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How Long Does it Take to Learn Thai?

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If you’re like most aspiring language learners, you’ve probably asked this all-too-common question at some point: How long does it take to learn Thai? 

Thai is not an easy language to learn, especially for a native English speaker. You’ll have to learn a whole new reading and writing system, study a new set of grammar rules, and—most difficult of all—get the hang of Thai pronunciation. Fortunately, the grammar part is pretty simple as there’s no verb conjugation to worry about (tense, mood, and gender play no role here).  

Taking the language’s difficulty into consideration, what kind of time commitment should you expect? 

In this article, we’ll take a look at the three different levels of Thai fluency: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. For each level, we will provide a list of abilities the learner should have at that stage (based on the CU-TFL test for non-native speakers). In addition, we’ll talk about the different factors that can influence your progress and give you tips on how to learn the Thai language faster. 

Let’s go!

How Long Does It Take to Learn Thai?
Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Thai Table of Contents
  1. Factors That Affect Your Thai Language Learning
  2. How Long Does it Take to Achieve Beginner Level?
  3. How Long Does it Take to Achieve Intermediate Level?
  4. How Long Does it Take to Achieve Advanced Level?
  5. Conclusion

1. Factors That Affect Your Thai Language Learning

Before we get ahead of ourselves, you should know that there’s no concrete answer regarding how long it takes to learn Thai. There are many factors that can affect your Thai learning progress:

  • Where you live.

    If you live in Thailand or visit the country often, you’ll naturally become more familiar with the Thai language. This frequent exposure will help you pick up basic words and phrases, and get you acquainted with Thai pronunciation.
  • Whether you have Thai people in your life.

    One of the best ways to gain Thai speaking skills is to practice with native speakers. If you have family members, friends, or colleagues who are Thai, you can pick up the language much more quickly!
  • Your reasons for learning the language.

    Why are you learning Thai? If you chose to learn Thai for personal reasons, such as interest in the culture or a loved one who speaks the language, you’re more likely to learn it well!
  • Your opportunities to use Thai.

    The more you use the language, the better your language skills will become. By practicing what you learn, you’re allowing yourself to internalize the information and concepts—the ultimate key to success!
  • Your learning ability.

    Is langu1age learning your specialty, or are you better at math and science? Are you a fast learner in general? How’s your memory? Your learning experience and abilities have a massive effect on how long it will take you to learn Thai.
  • Your learning resources and methods.

    Who’s teaching you Thai? What materials are you using? Having good Thai learning resources for your studies is like having a good car for driving: It will help you get to your destination faster and with fewer issues.

To put it simply: If you’re in a good environment for learning Thai, you can learn it faster.

2. How Long Does it Take to Achieve Beginner Level?

So, how long does it take to learn basic Thai? 

It should take around 500 hours (20 weeks if you study 25 hours a week).  

Thai Skills Needed for Beginner Level

In order to reach the beginner level, there are a few skills you’ll need to master. 

Reading: 

  • Memorize all characters of the Thai script. 
  • Memorize the vocabulary used in daily life.
  • Understand basic phrases and sentences. 
  • Read and understand signs written in basic language.
  • Understand basic written orders and instructions.
  • Understand vocabulary associated with the characteristics of objects, people, and places.

Listening: 

  • Understand short, simple sentences.
  • Understand the phrases used in day-to-day conversations.
  • Memorize key phrases used during social interactions.

Speaking: 

  • Use simple words and sentence structures to make basic conversation. 
  • Communicate effectively in daily life.

Writing: 

  • Write simple words, phrases, or sentences used in daily life.
  • You tend to use the same simple sentence structures over and over again.
  • You will probably make a lot of spelling and spacing mistakes.  

Learning Tips for Beginners

500 hours is a long time! But luckily for you, we’re here with some tips on how to learn basic Thai more effectively. 

  • Memorize all 44 consonants and 21 vowels early on.

    Instead of learning with romanization, you should learn all of the Thai characters right from the start. Doing so will make Thai pronunciation easier for you to master. A great way to really internalize them is to listen to and repeat after the alphabet songs Thai children listen to.
  • Practice the five tones.

    The hardest part of learning Thai is the pronunciation, especially when it comes to the tones. In Thai, the consonant and vowel sounds combine with one of five tones in order to form different words. Practicing these five tones early on will help you become familiar with them from the start, and help you make faster progress later on!
  • Memorize the most important vocabulary used in daily life.

    Beginner-level students should be able to make and understand day-to-day conversations, so it’s very important to remember key vocabulary. Using flashcards and trying to remember words and phrases based on category is a great idea at this point.
  • Listen to Thai songs.

    Listening to Thai songs is a great way to become familiar with the pronunciation, even if you can’t understand the lyrics. This is an enjoyable study method that you can do at the same time as other activities: during your morning routine, on the way to work, while exercising, etc. It won’t take long for you to find yourself pleasantly surprised at how much vocabulary you’ve picked up through songs!
I Love Thai Songs.
  • Watch educational kids’ shows or cartoons.

    Even Thai children pick up the language through educational shows and cartoons, which makes this a wonderful learning resource for non-native beginners.
  • Read kids’ tales or stories.

    Stories for children are often written using simple language, which makes them good for both reading and pronunciation practice.

How ThaiPod101 Can Help

ThaiPod101.com is the best place to learn Thai online. In addition to our recommended lesson pathways for beginners, we have plenty of fun and effective resources you can take advantage of from Day One! 

  • Our Thai Alphabet Video

    If you’ve just started learning Thai, we recommend beginning with our Thai alphabet video. As mentioned earlier, learning the Thai alphabet should be your first priority as this will speed up your progress and make your continued studies easier. We have a few lessons and articles on our website covering this topic, but many new students benefit from visual and auditory learning. Click the link above to visit our Thai alphabet video on YouTube!
  • ThaiPod101 YouTube Channel

    Speaking of YouTube, have you been to our channel? We provide fun, engaging content on a range of topics, from vocabulary and pronunciation to culture!
  • Flashcards

    Wondering how to learn Thai vocabulary effectively? Use the spaced repetition flashcards on our website to memorize new words and phrases via a proven method!
  • Painless Thai Grammar

    Our Painless Thai Grammar lesson is the perfect place to get some useful tips on how to learn the more difficult grammar concepts. However, we also have tons of other lessons on various Thai grammar points! You may find it useful to write three original sentences after each lesson, applying the concept(s) you just learned; this will help you ensure you understood the lesson correctly.
  • Introduction to Thai Writing

    If you aren’t sure how to learn Thai writing, we recommend visiting our Introduction to Thai Writing page. Here, you’ll find all of the information you need to know as a beginner. Learning to write in Thai will be even easier with the help of a native speaker, so you may want to upgrade to Premium PLUS and utilize our MyTeacher service. This way, you can practice writing sentences and then send them to your personal teacher for feedback!
Write Three Original Sentences for Your Teacher.
  • Ultimate Thai Pronunciation Guide

    Another page you should visit is our Ultimate Thai Pronunciation Guide. This lesson will provide you with all of the basics you need to know, so you can get a good headstart on your learning. It will be hard to get the pronunciation and tones correct by yourself, so you should record yourself speaking and send the audio to your teacher for feedback.

3. How Long Does it Take to Achieve Intermediate Level?

How long does it take to learn intermediate-level Thai? It should take around 1,100 hours (44 weeks if you study 25 hours a week). Following is a breakdown of what you should know… 

Thai Skills Needed for Intermediate Level

To complete the intermediate level, here are the Thai language skills you need to have. 

Reading:

  • Understand short essays or stories on topics that interest you (or that you’re specialized in) with long and complicated sentences.   
  • Identify the main idea of an essay or story. 
  • Understand the context of a sentence.

Listening:  

  • Understand stories when spoken in a clear fashion at normal speed.
  • You might still be unable to understand long and complicated stories.

Speaking: 

  • Use both formal and informal language when speaking, and offer opinions on topics that are familiar to you.
  • Communicate with Thai people on less-familiar topics (though you might struggle) and use some non-verbal language.

Writing:  

  • Write essays with a good flow in terms of time, ideas, and logic.
  • Use conjunctions in essays and other texts.
  • Describe, explain, and give information via writing.
  • You might still make some mistakes in spelling, spacing, and word choice.

Learning Tips for Intermediate-Level Students

Reaching this level is a huge time commitment, but we have a few tips on how to learn Thai more quickly. 

  • Read short stories or essays on topics that interest you.

    To write well, you should start by reading so you become more familiar with sentence structure and how to use conjunctions. By reading stories or essays that match your interests, you’ll make the process more enjoyable and might be able to memorize even more vocabulary.
  • Translate short stories or essays.

    This will allow you to pick up more useful vocabulary and become familiar with things like conjunctions and essay structures. As with the tip above, you should make sure to pick short stories or essays on topics that fascinate you. For example, if you like cooking, try translating your special recipe into Thai.
  • Watch Thai TV shows, movies, or dramas.

    Watching Thai TV shows, movies, or dramas is a great way to practice listening and become more familiar with how Thai people speak in various situations.
Thai Movies Are Fun.

How ThaiPod101 Can Help 

ThaiPod101.com has plenty of useful resources for intermediate learners, too! Here are just a few recommended pages and tools for you. 

  • 5 Tips to Reach Intermediate Level 

    If you’re feeling stuck at the beginner stage, listen to these five tips from Alisha on how to finally move forward to the intermediate level.
  • Intermediate-Level YouTube Videos

    Of course, our YouTube channel features plenty of fun and educational videos designed for intermediate-level learners. Check it out!

4. How Long Does it Take to Achieve Advanced Level?

To become completely fluent in Thai, you’ll need to put in a whopping 2,500 hours (100 weeks if you study 25 hours a week). Here’s everything you should know about reaching the advanced level. 

Thai Skills Needed for Advanced Level

Reading:

  • Understand both academic and non-academic texts on a variety of topics, featuring both complex and simple sentences. 
  • Know and be able to use Thai idioms, proverbs, and other sayings that aren’t used much in daily life.

Listening: 

  • Understand both academic and non-academic stories, even when the speaker talks quickly. 
  • Understand the tone of the speaker and the cultural/societal context within the story. 

Speaking: 

  • Use formal/informal language as required by the situation. 
  • Communicate well on a variety of topics. 
  • Give explanations and opinions, influence and persuade others, and make compromises. 
  • Use all Thai vocabulary and grammar correctly, including slang, idioms, and proverbs.
  • Have a good understanding of Thai culture and apply this to your speech. 

Writing:

  • Write essays on various topics.
  • Explain, discuss, share opinions, and do creative writing.
  • Use suitable words and sentence structures, as well as idioms, proverbs, and other Thai sayings.
  • Write essays with good flow in terms of time, ideas, and logic, with a solid conclusion at the end.

Learning Tips for Advanced Students

  • Read and summarize academic essays.

    You likely have no problem with non-academic topics at this point, so you should focus on the academic part. By reading and summarizing essays written in Thai, you can learn new words and structures and practice writing.
  • Watch or listen to Thai news.

    Listening to something more formal like the news will help you become familiar with academic vocabulary that’s less common in daily life.
  • Watch Thai TV shows, movies, or dramas in various genres.

    Watching Thai movies and shows is a great way to practice your listening and become more familiar with Thai culture. It will also expose you to various Thai accents, and give you a better idea of how idioms and proverbs are used in different contexts.
  • Debate on various topics.

    Try debating with your Thai friends on various topics. This will help you practice explaining concepts, giving your opinions, influencing others, persuading your audience, and making compromises.
Let’s Debate on Which Is the Healthier Way to Cook: Boiling or Steaming?

How ThaiPod101 Can Help

  • Conversation Starters for Advanced Listeners

    Knowing how to start and hold conversations is a crucial skill for advanced-level learners. In our Conversation Starters for Advanced Learners series, you can listen to various Thai-related stories to improve your listening and speaking skills.
  • Must-Know Thai Slang Words & Phrases

    Knowing how to use slang, idioms, and proverbs is a major step forward. In our Must-Know Thai Slang Words & Phrases series, you’ll be able to learn phrases you wouldn’t find in a textbook—from sayings about personalities and electronics, to words you can use to sound cuter!
  • Advanced-Level YouTube Videos

    Finally, our YouTube channel has plenty of videos geared toward advanced-level learners. Pick up more complex phrases and sentences, dive deeper into various grammar concepts, discover more about Thai culture, and have fun the entire time!

Conclusion

By this point, we’re sure that you have a better idea of how long it takes to learn Thai. What are your thoughts on the topic? If you’ve already started learning Thai, please comment below to let your fellow language learners know how long it took you to get where you are!

Since you’re reading this article, you’re surely interested in the Thai language and/or culture. ThaiPod101.com has an array of fun but practical lessons and materials you’re sure to enjoy going through! Create your free lifetime account today to get the most out of your time studying with us, and see your progress soar.

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Thai

Must-Know Thai Business Phrases and Vocabulary

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Why are you learning Thai?  

One of the most common reasons people learn the language is that they’re doing business in Thailand or with Thai people. This makes a lot of sense, because knowing at least the most common business phrases in Thai is an advantage in the workplace. 

In this lesson, you’ll learn all of the Thai business phrases you need to get started, as well as the grammar behind them. In addition, we’ll provide you with a list of business terms you should know, categorized by what kind of situation you’d hear them in. 

Improve your Thai business language today!

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Business Words and Phrases in Thai Table of Contents
  1. Getting Started
  2. Thai Business Phrases for a Job Interview
  3. Thai Business Phrases for Coworker Interaction
  4. Phrases for a Thai Business Meeting
  5. Thai Business Phrases for Phone Calls and Emails
  6. Thai Business Phrases for a Business Trip
  7. Conclusion

1. Getting Started

Jobs

Before we get into Thai business words and their meanings in English, you should know how to speak formally with others in a business setting.

1- Formal Thai Pronouns

Below is a list of Thai pronouns you’re likely to use in Thailand business settings, so we advise you to memorize them before you try learning any other Thai business words or phrases.

2- Khráp and Khâ

To make a sentence sound formal in Thai, put the word ครับ (khráp) or ค่ะ (khà) at the end of a sentence when speaking. ครับ (khráp) is used when the speaker is male, while ค่ะ (khâ) is used when the speaker is female. 

2. Thai Business Phrases for a Job Interview

Job Interview

The first step in beginning your career is the job interview. As such, it’s to your advantage that you leave a nice first impression on your interviewer. Here are some common Thai business phrases you should know before your interview. 

1- Phrases Your Interviewer May Use

Hello.

