The Definitive Thailand Expat Acronyms Guide

Unless you’re living out in the middle of a rice field somewhere north of Baan-no where, then you’ve probably been acquainted with a few of the emerging acronyms used to describe different aspects of expat Thai life.

The reality is, if you don’t know your TIT from your TOT, and your BKK from your PATTS, you might as well not be living in the LOS.

Say what? Exactly!

So it has fallen on me to be the first to put together a definitive expat acronym/abbreviation guide to ensure you stay at the forefront of cool while living in Thailand.

The Definitive Thailand Expat Acronyms Guide

1. LOS

Land Of Smiles: Thailand.

2. TIT

This Is Thailand: Used as a way of saying, accept it, love it or leave it, that's just the way it is).

3.BIB

Boys In Brown (police): Also known among a minority as Baht In Pocket (no explanation required).

4. TAT

Tourism Authority of Thailand.

5. TOT

Telephone Organization of Thailand: A state-owned telecommunications company, originally established in 1954 and corporatized in 2002.

6. BKK

Bangkok: Otherwise known as the City of Angels, or Bangers.

7. PATTS

Pattaya: otherwise know as Sin City.

8. CM

Chiang Mai: The one time capital of the ancient Lanna kingdom

9. CR

Chiang Rai: North of Chiang Mai, CR is the main commercial centre serving the Golden Triangle border region of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos.

10. NST

Nakhon Si Thammarat:  A southern province on the western shore of the Gulf of Thailand.

11. UC

Upcountry: anywhere considered to be in the middle of Nakhon no where

12. SUK

Short for Sukhumvit in Bangkok.

13. Swampy

Short for Suvarnabhumi Airport

14. 555

Used by Thais to indicate through writing that something is very funny. The number 5 is “ha” in Thai. So, hahaha = 555. Genius.

15. OMB

Oh My Buddha! (The Buddhist play on OMG – Oh my God).

16. TV

Short for the popular ThaiVisa.com forum.

17. OE

Short for OrientExpat.com, a slightly less popular but so-called more intelligent Thailand forum.

18. TTL

Short for the popular blog, TheThailandLife.com

19. TG

Thai Girl.

20. TW

Thai Wife.

21. TBG

Thai Bar Girl.

22. NBG

Non Bar Girl.

23. NTG

Nice Thai Girl.

24. LB

Lady Boy.

25. Tom

Short for Tomboy.

26. FP

Farang Pattaya: used to describe the archetypal foreigner residing in or regularly visiting Pattaya (Can also be PF).

27. OT

Old Timer: Used to describe expats who've been living in Thailand since the 90s.

28. FK

Farang Keenok: Literally translated as ‘bird shit farang', but generally used to describe lower class and poor foreigners.

29. FKS

Farang Kaosan: Used to describe the traveler types that stay on Kaosan road.

30. NMNH

No Money No Honey: A saying used by BGs to indicate that only those with money get to play.

31. U2U

Up To You! Can mean “I'm easy, whatever you want to do”, or, “Go ahead, but at your own peril”.

32. VR

Visa Run: Also written as BR – Border Run.

Got one for the list? Let me know!