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**plalleste** · 08-09-2006, 08:00 AM

Morhom shirt/trousers

In Thai Chatbox chatroom I was asked the meaning of ‘morhom’, despite I am familiar with these morhom clothes, but I don’t know the meaning of this term. I was given the link regarding its meaning, but I think it’s not right, after checking from Thai websites, I got the official meaning from the Royal Institute of Thailand, July 2533 B.E. (1990).

Morhom (ÁèÍÎèÍÁ) is local language in Lanna area (Northern of Thailand), means the color of the shirt, dark indigo dye (ÊÕ¤ÃÒÁÍÁ´Ó).

Mor - ÁÍ ËÃ×Í ÁèÍ means ÊÕÁÍ ÊÕÁ×´ (dark colour) ÊÕ¤ÃÒÁ (indigo)

Hom - ÎèÍÁ means ¤ÃÒÁ (indigo dye, deep violet blue), natural color from leaves and trunk of Hom Tree - the annual plant (äÁéÅéÁÅØ¡) with scientific name (ª×èÍÇÔ·ÂÒÈÒÊµÃì) - Baphicacanthus cusia Brem, family name (ª×èÍÇ§Èì) – Acanthaceae.

This term with the spelling ‘ÁèÍÎèÍÁ’ was added in the dictionary of Royal Institute 2525 B.E. (1982), later there was a linguist suggested the spelling should be ËÁéÍËéÍÁ. After the consideration of the royal institute committee, the conclusion of spelling of this term should be ÁèÍÎèÍÁ or ÁèÍËéÍÁ, and ending the spelling as ËÁéÍËéÍÁ.

The spelling of ËÁéÍ (pot) will mislead to the meaning that ‘cloth/shirt dyed in a pot’, but in fact it is cloth/shirt dyed with the color from hom tree in any kind of utensil/container, not necessary to be a pot, cold water dye method is used for morhom. Either ÁèÍÎèÍÁ or ËÁéÍËéÍÁ, both are pronounced in falling tone (ÇÃÃ³ÂØ¡µìâ·).

Morhom shirt originated in Thailand after World War II by Lao Puan (ÅÒÇ¾Ç¹) who immigrated to Phrae province, they sold dark indigo dyed clothes to forestry workers and these clothes became very popular. In 2496 B.E (1953) Mr. Kraisri Nimmarnhamin hosted traditional northern dinner called kan dtohk (¢Ñ¹âµ¡) in ChiangMai to honor Professor Sanya Dharmmasak and American Consul (¡§ÊØÅ), everyone dressed in round neck, indigo dyed cotton shirt with paa kaao maa (¼éÒ¢ÒÇÁéÒ – waist cloth, loincloth, bathing cloth) around the waist. After this dinner, morhom shirt had gained more popularity, spread to other areas, generally people understand that morhom is a traditional shirt of Lanna males.

Photos of traditional morhom shirt. Nowadays morhom clothes have been developed in various blue shade and more designs.

08-09-2006, 08:00 AM	#12
plalleste Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 579 Senior Member	Morhom shirt/trousers Morhom shirt/trousers In Thai Chatbox chatroom I was asked the meaning of ‘morhom’, despite I am familiar with these morhom clothes, but I don’t know the meaning of this term. I was given the link regarding its meaning, but I think it’s not right, after checking from Thai websites, I got the official meaning from the Royal Institute of Thailand, July 2533 B.E. (1990). Morhom (ÁèÍÎèÍÁ) is local language in Lanna area (Northern of Thailand), means the color of the shirt, dark indigo dye (ÊÕ¤ÃÒÁÍÁ´Ó). Mor - ÁÍ ËÃ×Í ÁèÍ means ÊÕÁÍ ÊÕÁ×´ (dark colour) ÊÕ¤ÃÒÁ (indigo) Hom - ÎèÍÁ means ¤ÃÒÁ (indigo dye, deep violet blue), natural color from leaves and trunk of Hom Tree - the annual plant (äÁéÅéÁÅØ¡) with scientific name (ª×èÍÇÔ·ÂÒÈÒÊµÃì) - Baphicacanthus cusia Brem, family name (ª×èÍÇ§Èì) – Acanthaceae. This term with the spelling ‘ÁèÍÎèÍÁ’ was added in the dictionary of Royal Institute 2525 B.E. (1982), later there was a linguist suggested the spelling should be ËÁéÍËéÍÁ. After the consideration of the royal institute committee, the conclusion of spelling of this term should be ÁèÍÎèÍÁ or ÁèÍËéÍÁ, and ending the spelling as ËÁéÍËéÍÁ. The spelling of ËÁéÍ (pot) will mislead to the meaning that ‘cloth/shirt dyed in a pot’, but in fact it is cloth/shirt dyed with the color from hom tree in any kind of utensil/container, not necessary to be a pot, cold water dye method is used for morhom. Either ÁèÍÎèÍÁ or ËÁéÍËéÍÁ, both are pronounced in falling tone (ÇÃÃ³ÂØ¡µìâ·). Morhom shirt originated in Thailand after World War II by Lao Puan (ÅÒÇ¾Ç¹) who immigrated to Phrae province, they sold dark indigo dyed clothes to forestry workers and these clothes became very popular. In 2496 B.E (1953) Mr. Kraisri Nimmarnhamin hosted traditional northern dinner called kan dtohk (¢Ñ¹âµ¡) in ChiangMai to honor Professor Sanya Dharmmasak and American Consul (¡§ÊØÅ), everyone dressed in round neck, indigo dyed cotton shirt with paa kaao maa (¼éÒ¢ÒÇÁéÒ – waist cloth, loincloth, bathing cloth) around the waist. After this dinner, morhom shirt had gained more popularity, spread to other areas, generally people understand that morhom is a traditional shirt of Lanna males. Photos of traditional morhom shirt. Nowadays morhom clothes have been developed in various blue shade and more designs.
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