  • In Thai: สวัสดี 
  • Pronunciation: sà-wàt-dii

While saying สวัสดี (sà-wàt-dii), it is best to do the action called ไหว้ (whâi), which is a Thai way of greeting.

Please have a seat.

  • In Thai: เชิญนั่ง 
  • Pronunciation: chooen-nâng

In Thai culture, it’s best to wait for your interviewer to ask you to sit down before you do so.

Please turn off your phone.

  • In Thai: กรุณาปิดโทรศัพท์มือถือด้วย 
  • Pronunciation: gà-rú-naa-bpìt-thoo-rá-sàp-muue-thǔue-dúuai

An interviewer will normally ask you to turn off your phone. If your phone rings during the interview, it may leave a bad impression on your interviewer, so it is proper Thai business etiquette to turn it off right away. 

However, if there’s any reason you can’t turn it off, you can tell the interviewer: ไม่สะดวกปิดโทรศัพท์ เพราะ___ ต้องขอโทษด้วย (mâi-sà-dùuak-bpìt-thoo-rá-sàp práw___ dtâawng-khǎaw-thôot-dûuai), which means “I can’t turn off the phone because ___, I’m sorry.”

Please introduce yourself.

  • In Thai: กรุณาแนะนำตัว 
  • Pronunciation: gà-rú-naa-náe-nam-dtuua
Please Introduce Yourself

What is your strength and weakness?

  • In Thai: ข้อดีและข้อเสียของคุณคืออะไร 
  • Pronunciation: khâaw-dii-láe-khâaw-sǐia-khǎawng-khun-khuue-à-rai

Do you have any questions?

  • In Thai: มีคำถามอะไรจะถามมั้ย 
  • Pronunciation: mii-kham-thǎam-à-rai-jà-thǎam-mái

2- List of Phrases You May Use

My name is ___.

  • In Thai: ผม / ดิฉันชื่อ ___ 
  • Pronunciation: phǒm / dì-chǎn-chûue-___

I graduated from ___ University in the faculty of ___, majoring in ___.

  • In Thai: ผม / ดิฉันเรียนจบจากมหาวิทยาลัย___คณะ___ สาขา___ 
  • Pronunciation: phǒm / dì-chǎn-riian-jòp-jàak-má-hǎa-wít-thá-yaa-lai-___-khá-ná-___-sǎa-khǎa-___

In the first blank, put the name of your university; in the second blank, put the name of the faculty; and in the third blank, put the name of your major.

I have experience in ___ for ___ years.

  • In Thai: ผม / ดิฉันมีประสบการณ์ในสายงาน ___ ทั้งหมด ___ ปี 
  • Pronunciation: phǒm / dì-chǎn-mii-bprà-sòp-gaan-nai-sǎai-ngaan-___-tháng-mòt-___-bpii

In the first blank, put your field of experience; in the second blank, put the number of years you’ve been in that field.

My responsibility is ___.

  • In Thai: หน้าที่ของผม / ดิฉัน คือ ___
  • Pronunciation: nâa-thîi-khǎawng-phǒm / dì-chǎn-khuue-___

My strength is ___.

  • In Thai: ข้อดีของผม / ดิฉัน คือ ___
  • Pronunciation: khâaw-dii-khǎawng-phǒm / dì-chǎn-khuue-___

My weakness is ___.

  • In Thai: ข้อเสียของผม / ดิฉัน คือ ___
  • Pronunciation: khâaw-sǐia-khǎawng-phǒm / dì-chǎn-khuue-___

Please repeat the question again.

  • In Thai: ช่วยทวนคำถามได้มั้ย
  • Pronunciation: chûuai-thuuan-kham-thǎam-dâi-mái

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be interviewed.

  • In Thai: ขอบคุณที่ให้โอกาสมาสัมภาษณ์งาน
  • Pronunciation: khàawp-khun-thîi-hâi-oo-gàat-maa-sǎm-phâat-ngaan

3. Thai Business Phrases for Coworker Interaction

Business Phrases

When doing business with Thai people, knowing business Thai vocabulary isn’t enough. You should also know how to communicate with your coworkers at both the business level and the social level. Here are some phrases you may find helpful.

1- Business Introductions

Self-introduction for males

  • สวัสดีครับ ผมชื่อ___เป็นพนักงานใหม่อยู่แผนก___ครับ
  • sà-wàt-dii-khráp phǒm-chûue-___-bpen-phá-nák-ngaan-mài-yùu-phá-nàaek-___-khráp
  • “Hello, my name is____. I’m a new employee in ___ Department.”

In the first blank, put your name; in the second blank, put your department. 

Self-introduction for females

  • สวัสดีค่ะ ดิฉันชื่อ___เป็นพนักงานใหม่อยู่แผนก___ค่ะ
  • sà-wàt-dii-khà dì-chǎn-chûue-___-bpen-phá-nák-ngaan-mài-yùu-phá-nàaek-___-khà
  • “Hello, my name is ___. I’m a new employee in ___ Department.”

Giving phone numbers and email

  • นี่คือเบอร์โทรและอีเมลของผม / ฉัน
  • nîi-khuue-booe-thoo-láe-ii-meeo-khǎawng-phǒm / chǎn
  • “This is my phone number and email.”

2- Business Performance Evaluations

Compliments about work performance

  • คุณทำดีมาก
  • khun-tham-dii-mâak
  • “You did a great job.”
  • ผลงานของคุณดีมาก
  • phǒn-ngaan-khǎawng-khun-dii-mâak
  • “Your performance is very good.”
  • อันนี้ใช้ได้แล้ว
  • an-níi-chái-dâi-láaeo
  • “This one is okay.”

Feedback about work performance

  • อันนี้ไม่ผ่านนะ ไปแก้มาใหม่
  • an-níi-mâi-phàan-ná bpai-gâae-maa-mài
  • “This one needs to be fixed.”
  • ช่วงนี้คุณทำงานไม่ค่อยดีเท่าไหร่ มีปัญหาอะไรรึเปล่า
  • chûuang-níi-khun-tham-ngaan-mâi-khâauy-dii-thâo-rài mii-bpan-hǎa-à-rai-rúe-bplào
  • “You are not doing well recently. Are there any problems?”

3- Phrases for Other Business Situations

Asking for help

  • ช่วยดูตรงนี้ให้หน่อยได้มั้ย
  • chûuai-duu-dtrong-níi-hâi-nàauy-dâi-mái
  • “Could you please take a look at this?”
Could You Please Take a Look at This?
  • ขอคำแนะนำเรื่อง___หน่อย
  • khǎaw-kham-náe-nam-rûueang-___-nàauy
  • “Please give me advice about___.”

Thank you

  • ขอบคุณ
  • khàawp-khun
  • Thank you.”

Sorry

  • ขอโทษ
  • khǎaw-thôot
  • Sorry.”

4. Phrases for a Thai Business Meeting

Let’s go over some important phrases for Thai business meetings. If you’ve spent any time in the business world, you know that meetings are an essential aspect of any job. Knowing the most common phrases and implementing proper Thai business meeting etiquette will give you a huge advantage. 

Let’s start the meeting.

  • In Thai: ขอเริ่มการประชุม
  • Pronunciation: khǎaw-rôoem-gaan-bprà-chum

Do you have any questions?

  • In Thai: มีคำถามอะไรมั้ย
  • Pronunciation: mii-kham-thǎam-à-rai-mái

Do you have any comments?

  • In Thai: มีความเห็นอะไรมั้ย
  • Pronunciation:mii-khwaam-hěn-à-rai-mái
Do You Have Any Comments?

I agree.

  • In Thai: ผม / ดิฉันเห็นด้วย
  • Pronunciation: phǒm / dì-chǎn-hěn-dûuai

I disagree.

  • In Thai: ผม / ดิฉันไม่เห็นด้วย
  • Pronunciation: phǒm / dì-chǎn-mâi-hěn-dûuai

What do you think about this?

  • In Thai: คุณมีความเห็นอย่างไรเกี่ยวกับเรื่องนี้
  • Pronunciation: khun-mii-khwaam-hěn-yàang-rai-gìiao-gàp-rûueang-níi

I think ___.

  • In Thai: ผม / ดิฉันคิดว่า___
  • Pronunciation: phǒm / dì-chǎn-khít-wâa

I want more information about ___.

  • In Thai: ผม / ดิฉันขอข้อมูลเพิ่มเติมเกี่ยวกับ___
  • Pronunciation: phǒm / dì-chǎn-khǎaw-khâaw-muun-gìiao-gàp-___

If we agree to this, will there be any problem?

  • In Thai: ถ้าเราตกลงตามนี้ จะมีปัญหาอะไรมั้ย
  • Pronunciation: thâa-rao-dtòk-long-dtaam-ní jà-mii-bpan-hǎa-à-rai-mái

If we agree to buy from you, what is your offer?

  • In Thai: ถ้าเราตกลงซื้อจากคุณ คุณมีข้อเสนออะไรให้เราบ้าง
  • Pronunciation: thâa-rao-dtòk-long-súue-jàak-khun khun-mii-khâaw-sà-nǒoe-à-rai-hâi-rao-bâang

Any discount?

  • In Thai: มีส่วนลดมั้ย
  • Pronunciation: mii-sùuan-lót-mái

I have a special offer.

  • In Thai: ผม / ดิฉันมีข้อเสนอพิเศษ
  • Pronunciation: phǒm / dì-chǎn-mii-khâaw-sà-nǒoe-phí-sèet

5. Thai Business Phrases for Phone Calls and Emails

If you’re doing business in Thailand, being able to communicate via phone and email is pretty important. Below are some words and phrases you’ll find useful.

1- Phrases for Phone Calls

Hello, this is ___. Whom do you want to speak to?

  • In Thai: สวัสดี ที่นี่___ ต้องการติดต่อใคร
  • Pronunciation: sà-wàt-dii thîi-níi-___ dtâawng-gaan-dtìt-dtàaw-khrai-khá

As a staff member of a company, this is the phrase you use to answer the phone.

Hello, I want to talk to ___.

  • In Thai: สวัสดี ขอเรียนสาย___
  • Pronunciation: sà-wàt-dii khǎaw-riian-sǎai___

You say this when you call someone in a company whom you don’t have direct contact with.

Hello, I Want to Talk to the Manager.

Hello, my name is ___. I’m calling from ___. [name of company]

  • In Thai: สวัสดี ผม / ดิฉันชื่อ… ติดต่อมาจาก___
  • Pronunciation: sà-wàt-dii phom / di-chan-chûue-___ dtìt-dtàaw-maa-jàak-___

This is another phrase you can use when calling someone. This one is a little more formal than the one above. It’s often used when the party you’re calling doesn’t know you.

Please wait for a moment, I will transfer you.

  • In Thai: เดี๋ยวจะโอนสายให้ รบกวนถือสายรอซักครู่
  • Pronunciation: dǐiao-jà-oon-sǎai-hâi róp-guuan-thǔue-sǎai-raaw-sák-khrûu

Now ___ isn’t available. Will you leave a message or give him/her a phone number to call back?

  • In Thai: ตอนนี้คุณ___ไม่สะดวกรับสาย จะฝากข้อความหรือเบอร์ติดต่อกลับไว้มั้ย
  • Pronunciation: dtaawn-níi-khun-___-mâi-sà-dùuak-ráp-sǎai jà-fâak-khâaw-khwaam-rǔue-booe- thoo-dtìt-dtàaw-glàp-wái-mái

That is okay. I will call again.

  • In Thai: ไม่เป็นไร เดี๋ยวจะติดต่อมาใหม่
  • Pronunciation: mâi-bpen-rai dǐiao-jà-dtìt-dtàaw-maa-mài

Phrase for ending a phone call

  • In Thai: แค่นี้นะ สวัสดี
  • Pronunciation: khâae-níi-ná sà-wàt-dii

2- Phrases for Email

Dear ___,

  • In Thai: เรียน
  • Pronunciation: riian

Please be informed accordingly

  • In Thai: จึงเรียนมาเพื่อทราบ
  • Pronunciation: jueng-riian-maa-phûuea-sâap

Best Regards,

  • In Thai: ขอแสดงความนับถือ
  • Pronunciation: khǎaw-sà-daaeng-khwaam-náp-thǔue

6. Thai Business Phrases for a Business Trip

Our final category is Thai phrases for business trips. If you travel a lot, you should remember these.

1- Making a Reservation

I want to book a one-way trip / round trip ___ [vehicle] ticket to ___ [place].

  • In Thai: ผม / ฉันต้องการจองตั๋ว ___ [vehicle] แบบเที่ยวเดียว / ไปกลับ ไปที่___ [place]
  • Pronunciation: phǒm / chǎn-dtâawng-gaan-jaawng-dtǔua-___-bàaep-thîiao-diiao / bpai-glàp -bpai-thîi-___

เที่ยวเดียว (thîiao-diiao) means “one-way trip,” while ไปกลับ (bpai-glàp) means “round trip.” 

I want to book a room for ___ people.

  • In Thai: ผม / ฉันต้องการจองห้องพักสำหรับ ___ คน
  • Pronunciation: phǒm / chǎn-dtâawng-gaan-jaawng-hâawng-phák-sǎm-ràp-___-khon

Which date do you want to check in?

  • In Thai: ลูกค้าต้องการเข้าพักวันไหนคะ
  • Pronunciation: lûuk-kháa-dtâawng-gaan-khâo-phák-wan-nǎi-khá

ลูกค้า (lûuk-kháa) means “customer” in Thai. Instead of using “you,” hotel staff often use ลูกค้า (lûuk-kháa) to refer to their customer.

How long do you want to stay?

  • In Thai: ลูกค้าต้องการพักกี่คืน
  • Pronunciation: lûuk-kháa-dtâawng-gaan-phák-gìi-khuuen

Any promotion or discount?

  • In Thai: มีโปรโมชั่นหรือส่วนลดอะไรมั้ย
  • Pronunciation: mii-bproo-moo-chân-rǔue-sùuan-lót-à-rai-mái

2- Your Stay in the Hotel

I want to check in. I already made a reservation.

  • In Thai: ผม / ดิฉันต้องการเช็คอิน จองห้องไว้แล้ว
  • Pronunciation: phǒm / dì-chǎn-dtâawng-gaan-chék-in jaawng-hâawng-wái-láaeo

There’s no Thai word for “check in.” Thai people use the same word as in English.

Your room is on ___ floor, number ___.

