a little bit different and it took me a few years to understand it.
Some people in Thailand will use the Western system but the most Thai will use a system where the 24-hours of a day are divided in 5 parts. But in Thailand there are actually 2 different systems as there is also a system where the 24-hours of a day are divided in 3 parts. And some Thai people use a mix of both systems.
And the of course you will have to be able to understand the Thai words, have a look at Telling Thai Time.
And for the people who understand a little bit of Thai here an add-on from a friend :
- 1-5 am # ตี 1-5 # dtii 1-5 ( I would say After Midnight)
- 6-11 am # 6-11 โมง(เช้า) # 6-11 moong (cháao) (I would say Morning)
- 12 pm (noon) # เที่ยง # tîiang
- 1-4 pm # บ่าย 1-4 (โมง) # bàai-1-4 (moong) (I would say Afternoon)
- 5-6 pm # 5-6 โมงเย็น # 5-6 moong-yen (I would say Evening)
- 7 pm # ทุ่ม (หนึ่ง) # tûm (nʉ̀ng)
- 8-11 pm # 2-5 ทุ่ม # 2-5 tûm (I would say Night)
- 12 am (midnight) # เที่ยงคืน # tîiang-kʉʉn
** The (I would say ...) is my add-on to the add-on