No Street Zip Codes Or Post Codes?

[media]

Wouldn't it be great if they started a zip code/post code system for Every Street like the rest of the world. If we ever have stuff delivered to our house or business the driver phones up every time bleating "WHERE ARE YOU MISTERR" if the roads were zip coded it would be SO EASY

The roads are not mapped or sign posted properly If you got hold of a government Map of Pattaya it would probably still only show pattaya as having about 5 roads!

Those large chrome signs dotted around Pattaya that look like Yacht Sails and have a street name in them in chrome lettering? Pattaya CITY budgeted a fortune for them, most of them are already rusty and terribly ugly but worse! They put most of them up in the wrong streets! the one on the sharp bend up on Pratunmak road says that its Thappraya Road, (why not just put it in Thappraya road??) it must cause people a lot of confusion when you cant even trust large expensive looking road signs that have the wrong road on them.

This reminds me of when City hall paid for TV sets in metal box/cabinets to be dotted along Jomtien beach! I mean seriously who goes to the beach in Thailand to watch TV!??? the water got into the TVs within weeks and none of them worked again, CITY hall just left the empty TV cabinets to go rusty and they are still there to this day looking awful. you gotta laugh havent you! its so not funny that it actually is funny! (pics attached)

Sometimes I feel that the Ferang in pattaya City are the only people who actually care about anything.

[Jayman]

There must be some sensible system as the postman knows where to deliver my mail.

[doggie888888]

My street doesn't even have a name! It's off a soi, so I guess we are not important enough. As JAYMAN says, the postman finds us though, so I suppose he knows his Moos well enough. But for everyone else, it's rather a hassle to find us, so I often draw a map for whoever needs to find us!

[Swiss1960]

Hmm... so let's see... half of Europe does have a Zip code system with only few zip codes per city... my city with 9'000 people and hundreds of streets has only one zip code... and half of the streets do NOT show the name on a sign...

another thought... all mail in Thailand seems to arrive at the correct letter box... taxi drivers (the ones I use to need at least...) seem to find the correct address... so it seems to me that there IS a working system, at least for the Thai postmen...

BUT OF COURSE... it's different from the rest of the world... so it MUST be completely stupid and inefficient and MUST be changed immediately, because the FARANG SAYS SO!!!!

Edited March 1, 2012 by Rimmer
Unnecessary Flame

[PattayaParent]

Maybe they'd already made that Thappraya Road sign before it was renamed and decided they'd still use it rather than throw it away?

[Guderian]

Can someone explain the address system here? I used to live in Jomtien Complex Condotel, and all the address you needed was plot no./unit no., Moo12, Nongprue Banglamung, etc. Of course, we all stuck in the condo name and Thapparaya Road for good measure, but it wasn't needed. Where is Moo 12? I'd assumed it was the small moo that the condo was built on off Thappraya Road, but then I noticed that a place over towards Rompho market also had Moo 12 in its address.

Now I live in a moobaan on Soi Regional Land (what used to be known as Soi 17 or even Thepprasit Soi 8), and the only address needed is plot no./house no., Moo10, Nongprue Banglamung, etc. So where or what is Moo 10 exactly?

Obviously there's a system here that works, and the postie understands it, but nobody else does.

[saengsureeya]

An example of a postal address:

Name of recipient [Mr. Saengsureeya]

house number [e.g. 50/234] or building number condomonium + room number [e.g. 12/234 room 423]

Moo number [e.g. Moo 10]

Zipcode [e.g. 20150 or 20260]

An example of an address for visitors:

Name of visited [Mr. Saengsureeya]

Village name or condominium name + room number [Happy Condo - Room 123]

House number or building number condominium [12/345]

Street or Soi name [soi Happy Condo]

Tambon [Nongprue]

Amphur [banglamung]

Zipcode + Province [20150 or 20260 Chonburi]

Country [Thailand]

In case of deliveries of purchased goods, you'll be asked to draw a map from the shop to your home.

Edited March 1, 2012 by saengsureeya

[Gone]

1) Mail has always arrived at my place no matter where I have lived.

2) FarangBuddha is right, Always has been Postal/Zip codes

3) It's true that only a farang would complain about this. Questions, sure but complaining about Thai's system?

4) The "Moo" in the addresses is from before there were roads, hi-ways etc. and just farms. Most of you know that "moo" means "pig" in Thai and that is why they section it off into different moo baans. (Pig Houses)

[metisdead]

An inflammatory post has been removed.

[PattayaParent]

1) Mail has always arrived at my place no matter where I have lived.

2) FarangBuddha is right, Always has been Postal/Zip codes

3) It's true that only a farang would complain about this. Questions, sure but complaining about Thai's system?

4) The "Moo" in the addresses is from before there were roads, hi-ways etc. and just farms. Most of you know that "moo" means "pig" in Thai and that is why they section it off into different moo baans. (Pig Houses)

Good guess but wildly inaccurate, notice the lack of the tonal mark in the Thai word for pig

หมู่บ้าน = Moobaan - a collection (หมู่) of houses (บ้าน)

หมู = Pig

Edited March 1, 2012 by PattayaParent

[Gone]

1) Mail has always arrived at my place no matter where I have lived.