  • In Thai: ห้องพักของลูกค้าอยู่ชั้น ___ [floor number] ห้อง ___ [room number]
  • Pronunciation: hâawng-phák-khǎawng-lûuk-kháa-yùu-chán-___-hâawng-___

Here is a key and breakfast coupon.

  • In Thai: นี่คือกุญแจและคูปองอาหารเช้า
  • Pronunciation: nîi-khuue-gun-jaae-láe-khuu-bpaawng-aa-hǎan-cháo

I want to check out.

  • In Thai: ผม / ดิฉันต้องการเช็คเอาท์
  • Pronunciation: phǒm / dì-chǎn-dtâawng-gaan-chék-áo

There is no Thai word for “check out.” Thai people use the same word as in English.

I Want to Check Out

2- More Useful Phrases

Where should we meet?

  • In Thai: เราจะเจอกันที่ไหนดี
  • Pronunciation: rao-jà-jooe-gan-thîi-nǎi-dii

When should we meet?

  • In Thai: เราจะเจอกันกี่โมง
  • Pronunciation: rao-jà-jooe-gan-gìi-moong

I will pick ___ up from the ___ at ___.

  • In Thai: ผม / ฉันจะไปรับ ___ [person] ที่ ___ [place] ตอน ___ [time]
  • Pronunciation: phǒm / chǎn-jà-bpai-ráp-___-thîi-___-dtaawn-___

Thank you for this trip.

  • In Thai: ขอบคุณสำหรับทริปนี้
  • Pronunciation: khàawp-khun-sǎm-ràp-tríp-níi

7. Conclusion

How do you feel after going over all of these Thai business phrases? Are you more confident in your business communication skills? Let us know in the comments below.

If you want to learn more-specific terms, words, or phrases than the ones we covered here, check out our other lessons on ThaiPod101.com. Here are some lessons you may be interested in: 

Happy Thai learning, and good luck with your business endeavors!

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The Best Thai YouTube Channels to Learn Thai in 2020

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We think it’s safe to say that everyone has been guilty of spending hours upon hours on YouTube, going from one video to the next. Video is the most popular content format nowadays, and it’s so easy to become addicted…  

So why not learn the Thai language on YouTube? If you’re like many people, you simply don’t know where to start—or if it’s even possible.

We’re here to tell you that you can actually learn Thai online for free on YouTube. In this article, we’ll introduce you to the top Thai YouTube channels for learners, so you’ll know exactly where to start. We’ve provided some great channels in a variety of categories, so that you’ll definitely be able to find something you’re interested in. 

One of the best options is the ThaiPod101 YouTube channel, and we’ll give you more details about this later.  But first, here are our top Thai YouTube picks!

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Thai Table of Contents
  1. Hot Thai Kitchen
  2. Mark Weins
  3. GMM International
  4. VoBrain
  5. Peachii
  6. Loukgolf’s English Room
  7. Itchy feet ภาษาอังกฤษติดเที่ยว
  8. GMM TV
  9. ครูโอ๋ สื่อการเรียนการสอน (khruu-ǒo-sùue-gaan-riian-gaan-sǎawn)
  10. ThaiPod101
  11. Conclusion

1. Hot Thai Kitchen


Category: Food
YouTube channel link: https://www.YouTube.com/user/PailinsKitchen/about
Level: Beginner

Do you like Thai food? Do you like to cook? If so, then this is the channel for you.  

Pailin is a Thai woman living in Canada and working as a professional chef. On her Thai cooking YouTube channel, she shares a lot of videos on how to cook a variety of traditional dishes. She speaks mostly in English, but she also teaches Thai vocabulary about food. Her videos make it easy for new learners to pick up simple vocabulary, as well as learn about Thai food and culture.  

Our only warning: Don’t watch her channel late at night, because you’ll get hungry!

A Thai Woman Cooking Food

Let’s cook Thai food together

2. Mark Weins


Category: Food
YouTube channel link: https://www.YouTube.com/user/migrationology/about
Level: Beginner

For the foodies and culture vultures, here’s another wonderful channel on YouTube. Thai food, travel, and cultural insight all make an appearance in Mark’s videos. To give you some context, Mark Wiens is an American who loves Thai food, and eventually married a Thai woman and moved to Thailand. 

His vlog videos are recorded in English, and they show his journey of trying Thai street food and exploring Thai culture. This channel is a good place for beginners to learn the Thai language, as you’ll hear some Thai conversations between Mark and local Thai people

3. GMM International


Category: Thai songs
YouTube channel link: https://www.YouTube.com/user/grammyinter/about
Level: Intermediate – Advanced

ดนตรีไม่มีพรมแดน (don-dtrii-mâi-mii-phrom-daaen) is a Thai saying that means: “You can enjoy the music without really understanding the language.”  

While this is true, we think that you’ll enjoy Thai music more if you understand what the lyrics mean. This is why we recommend checking out GMM Grammy, one of the biggest Thai record labels. Currently, it has a special channel for international fans.  

On its Thai YouTube music channel, there are many music videos with subtitles available in English, Japanese, and Chinese. Of course, Thai learners can take advantage of this and use the channel to learn Thai while enjoying some great music. Songs can be especially helpful for learning new vocabulary and becoming familiar with Thai pronunciation.

A Woman Listening to Music with Earbuds

I love Thai songs.

4. VoBrain


Category: Thai songs
YouTube channel link: https://www.YouTube.com/channel/UCob3HtFFy9enpDX9wRbr6ig
Level: Intermediate – Advanced

This is another great channel for Thai music lovers. 

VoBrain aims to teach English to Thai people through songs and educational videos, so it uploads many Thai songs with English subtitles.  

Despite not being made directly for Thai language learners, these Thai YouTube videos contain great content that you can use to learn Thai as well. However, the downside of this channel is that you can only learn the meaning of Thai words, and not their pronunciation. 

5. Peachii


Category: Lifestyle
YouTube channel link: https://www.YouTube.com/user/madmegan06/about
Level: Intermediate – Advance

This is one of the most popular channels among Thai teenagers. 

Peachii is a Thai business woman who lives in London and married a British man, known as Stephen Oppa. She is one of the owners of the Gouni business, which helps Thai people study abroad. She does vlogging and posts videos to capture the different moments of her life, teach English to Thai people, and promote her business.  

Her videos are recorded using a mix of Thai and English. This means that, while her videos are aimed at teaching English, you can still watch this channel to pick up some new Thai words. Because Peachii is a native Thai, you’ll also be able to familiarize yourself with the Thai accent and culture.

One of the strengths of learning Thai online with her YouTube channel is the interesting content. Her videos are so varied that you’ll never get bored! 

6. Loukgolf’s English Room


Category: Educational TV Show
YouTube channel link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHpN16LZ6YGWIWw1gMWIVhw
Level: Beginner – Intermediate

If you were to ask Thai students about the most popular English teachers, Loukgolf would absolutely come up a lot. He is a passionate teacher who understands and gets along with students and teenagers well.  

Apart from owning an English school, he also did educational TV shows. He would invite Thai celebrities and talk to them in English, as a way to encourage young Thai people to learn and speak English. The show is done in about 70% English and 30% Thai with English subtitles.  

Despite being geared toward English learners, Thai learners can also benefit from these shows. You can learn new vocabulary and get familiar with how Thai people speak in daily life. Moreover, this show is very fun—if you love Thai celebrities, don’t miss this channel!

7. Itchy feet ภาษาอังกฤษติดเที่ยว


Category: Educational TV Show
YouTube channel link: https://www.YouTube.com/user/ThaiPBS/search?query=itchy+feet
Level: Intermediate – Advanced

This channel is perfect for Thai learners who love traveling.  

This show features both Thai and English speech, as well as subtitles in both languages. Actually, this channel aims to teach English to Thai people through videos about trips to various places. The host speaks in English and then translates what he just said into Thai.  

If you’ve been learning Thai for a while and understand at least the basics, you can practice your Thai listening skills by watching these videos.

A Woman Photographing Something on Her Trip

Learn through the trip

8. GMM TV


Category: TV Drama
YouTube channel link: https://www.YouTube.com/user/GMMTVSPOTLIKE
Level: Intermediate – Advanced

Thai dramas on YouTube? Yes please! 

If you want to enjoy watching a good TV drama, not understanding the language can be a problem. In order to completely understand what’s being said in a Thai TV drama, your Thai skills have to be pretty good.  

But if your Thai isn’t at that level yet, you can still enjoy Thai TV dramas and learn the language at the same time. GMM TV uploads many TV dramas with English subtitles, so you can improve your Thai skills with little to no effort. 😉

A Woman Eating Popcorn and Watching TV

Thai TV drama is fun.

9. ครูโอ๋ สื่อการเรียนการสอน (khruu-ǒo-sùue-gaan-riian-gaan-sǎawn)


Category: Thai Learning
YouTube channel link: https://www.YouTube.com/channel/UCv2oBsP3i7hDFuHXmCbpQ2A/
Level: Beginner

ครูโอ๋ (khruu-ǒo) is a Thai teacher who uploads many educational videos for Thai children.  His channel name means “Teacher Oh – education media.”

He believes that good and fun video content helps children learn better, and his channel mainly targets young Thai children. All of the lessons are in Thai, but Thai learners can still benefit from these Thai language lessons. For example, you can learn how to read and write the Thai alphabet.

10. ThaiPod101


Category: Thai Learning
YouTube channel link: https://www.YouTube.com/user/ThaiPod101/
Level: Beginner – Advanced

There are many channels you can visit if you want to learn Thai through YouTube videos. But you probably noticed that many of them aren’t actually designed to teach Thai to foreigners. 

If you want to learn Thai online in the most effective way possible, visit the ThaiPod101 YouTube channel today. We provide all kinds of good Thai language lessons for you, from the Thai alphabet to Thai pronunciation and grammar. In addition, you’ll find plenty of native Thai dialogues and language-learning tips. Plus, ThaiPod101 uploads videos regularly to ensure you always have tons of videos to choose from. We hope to see you around!

Woman Watching the ThaiPod101 YouTube Channel with Headphones

I learn Thai at ThaiPod channel.

11. Conclusion

There are many different channels that can serve as effective supplements to your normal language learning routine, but ThaiPod101 is the best! See for yourself, and start speaking real Thai today.

Are there any other YouTube channels you use to learn Thai? Please share with us in the comments! ^^

After spending some time on your favorite Thai learning YouTube channels, visit ThaiPod101.com and explore all that we have to boost your studies. For example: 

Happy Thai learning!

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Is Thai Difficult to Learn? (And Tips to Succeed!)

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If you’re interested in learning the Thai language but haven’t started yet, you may be wondering: “Is Thai difficult to learn?” We’re here to tell you that learning Thai may not be as hard as you think it is!  

There are certain things that make the Thai language hard to learn, and for these, you’ll need to spend some time studying and practicing. But there are also many other aspects that are pretty simple and straightforward! You may feel a little doubtful about this, as the Thai alphabet, grammar, pronunciation, and so on, are new to you. But you’ll get familiar with these things in no time once you start learning with ThaiPod101.com.  

There are many foreigners who can speak and understand Thai so well, after just a few years, that even native speakers are surprised. So with some time, practice, and the right tools, anyone can learn to speak Thai. Yes, that includes you!

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Learning Thai Table of Contents
  1. The Hardest and Easiest Parts of Learning Thai
  2. I Want to Learn Thai. Where Should I Start?
  3. Advice for a New Thai Learner
  4. Why is ThaiPod101.com Great for Learning Thai?
  5. Conclusion

1. The Hardest and Easiest Parts of Learning Thai 

In the following sections, we’ll cover the easiest aspect of Thai first, and then the hardest! Let’s go. 

What Makes Thai Easy?

Many language-learners dread the grammar aspect of their studies, and for good reasons! As such, you’ve probably been wondering: “Is Thai grammar hard?” 

Good news: It’s not difficult at all! It’s probably the easiest part of learning Thai.  

This is because there are no tenses or conjugations in Thai, so there’s a lot less to understand and remember.  You don’t have to learn how to change verb forms or swap around the sentence structure from one situation to another. For example:

Present simple tense:  

ฉันกินอาหารไทย
chǎn-gin-aa-hǎan-thai
“I eat Thai food.”

Present continuous tense

ฉันกำลังกินอาหารไทย
chǎn-gam-lang-gin-aa-hǎan-thai
“I am having Thai food.”

Adding กำลัง (gam-lang), which is like “ing” in English, shows that you’re in the process of doing the action.

Past simple tense:  

เมื่อวานฉันกินอาหารไทย
mûuea-waan-chǎn-gin-aa-hǎan-thai
“Yesterday, I had Thai food.”

Adding เมื่อวาน (mûuea-waan), which means “yesterday” in Thai,  shows that the action happened in the past.

Yesterday, I had Thai Food.

Future simple tense:  

วันพรุ่งนี้ฉันจะกินอาหารไทย
wan-phrûng-níi-chǎn-jà-gin-aa-hǎan-thai
“Tomorrow, I will have Thai food.”

Adding วันพรุ่งนี้ (wan-phrûng-níi), which means “tomorrow” in Thai, shows that this is a plan for the future. Adding จะ () shows that you will do it.

You can see that there’s not much difference between the four sentences above. That just goes to show how difficult it is to learn Thai language grammar. (Not at all, right? ^^)

Why is Thai Hard to Learn?

The hardest part of learning Thai is the การออกเสียง (gaan-àawk-sǐiang), or “pronunciation.” 

The biggest problem here is the เสียงวรรณยุกต์ (sǐiang-wan-ná-yúk), or “tones.” There are five tones in the Thai language, and foreigners often have difficulty distinguishing between them, thinking they all sound the same. For example:

  • ป้าดูปลาในป่า 
  • phâa-duu-phlaa-nai-phàa
  • “Aunt looks at fish in the forest.”
  • For foreigners who have just started learning Thai, it can be hard to differentiate between the words ป้า (phâa), ปลา (phla), and ป่า (phàa).

So, is it hard to learn to speak Thai? It certainly can be, but it’s still very achievable! 

Learning how to pronounce the Thai alphabet and tones correctly will help a lot, as it will create a strong foundation for your future studies. And by listening to plenty of Thai content, you’ll become more familiar with Thai pronunciation, making this portion of your studies a bit simpler.

2. I Want to Learn Thai. Where Should I Start?

When you start learning Thai, you should start with the most basic units, which are the พยัญชนะ (phá-yan-chá-ná) or “consonants,” and สระ (sà-rà) or “vowels.” Learning how to pronounce and write the Thai alphabet will enable you to read and write Thai with little problem, and make your conversations a lot smoother.

