A few words of Thai make a trip to Thailand easier and friendlier. You do not need perfect pronunciation: Thai people understand learners from context, and a polite attempt is usually met with a smile. Below are useful phrases grouped by situation, with Thai script that you can show on your phone.
How to Read the Pronunciation
There is no single way to spell Thai in Latin letters, so the same word can appear as "sawatdee", "sawasdee" or "sa-wat-dee". Three points help most:
- "kh", "ph" and "th" are breathy versions of k, p and t. "Ph" is never an English f, and "th" is never the English th. Phuket sounds like "poo-ket".
- "k", "p" and "t" without an h have no breath, like the sounds in "skip", "spin" and "stop".
- "ng" can start a word, as in "ngoen" (money). Say it like the end of "sing".
Polite Particles: Khrap and Kha
Thai adds a small polite word to the end of a sentence. The word depends on whether the speaker is a man or a woman, not on who is listening:
- Men say "khrap" (ครับ). In fast speech many men say "khap".
- Women say "kha" (ค่ะ) at the end of a statement, and a higher "kha" (คะ) at the end of a question.
Add it to almost everything you say to strangers, staff and older people: "sawatdee khrap", "khop khun kha". On its own, it also means a polite "yes, I hear you".
Thai has no single word for "yes" that works in every situation. To answer a question, repeat its verb. If someone asks "dai mai?" (can you?), answer "dai" (can) or "mai dai" (cannot).
Greetings and Everyday Courtesy
| English | Thai | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| Hello / goodbye | สวัสดี | sawatdee |
| Thank you | ขอบคุณ | khop khun |
| Sorry / excuse me | ขอโทษ | kho thot |
| Never mind / no problem | ไม่เป็นไร | mai pen rai |
| Yes, that is right | ใช่ | chai |
| No, that is not right | ไม่ใช่ | mai chai |
| I do not understand | ไม่เข้าใจ | mai khao jai |
| Do you speak English? | พูดภาษาอังกฤษได้ไหม | phut phasa angkrit dai mai |
| Please speak slowly | พูดช้า ๆ หน่อย | phut cha cha noi |
| I am going now (bye) | ไปก่อนนะ | pai kon na |
"Sawatdee" often comes with a wai (palms together, a slight bow). Return a wai with a slight bow, and raise your hands higher for monks and older people. When shop or hotel staff wai you, a smile and a nod is enough.
"Mai pen rai" reflects the Thai habit of staying calm: showing anger in public embarrasses everyone and rarely solves anything.
In the northeast (Isan), people speak Isan, which is close to Lao, but everyone understands Central Thai. Use standard Thai phrases there, and add "khop jai" (thank you) as a friendly local word.
Numbers and Prices
Once you know one to ten, the other numbers follow a pattern.
| Number | Thai | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| one | หนึ่ง | nueng |
| two | สอง | song |
| three | สาม | sam |
| four | สี่ | si |
| five | ห้า | ha |
| six | หก | hok |
| seven | เจ็ด | jet |
| eight | แปด | paet |
| nine | เก้า | kao |
| ten | สิบ | sip |
| twenty | ยี่สิบ | yi-sip |
| one hundred | หนึ่งร้อย | nueng roi |
| one thousand | หนึ่งพัน | nueng phan |
Above ten, a final one is "et", not "nueng": eleven is "sip-et" and twenty-one is "yi-sip-et". Twenty is "yi-sip", not "song-sip". Prices add "baht": "ha-sip baht" is fifty baht.
To ask a price, say "thao rai?" (เท่าไหร่, how much?). If you miss the answer, hand over your phone's calculator and let the vendor type the price.
Getting Around and Taking a Taxi
Put the place after "pai" (ไป, go): "pai sanam bin" means "to the airport".
| English | Thai | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| How much to go to ...? | ไป ... เท่าไหร่ | pai ... thao rai |
| Where is ...? | ... อยู่ที่ไหน | ... yu thi nai |
| Where is the toilet? | ห้องน้ำอยู่ที่ไหน | hong nam yu thi nai |
| Is it far? | ไกลไหม | klai mai |
| Go straight | ตรงไป | trong pai |
| Turn left | เลี้ยวซ้าย | liao sai |
| Turn right | เลี้ยวขวา | liao khwa |
| Make a U-turn | กลับรถ | klap rot |
| Stop here, please | จอดตรงนี้ | jot trong ni |
| Airport | สนามบิน | sanam bin |
To stop a car, Thai passengers usually say "jot" (park), not "yut" (stop).
Drivers know places by their Thai names, which can sound different from the English spelling. Keep your hotel's name and address in Thai script on your phone and show it before the trip starts. Suvarnabhumi Airport, for example, is สุวรรณภูมิ, said "su-wan-na-phum".
Talking to Your Smile Taxi Driver
Not every Smile Taxi Service driver speaks English. When you book, you can request an English-speaking driver, subject to availability. Before the trip, the team sends you the driver's name, the car and its plate number.
At Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), the driver meets you on Level 4 (Departures), near Gate 4, and the car stops in the pickup lane. Useful words: "chan si" (ชั้น 4, Level 4) and "pratu si" (ประตู 4, Gate 4). Once you have your bags, message the team on WhatsApp, and the car pulls up in about 5–10 minutes. Airport pickups include 60 minutes of free waiting, counted from the actual landing time.
Smile fares are fixed, per vehicle and one way, with expressway tolls included, so there is nothing to negotiate:
- Suvarnabhumi Airport to Bangkok: 600 THB by sedan, 800 THB by SUV, 1,100 THB by van. Book a sedan from Suvarnabhumi to Bangkok.
- Suvarnabhumi Airport to Pattaya: 1,200 THB by sedan, 1,500 THB by SUV, 1,800 THB by van. Book a sedan from Suvarnabhumi to Pattaya.
You pay the driver in cash (THB) at the end of the trip. If you can only pay by card, message the team for a payment link (an extra fee for creating and handling the payment link may apply). Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before pickup. After that, a cancellation or change costs 25% (less than 24 h), 35% (less than 12 h) or 50% (less than 2 h) of the price, and a no-show 100%, also when you pay the driver in cash (details). See all routes and fares, or compare every option in How to Get from Bangkok to Pattaya.
Ordering Food
At a street stall, point at a dish and say "ao an ni" (I will have this one).
| English | Thai | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| I will have this one | เอาอันนี้ | ao an ni |
| Not spicy | ไม่เผ็ด | mai phet |
| A little spicy | เผ็ดนิดหน่อย | phet nit noi |
| No chili, please | ไม่ใส่พริก | mai sai phrik |
| I do not eat meat | ไม่กินเนื้อสัตว์ | mai kin nuea sat |
| I am allergic to peanuts | แพ้ถั่วลิสง | phae thua lisong |
| Less sweet | หวานน้อย | wan noi |
| Plain water | น้ำเปล่า | nam plao |
| Is there an English menu? | มีเมนูภาษาอังกฤษไหม | mi menu phasa angkrit mai |
| Delicious! | อร่อย | aroi |
| The bill, please | เก็บเงินด้วย | kep ngoen duai |
Even "mai phet" food can be a little hot, so start mild. "Phae" means "allergic to": put the food after it, and show the phrase in Thai script if the allergy is serious. "Wan noi" is handy for iced coffee and tea.
Shopping and Markets
- "Thao rai?" (เท่าไหร่) – How much?
- "Phaeng pai" (แพงไป) – Too expensive.
- "Lot noi dai mai?" (ลดหน่อยได้ไหม) – Can you give a small discount?
- "Du kon" (ดูก่อน) – Just looking for now.
- "Mai ao, khop khun" (ไม่เอา ขอบคุณ) – No, thank you.
Bargain with a smile at markets, and accept the answer calmly. Shops with printed price tags usually have fixed prices, so do not bargain there.
Emergency Phrases and Numbers
| English | Thai | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| Help! | ช่วยด้วย | chuai duai |
| Call the police | เรียกตำรวจ | riak tamruat |
| Call an ambulance | เรียกรถพยาบาล | riak rot phayaban |
| I need to go to a hospital | ต้องไปโรงพยาบาล | tong pai rong phayaban |
| I feel sick | ไม่สบาย | mai sabai |
| Pharmacy | ร้านขายยา | ran khai ya |
| I am lost | หลงทาง | long thang |
Save these numbers in your phone before you arrive:
- 191: police and general emergencies (911 also works).
- 1155: Tourist Police, with English-speaking staff.
- 1669: medical emergencies.
- 1554: ambulance and rescue.
- 199: fire.
Tones: Why Pronunciation Matters
Central Thai has five tones, and the tone changes the meaning of a word. The standard example is one syllable, "kha", said five ways:
| Tone | Thai | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Mid | คา | stick |
| Low | ข่า | galangal |
| Falling | ค่า | value |
| High | ค้า | to trade |
| Rising | ขา | leg |
Do not let tones stop you from speaking: the situation usually makes your meaning clear.
The Thai script comes from Old Khmer script and has 44 consonant letters (two no longer used), 16 vowel symbols that combine into at least 32 vowel forms, and 4 tone marks. If you want to read signs, expect to need weeks of study, not days.
Apps and Practice
- Google Translate works without data once you download Thai: in the app, tap the download icon next to the language, preferably on Wi-Fi before you fly. See Google's help page on offline translation.
- Pimsleur has a Standard (Central) Thai course with a free first lesson, and Ling has a Thai course for iOS and Android with a free trial.
- Practice on real people: greet hotel staff with "sawatdee" and order one meal in Thai.
FAQ
Is Thai really tonal?
Yes. It has five tones, so คา (stick) and ขา (leg) are different words. When your tone is not quite right, Thai listeners usually understand you from the situation.
What numbers should I call in an emergency?
Call 191 for the police, 1155 for the Tourist Police (English), 1669 for a medical emergency and 199 for fire.
Do taxi drivers speak English?
Not every driver does. With Smile Taxi Service you can request an English-speaking driver when you book, subject to availability.
To book a transfer or ask about a route, message Smile Taxi Service on WhatsApp.