Beliefs & Spirituality
Thailand has a rich tradition of beliefs surrounding lucky numbers and auspicious colors. These beliefs influence everything from lottery tickets to what color clothes people wear each day.
What is the lucky number in Thailand? The lucky number in Thailand is nine (เก้า, gao). It sounds like ก้าว (gaao), "to step forward", so Thais link it with progress and success. Eight (แปด, bpaet), five (ห้า, haa) and three (สาม, saam) are also considered lucky, while six (หก, hok) and thirteen are the numbers most often avoided.
The number 9 is considered the luckiest number in Thailand because เก้า (gao) sounds similar to ก้าว (gaao), meaning "to step forward" or "progress." You will often see the number 9 in:
English-language sources also spell the Thai word for nine as kao or gâo. Because its sound promises progress, a number made of nines is believed to bring good fortune, and that belief is strong enough to give the number real pulling power: it is why premium phone numbers with many 9s sell for thousands of baht.
For the full story of nine, including the 45-million-baht licence plate, read our complete guide to Thailand's lucky numbers and the numbers Thais avoid.
Six divides opinion. A few guides call it a smooth, easy number, but in everyday practice many Thais avoid it: หก also means "to spill" or "to fall over", and the Thai numeral ๖ looks like an upside-down ๙, the luckiest number of all. If you are choosing a number plate, phone number or house number, the safe choice is to skip six. See Thai Lucky Numbers for the full picture.
Lucky due to Chinese influence, representing prosperity. In Chinese, eight sounds like "fa", meaning "wealth" or "to prosper", and many Thais, especially in business, have adopted that association. Entrepreneurs may prefer addresses or phone numbers with eights, hoping to attract financial success.
Five sounds like a laugh in Thai, which is why Thais type 555 to mean "hahaha" in chats and comments. That cheerful association makes five a favorite in phone numbers and lottery picks.
Many Thais consider odd numbers luckier than even ones, and three is the classic auspicious pick. Buddhism gives it weight: the Triple Gem of the Buddha, his teaching and the monastic community is honored with three prostrations, and incense sticks at a temple are usually lit in threes.
Each day of the week in Thailand has an associated color:
King Bhumibol was born on a Monday, making yellow the royal color. Thais wear yellow shirts on the King's birthday and on Mondays to show respect.
Thai lottery (สลากกินแบ่ง, salak gin baeng) is hugely popular. People seek lucky numbers from:
The Government Lottery Office draws the numbers on the 1st and 16th of every month (Wikipedia: Thai lottery), and in the days before each draw the search for lucky numbers becomes a national pastime. However, these numbers are folk beliefs, not a system: no number is guaranteed to win, and the lottery is a game of chance.
Nine (เก้า, gao). It sounds like ก้าว (gaao), "to step forward", so Thais link it with progress and success. Eight, five and three are also considered lucky.
Because เก้า (gao) sounds like ก้าว (gaao), meaning "to step forward" or "progress". People look for phone numbers, license plates, house numbers and wedding dates with nines in them.
Six (หก, hok) is the number many Thais avoid: หก also means "to spill", and the Thai numeral ๖ looks like an upside-down ๙. Thirteen is avoided through Western influence, and four is avoided mainly by Thai-Chinese families.
Yes. Through Chinese influence, eight (แปด, bpaet) stands for prosperity, because in Chinese it sounds like the word for "wealth".
On the 1st and 16th of every month, according to Wikipedia's article on the Thai lottery.