If you’ve been studying and practicing with the Thai alphabet for a while, and still struggle with reading, writing, or pronunciation, you may need to practice some more. Mastering the Thai alphabet right from the start will make the rest of your language-learning journey so much easier.

Learning the Thai Alphabet

At the same time, you should also start practicing basic conversational phrases and learn easy Thai words.  Learning new words along with the conversational phrases will make the words easier to remember. Not to mention how useful basic phrases can be in daily life! 

3. Advice for a New Thai Learner   

Learning a new language is not an easy thing to do. Here are a few tips for you.

1 – Listen to lots of Thai content

Whether it’s a Thai song, TV series, news station, or drama film, listen to your target language as much as possible. Even if you don’t understand anything you’re hearing, you’ll start to become more familiar with Thai pronunciation and tones. And it’s even better with subtitles! This will allow you to more easily learn vocabulary and sentence structures while enjoying yourself!

I Watch Thai Movies Everyday.

2 – Find something you like about Thai

Learning any language takes time, and this is especially true for a language very different from your own, like Thai. You can’t master Thai in just a few days!  

That said, it’s easier to do something for a long time if that thing interests you. You should find something you like about Thai so that you can develop a passion for learning the language. 

For example, if you like a certain Thai actor, you’ll enjoy watching that actor in a movie or TV drama—and you’ll be able to learn Thai at the same time! You’ll also want to understand what he said in an interview or behind the scenes, which will motivate you to learn the language.  

It doesn’t have to be a person, though. There are many other Thai-related topics that may interest you: TV shows, culture, food, desserts, or even ghost stories. You just need to look for it, because we guarantee you’ll find something!

3 – Be patient

Rome wasn’t built in a day.

As mentioned earlier, you can’t master any new language in only a few days, so you have to be patient when learning Thai.  

You may find it a bit tough and not very enjoyable at first because everything is new and there’s a lot to take in. There are a lot of letters to remember, several pronunciation rules you need to memorize, and the tones are driving you crazy. But that’s just because you’re not familiar with the Thai language yet. As you start to understand Thai, you’ll feel very satisfied with yourself and your language skills. 

There’s a saying in Thai: ความพยายามอยู่ที่ไหน ความสำเร็จอยู่ที่นั้น (khwaam-phá-yaa-yaam- yùu-thîi-nǎi khwaam-sǎm-rèt-yùu-thîi-nân). It means that if you keep trying, you’ll be successful. In other words: “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” So next time you feel like giving up, just remember these words.

4 – Choose the right learning tools

Have you ever seen chefs in five-star restaurants using dull knives? No, they use high-quality knives and keep them sharp. Their cooking may not depend on the knife they use, but having a good sharp one will make the job a lot easier! 

The same is true for learning Thai. If you’ve been learning Thai for a while, and still find it very difficult, you may be using the wrong tool. 

Good books used to be enough, but nowadays, everything you need to learn Thai is at your fingertips when you use ThaiPod101.com. ThaiPod101.com is like a knowledgeable teacher, a friend who gets you interested in Thai culture, and an encouraging mentor all wrapped up into one person. So don’t hesitate to visit and learn more about us! 

4. Why is ThaiPod101.com Great for Learning Thai?

ThaiPod101.com is a fast, fun, and easy way to learn Thai. Below, we’ll give you just a few reasons to give us a try: 

1 – A variety of lessons and materials

We provide various Thai lessons for learners at every level. For example, our page on the Easy Way to Learn the Thai Alphabet for beginners, and our Thai Language Exam article for more advanced students.

We also have audio lessons so that you can hear how Thai people speak, improve your listening skills, and practice your pronunciation. And don’t forget our handy vocabulary lists, categorized by topic. Examples include Talking About YouTube and Useful Words and Phrases for Going to the Movies. You’ll also find a grammar bank on our website (which contains almost 400 grammar topics you can learn) and printable PDF lesson notes for you to review after lessons.  

And by upgrading to a Premium PLUS account, you’ll be able to communicate one-on-one with your own personal teacher. Your teacher will be more than happy to help with your Thai learning and provide you with the tools and encouragement you need to succeed.  

With these abundant materials, ThaiPod101.com is the best and easiest way to learn Thai! 

2 – Learn Thai 24/7

You don’t need to meet your teacher face-to-face to learn Thai. With internet access and a mobile phone, tablet, or PC, you can access all of our Thai lessons through ThaiPod101.com—anytime, wherever you are.

I Can Learn Thai 24/7

3 – Flexible learning plans for individuals

ThaiPod101.com provides the most flexible Thai class you can join. If you don’t know where to start, we can provide you with guidance and suggestions, tailored to your current level and your goals. But you can also plan your lessons based on your interests, strengths, and weaknesses. In addition,  you can always repeat a lesson if you forgot something or didn’t quite understand the topic. Learn at your own pace, your way! 

4 – Pronunciation practice

Learning Thai pronunciation is the hardest part of learning the language. As such, you may be concerned that learning Thai online will take away from your ability to practice pronunciation. Don’t worry! ThaiPod101.com has a pronunciation and accent review function for you to practice with. You can keep practicing until you get it right.

5 – Assignments, quizzes, and tests

Don’t leave yet! Even though assignments, quizzes, and tests are typically boring and unwelcome, you can’t deny that completing assignments and quizzes improves our understanding and shows us where we need to do better. And don’t worry: there’s not much pressure when completing them, like there would be in a traditional classroom.

6 – Daily learning encouragement

If you’re a student, we know that you probably have tons of homework to do, tests to prepare for, and recreational activities to attend to stay sane. If you’re a full-time worker, finding time to learn a new language can be an issue when there are work responsibilities and other things you need to do. We understand and will encourage you to learn Thai little by little with us. There are even short lessons you can complete daily—we’ll even remind you to do them. 😉

7 – Cultural knowledge

ThaiPod101.com also provides information about Thai culture: how Thai people live, act, and think in daily life.  These lessons are interesting for both Thai learners and foreigners who are living in Thailand. 

Learn More about Thai Culture.

5. Conclusion

At this point, we hope that if someone asks you whether the Thai language is easy or hard, you’ll let them know it’s not that bad. 

It will take some time, but anyone can learn Thai. 

The best way to get started is to visit ThaiPod101.com and explore our many lessons and learning tools. We recommend starting with our Thai Alphabet Made Easy lessons.

Before you go, let us know in the comments if you feel ready to start learning Thai! If not, we’d love to hear your questions or concerns as well. 

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The Top 10 Common Thai Mistakes for Learners to Avoid

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In Thai, there’s a saying, ผิดเป็นครู (phìt-bpen-khruu), which means “learning from your mistakes.”  

Still, making mistakes can sometimes be embarrassing, so it’s better if you can avoid them in the first place.  Hence, this comprehensive guide on typical Thai language mistakes from ThaiPod101.com.

You’ll learn about mistakes in Thai grammar, vocabulary, word choice, and the appropriate use of Thai phrases. By the end of this article, you should be able to decrease the number of common Thai-English mistakes you make, or avoid them altogether!

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Thai Table of Contents
  1. Similar Consonants
  2. Short and Long Vowel Sounds
  3. A Note on Tone Marks
  4. The Correct Tone for คะ (khá) and ค่ะ (khâ)
  5. False Friends
  6. ตัวผู้ (dtuua-phûu) is for Male Animals
  7. Word Order: Nouns and Adjectives
  8. Politeness Level
  9. Special Words for Monks
  10. Being Too Afraid to Speak
  11. Conclusion

1. Similar Consonants

A frequent mistake in Thai language-learning is that of confusing similar-sounding consonants. In Thai, there are many consonants that have similar sounds, and pronouncing them incorrectly can completely change the meaning of a word. Below are some examples.

1 – ข (kh) and ค (kh)

Despite having the same romanization, these two consonants have different sounds. ข (kh) sounds deeper than ค (kh), and if you use the wrong sound, this could happen:

Thai sentence: เนื้อปลาขาว ๆ น่ากินมาก
Thai pronunciation: núuea-bplaa-khǎao-khǎao-nâa-gin-mâak

Correct pronunciation meaning: “The white fish looks yummy.”
Incorrect pronunciation meaning: “The fishy fish looks yummy.”

Explanation:  

  • ขาว (khǎao) means “white” in Thai.
  • คาว (khaao) means “fishy” in Thai.

You can see that common pronunciation mistakes for Thai-learners like this one can be quite funny. 

We recommend that you listen to Thai people speaking often, so that you can learn how to pronounce these consonants correctly.

White Fish Sushi

The white fish looks yummy.

2 – ช (ch) and ฉ (ch)

Another pair of similar-sounding consonants is ช (ch) and ฉ (ch). 

Thai sentence: ฉิ่งเป็นเครื่องดนตรีไทย
Thai pronunciation: chìng-bpen-khrûueang-don-dtrii-thai

Correct pronunciation meaning: “The cymbal is a Thai musical instrument.”
Incorrect pronunciation meaning: “Running away is a Thai musical instrument.”

Explanation:  

Here’s another tip for avoiding typical Thai mistakes like this one: If there’s romanization, pay attention to the tone of the word. You may notice that, despite both words having the same tone mark, the tones are not the same.

3 – ถ (th) and ท (th)

The last pair of consonants is ถ (th) and ท (th). Here’s what a mistake in Thai might look like if you confuse them:

Thai sentence: คนให้ทั่ว ๆ นะ
Thai pronunciation: khon-hâi-thûua-thûua-ná

Correct pronunciation meaning: “Stir it thoroughly.”
Incorrect pronunciation meaning: “Stir it nut.”

Explanation:  

  • ทั่ว (thûua) means “thoroughly” in Thai.
  • ถั่ว (thùua) means “nut” in Thai.

Hopefully the examples and tips above will help you avoid these common mistakes English-speakers make in Thai!

2. Short and Long Vowel Sounds

Another common pronunciation mistake is to pronounce Thai vowels too short or too long. As there are many pairs of short and long vowels in Thai, it’s important that you pay close attention here. Pronouncing a word too short or too long can change its meaning.

1 – ุ (u) and ู (tuu)

Pronouncing ุ (u) and ู (tuu) incorrectly can lead to this weird situation:

Thai sentence: ดูเด็กคนนั้นสิ น่ารักจัง
Thai pronunciation: duu-dèk-khon-nán-sì nâa-rák-jang

Correct pronunciation meaning: “Look at that child, so cute.”
Incorrect pronunciation meaning: “Scold that child, so cute.”

Explanation:  

  • ดู (duu) means “look” in Thai.
  • ดุ () means “scold” in Thai.
Little Kid Counting on His Fingers

2 – ิ (i) and ี (ii)

ิ (i) and ี (ii) are another vowel sound pair that English-speakers often get confused by. See what happens if you use the wrong sound: 

Thai sentence: เขาเป็นช่างตีเหล็ก
Thai pronunciation: khǎo-bpen-châang-dtii-lèk

Correct pronunciation meaning: “He is a blacksmith.”
Incorrect pronunciation meaning: “He is a person who criticizes iron.”

Explanation:  

  • ตี (dtii) means “hit” in Thai.
  • ติ (dtì) means “criticize” in Thai.

3 – ะ (a) and า (aa)

The last example we’ll cover here is the pronunciation of ะ (a) and า (aa).

Thai sentence: วันนี้วันจันทร์
Thai pronunciation: wan-níi-wan-jan

Correct pronunciation meaning: “Today is Monday.”
Incorrect pronunciation meaning: “Today is Dish day.”

Explanation:  

  • จันทร์ (jan) means “moon,” or if it’s after วัน (wan), it means “Monday” in Thai.
  • จาน (jaan) means “dish” in Thai.

3. A Note on Tone Marks

Despite having the same name, you can’t use tone marks to define the tone of words. This is a common mistake in spoken Thai. There are many factors, other than tone marks, that affect the tone of a word. For example, initial consonants and vowel sounds. 

Example 1: ขา (khǎa), which means “leg” in Thai, has a rising tone despite having no tone mark.

Example 2: ซ้ำ (sám), which means “repeat,” in Thai, has a high tone despite having a falling tone mark.

Example 3: ฆ่า (khâa), which means “kill” in Thai, has a falling tone despite having a low tone mark.

4. The Correct Tone for คะ (khá) and ค่ะ (khâ)

In Thai, to be polite, females add คะ (khá) and ค่ะ (khà) to the end of sentences. However, many people use these incorrectly. This is the most common mistake in Thai, for both native Thai people and foreigners. Below are examples of how to use คะ (khá) and ค่ะ (khà) correctly.

1 – คะ (khá)

คะ (khá) is used in two conditions: 

  • After questions
  • After sentences that end with นะ ()

Example 1:  

กระดาษอยู่ที่ไหนคะ
grà-dàat-yùu-thîi-nǎi-khá
“Where is the paper?”

Example 2:  

อย่าทำแบบนี้อีกนะคะ
yàa-tham-bàaep-níi-ìik-ná-khá
“Don’t do this again.”

2 – ค่ะ (khâ)

ค่ะ (khâ) is used after affirmative and negative sentences.

Example 1:  

ฉันไม่กินเผ็ดค่ะ
chǎn-mâi-gin-phèt-khâ
I don’t eat spicy food.

Example 2:  

ฉันจะไปทะเลตอนสงกรานต์ค่ะ
chǎn-jà-bpai-thá-lee-dtaawn-sǒng-graan-khâ
“I will go to the sea during Songkran.”

Someone Swimming in the Sea with Scuba Diving Gear

5. False Friends

For those who can speak English, don’t be so happy to see or hear English words in Thai. The meanings may be very different! 

1 – Fit 

ฟิต (fít) is “too tight” in Thai, while in English, it means “not too tight or too loose.” 

  • กางเกงตัวนี้ใส่แล้วฟิตมาก 
    gaang-geeng-dtuua-níi-sài-láaeo-fít-mâak
    “These pants are too tight for me.”

2 – Over  

โอเวอร์ (oo-vôoe) is “exaggerate” in Thai, while in English, it means “end.” 

  • เรื่องที่เธอเล่ามันโอเวอร์มาก
    rûueang-thîi-thooe-lâo-man-oo-vôoe-mâak
    “The story you told is exaggerated.”

