• 
• 

Visakha Bucha Day reminds Buddhists of the importance of Lord Buddha's teachings, both spiritual and social. The day marks the same day - the full moon night of the sixth lunar month - when Lord Buddha was born into this world, attained enlightenment 35 years later, and passed away at 80. The day was also recognised by Unesco in 1999 as a world heritage day.

If you're a foreigner following another religion or a Thai searching for information in English,

have you ever wondered why

there are so many names for this day? While Thais are familiar with Visakha Bucha, on a website it is called Visakhapuja Day.

At other places, it could be described as Wisakha Bucha, Visakhah Puja, Vesak or Buddha Jayanti.

Somehow, it reminds me of the way we spell the name for the historical site whose ownership is being hotly contested. Yeah, that stone wreck on a mountaintop known to Thais as Khao Phra Viharn.

While Thais are familiar with the name, the whole world knows the structure - perched high on the edge of a cliff in the Dongrek Escarpment overlooking Cambodia some 600 metres below - as Preah Vihear.

While the whole world uses "Mercedes" as a short reference to Mercedes-Benz, Thais are more accustomed to "Benz".

As an indicator of the closer association with the word "Benz", a local actress is nicknamed "Benz".

Certainly, you won't find that name anywhere else, where some people could be called "Mercedes".

These are differences at a national level. It must be a headache for those foreigners faced with different names

called by those with different dialects. Just imagine the word "somtam".

This word is generally known to all, but have you heard "tam som", "tam bak kor", or "tam bak hung"? It's the same thing.

Some old people call the spicy papaya salad by those names. Bak kor or bak hung refer to papaya.

Just mumbling? By the way, did you give food to monks this morning or plan to make merit later on? To religious Buddhists, making merit today will bring extreme joy and fulfilment to your heart and soul.