Why is Thailand called Thailand?
October 29, 2026Tai is a branch of the Kra-Dai language family, which includes several related languages, such as Thai, Lao, and Shan. Thai is both the name of the Thai language and a term used to refer to the country's people and nationality. The original meaning of the word Tai remains disputed. One scholarly hypothesis is that the term originally meant "human" or "person".
The area that today makes up Thailand was once divided among several kingdoms. Two of the best-known were Sukhothai, which emerged in the 13th century, and Ayutthaya, which was founded in 1351. The name Siam appears in European writings as early as the 16th century. It can be found, for example, on an Italian map dated 1556. During the reign of King Mongkut (Rama IV), Siam became the country's official name in international contexts. It was used, for example, in the Bowring Treaty with Great Britain.
Image: Thailand and Thong Trairong (the Thai flag), shown in its official color scheme. Design: Jens.
On June 24, 1939, Prime Minister Plaek Phibunsongkhram issued a proclamation declaring that the country's name would be changed from Siam to Thailand. The name change was part of the government's nationalist policies and its ambition to strengthen Thai national identity. The stated reason was that Siam was mainly used by government authorities and foreigners, while the country's inhabitants often used the name Thai. The name change was subsequently incorporated into the constitution through a constitutional amendment, which came into effect on October 6, 1939. In Thai, the country's name became Prathet Thai (ประเทศไทย), which can be roughly translated as "Land of the Thai people".
Thai is often translated as "free", contributing to the interpretation "Land of the Free". However, this conclusion is not entirely straightforward. When the new name was adopted, there was a debate over its spelling. During the parliamentary debate, the choice of ไทย, with the letter ย, was justified on the grounds that it would mark a distinct national identity, whereas ไท, without ย, was associated with meanings such as freedom or independence.
After World War II, Siam was restored as the country's international name, while Prathet Thai remained in use in the Thai language. On May 11, 1949, Thailand once again became the country's official name.
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