6. ตัวผู้ (dtuua-phûu) is for Male Animals

Another Thai word mistake you should know has to do with ตัวผู้ (dtuua-phûu). This word is used for male animals in Thai

When you start learning the language, you may learn that เมีย (miia) is “wife” in informal Thai and ผัว (phǔua) is “husband.” However, when it comes to animals, Thai people put ตัวเมีย (dtuua-miia) after the animal’s name to specify that the animal is female. You may see this, and think that you should use ตัวผัว (dtuua-phǔua) to specify that the animal is male, but this is incorrect! Instead, you should put ตัวผู้ (dtuua-phûu).

Example:  

  • สิงโตตัวผู้ (sǐng-dtoo-dtuua-phûu) is “male lion” in Thai.
  • สิงโตตัวเมีย (sǐng-dtoo-dtuua-miia) is “female lion” in Thai.
A Lion Roaring

7. Word Order: Nouns and Adjectives

Now, let’s talk about common Thai grammar mistakes that foreigners often make. 

In English, adjectives are put in front of nouns; in Thai, it’s the other way around.  

Example 1:  

ดอกไม้สีขาวมีกลิ่นหอม
dâawk-mái-sǐi-khǎao-mii-glìn-hǎawm
“The white flowers smell nice.”

A Bunch of Small White Flowers

Example 2:  

แม่ชอบผลไม้เปรี้ยว ๆ มากกว่าผลไม้หวาน ๆ
mâae-châawp-phǒn-lá-mái-bprîiao-bprîiao-mâak-gwàa-phǒn-lá-mái-wǎan-wǎan
“Mom likes sour fruit more than sweet fruit.”

8. Politeness Level

Politeness level is the source of many common Thai-English mistakes. In Thai, there are many words that mean the same thing but have different levels of politeness, which you may know already if you’ve studied Thai pronouns. Thus, it’s important to use the right words in the right situations. Using the wrong words can be both inappropriate and funny.

Example 1:  

คุณครูกินข้าวเที่ยงรึยังคะ
khun-khruu-gin-khâao-thîiang-rúe-yang-khá
“Have you had lunch yet?” (Talking to a teacher)

Explanation:  

The situation here is that a student is talking to a teacher. Thus, the student should ask the teacher this question in a polite manner. The student has already put คะ (khá) after the question, which is good. However, instead of using กิน (gin), it would have been better to use รับประทาน (ráp-bprà-thaan). And instead of using ข้าวเที่ยง (khâao-thîiang), the student should have used อาหารกลางวัน (aa-hǎan-glaang-wan).

Appropriate Thai sentence:  

คุณครูรับประทานอาหารกลางวันรึยังคะ
khun-khruu-thaan-aa-hǎan-glaang-wan-rúe-yang-khá
“Have you had lunch yet?” (Talking to a teacher)

Example 2:  

เธอมีบุตรกี่คน
thooe-mii-bùt-gìi-khon
“How many sons and daughters do you have?”

Explanation:  

Here, two friends are having a conversation. The speaker must be close to the other party, as there’s no ครับ (khráp) or คะ (khá) at the end of the sentence. In this case, using บุตร (bùt), which means “son” or “daughter,” is too polite. Instead, the speaker should have used ลูก (lûuk), which has the same meaning but sounds better.

Appropriate Thai sentence:  

เธอมีลูกกี่คน
thooe-mii-lûuk-gìi-khon
“How many sons and daughters do you have?”

9. Special Words for Monks

In Thai language, we have special words for monks which include pronouns and verbs. This is a part of คำราชาศัพท์ (kham-raa-chaa-sàp). Don’t be confused if you hear some words you are not familiar with when the topic involves monks in Thai.  Also, it is a good idea to learn basic words related to monks so that you won’t make common Thai mistakes.

Example 1:  

พระกำลังสวดมนต์อยู่
phrá-gam-lang-sùuat-mon-yùu
“The monks are praying.”

The Monks Are Praying

Explanation:  

สวดมนต์ (sùuat-mon) is “pray” in Thai, but it should be used with normal people. For monks, instead of using สวดมนต์ (sùuat-mon), Thai people use ทำวัตร (tham-wát).

Appropriate Thai sentence:  

พระกำลังทำวัตรอยู่
phrá-gam-lang-tham-wát-yùu
“The monks are praying.”

Example 2:  

พระไม่กินอาหารเย็น
phrá-mâi-gin-aa-hǎan-yen
“The monk didn’t have dinner.”

Explanation:  

กิน (gin) is “eat” in Thai, but it should be used with normal people. For monks, instead of using กิน (gin), Thai people use ฉัน (chǎn).

Appropriate Thai sentence:  

พระไม่ฉันอาหารเย็น
phrá-mâi-chǎn-aa-hǎan-yen
“The monk didn’t have dinner.”

10. Being Too Afraid to Speak

The biggest mistake in learning Thai is being too afraid to speak with natives. 

Don’t be afraid to speak, even if Thai people don’t seem to understand what you’re saying. Thai pronunciation is hard and Thai people know this. Actually, most Thai people find it cute when they hear foreigners trying to speak Thai, and they’ll try their best to understand. 

11. Conclusion

After finishing this lesson, we hope you can avoid making these common Thai mistakes. Have you ever made one of these Thai mistakes before? What did you feel? Let us know in the comments! 

Do you already know what you’re going to study next in your Thai learning? If you’re not sure, here are some suggestions:

Or you can visit ThaiPod101.com and choose another lesson that interests you.

Happy Thai learning!

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Basic Thai Questions and Answers You Should Know

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As a new Thai language-learner, do you find it hard to make conversation with native speakers? Because speaking Thai as often as possible is a great way to acquire the language, knowing the most common questions and answers in Thai conversations will be very helpful for you.  

Having a Thai Conversation

In this lesson, you’ll learn about asking questions in Thai and how you can answer them yourself. Knowing these common Thai questions and answers will give you the confidence you need to practice speaking more often! 

However, before we start our list of the top ten questions in Thai, there are a few things you need to know first.

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Thai Table of Contents
  1. An Overview of Asking Questions in Thai
  2. Our Thai Questions and Answers List
  3. Conclusion

1. An Overview of Asking Questions in Thai

First things first! We’ll answer some common Thai grammar questions that learners have, and introduce you to the basic vocabulary you should know.   

1 – Thai Question Marks 

When going over the topic of Thai questions, many learners wonder “Are there question marks in Thai?” The answer is yes, there are question marks in the Thai language.  

In Thai, question marks are called ปรัศนี (bpràt-sà-nii) and เครื่องหมายคำถาม (khrùueng-mǎai-kham-thǎam). In normal conversations, people usually use เครื่องหมายคำถาม (khrùueng-mǎai-kham-thǎam). ปรัศนี (bpràt-sà-nii) is rarely used in daily conversation; it’s only used in academic contexts.  

That said, there’s no rule about asking questions in Thai grammar that requires you to put a question mark after your question. Thai people really only put question marks after a question to show that they’re really in doubt and want to know the answer.

2 – Pronouns Used in Thai Questions and Answers

When you ask or answer questions in Thai, you can use both names and pronouns, so you’ll find it easier if you know some Thai pronouns. Below are some examples of pronouns often used in Thai questions and answers.

Thai pronouns for you:

  • คุณ (khun) is used in formal or business situations. It can be used with both males and females.
  • นาย (naai) is used in casual situations. It can be used with males only.
  • เธอ (thooe) is used in casual situations. It can be used with females only.

Thai pronouns for I:

  • ฉัน (chǎn) is used when the speaker is female.
  • ผม (phǒm) is used when the speaker is male.

You’ll find throughout this lesson that Thai people often omit the subject from the sentence, so don’t be surprised if you don’t hear any name or pronoun when speaking with natives.

3 – Making Questions and Answers Formal

To make a sentence formal in Thai, put the word ครับ (khráp) or ค่ะ (khâ) at the end of a sentence when speaking. ครับ (khráp) is used when the speaker is male, while ค่ะ (khâ) is used when the speaker is female. 

Keep in mind that there’s a special rule when it comes to questions: for females, instead of using ค่ะ (khâ), you put คะ (khá) after questions.

Now, let’s start learning ten common Thai phrases and questions.

2. Our Thai Questions and Answers List

First Encounter

1. What’s your name? 

The first question you should learn is how to ask for someone’s name. This is an easy question to ask in Thai, and it’s a great way to start a conversation with someone you don’t know.

1 – Thai question

Question pattern:
pronoun for “you” / noun + ชื่ออะไร
pronoun for “you” / noun + chûue-à-rai
“What is your name?”

2 – Thai answers

Answer pattern 1:
pronoun for “I” + ชื่อ + ___
pronoun for “I” + chûue + ___
“My name is ___.”

Answer pattern 2:
ชื่อ + ___
chûue + ___
“My name is ___.”

Answer pattern 3:
Just say your name.

Additional Note:  
Patterns 2 and 3 are short versions of pattern 1, which is the full answer. Of the three patterns, pattern 1 is the most formal, followed by pattern 2, with pattern 3 being the most casual.

3 – Examples

Example 1

Thai question:  
ลูกค้าชื่ออะไรคะ
lûuk-khaa-chûue-à-rai-khá
“What is the customer’s name?” (You are talking to the customer.)

Thai answer:  
ผมชื่อป้องศักดิ์ครับ
phǒm-chûue-bpâawng-sàk-khráp
“My name is Pongsak.”

Example 2

Thai question:  
เธอชื่ออะไร
thooe-chûue-à-rai
“What is your name?”

Thai answer:  
กิ๊ฟ
gíp
“Gip.”

2. Where are you from? 

To learn more about someone, one of the best Thai language questions to ask is “Where are you from?” There are a few ways to ask this question, shown below.

1 – Thai questions

Question pattern 1:  
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + มาจากที่ไหน
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + maa-jàak-thîi-nǎi
“Where are you from?”

Question pattern 2:  
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + เป็นคนจังหวัดอะไร
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + bpen-khon-jang-wàt-à-rai
“Which province are you from?”

Question pattern 3:  
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + เป็นคนประเทศอะไร
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + bpen-khon-bprà-thêet-à-rai
“Which country are you from?”

Additional Note:  
When Thai people are asked where they come from, they often answer with the name of the province they grew up in. Thus, you can use pattern 2 specifically with a Thai person. Pattern 3, as you can guess, is used with foreigners.

2 – Thai answers

Answer pattern 1:  
pronoun for “I” + มาจาก + ___
pronoun for “I” + maa-jàak + ___
“I come from ___.”

Answer pattern 2
มาจาก + ___
maa-jàak + ___
“I come from ___.”

Answer pattern 3:  
Just say the name of your hometown or country.

Additional Note:  
Patterns 1 through 3 can be used to answer all of the questions above. Patterns 2 and 3 are the short versions of pattern 1, which is the full answer. Pattern 1 is the most formal, followed by pattern 2, with pattern 3 being the most casual.

Answer pattern 4:  
pronoun for “I” + เป็นคน + name of province or country
pronoun for “I” + bpen-khon + ___
“I come from ___.”

Answer pattern 5:  
คน + name of province or country
khon + ___
“I am ___.”

Additional Note:  
Patterns 4 and 5 are used to answer question patterns 2 and 3 only. As you can see, pattern 5 is the short version of pattern 4.

3 – Examples

Example 1

Thai question:  
เดวิดมาจากที่ไหน
dee-vìt-maa-jàak-thîi-nǎi
“Where are you from?” (You are talking to David.)

Thai answer:  
มาจากออสเตเรียครับ
maa-jàak-áawt-dtee-riia
“I come from Australia.”

Example 2

Thai question:  
นักเรียนเป็นคนจังหวัดอะไร
nák-riian-bpen-khon-jang-wàt-à-rai
“Which province are you from?” (You are talking to a student.)

Thai answer:  
คนลพบุรีค่ะ
khon lóp-bù-rii khà
“I come from Lopburi.”

3. Do you speak ___? 

This is one of the best Thai questions for foreigners. Knowing the language skills of other parties makes it easier to communicate, in case you can speak the same language. ^^

1 – Thai question

Question pattern:  
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + พูดภาษา___ได้มั้ย
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + phûut-phaa-sǎa-___-dâi-mái
“Do you speak ___?”

2 – Thai answers

Answer pattern 1:  
ได้
dâi
“Yes.”

Answer pattern 2:  
ได้นิดหน่อย
dâi-nit-nàauy
“Yes, a little bit.”

Answer pattern 3:  
ไม่ได้
mâi-dâi
“No.”

3 – Examples

Example 1

Thai question:  
ลดาพูดภาษาจีนได้มั้ย
lá-daa-phûut-phaa-sǎa-jiin-dâi-mái
“Does Lada speak Chinese?”

Thai answer:  
ได้นิดหน่อย
dâi-nit-nàauy
“Yes, a little bit.”

Example 2

Thai question:  
น้ำตาลพูดภาษาอังกฤษได้มั้ย
nám-dtaan-phûut-phaa-sǎa-ang-grìt-dâi-mái
Does Namtarn speak English?

Thai answer:  
ได้ หนูเคยไปเรียนที่อเมริกา 3 ปี
dai nǔu-khooei-bpai-riian-thii-a-mee-ri-gaa-saam-bpii
“Yes, I do. I have studied in the United States for three years.”

4. How long have you been studying ___? 

To continue the conversation, you can ask this question in Thai.

1 – Thai questions

Question pattern 1:  
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + เรียนภาษา___มานานเท่าไหร่แล้ว
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + riian-phaa-sǎa-___-maa-naan-thâo-rài-láaeo
“How long have you been studying ___?”

Question pattern 2:  
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + เรียนภาษา___มากี่ปีแล้ว
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + riian-phaa-sǎa-___-maa-gìi-bpii-láaeo
“How many years have you been studying ___?”

2 – Thai answers

Answer pattern 1:  
pronoun for “I” + เรียนมา ___ ปี / เดือน
pronoun for “I” + riian-maa-___-bpii / duuean
“I have studied for ___ years / months.”

Answer pattern 2:  
เรียนมา ___ ปี / เดือน
riian-maa-___-bpii / duuean
“I have studied for ___ years / months.”

Answer pattern 3:  
pronoun for “I” + เรียนมาตั้งแต่อายุ ___ ปีแล้ว
pronoun for “I” + riian-maa-dtâng-dtàae-aa-yú-___-bpii-lâaeo
“I have studied since I was ___ years old.”

Answer pattern 4:  
เรียนมาตั้งแต่อายุ ___ ขวบ / ปีแล้ว
Riian-maa-dtâng-dtàae-aa-yú-___-khùuap / bpii-lâaeo
“I have studied since I was ___ years old.”

Pattern 2 is the short version of pattern 1, and pattern 4 is the short version of pattern 3. The subject of the sentence is omitted as Thai people assume you already know who you’re talking about.