2) FarangBuddha is right, Always has been Postal/Zip codes

3) It's true that only a farang would complain about this. Questions, sure but complaining about Thai's system?

4) The "Moo" in the addresses is from before there were roads, hi-ways etc. and just farms. Most of you know that "moo" means "pig" in Thai and that is why they section it off into different moo baans. (Pig Houses)

Good guess but wildly inaccurate, notice the lack of the tonal mark in the Thai word for pig

หมู่บ้าน = Moobaan - a collection (หมู่) of houses (บ้าน)

หมู = Pig

Yes but PP, I am not talking fonics. This is just fact. Ask any Thai to explain where and why they started using moobaan (villages) as postal areas.

It's easy to copy and paste from thai-language.com but that was started by a farang. The fact still remains why they use "moo" when identifying areas.

When workers (in the old days) wanted to get to the farm they knew was hiring farm-hands, or when parcels, mail etc. was to be delivered the main farmers (large plots) were given areas by number. This is how these places were found. Nothing has changed except the term "moobaan" is not exactly the "transliteration" of what it originally meant however it identifies areas from the farming days. Ask around and get back to me.

[PattayaParent]

No need to ask around, I can read Thai.

The word for pig is different to the word for collection or cluster which was used to describe a 'village'. It's different in spelling AND pronunciation so cannot be confused.

What if there were no pig farms around but chicken farms, or rice farms or tobacco farms? How does that fit into your theory of 'pig houses' being the origin of the word 'village'

[petercool]

PattayaParent is correct.

The Thai spelling for Moo as in MooBahn is used as a collective such as a group, as in a group of houses.

[Gone]

No need to ask around, I can read Thai.

The word for pig is different to the word for collection or cluster which was used to describe a 'village'. It's different in spelling AND pronunciation so cannot be confused.

What if there were no pig farms around but chicken farms, or rice farms or tobacco farms? How does that fit into your theory of 'pig houses' being the origin of the word 'village'

Well I'm not here to argue. If you chose not to believe me that's up to you but I also can read Thai but that has nothing to do with the meaning of it. Yes I know the long and the short and that "sala" etc. and you are correct that the word "moo" on your mail does not mean pig however one day you will find out the truth and buy me a cold beer on a hot day

PS: There was no collection of houses way back then. Just 1 farm and the workers shacks so why would they use "moo"?

There was chicken farms etc of course but don't look at me, I'm not the guy who decided on "moo". lol Could have been "kwaibaan" for all we care.

Edited March 1, 2012 by Gone

[media]

calm down guys this debate seems to have got heated.

siwss1960 Its only basic Logic that some Ferang may want some things to be up to HOME standards, stop getting protective of the Thai post/map system the fact is the system is crap, just because your letters arrive doesn't mean that there is some secret super system that they use so they don't need post codes. in the UK the post code followed by a house number will take you right outside the actual building you are looking for, don't tell me thats not helpful, it saves lives!

Be honest would YOU want to be waiting on an ambulance finding your home to save your life here! If they can't find your house/moo baan/ etc or it takes your wife 10 mins to explain exactly where it is on the phone or they get lost cause they misunderstood Thappraya and Pratumnack road you could be dead.

The post code system is not rocket science! its only a few letters, it costs NOTHING the country would be smart to copy it, after all ar'nt the Thais normally good at copying things?

By the way Saengsureeya you pointed out a valid point "for deliveries you are asked to draw them your own map" !!! ??? I rest my case!!

[Gone]

What PP and myself was discussing was not heated at all. At most it would have lead to a cold beer being bought by either one of us.

[petercool]

My understanding is that it was a land ownership sectioning system that simply means the area was designated as a "Moo" regardless of whether there were houses on it or not and the first number of an address is the sub-section and the second number is the house land plot within that section.

Bangkok does not use that system for postal addresses however and street numbers or names are used along with house number.

All have a zip code that spans an area rather than a street.

Frankly, the "pig house" suggestion is fanciful. That would have been BaanMoo rather than MooBaan - assuming the whole idea is relevant.

[PattayaParent]

My understanding is that it was a land ownership sectioning system that simply means the area was designated as a "Moo" regardless of whether there were houses on it or not and the first number of an address is the sub-section and the second number is the house land plot within that section.

Bangkok does not use that system for postal addresses however and street numbers or names are used along with house number.

All have a zip code that spans an area rather than a street.

Frankly, the "pig house" suggestion is fanciful. That would have been BaanMoo rather than MooBaan - assuming the whole idea is relevant.

I think the first number is the land plot and the second number is the house number on that plot.

So 123/34 Moo10 is house number 34 on plot number 123 in district 10.

Indeed บ้านหมู means piggery - i.e. a house for pigs.

[Gone]

We need a Uni student majoring in Thai History for this one.

I'll tell you what PP, I will buy the first round and you the second ok? That way we both win.

[tropo]

My street doesn't even have a name! It's off a soi, so I guess we are not important enough. As JAYMAN says, the postman finds us though, so I suppose he knows his Moos well enough. But for everyone else, it's rather a hassle to find us, so I often draw a map for whoever needs to find us!

