In the vibrant Southeast Asian nation of Thailand, the names of each day of the week originate from Sanskrit, and much like the days in the Western world, they are based on the names of planets and the Sun. However, according to ancient Hindu astrological influences, each planet is also protected by a deity – and each deity is assigned a colour.

In addition, while other cultures may emphasise the date of a person’s birth, in Thailand the day of the week a person is born is also very important. In the past, Thais would dress to the colour of the day – and while this practice is not as prevalent today, ask any Thai person and chances are they can instantly tell you the day they were born.