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Although since 1913 the official method of reckoning years has been in relation to the Buddhist Era. POOTTASUKARAHT (พุทธศักราช) which is equal to the Christian Era plus, 543 years, there is also a very widely used 12 year cycle in which each year is designated by the name of an animal.
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12 year
cycle
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The
Rat |
ชวด |
CHOO-AT |
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The
Ox |
ฉลู |
CHALOO |
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The
Tiger |
ขาล |
KAHN |
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The
Rabbit |
เถาะ |
TOW |
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The
Dragon |
มะโรง |
MARONG |
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The
Snake |
มะเส็ง |
MASENG |
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The
Horse |
มะเมีย |
MAMEE-A |
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The
Goat |
มะแม |
MAMAA |
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The
Monkey |
วอก |
WORK |
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The
Cock |
ระกา |
RAGAH |
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The
Dog |
จอ |
JOR |
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The
Pig |
กุน |
GOON |
It should be noted that the names used for the animals of the 12 year cycle are not the same as the common names of the various animals, and if referring to a year in this system you must use the correct name as given above.
The year 1948 was “The year of Rat 1” and hence 1971 is “The year of the Pig”.
This system which probably originated in China is of great antiquity and is found throughout most countries in South East Asia.
Most people in Thailand know the animal year in which they were born. Although all birthdays are observed by Thai people, the completion of a 12 year cycle is a most important event in everyone’s life.
The completion of the 5th cycle (60) years is an occasion for special rejoicing.
There are two other eras which you will sometimes find referred to in old books and which are still used in astrological calculations.
The MAHASUKARAHT ERA (มหาศักราช) dating from 78 A.D. is the Hindu era of SAKA and was probably introduced into Thailand by the Khmers.
It appears in the inscriptions of Angkor
but is not now in use for other than astrological calculations. The
significance of the base year is lost in the swirls of time.
The JOOLASUKARAHT ERA
(จุลศักราช)
dating from 638 A.D. was probably taken over from the Mon. It is first
mentioned in an inscription of the Sukothai period about 1327 A.D. M. Cassini
of the French Royal Academy of Sciences has shown that the base year was derived
from an astrological epoch which coincided with a total eclipse of the sun on
the 21st March 638 A.D. But no more is known.
It has been extensively used in Thailand,
Laos and Cambodia until the middle of the 19th Century and is still occasionally
referred to in the North.
previous | next Generated by Lyndon Hill on Thu Jul 20 18:40:26 BST 2006.
Copyright remains with the original authors.