hia? lia?

[Jerome]

Not having spoken any Thai for more than 18 months now, even the most basic words are leaving me.
Actually I don't even know the name of this in English.

This was taken in Lumpini park. I think it is a Hia or Lia or something like that.
Don't even know what you call it in English. Is it a goanna?

[Surawut]

Not having spoken any Thai for more than 18 months now, even the most basic words are leaving me.
Actually I don't even know the name of this in English.

This was taken in Lumpini park. I think it is a Hia or Lia or something like that.
Don't even know what you call it in English. Is it a goanna?

Hia (falling tone) เหี้ย Water Monitor

[Jerome]

Thank you

[5tash]

I've always known this lizard as "ตะกวด".

Is there a difference?

[Faa]

I believe the difference between a ตะกวด and เหี้ย is the latter generally lives around water. That is all I know...oh and I know I would not want to get close enough to either of them to know other differences between them. Yikes ....they are kind of scarey looking!

[senaratne]

Don't even know what you call it in English. Is it a goanna?

Yes. You are somewhat right. 'Iguana' is his cousin. Zoologicaly known as 'iguana iguana'.

[5tash]

Australians use the name "Goanna" to refer to Monitor Lizards.

[David_Loves_Ubonwan]

ตะกวด = Bengal Monitor lizard http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Indian_Monitor
เหี้ย' = Water Monitor lizard http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_Monitor

David

[5tash]

It seems that "ตะกวด" refers to the Monitor lizard, the Varanidae family. "[THAI]เหี้ย[THAI]" refers to Water Monitor, a genes of the Varanidae family.

This confuses me a little, before when I have seen a Water Monitor in Thailand, the Thais accompanying me have always referred to it as "ตะกวด". There is even a beach in "เกาะพงัน" called "หาดตะกวด", I've seen many Water Monitors there. Could this possibly be the southern Thai language?

[Jerome]

Australians use the name "Goanna" to refer to Monitor Lizards.

Wow, I didn't know they were the same thing.
Thanks for pointing that out.