According to the Gregorian calendar, we’re in the second half of 2011. Often in Thailand, you will see ads for rock concerts or super sales at your local grocery store for the year 2554. Is just an extreme early bird special? In Thailand, years are sometimes counted according to the Buddhist Era (BE) rather than the Christian Era (AD). There is a 543 year difference between the Gregorian calendar and the Buddhist calendar, so the year 2011 in the West is year 2554 in Thailand.
Take a Thai language course at our school in Phuket, or on-line at study-thai-online.com you can learn how to count, read Thai numbers and tell time in Thai on the six-hour clock. Don’t wait until 2555!