المعنى
Working beyond the standard hours.
خلفية ثقافية
The concept of 'Kreng Jai' often leads to unpaid overtime. Employees may stay late just because the boss hasn't left yet, even if they have no work to do. Thailand has strict laws about overtime pay (usually 1.5x for weekdays and 3x for holidays), but these are often bypassed in small businesses or informal sectors. Working overtime is a common trope in Thai social media, used to signal hard work, dedication, or to complain about the 'struggle' of being a 'Salaryman' (มนุษย์เงินเดือน). In Bangkok, overtime is an office phenomenon. In rural areas, 'working overtime' might refer to harvesting crops late into the evening during peak season.
Use 'OT' for friends
If you want to sound like a local, just say 'Tham OT'. It's used 90% of the time in casual speech.
Tone matters
Make sure 'Luang' is a falling tone. If you say it with a rising tone, it sounds like 'Luang' (deceive).
المعنى
Working beyond the standard hours.
Use 'OT' for friends
If you want to sound like a local, just say 'Tham OT'. It's used 90% of the time in casual speech.
Tone matters
Make sure 'Luang' is a falling tone. If you say it with a rising tone, it sounds like 'Luang' (deceive).
Combine with 'Tong'
Most people don't *want* to work overtime, they *have* to. Use 'Tong' (ต้อง) before the phrase to sound more natural.
The 'Kreng Jai' response
If a Thai colleague says they are working overtime, a polite response is 'Su Su na' (Keep fighting/Good luck).
اختبر نفسك
Fill in the blank with the correct phrase.
วันนี้งานเยอะมาก ผมต้อง_________จนถึงสองทุ่ม
The context of 'working until 8 PM' implies overtime.
Which sentence is the most formal?
Choose the best option for a business report.
'ทำงานล่วงเวลา' is the formal term compared to 'โอที' or 'ทำงานดึก'.
Match the Thai phrase with its English meaning.
Match the following:
Correct pairings of work-related time phrases.
Complete the dialogue.
A: เย็นนี้ว่างไหม? B: ไม่ว่างเลย ต้อง_________ เพราะโปรเจกต์ยังไม่เสร็จ
The reason 'project not finished' leads to working overtime.
🎉 النتيجة: /4
وسائل تعلم بصرية
Formal vs Informal
بنك التمارين
4 تمارينวันนี้งานเยอะมาก ผมต้อง_________จนถึงสองทุ่ม
The context of 'working until 8 PM' implies overtime.
Choose the best option for a business report.
'ทำงานล่วงเวลา' is the formal term compared to 'โอที' or 'ทำงานดึก'.
طابق كل عنصر على اليسار مع زوجه على اليمين:
Correct pairings of work-related time phrases.
A: เย็นนี้ว่างไหม? B: ไม่ว่างเลย ต้อง_________ เพราะโปรเจกต์ยังไม่เสร็จ
The reason 'project not finished' leads to working overtime.
🎉 النتيجة: /4
الأسئلة الشائعة
10 أسئلةYes, it is the most polite and formal way to say 'working overtime'.
Usually no. For school, use 'An nangsue duk' (study late) or 'Tham kan-ban duk'.
'Luang-wela' is specifically overtime (extra hours), while 'nok-wela' is any time outside of 9-5 (like weekends).
No, but adding 'khrap' or 'ka' at the end of the sentence makes it polite.
You say 'Kha-tham-ngan-luang-wela' or simply 'Kha-OT'.
Extremely common, especially in Bangkok and industrial zones like Rayong.
No, you must include 'wela' (time) for it to make sense.
That is usually called 'Tham-ngan wan-yut' (working on a holiday).
Yes, 'Pan-ngan' (spinning work) is sometimes used to mean working hard/late.
Ask 'Wan-ni klap duk mai?' (Are you returning late today?)
عبارات ذات صلة
ทำโอที
similarTo do OT (informal)
ทำงานนอกเวลา
similarWorking outside of hours
ค่าล่วงเวลา
specialized formOvertime pay
ทำงานหนัก
similarTo work hard
เข้าเวร
specialized formTo be on shift
เลิกงานช้า
similarTo finish work late
