Lost in translation: Thai road sign riddle baffles tourists

The director of the Phitsanulok Highway District, Awirut Thapthimthae, addressed the public confusion caused by the road sign for Wat Chan Thawan Ok. The sign, situated on the Phitsanulok-Nakhon Sawan highway or Si Racha Dechochai Road, in Wat Chan, Mueang, Phitsanulok, has been in place for over a decade.

However, it has led to mispronunciations by foreign tourists, causing confusion due to the phonetics of the English transliteration. The sign was written according to the dictionary but has proven problematic for non-Thai speakers. To resolve this, the local authorities have surveyed the Wat Chan Thawan Ok temple and concluded that the sign should be adjusted to read Wat Chan Thawan Ork.

This change is anticipated to reduce tourist confusion. Furthermore, the English name for the Ton We intersection will be rectified to Ton Wa, which will further aid…