ขวบ (khùuap) and ปี (bpii) are both numeric classifiers of age. ขวบ (khùuap) is used for ages under thirteen years old, while ปี (bpii) is used for ages thirteen years old and above.

3 – Examples

Example 1

Thai question:  
มิกิเรียนภาษาไทยมานานกี่ปีแล้วคะ
mí-gì-riian-phaa-sǎa-thai-maa-naan-gìi-bpii-láaeo-khá
How many years has Miki studied the Thai language?” (You are talking to Miki.)

Thai answer:  
เรียนมา 2 ปีแล้ว
riian-maa-sǎawng-bpii-láaeo-khà
“I have studied Thai for two years now.”

Example 2

Thai question:  
คุณเรียนภาษาอังกฤษมานานเท่าไหร่แล้วครับ
khun-riian-phaa-sǎa-ang-grìt-maa-naan-thâo-rài-láaeo-khráp
“How long have you studied English?”

Thai answer:  
ฉันเรียนภาษาอังกฤษมาตั้งแต่อายุ 3 ขวบค่ะ
chǎn-riian-phaa-sǎa-ang-grìt-maa-dtâng-dtàae-aa-yú-sǎam-khûuap-khà
“I have studied English since I was three years old.”

5. Have you been to ___? 

This is another conversational Thai question you should know, and you’re likely to hear it from travel enthusiasts! 

1 – Thai question

Question pattern:  
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + เคยไปประเทศ___มั้ย
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + khooei-bpai-bprà-thêet-___-mái
“Have you been to ___?”

2 – Thai answers

Answer pattern 1
เคย
khooei
“Yes, I have.”

Answer pattern 2:  
ไม่เคย
mâi-khooei
“No, I haven’t.”

3 – Examples

Example 1

Thai question:  
คุณป้าเคยไปประเทศญี่ปุ่นมั้ยคะ
khun-bpâa-khooei-bpai-bprà-thêet-yîi-bpùn-mái-khá
“Have you been to Japan?” (You are talking to your aunt.)

Thai answer:  
เคยจ๊ะ ปีที่แล้วป้าไปเที่ยวที่โตเกียวมา
khooei-já pbii-thîi-láaeo-bpâa-bpai-thîiao-thîi-dtoo-giiao-maa
“Yes, I have. I traveled to Tokyo last year.”

Example 2

Thai question:  
เธอเคยไปอยุธยามั้ย
thooe-khooei-bpai-à-yút-thá-yaa-mái
Have you been to Ayutthaya?

Thai answer:  
ไม่เคย แต่อยากไปมากนะ
mâi-khooei dtàae-yàak-bpai-mâak-ná
“No, I haven’t. But I really want to go there.”

Introducing Yourself

6. What do you do for work? 

If you’re asking questions in Thai to get to know more about someone, asking about their occupation is a must.  Good news: This conversational question in Thai is very easy.

1 – Thai question

Question pattern:  
pronoun for “you” / name + ทำอาชีพอะไร
pronoun for “you” / name + tham-aa-chîip-à-rai
What do you do for work?

2 – Thai answer

Answer pattern
pronoun for “I” + เป็น ___
pronoun for “I” + bpen ___
“I am a(n) ___.”

3 – Examples

Example 1

Thai question:  
คุณธัญญ์ทำอาชีพอะไรคะ
khun-than-tham-aa-chîip-à-rai-khá
“What does Than do for work?” (You are talking to Than.)

Thai answer:  
ผมเป็นวิศวกรครับ
khun-than-tham-aa-chîip-à-rai-khá
“I am an engineer.”

I am an Engineer
Example 2

Thai question:  
นายทำอาชีพอะไร
naai-tham-aa-chîip-à-rai
“What do you do for work?”

Thai answer:  
ผมเป็นครู
phǒm-bpen-khruu
“I am a teacher.”

7. Do you like ___ food? 

Asking someone about their food preferences is a fantastic way to get to know someone, and to find common ground.  

1 – Thai question

Question pattern:  
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + ชอบอาหาร___มั้ย
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + châawp-aa-hǎan-___-mái
“Do you like ___ food?”

2 – Thai answers

Answer pattern 1
ชอบ
châawp
“Yes, I do.”

Answer pattern 2:  
ไม่ชอบ
mâi-châawp
“No, I don’t.”

Answer pattern 3:  
เฉย ๆ
chǒoei-chǒoei
“Indifferent.”

3 – Examples

Example 1

Thai question:  
คุณครูชอบอาหารอินเดียมั้ยคะ
khun-khruu-châawp-aa-hǎan-in-diia-mái-khá
“Do you like Indian food?” (You are talking to a teacher.)

Thai answer:  
ชอบครับ หอมกลิ่นเครื่องเทศดี
châawp-khráp hǎawm-glìn-khrûueng-thêet-dii
“Yes, I do. The spices smell nice.”

Example 2

Thai question:  
โคลอี้ชอบอาหารไทยมั้ย
khloo-îi-châawp-aa-hǎan-thai-mái
“Do you like Thai food?” (You are talking to Chole.)

Thai answer:  
เฉย ๆ เพราะฉันทานเผ็ดไม่ได้
chǒoei-chǒoei phráw-chǎn-thaan-phèt-mâi-dâi
“I’m indifferent because I can’t eat spicy food.”

8. What are you doing?

This question can be used to start a conversation with someone, and to show that you’re interested in their life. 

1 – Thai question

Question pattern:  
pronoun for “you” / noun + ทำอะไรอยู่
pronoun for “you” / noun + tham-à-rai-yùu
“What are you doing?”

2 – Thai answers

Answer pattern 1
pronoun for “I” + กำลัง + verb + อยู่
pronoun for “I” + gam-lang + verb + yùu
“I am ___ now.”

Answer pattern 2
verb + อยู่
verb + yùu
“I am ___ now.”

Additional note:  
Pattern 2 is the short version of pattern 1. The subject of the sentence is omitted as Thai people assume you already know who you’re talking about.

3 – Examples

Example 1

Thai question:  
นักเรียนทำอะไรอยู่คะ
nák-riian-tham-à-rai-yùu-kha
“What are you doing?” (You are talking to a student.)

Thai answer:  
หนูกำลังทำการบ้านอยู่ค่ะ
nǔu-gam-lang-tham-gaan-bâan-yùu-khà
“I am doing homework now.”

I am Doing Homework Now
Example 2

Thai question:  
แม่ทำอะไรอยู่
mâae-tham-à-rai-yùu
“Mom, what are you doing?”

Thai answer:  
อาบน้ำอยู่
àap-nám-yùu
I’m taking a shower.”

9. What is wrong? 

To ask someone what’s wrong, there are a few different questions in Thai that you can use. 

1 – Thai questions

Question pattern 1:  
เกิดอะไรขึ้น
gòoet-à-rai-khûen
“What’s happened? What’s wrong?”

The literal meaning of this pattern is “What’s happened?” You ask this when you sense that something bad has happened and you want to know what it is.

Question pattern 2:  
มีปัญหาอะไรรึเปล่า
mii-bpan-hǎa-à-rai-rúe-bplào
“Is there any problem?”

This is another way to ask “What’s wrong?” when you sense that something bad happened.

2 – Thai answers

Answer pattern 1
Explain your problem or issues.

Answer pattern 2
ไม่มีอะไร
mâi-mii-à-rai
“Nothing wrong, no problem.”

3 – Examples

Example 1

Thai question:  
เสียงดังอะไรกัน มีปัญหาอะไรรึเปล่า
sǐiang-dang-à-rai-gan mii-bpan-hǎa-à-rai-rúe-bplào
“What is that loud noise? Is there any problem?”

Thai answer:  
ไม่มีอะไร ของตกเฉย ๆ
mâi-mii-à-rai khǎawng-dtok-chǒoei-chǒoei
“No problem. Something just fell.”

Example 2

Thai question:  
เกิดอะไรขึ้น ทำไมเธอถึงร้องไห้
gòoet-à-rai-khûen tham-mai-thooe-thǔeng-ráawng-hâi
“What’s wrong? Why are you crying?

Thai answer:  
มีคนบอกว่าแฟนนอกใจฉัน
mii-khon-bàawk-wâa-faaen-nâawk-jai-chǎn
“Someone told me my boyfriend cheated on me.”

What’s Wrong? Why Are You Crying?

10. How much is ___? 

Asking for the price of products and services is an important conversational skill to have in any country. Here are the Thai questions and answers you can use! 

1 – Thai questions

Question pattern 1:  
noun / pronoun + ราคาเท่าไหร่
noun / pronoun + raa-khaa-thâo-rài
“How much is noun/pronoun?”

Question pattern 2:  
noun / pronoun + ราคากี่บาท
noun / pronoun + raa-khaa-gìi-bàat
“How much is noun/pronoun?”

Despite having the same meaning, pattern 1 is more formal than pattern 2.

2 – Thai answers

Answer pattern 1
noun / pronoun + ราคา ___ บาท
noun / pronoun + raa-khaa-___-bàat
“Noun / pronoun is ___ Baht.”

Answer pattern 2
___ บาท
___-bàat
“___ Baht.”

Pattern 2 is the short version of pattern 1.

3 – Examples

Example 1

Thai question:  
กะหล่ำปลีราคากี่บาท
gà-làm-bplii-raa-khaa-gìi-bàat
“How much is the cabbage?”

Thai answer:  
30 บาท
sǎam-sìp-bàat
“30 Baht.”

Example 2

Thai question:  
รถคันนี้ราคาเท่าไหร่ครับ
rót-khan-níi-raa-khaa-thâo-rài-khráp
“How much is this car?”

Thai answer:  
รถคันนั้นราคา 500,000 บาทค่ะ
rót-khan-nán-raa-khaa-hâa-sǎaen-bàat-khà
“That car costs 500,000 Baht.”

11. Conclusion

You’ve just finished learning the basics about how to ask questions in Thai. If you can remember all of these common questions and answers, you have all you need to practice your Thai speaking and listening skills through conversations with Thai people. We hope this article has been very helpful for you! 

Now that you’ve finished this lesson, you may be curious about related topics such as question words in Thai,  which you can learn on ThaiPod101.com as well. Of course, there are other interesting lessons for you to study, such as Thai Girl’s Dream Job and Thai Jokes. Don’t forget to visit ThaiPod101.com and check out new lessons as they become available. 

Before you go, practice writing some of these Thai questions and answers in the comments section, and answer the questions about yourself. We look forward to hearing from you!

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The Best Guide for Passing a Thai Competency Test

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When you’re learning something, a test is considered a part of the learning process. Taking a test shows your current skills and improvements you’ve made in that topic; at the same time, it reveals areas that still need improvement. For Thai learners, taking a Thai competency test is a good idea.  

The most popular Thai language proficiency test is the CU-TFL. Thus, in this lesson, we’ll give you practical information about this Thai language competency test, including details about each part and when, where, and how to register to take the test. Of course, we’ll also provide you with some tips on how to pass this Thai exam.  

Let’s get started.

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Study Strategies in Thai Table of Contents
  1. General Information About the CU-TFL
  2. A Breakdown of Each Section
  3. Tips on Preparing for a Thai Proficiency Exam
  4. Conclusion

1. General Information About the CU-TFL

Language Skills

If you want to work in Thailand, you’re in luck! Aside from some professional jobs, most of the jobs available for foreigners don’t require many Thai language skills. Jobs for foreigners in Thailand are normally in environments where workers can speak English. Still, you have a life outside of work, which inevitably requires you to have basic knowledge of the Thai language. As mentioned above, testing your Thai skills enables you to see how much you know so you can continue improving.  

The most common Thai language exam for foreigners is the CU-TFL, which stands for “The Chulalongkorn University Proficiency Test of Thai as a Foreign Language.” It’s the most popular Thai language assessment test. For your information, Chulalongkorn University is one of the top three universities in Thailand. In a way, the university’s high status makes the test more reputable.

The test is taken at The Sirindhorn Thai Language Institute. Applicants must contact the institute to schedule the test date (at least two weeks in advance) before filling out the online application. Then, the applicant will receive the bill payment slip, and must make a payment at least three days prior to the test date. The CU-TFL test has four sections: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. This test classifies the examinee into one of five groups: distinguished, superior, advanced, intermediate, and novice. 

In the following sections, we’ll provide you with a complete guide on this Thai language proficiency exam. 

2. A Breakdown of Each Section

1- Listening Section 

Duration: 60 minutes

Number of questions: 

  • 50 multiple-choice questions
  • Part 1: 1-3 announcements and short articles
  • Part 2: 2-3 announcements and medium-length articles
  • Part 3: 2-3 news excerpts, event descriptions, and documentaries
  • Part 4: 1-2 medium-length conversations about opinion expression or an interview of two people
  • Part 5: 1 long conversation about opinion expression or an interview of three people

Skills and competencies needed: 

  • Be able to understand short conversations, announcements, interviews, or advertisements
  • Be able to comprehend and summarize a story
  • Be able to analyze a story

Instructions:  

  • You’ll get three sets of paper: the test, a sheet to mark your answers, and paper for note-taking.
  • Before the test begins, you’ll hear the explanation, instructions, and be given a sample question. 
  • Once the test begins, you’ll hear a conversation or story, followed by questions and four choices. You’ll hear the story/conversation, questions, and choices only once.
Practice for the Listening Test

2- Reading Section 

Duration: 60 minutes

Number of questions: 

  • 50 multiple-choice questions
  • Part 1: 1-3 signs and short announcements
  • Part 2: 2-3 medium-length announcements 
  • Part 3: 2-3 news excerpts, event descriptions, medium-length documentaries, or academic articles
  • Part 4: 1-2 conversations about opinion expression 
  • Part 5: 1 news critique, editorial, or academic article

Skills and competencies needed:  

  • Be able to understand a story, as well as punctuation and numbers used in daily life
  • Be able to understand the reference in a story
  • Be able to comprehend and summarize a story
  • Be able to analyze a story
  • Be able to understand the story and analyze it based on knowledge of Thai society and culture

Instructions:  

  • You’ll get two sets of paper: the test and the answer sheet.
  • There’s no time limit for each part, so you can allocate time for the five parts yourself.

3- Writing Section 

Duration: 60 minutes

Number of questions: Write one essay to express your opinion on a given topic.

