Thai names have a similar format to those in the West in that the persons family name is preceded by a first or personal name. However Thais also use nicknames a lot more than in the West.
When addressing a Thai person formally particularly someone you are not familiar with or someone in authority, it is common to use the Thai word Khun followed by the persons first/given name. This is suitable for both men and women. Children are not refered to as Khun but instead Poo ying (girl) or Poo chai(boy) often preceded by dehk(child). So a schoolgirl addressed formally could be dehk poo ying followed by her first and family names. Although this form of address is often shortened to dekh ying or dekh chai followed by the name.
Generally speaking Thai first names are very long so Thais will also have a nickname by which they are known. These short, often one syllable words, can seem quite funny to a Westerner who understands a little Thai, since many would seem to be insulting in their culture. For example a common Thai nickname is Mu which means pig.
In fact Thais also think they are fun names and they are often given by family members or school friends if the person doesn’t already have such a name. Some examples of Thai nicknames include Lek(small), Wan(day), Nok(bird), Gai(chicken) and Poo(crab).
Within families you will also find other forms of address being used, which include Nong(younger), Phi(older), Lung(like uncle) and Yai(older person). In fact even outside the family when a Thai person speaks to someone they do not know they will try to make an age judgement and use one of the above or if unsure perhaps they will use Phi or Nong.
My own experience tends to suggest that Thais are happy if you remember their nicknames and they do not expect you to add any formal handle to that. Although if you do I am sure it will be appreciated (make sure you choose the right one). They also find it quite funny at my efforts to pronounce the more difficult Thai names and nicknames. In return I find that once local people get to know me here in Thailand they will either refer to me as Khun Mike or Lung Mike.
Finally can I just add that this article is an overview of Thai names and nicknames and is by no means meant to be an authoritative work since it is based purely on my experiences living in Thailand and my limited knowledge of the Thai language.
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