My street doesn't have name either, but it's not the postman I'm concerned about - he knows exactly where I am - it's DHL and other couriers that have trouble finding it.

[tropo]

I think the first number is the land plot and the second number is the house number on that plot.

So 123/34 Moo10 is house number 34 on plot number 123 in district 10.

Indeed บ้านหมู means piggery - i.e. a house for pigs.

From what I've heard, at least in Pattaya, Moo is no longer required on a postal address.

eg. xxxx/xxxx Pratunmak Road, Nongprue, Pattaya .... would suffice.

Or even xxxx/xxxx Pratumnak Road, Pattaya would be enough.

They seem to be pretty easy going about the details.

I don't think they'd be too many postmen or couriers in Thailand not familiar with the location of Pattaya. Would they really need Banglamung, Chonburi or 20260 or 20150

I think not.

If they see Pattaya on the address they'll send it to Banglamung post office.

Edited March 2, 2012 by tropo

[Jayman]

My street doesn't even have a name! It's off a soi, so I guess we are not important enough. As JAYMAN says, the postman finds us though, so I suppose he knows his Moos well enough. But for everyone else, it's rather a hassle to find us, so I often draw a map for whoever needs to find us!

My street doesn't have name either, but it's not the postman I'm concerned about - he knows exactly where I am - it's DHL and other couriers that have trouble finding it.

I wish the postman would let everyone else in on the secret. Would make things easier all around.

[Oink]

Some of us come here to get away from the burocratict control and tracking of our lives. If you really consider you post as a priority in your life i suggest you move and live in Germany!

[saengsureeya]

What if there were no pig farms around but chicken farms [khai baan], or rice farms [kauw baan] or tobacco farms [Van Nelle baan] ? How does that fit into your theory of 'pig houses' being the origin of the word 'village'

Joking of course.......IMHO Pattayaparent has the most sensible explanation, although Gone may have a point also.

[tropo]

Some of us come here to get away from the burocratict control and tracking of our lives. If you really consider you post as a priority in your life i suggest you move and live in Germany!

You're living in the dark ages.

Many of us who live in Thailand require delivery of packages from abroad. I often use eBay to purchase stuff I cannot find in Thailand or to get better deals on overpriced stuff here. Sometimes I have stuff couriered down from Bangkok. It is inconvenient when couriers cannot find the address if you happen to live in an unnamed street.

The postal service is hardly becoming obsolete - except maybe for letters and cards. It is becoming more a part of our life than in the days before online shopping. Peoples' homes are now becoming offices with more demand for mail and package delivery than ever before.

On other occasions I've had a hard time getting a water delivery. Having a septic tank emptied etc.

What about trying to direct someone to come to visit?

[PattayaParent]

I think the first number is the land plot and the second number is the house number on that plot.

So 123/34 Moo10 is house number 34 on plot number 123 in district 10.

Indeed บ้านหมู means piggery - i.e. a house for pigs.

From what I've heard, at least in Pattaya, Moo is no longer required on a postal address.

eg. xxxx/xxxx Pratunmak Road, Nongprue, Pattaya .... would suffice.

Or even xxxx/xxxx Pratumnak Road, Pattaya would be enough.

They seem to be pretty easy going about the details.

I don't think they'd be too many postmen or couriers in Thailand not familiar with the location of Pattaya. Would they really need Banglamung, Chonburi or 20260 or 20150

I think not.

If they see Pattaya on the address they'll send it to Banglamung post office.

Probably true in Pattaya but maybe not in other parts of the country,

[OZEMADE]

I bought my Tom Tom GO 570 with me from OZ. I had the Thailand map downloaded for $47.00 and it works fine here.

I type in the City I want, the Street I want and the number if applicable.

It then askes me if I wish to pay the tolls, I say yes and it takes that route, If I say now it takes an alternative toute.

Further to that if you have a NOKIA N8, you can download the Thailand map with english speaking for free. I have that as well it works great.

For your info.

[tropo]

I bought my Tom Tom GO 570 with me from OZ. I had the Thailand map downloaded for $47.00 and it works fine here.

I type in the City I want, the Street I want and the number if applicable.

It then askes me if I wish to pay the tolls, I say yes and it takes that route, If I say now it takes an alternative toute.

Further to that if you have a NOKIA N8, you can download the Thailand map with english speaking for free. I have that as well it works great.

For your info.

The thing is, I don't need a navigator to know where I live. I'm concerned with couriers and other people finding my address. A navigator won't be much use if the street has no name.

[gk10002000]

I cut them some slack. As late as 1982 or so, my friend's vacation house in New Hampshire had no mail service. "General Delilvery" and send it to the West Springfield General Store. They hold the mail until you go pick it up. They also had a telephone "Party line" shared by 6 other houses I think. 2 long rings 1 short ring was when we could pick it up. This was the good ole modern US of A.

[NanLaew]

On 3/1/2012 at 3:21 AM, Guderian said:

So where or what is Moo 10 exactly?

Obviously there's a system here that works, and the postie understands it, but nobody else does.

Are you angling for a job as the postie then?