Thais use three different methods for telling time.  The most dominant is the 24 hour clock, but in conversation they may use the 12 or 6 hour clock.  The 6 hour clock is the traditional way, and best I can tell unique to Thailand.

Photo Courtesy of Private Boy Movie

The 6 hour clock breaks the day into 4 quarters, and is in sync with the more familiar 12 hour clock.  Each quarter of the 6 hour clock includes the hours 1 through 6, and each hour of the day has a unique Thai name.

This is important to understand, because you will encounter it while trying to set a meeting time with some Thai boys.  I encountered it many times, and at first it really confused things.

Photo Courtesy of Private Boy Movie

If it is 6pm, and a boy says he will meet you at 2 o’clock, he means 8pm.  For the sake of good communications, I suggest confirming with the boy he means 8 o’clock.

For more details, visit Wikipedia.