Convert Thai Rai to Square Meter easily.
1 rai x 1,600 = 1,600 sqm
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Ever tried visualizing how big a 3-rai rice farm in Thailand really is? If you’re dealing with land measurements in Southeast Asia, you’ve likely encountered the Thai Rai. This traditional unit paints a vivid picture of Thailand’s agricultural heritage, but when it comes to international transactions or architectural plans, square meters rule the day. Let’s bridge these two worlds.
Unit definitions
What is a thai rai (rai)?
The Thai Rai is like the acre of Southeast Asia. Farmers have used it for centuries to measure rice fields and rubber plantations.
- Symbol: None official, but “rai” is written out
- Common uses: Land sales, agricultural planning, property taxes
- Definition: 1 rai = 1,600 square meters (or 4 ngan = 400 square wa)
What is a square meter (sqm)?
The square meter is the metric system’s universal area unit. Picture a 1m x 1m square – that’s your baseline.
- Symbol: m²
- Common uses: Construction, interior design, global land records
- Definition: Area of a square with 1-meter sides
Conversion formula
Need to convert rice fields to condo floor plans? The math’s straightforward:
Rai to sqm: Multiply rai by 1,600
Sqm to rai: Divide square meters by 1,600
Example calculations
- 5 rai to sqm: 5 × 1,600 = 8,000 m²
(That’s like 16 Olympic swimming pools!) - 2,400 sqm to rai: 2,400 ÷ 1,600 = 1.5 rai
(Perfect for a medium-sized resort villa)
Conversion tables
Thai Rai to square meters
| Rai | Square Meters |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1,600 |
| 2 | 3,200 |
| 3 | 4,800 |
| 4 | 6,400 |
| 5 | 8,000 |
| 10 | 16,000 |
| 20 | 32,000 |
| 50 | 80,000 |
Square meters to Thai Rai
| Square Meters | Rai |
|---|---|
| 800 | 0.5 |
| 1,600 | 1 |
| 4,800 | 3 |
| 8,000 | 5 |
| 16,000 | 10 |
| 32,000 | 20 |
Historical background
The Rai’s story begins in 19th-century Siam. King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) standardized Thailand’s measurement system during his modernization campaigns. Before this, locals used human-based measurements – like the “wah” (armspan) for length. The Rai became crucial for tax assessments on rice yields. Fun fact: The system nearly switched fully to metric in the 1940s, but traditional units clung on through rural communities.
Interesting facts?
- Scale perspective: Bangkok’s 1,569 rai Lumphini Park equals 2,510,400 sqm – bigger than Monaco’s entire territory!
- Agricultural roots: 1 rai can produce ~1 ton of rice in a good season
- Urban vs rural: City land prices often use sqm, while rural areas stick to rai
- Regional variations: Cambodia and Laos have similar units but different conversion factors
- Climate angle: Thailand loses ~50,000 rai of coastal land yearly to rising seas
FAQ
1 Thai Rai equals 1,600 square meters.
Yes, it’s widely used in Thailand for land measurement, especially in agriculture.
In Thailand, both Rai and metric units are legally recognized for land transactions.
1 Rai equals approximately 0.3954 acres.
Rai is part of Thailand’s traditional measurement system, deeply rooted in local culture.