Skills and competencies needed: 

  • Be able to understand a story, as well as punctuation and numbers used in daily life
  • Be able to write as requested 
  • Be able to spell and punctuate, use vocabulary and sentence structure, and choose the appropriate language level
  • Know the types of articles and their structures
  • Be able to use proper written Thai with the audience in mind
  • Be able to use daily-life idioms

Instructions: You’ll get two sets of paper: the test and the answer sheet.

Write an Essay to Express Your Opinion

4- Speaking Section 

Duration: 40 minutes

Number of questions:  

  • An unknown number of questions, divided into three parts
  • Part 1: Have conversations with the tester
  • Part 2: Report and express your opinion (speak alone) 
  • Part 3: Interview the tester and summarize information

Skills and competencies needed:  

  • Be able to pronounce correctly, choose the proper words, idioms, and sentence structures, and respond to the examiner
  • Be able to use the right language level for the situation and audience
  • Be able to have a fluent conversation 
  • Be able to express your opinion on various topics
  • Be able to ask for information about the assigned topic
  • Be able to summarize information

Instructions:  

  • You will be recorded during the test.
  • There will be only one applicant per test.
  • The tester is an educated Thai person who uses Thai as their native language.

3. Tips on Preparing for a Thai Proficiency Exam

To do well on any Thai language exam, you need to practice a lot! Below, we’ve outlined a few ways you can do this effectively. 

1 – Read signs, announcements, news excerpts, and articles in Thai.

If you live in Thailand, pay attention to the signs, announcements, snippets of news, and articles around you.  These are a part of everyday life in Thailand, so they’ll definitely be included on the test. We suggest that whenever you see a sign, you learn what it means and think about where else you might find it. This will significantly help you in the reading and listening sections.

Pay Attention to Signs

 2 – Watch a variety of shows and dramas in Thai.

To improve your listening and speaking skills, you need to be able to understand how Thais speak in daily life. One of the best ways to do so is to watch a variety of Thai shows and dramas. This is a fun activity that allows you to watch media that fits your interests! 

You’ll be able to hear the accent of native Thai speakers and become more familiar with Thai sentence structure. This will, in turn, help you improve your own speaking skills. 

You’ll also get to know more about Thai society and culture, which will indirectly help you understand more about Thai people, leading to a better test score. Nowadays, you can watch a variety of shows and dramas online on YouTube, on live TV, on Thai Netflix, and more. 

3 – Study the basic Thai social norms, and learn about the society and culture.

To do well on your Thai competency test, you need to understand some of the Thai social norms, as well as the society and culture. You can learn about these topics in various ways, such as watching shows (like we mentioned above), talking to Thai people, and reading related books.

Learn about Thai Culture

4 -Talk to Thai people about various topics.

As mentioned above, talking to Thai people can help you learn about Thai social norms, society, and culture.  But the benefits don’t end there! Talking to Thai people will help you learn how to express your opinions more fluently; this will give you a huge advantage when it comes time for the speaking portion of the test. Also, the more you make conversation, the better your speaking and listening skills will become.

Talk about Thai Boxing

5 – Practice writing about different topics in Thai.

To do well in the writing section, you have to practice a lot. On the test, you’ll be asked to write one article that expresses your opinion on a given topic, so you need to practice writing about various topics. In addition, you’ll need to learn related vocabulary and sentence structures to write a good essay.

6 – Do a lot of test exercises.

Last but not least, you need to do a lot of test exercises. Like with every other test, practicing helps you do better. By doing a CU-TFL test sample, you’ll become more familiar with the questions, work on allocating your time better, and finish the real test more efficiently. You can buy a CU-TFL book to do Thai language practice tests, or download the test example from the manual.

4. Conclusion

We hope that after reading this complete guide to the CU-TFL Thai language proficiency test, you have a better idea of how to pass it with flying colors. Please let us know your thoughts about the CU-TFL in the comments, and let us know if you have any questions. 

And don’t forget to check out other interesting lessons on ThaiPod101.com. We have tons of lessons on the Thai language, culture, and traditions that you should take a look at! We recommend our lessons about the New Year resolutions of Thai people and talking about family in Thai

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Thai Keyboard: How to Install and Type in Thai

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You asked, so we provided—easy-to-follow instructions on how to set up your electronic devices to write in Thai! We’ll also give you a few excellent tips on how to use this keyboard, as well as some online and app alternatives if you prefer not to set up a Thai keyboard.

Log in to Download Your Free Thai Alphabet Worksheet Table of Contents
  1. Why it’s Important to Learn to Type in Thai
  2. Setting up Your Computer and Mobile Devices for Thai
  3. How to Activate an Onscreen Keyboard on Your Computer
  4. How to Change the Language Settings to Thai on Your Computer
  5. Activating the Thai Keyboard on Your Mobile Phone and Tablet
  6. Thai Keyboard Typing Tips
  7. How to Practice Typing Thai

1. Why it’s Important to Learn to Type in Thai

A keyboard

Learning a new language is made so much easier when you’re able to read and write/type it. This way, you will:

  • Get the most out of any dictionary and Thai language apps on your devices
  • Expand your ability to find Thai websites and use the various search engines
  • Be able to communicate much better online with your Thai teachers and friends, and look super cool in the process! 

2. Setting up Your Computer and Mobile Devices for Thai

A phone charging on a dock

It takes only a few steps to set up any of your devices to read and type in Thai. It’s super-easy on your mobile phone and tablet, and a simple process on your computer.

On your computer, you’ll first activate the onscreen keyboard to work with. You’ll only be using your mouse or touchpad/pointer for this keyboard. Then, you’ll need to change the language setting to Thai, so all text will appear in Thai. You could also opt to use online keyboards instead. Read on for the links!

On your mobile devices, it’s even easier—you only have to change the keyboard. We also provide a few alternatives in the form of online keyboards and downloadable apps.

3. How to Activate an Onscreen Keyboard on Your Computer

1- Mac

1. Go to System Preferences > Keyboard.

2. Check the option “Show Keyboard & Character Viewers in Menu Bar.”

3. You’ll see a new icon on the right side of the main bar; click on it and select “Show Keyboard Viewer.”

A screenshot of the keyboard viewer screen

2- Windows

1. Go to Start > Settings > Easy Access > Keyboard.

2. Turn on the option for “Onscreen Keyboard.”

3- Online Keyboards

If you don’t want to activate your computer’s onscreen keyboard, you also have the option to use online keyboards. Here are some good options:

4- Add-ons of Extensions for Browsers

Instead of an online keyboard, you could also choose to download a Google extension to your browser for a language input tool. The Google Input Tools extension allows users to use input tools in Chrome web pages, for example.

4. How to Change the Language Settings to Thai on Your Computer

Man looking at his computer

Now that you’re all set to work with an onscreen keyboard on your computer, it’s time to download the Thai language pack for your operating system of choice:

  • Windows 8 (and higher)
  • Windows 7
  • Mac (OS X and higher)

1- Windows 8 (and higher)

  1. Go to “Settings” > “Change PC Settings” > “Time & Language” > “Region & Language.”
  2. Click on “Add a Language” and select “Thai.” This will add it to your list of languages. It will appear as ไทย with the note “language pack available.”
  3. Click on “ไทย” > “Options” > “Download.” It’ll take a few minutes to download and install the language pack.
  4. As a keyboard layout, you’ll only need the one marked as “Thai – ไทย.” You can ignore other keyboard layouts.

2- Windows 7

1. Go to Start > Control Panel > Clock, Language, and Region.

2. On the “Region and Language” option, click on “Change Keyboards or Other Input Methods.”

3. On the “Keyboards and Languages” tab, click on “Change Keyboards” > “Add” > “Thai.”

4. Expand the option of “Thai” and then expand the option “Keyboard.” Select the keyboard layout marked as “Thai.” You can ignore other keyboard layouts. Click “OK” and then “Apply.”

3- Mac (OS X and higher)

If you can’t see the language listed, please make sure to select the right option from System Preferences > Language and Region

1. From the Apple Menu (top left corner of the screen) go to System Preferences > Keyboard.

2. Click the Input Sources tab and a list of available keyboards and input methods will appear.

3. Click on the plus button, select “Thai,” and add the “Thai” keyboard.

Adding a system language

5. Activating the Thai Keyboard on Your Mobile Phone and Tablet

Texting and searching in Thai will greatly help you master the language! Adding a Thai keyboard on your mobile phone and/or tablet is super-easy.

You could also opt to download an app instead of adding a keyboard. Read on for our suggestions.

Below are the instructions for both iOS and Android mobile phones and tablets.

1- iOS

1. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard.

2. Tap “Keyboards” and then “Add New Keyboard.”

3. Select “Thai” from the list.

4. When typing, you can switch between languages by tapping and holding on the icon to reveal the keyboard language menu.

2- Android

1. Go to Settings > General Management > Language and Input > On-screen Keyboard (or “Virtual Keyboard” on some devices) > Samsung Keyboard.

2. Tap “Language and Types” or “ + Select Input Languages” depending on the device and then “MANAGE INPUT LANGUAGES” if available.

3. Select “ไทย” from the list.

4. When typing, you can switch between languages by swiping the space bar.

3- Applications for Mobile Phones

If you don’t want to add a keyboard on your mobile phone or tablet, these are a few good apps to consider:

6. Thai Keyboard Typing Tips

Typing in Thai can be very challenging at first! Therefore, we added here a few useful tips to make it easier to use your Thai keyboard.

A man typing on a computer

1- Computer

  • Thai keyboards are quite simple because Thai’s consonants, vowels, and tone marks are all included on the keyboard (with Shift and without Shift). To increase typing speed, it’s suggested to remember the location of each Thai letter on the keyboard.
  • There are two layouts of the Thai keyboard called “Ketmanee” and “Pattachote.” However, in 1988, TISI (Thai Industrial Standards Institute) announced that the Ketmanee layout is the standard layout for computers.

2- Mobile Phones

  • There are two types of keyboard layouts for mobile: the QWERTY keyboard and the 3×4 keyboard. People mostly use the QWERTY layout as it’s similar to a PC keyboard.

7. How to Practice Typing Thai

As you probably know by now, learning Thai is all about practice, practice, and more practice! Strengthen your Thai typing skills by writing comments on any of our lesson pages, and our teacher will answer. If you’re a ThaiPod101 Premium PLUS member, you can directly text our teacher via the My Teacher app—use your Thai keyboard to do this!

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The 4 Most Difficult Aspects of Thai and How to Overcome Them

Reading

Like the culture it represents the Thai language is beautiful and multifaceted. If you’ve decided to learn Thai you’re in for a real language learning treat!

However, your Thai learning journey won’t be all sunshine and roses. If you’re a native English speaker, there are some real challenges standing between you and fluency.

But that’s no reason to despair or thrown in the towel. The truth is that these challenges, though they often look intimidating, are common and countless students before you have overcome them. You just need a little practice and perseverance!

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In this article, we look at four of the most common hurdles students face while learning Thai, and we give some practical tips on how to move past them. Enjoy!

1) The Thai Script

Reading

If you’re a native English speaker and Thai is your first foreign language, you may be in for a shock when you first encounter the Thai script. In English, we’re coming from a Latin based alphabet. If we see written languages like French, Spanish, German or even Romanian we’re a lot more comfortable. Heck, even languages as far-flung as Russian and Vietnamese make use of Latin characters.

But when it comes to the Thai alphabet, nothing is going to look familiar. You will have a whole new set of characters to become familiar with. You’ll also start to notice that the Thai alphabet, doesn’t work as a true alphabet the same way the English one does. Characters representing consonants are often interspersed with diacritic marks which represent vowel sounds. If that wasn’t foreign enough, there are also four tone marks (one tone has no mark). More on the Thai tones later!

It’s this mixture of characters and marks that make up written Thai words.

When studying Thai it’s important to start learning the alphabet as soon as possible. Knowing how to read Thai will open the doors to new study materials, literature, media, and so much more. The best way to get started is to learn the Thai alphabet like you did the English one: one step at a time.

The truth is foreign alphabets look a lot more intimidating than they actually are. Once you dive in and start practicing you’ll most likely pick things up quicker than you thought.

2) Tonal system

Tonal system

Like other languages native to Asia, Thai is a tonal language. This means that the pitch of your Thai pronunciation will affect the meaning of what you say. There are a total of five tones in Thai: low, mid, high, falling, and rising.

The best way to practice the tones is to learn them individually and then practice hearing them as well as speaking them. Once you’ve spent some time practicing the tones one by one, test yourself with native audio.

Listen to a native conversation and try to pick out the words you hear. If you can get a written version of the conversation double check it after you’ve listened back a few times. Focus on the sounds you missed and work through them more slowly. You can also record yourself saying the conversation aloud and compare your recording to the native one.

ThaiPod101 is a perfect tool for this kind of auditory exercise because their lessons are built around Thai conversations. Each lesson has a transcript and you can even play back individual words at a slower pace if needed!

3) Regional differences in the language

Thailand

Most spoken languages have different dialects or mild differences in different parts of the world. Thai is no exception. For example, the Thai spoken in the North of Thailand (known as the Isan region) shares more commonalities with the language of nearby Laos than the Thai spoken in other regions of Thailand.

Usually, this isn’t a huge problem for students. Regional differences appear more often in day to day informal speech, and less in media or learning materials. Advance students and travelers might have to grapple with these differences but the average language learner is unlikely to.

If you do encounter a regional difference it’s nothing to sweat about either. Think of it as a door to another room in the deep and mysterious hall that is Thai. The bulk of the language will be the same, so you should able to figure out the words you don’t know pretty well for the words you do know.

4) Listening comprehension

Listening

Once you get past the alphabet and have a decent handle on the tones, you will most likely notice a big jump in your language ability. Basic phrases and common words will start coming to you fairly easily. When you start speaking with native speakers though, you will hit the next major roadblock on your journey: listening comprehension.

Listening comprehension is a common problem every language learner faces, whether he or she is learning Thai or a different language. For me, nothing was more discouraging than feeling like native speakers talk at 100+ miles per hour. Even though I knew core vocabulary and grammar, I couldn’t understand Thai when it was spoken naturally.

Fortunately, this challenge is nothing a little practice and a bit of patience can’t solve. Remember the listening exercises we did for the Thai tones? To improve your listening skills, you just need to take that basic exercise and expand it ever so slightly.

When you were working on the five tones you focused on pronouncing and hearing individual words. Well, when you want to take your listening skills to the next level you just need to move from practicing single words to practicing whole phrases.

When words are spoken together in rapid succession, the syllables in the word can be combined, changed, or even dropped altogether. It’s these changes that throw off new students. This happens in every language, not just Thai.

