Thai Proverbs

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Thai Proverbs 

The following are some Thai proverbs from the book "Fun with Thai Proverbs".

เอามะพร้าวห้าวไปขายสวน
 ao maphrao hao bai kai suan
 To take coconuts to sell in the orchard.
 To carry coals to Newcastle.
 
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 ไป่เห็นน้ำเร่งตัดกระบอก
 bai hen nam reng dtut gra-bok
 To cut the bamboo stem before before you see the water. 
 To count one's chickens before they are hatched. 
 
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 หนีเสือปะจระเข้
 nee sua ba ja-ra-kay
 Escape from the tiger, meet the crocodile.
 Out of the frying-pan into the fire.
 
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 ยิงทีเดียวได้นกสองตัว
 ying tee-dee-o dai nok son dtua
 Firing one shot and obtaining two birds.
 To kill two birds with one stone.
 
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 ได้อย่างเสียอย่าง
 day yang sia yang
 To get something, one must sacrifice something.
 You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs. 
 
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 เข้าเมืองตาหลิ่วให้หลิ่วตาตาม
 kao muang dta lew hai lew dta dtam
 When you enter a town where people wink, wink as they do.
 When you are in Rome, do as the Romans do.
 
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 รักวัวให้ผูก รักลูกให้ตี
 ruk wua hai fook ruk look hai dtee
 If you love a cow, tie it up; if you love your child, beat him.
 Spare the rod, spoil the child.
 
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 สอนจระเข้ให้ว่ายน้ำ
 sorn ja-ra-kay hai wai-nam
 To teach a crocodile to swim.
 Teach your grandmother to suck eggs.
 
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 ขี่ช้างจับตั๊กแตน
 kee chang jup dtuk-ga-dtaen
 To ride an elephant to catch a grasshopper.
 To use a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
 
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 อย่าสาวไส้ให้กากิน
 ya sao sai hai ga gin
 Don't pull out your intestines to feed the crow.
 To wash dirty linen in pub

[Jon Terry]

I love these proverbs, they are always being thrown around at our home, when my wife's family ask what is JOn saying they always say ah dee mak with an understanding of what I have just said to the wife.Cracks me up lol