Six-hour clock facts for kids

The Thai six-hour clock is a traditional way to tell time used in Thailand and Laos. Instead of using a 24-hour system like we do today, it splits the day into four main parts. This system has been used for a long time and is an interesting part of Thai and Lao culture.

What is the Thai Six-Hour Clock?

The Thai six-hour clock is a special time system that divides the day and night into four sections, each lasting six hours. This means that the numbers 1 to 6 are used four times a day! It might sound a bit confusing at first, but it made sense for people living in these countries for many years.

How Does This Clock System Work?

The day is split into four main periods, and each period has its own way of counting the hours. Let's look at each part:

Morning Hours (Dawn to Noon)

This period starts at 6:00 AM (dawn) and goes until 12:00 PM (noon). The hours are counted from one to six, and they are called mong chao.

• 1 mong chao is 7:00 AM
• 2 mong chao is 8:00 AM
• 3 mong chao is 9:00 AM
• 4 mong chao is 10:00 AM
• 5 mong chao is 11:00 AM
• 6 mong chao is 12:00 PM (noon), which is also called tiang wan

Afternoon Hours (Noon to Evening)

This period starts right after noon, at 1:00 PM, and goes until 6:00 PM (dusk). The hours are also counted from one to six, but they are called mong yen.

• 1 mong yen is 1:00 PM
• 2 mong yen is 2:00 PM
• 3 mong yen is 3:00 PM
• 4 mong yen is 4:00 PM
• 5 mong yen is 5:00 PM
• 6 mong yen is 6:00 PM (dusk), which is also called hok mong yen

Evening Hours (Dusk to Midnight)

This part of the day starts at 7:00 PM and lasts until 12:00 AM (midnight). The hours are counted from one to six, and they are called thum.

• 1 thum is 7:00 PM
• 2 thum is 8:00 PM
• 3 thum is 9:00 PM
• 4 thum is 10:00 PM
• 5 thum is 11:00 PM
• 6 thum is 12:00 AM (midnight), which is also called thiang khuen

Night Hours (Midnight to Dawn)

This final period starts at 1:00 AM and goes until 6:00 AM (dawn). The hours are counted from one to six, and they are called ti.

• 1 ti is 1:00 AM
• 2 ti is 2:00 AM
• 3 ti is 3:00 AM
• 4 ti is 4:00 AM
• 5 ti is 5:00 AM
• 6 ti is 6:00 AM (dawn), which is also called hok mong chao

Why Was This System Used?

The Thai six-hour clock system was very useful in the past, especially before modern clocks were common. It helped people keep track of time based on the natural cycle of the sun and moon. Each period had a clear start and end point, like dawn, noon, dusk, and midnight. This made it easy for communities to understand and follow a shared schedule for daily activities.

While most people in Thailand and Laos now use the modern 24-hour clock, the traditional six-hour system is still understood and sometimes used in everyday speech, especially by older generations. It's a cool reminder of how people used to tell time!