There's a lot of "Thong"s in "Khun Phra", so I got curious and started looking up names, as one does.
In a lot of Thai dramas I've watched the writers use names as part of their story telling, which is something I love about Thai dramas.
[will be updated while I watch the drama, this is after ep. 2]
Places:
- Suvanthani: สูวรรณธานี /sŭvanthaanii/; สูวรรณ "gold", ธานี "city", so "golden city"
- the market: ตลาดแผ่นดินทอง /tàlàat pàendinthong/; ตลาด "market" แผ่นดิน "land" ทอง "gold"; so "Golden Land Market" There is also a company "Golden Land Property Development" in Thailand, which seems to be THE major player in the country, it might be a bit far fetched to assume a connection here -- but there is definitely a lot of gold in this drama.
Characters:
Main characters:
- Sangthong: สังข์ทอง /săngthoong/ "golden conch shell"
- Thongbai: ทองใบ /thoongbai/ "goldleaf"
- Maiphlong: ไม้พลอง /máaiphloong/ "stick", "club"
- Gratai: กระตาย /gràtaai/ "rabbit", "bunny"
Actually, I wonder if Maiphlong's name shouldn't have been ไม้ทอง too, and it's just that his parents (or he himself?) spelled it wrong? To point out that his family aren't the brightest?
When Thais say his name in the Central dialect, the "l" sound is not audible, so the name is actually only one sound off from "Maithong". Maiphlong also spelled a word completely wrong several times in ep. 2.
Also, someone else pointed out, that all the "Thongs" might be a nod to "Thong Ek".
Nobles:
- Khun Phra Bamroekrung: ขุนพระบำเรอกรุง =
ขุน /khŭn/ the title (not to be confused with คุณ /khun/!)
พระ /phrá/ is probably the given name, meaning a title used for the most revered person or object, "royal" or a title of ancient Thai nobility between พระยา and หลวง;
บำเรอกรุง /bam-roe-grung/: the family's name, บำเรอ "to lavish attention to, to pamper or spoil", กรุง "city, town" or " country, nation, kingdom", so the family "lavished attention to the kingdom" (or at least the town). - Khun Bamrungnakhon: ขุนบำรุงนคร /khŭn bamrungnákhon/ บำรุง "to care for, maintain, nurture, support" and นคร "city". So, his family also " cares for the city".
- Ramphueng รำพึง /ramphueng/ "to ponder, consider, comtemplate" or " to groan, lament, bemoan, complain"
- Nuanla-oor มวลละออ /nuan-lá-oh/ นวล " cream-coloured, pale, white ivory" and ละออ "handsome, lovely, good looking"; so "handsomely light-coloured". I need to check which "Khun" her servant uses for her.
- Muen Int: หมื่นอินทร์ /mùen in/; Muen is the Title (cf. ep. 2, right after the murder), อินทร์ is the name for the God Indra. I don't know enough about God's in this region of the world to say more, but if anyone can add something, I'd be happy to hear it. His last name was on the nameplate in his office, but I couldn't see how it's spelled, any hints are welcome.
- Thongphiphop: ทองพิภพ /thoongphíphóp/, ทอง "gold", พิภพ "the world" is a Thai given name, so "golden world". Another Thong, yay!
Other servants and commoners:
- จำปี /jampii/ is the name of the flower "Michelia Alba"
- Phigun พิกุล /phígun/ is the name of the plant "bullet wood" or "Mimusops", also a Thai given name.
