นายกรัฐมนตรี
prime minister
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 prime minister
This is the title of the prime minister, who leads the cabinet and heads the government.
prime minister
It refers to the office of prime minister or the person holding that office.
Learning notes
Explanation
This is the standard title for the prime minister of Thailand or another country. The same term applies regardless of gender. Its components are นายก, meaning a leader or head, and รัฐมนตรี, meaning a minister. Together, they convey the idea of the person leading the ministers. The usual classifier is คน; ท่าน can be used to show respect. นายกรัฐมนตรีคนที่ 30 means “the 30th prime minister.” The symbol ฯ in นายกฯ marks an abbreviation.
Usage
You will encounter this word in political news, reports on appointments and resignations, policy announcements, and diplomatic visits. It is also used in everyday conversations about politics and world leaders.
Caution
รัฐมนตรี means “minister,” while ประธานาธิบดี means “president.” A นายกรัฐมนตรี heads the government and is not necessarily the head of state. นายก on its own can also refer to an association president or a local government leader, so its meaning depends on context.
Differences from similar words
1 prime minister synonyms
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นายกฯ is a common written abbreviation for prime minister, especially in news coverage. นายกรัฐมนตรี is the full title.