Think of the English phrase. “How are you doing?”. Depending on what part of the English speaking world you’re from, this phrase can sound like “How you doing?” “How ya doin’?” or “How’r you doing?”. What’s natural for native English speakers is not natural to students of the language, and the same goes for Thai.

Practicing your listening skills with whole phrases will help you develop your ear and pick up the nuances of spoken Thai that are unfamiliar to you.

Conclusion

If you’ve studied Thai for more than a week or two you’ll realize pretty quickly it’s no walk in the park. However, the challenges you face shouldn’t discourage you from learning the language. No matter which aspect of the language is giving you trouble, there’s a method or technique for overcoming it. Hopefully, this article inspired you and gave you some practical tools for your journey through the Thai language!

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The Best Guide to Finding Jobs in Thailand for Foreigners

Many people love Thailand. The food here is nice, and you can find food and beverages here almost twenty-four/seven. Thai people are known to be kind and live a relaxing lifestyle. Further, the cost of living in Thailand isn’t very high and the medical service here isn’t bad for foreignersw (Thailand is also known for its medical tourism!)

Knowing this, you may start to think to yourself, “This place is nice. I want to work in Thailand. I want to live here.” For those who don’t know where to start, ThaiPod101.com can help you find jobs in Thailand.

For foreigners, there are a few cities in Thailand where you can live comfortably: Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya, Huahin, Chaingmai, and Khonkaen. These are places with good infrastructures, hospitals, schools, and more.

To work in Thailand, you need to understand either Thai or English for communication unless you have a special skill that companies in Thailand can’t find elsewhere. Still, since you have to live in Thailand, it’s absolutely better and easier for you if you know some Thai.

With this in mind, let’s explore how to find a job in Thailand as a foreigner! We have information on various aspects of the process, from jobs types to the Thai resume.

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Without further ado, here’s our guide on how to find a job in Thailand.

Table of Contents

  1. Recommended Jobs for Foreigners, Categorized by Type of Jobs
  2. How to Find a Job in Thailand?
  3. Tips for Getting a Job in Thailand
  4. Why Should You Learn Thai if You Want to Work in Thailand?
  5. Conclusion

1. Recommended Jobs for Foreigners, Categorized by Type of Jobs

There’s a lot of work in Thailand for foreigners. If you have no idea what you can do in Thailand, here are some recommendations.

1- Teaching Jobs

Teacher

There are several jobs in Thailand for English-speaking foreigners, and one of the most popular is teaching English. Thai parents want their kids to be able to communicate in English, not to mention the fact that the trend of international schools and universities has reached its peak.

Nowadays, it’s considered almost necessary to know even a 3rd language, such as Japanese, Chinese, and so on. Thus, there are plenty of job opportunities for both language teachers and non-language teachers. So if you have knowledge and love children, a teaching job may be right for you. Keep reading if you want to learn how to find a teaching job in Thailand!

Credentials

  • To be an English teacher, you need a TEFL certificate. Keep in mind that for English teaching jobs, working in Thailand as an American or European can be a great advantage.
  • For other language teachers, if you’re native, you’re very likely to be hired.
  • For non-language teachers, you need a degree related to the subject you teach. If you want to teach in universities, you need a lot of work experience related to the subject you want to teach, or a degree from a top university.

    Language required
  • English and non-language teachers need to be able to communicate in English. However, if you also know Thai, it will be a lot easier to explain to your students. So learning Thai may not be a must but it is recommended.
  • Other language teachers don’t have to communicate in English. Still, basic knowledge in Thai will help you explain to your students more easily. So we recommend that you learn Thai.

    Visa and work permit
  • For professional jobs, most of the time, if a company agrees to hire you, they’ll do the visa and work permit for you.

    Tips: Finding jobs to teach English in Thailand isn’t difficult. The reason is that there are several teaching job vacancies in Thailand, making this career path promising for foreigners. If you’re wondering how to get a teaching job in Thailand, here are some websites you should visit:
  • https://www.ajarn.com/recruitment/jobs
  • https://www.teachthailand.org/teach-in-thailand/
  • Website of international school in Thailand

2- Professional Jobs

If you already have a degree or skill and want to work in Thailand, there are various jobs you can do. Still, you may not be able to participate in some occupations due to the laws in Thailand. You have to pass the test of Thai government, and most of these require that you know Thai language. However, there are still plenty of job offers in Thailand that require your skill and knowledge.

1. Medical occupation

To be able to perform medical practice in Thailand, you need a license from the Medical council of Thailand. In order to get a license, you have to pass the test, which requires you to know the Thai language which can be a big obstacle. But if medical care is your passion, tackling this obstacle will prove to be very rewarding as you live your life in Thailand as a doctor or nurse!

  • Credential: Medical degree
  • Language required: If you’re a researcher, there’s no need to know Thai. But if you have to do medical practice, you should know Thai so that you can communicate with co-workers and patients.

Medical Practice

2. Engineer

According to the law, to work as an engineer in Thailand, you need to pass the test of Council of Engineers. Still, many foreign engineers can work in Thailand using the knowledge you learned as a consultant. There are plenty of jobs in BKK and other provinces that need engineering knowledge.

  • Credential: Engineering degree
  • Language required: You need to know English for sure. As for the Thai language, it depends on your job. If you’re working at a factory or not in Bangkok, not all staffs understand English. Knowing Thai is your advantage and can make your work a lot easier.

3. Lawyer

Similar to becoming an engineer, in order to become a lawyer in Thailand, you need to pass the Test of Lawyer Council. But even before you pass this test, there are still work opportunities for you in Thailand. Many international law firms in Thailand are very happy to hire foreigners as consultants as long as they have knowledge in Law.

  • Credential: Law degree
  • Language required: If you’re working in an international law firm, there’s no need to understand Thai as most of your co-workers will understand English. Still, understanding some Thai will certainly help you with living in Thailand.

4. Diving Instructor

Diving may not be the most popular sport or activity in Thailand, but many people are still interested in it. So there is a need for diving instructors.

Diving Activity

  • Credential: PADI-qualified
  • Language required: At bare minimum, you need to be able to communicate in English. However, not all Thai people understand English, so knowing Thai will help you a lot.
  • Visa and work permit: Most of the time, if a company agrees to hire you for a professional job, they’ll do the visa and work permit for you.

3- Blue-collar Jobs

In Thailand, there are a lot of blue-collar jobs foreigners can do. These include:

  • Waiter
  • Maid
  • Nanny
  • Helper
  • Security guard

Nowadays, most Thai people prefer to work in factories rather than doing these jobs.

  • Credential: There’s no credential required, but if workers have related skills and experience, this is a plus. Simply put, these are jobs in Thailand that you can do without a degree.
  • Language required: Most of these jobs require workers to be able to communicate in Thai. So if you want to pursue one of these jobs, you should be able to at least speak Thai. Being able to read and write in Thai is an extra advantage.
  • Visa and work permit: For blue collar jobs, workers have to do the visa and work permit by themselves.

4- Part-time Jobs

Part-time jobs may be an interesting endeavor for those who have too much free time. There are several part-time jobs that foreigners can do in Thailand. Here are some examples:

  • Writing articles is a nice part-time job if you like writing. You can do this at home and choose the topic of your interest. There’s no cost and this can be a hobby as well. Most people get writing jobs through friends and networks.
  • Teaching others how to play a musical instrument is also a great part-time job. There are many foreigners whose kids are interested in music and need an English-speaking teacher. You can find music jobs like this on community websites such as Craigslist and Thailand Starter Kit.
  • Music Teacher

  • If you’re in the academic field, doing research is another part-time job you can do. In Thailand, professors in universities are required to do research, and sometimes they collaborate with foreign professors.

2. How to Find a Job in Thailand?

Now that you have an idea of what job/occupation you can do in Thailand, the next thing to do is actually start looking for jobs in Thailand. Whether it’s a job in Bangkok for foreigners, jobs in Phuket for foreigners, filling in job vacancies in Thailand for foreigners/expats, Pattaya jobs for foreigners, or Thai jobs for foreigners, you can find them in the following channels.

1- Head-hunting Company

If the job you want is very specific and requires a special skill, it can be hard to find the right candidate. So many companies use the service of a head-hunting company. The most popular head-hunting companies in Thailand are listed below:

  • Adecco: This company has been operating in Thailand for almost thirty years. It’s well-known for providing good consultancies to workers and finding good matches between companies and potential candidates.
  • PRTR: PRTR is a recruitment outsourcing company that’s been operating in Thailand for twenty-eight years. This is another agency that’s pretty famous in Thailand.
  • Robert Walters: This company is known among recruitment workers at an executive level. It’s been operating in Thailand since 2008.

2- Website

If you don’t want to use the services of a recruitment company, you can find work on your own. There are a few websites that you should visit if you want to find work in Thailand.

  • JobsDB: JobsDB Thailand is one of the biggest job portal websites in Thailand. If Thai people want to find a job, there’s a high chance that they’ll visit this website. You can filter through jobs using the location you want to live, such as finding work in Pattaya. Or you can find jobs using the industry you want to work in, such as hotel jobs in Thailand for foreigners or jobs vacancies in Bangkok hospitals. This website can guide you to many job vacancies in Bangkok for foreigners as well as other parts of the country.
  • Craigslist: Despite not being a job portal website, Craiglist is pretty famous among foreigners for job searching in Thailand. For those who just moved to Thailand, it’s a great website with lots of good information you should know. For example, one of the categories you’ll find involved finding expat jobs in Thailand. The name of the website may make you think there are only jobs in Bangkok, Thailand for foreigners, but you can find jobs in other provinces as well.
  • Thailand Starter Kit: Similar to Craigslist, Thailand Starter Kit is another website that offers good information, know-how, and experience for foreigners who live in Thailand. So you can use it to find jobs in Thailand for foreigners as well.

3- Network

Social networking is a very powerful tool nowadays. So it isn’t surprising that in Thailand, career opportunities can be found using the following social networks:

  • LinkedIn: Once settled in Thailand, many foreigners have said that they got a job using LinkedIn. All you need to do to get started is create an accurate and clear profile.
  • Facebook: Another way to find a job is through the most popular social media in Thailand: Facebook. You can join a group of your interest or even a group for foreigners; sometimes, people will post job offerings there.

4- Printed Media

Despite the technology disruption, some printed media survives and many people still use it to find jobs. If you like reading, it’s a good idea to look at these printed media:

  • Daco: For Japanese who are looking for jobs in Bangkok, this free magazine has a section for job searching. You can get this magazine at Max Value, in Japanese schools in Thailand, or at a Japanese restaurant.
  • Bangkok Post: The Bangkok Post is a famous newspaper for foreigners. And like other newspapers, there’s a section for job opportunities in Bangkok, as well as other provinces, for foreigners.
  • Job hunting on newspaper

3. Tips for Getting a Job in Thailand

The process of recruitment in Thailand isn’t so different from other countries in the rest of the world. Essentially, you just need to send in a resume, take a test if you need to, and go through the interview process. Still, there are some details in the process which may be a bit different. So here are a few tips you can use if you want to work in Bangkok or other provinces in Thailand.

1- Tips on Writing a CV/Resume

  • If you’ve just graduated, it’s important to put the name of your university and the faculty in which you graduated on your resume. Thai HR uses university names as a standard in selecting employees. Further, if you worked part-time or participated in interesting activities during your study, you can include this as well.
  • If you already have experience in work, you should focus on your work experience rather than your educational background.
  • Don’t forget to highlight your skills or characteristics that are related to the position you applied for.
  • Don’t put too much information on the resume. You should try to put everything on one page, maximum.
  • Your resume and CV should look formal if you’re applying for professional work such as a consultancy job in a law firm or a teacher. Still, for some positions, you can be as creative as you want; this is especially true for professions such as a designer.
  • Keep in mind that the Thai resume really isn’t that much different from resumes elsewhere!

2- Interview

Interviewing is the process that helps a company know more about you, and vice-versa. So you should prepare yourself well to create a good impression. On the interview day, you should arrive at the company a little bit earlier than the appointed time. And you should dress formal (no jeans, no shorts, no sandals) if you’re applying for professional work. Greeting, introducing yourself, and saying thank you in Thai will especially impress HR staff. And these are the questions you’re likely to be asked:

  • “Tell me about yourself” — แนะนำตัวเองหน่อยครับ/ค่ะ (náe-nam dtuua-eeng nàauy khráp/khà)
  • “Tell me your strengths and weaknesses” — บอกจุดแข็งและจุดอ่อนของคุณหน่อยครับ/ค่ะ (bàawk jùt khǎaeng láe jùt àawn khǎawng khun nàauy khráp/khà)
  • “Why do you think this is the right job for you?” — ทำไมคุณถึงคิดว่างานนี้เหมาะกับคุณ (tham-mai khun thǔeng khít wâa ngan níi màw gàp khun)
  • “Why should the company hire you?” — ทำไมบริษัทเราถึงควรจ้างคุณ (tham-mai baaw-rí-sàt rao thǔeng khuuan jâang khun)
  • “Why do you want to change your job?” — ทำไมคุณถึงเปลี่ยนงาน (tham-mai khun thǔeng phlìian ngaan)
  • You may also be asked about the company you’re applying for, so you should have some information about the company prepared.

4. Why Should You Learn Thai if You Want to Work in Thailand?

It’s better to know Thai if you want to work in Thailand. There are many reasons behind this fact. First, not all Thai people can speak English; knowing some Thai helps you to communicate with your co-workers, making it easier to work with Thai people. Also, if you know Thai, it’s easier for you to make a good impression and relationship with these co-workers. However, it is true that some companies don’t require you to know Thai, as everyone speaks English or some other language.

Still, if you work in Thailand, it means you live in Thailand and one way or another, you have to communicate with Thai people. Knowing some common Thai phrases makes it so much easier to order food, to buy things, to ask for help, to travel, and so on. To put it simply, it’s easier and more convenient to live and work in Thailand if you know the Thai language.

5. Conclusion

In conclusion, it’s not very difficult to find a job in Thailand as a foreigner if you prepare and know where to look. The process of recruitment is similar to that of other companies in other countries. If you have the right characteristics and qualifications, a company won’t be hesitant to hire you.

Don’t forget that knowing and understanding Thai is your advantage if you want to work in Thailand. So if you plan to work in Thailand, you should learn as much about Thai as you can, such as the Thai alphabet or Thai business language, in preparation. It’ll make your life a lot easier as you work and live in Thailand. You can visit ThaiPod101.com to learn and practice your Thai for living and working in Thailand!

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