Thai is the language you will hear everywhere in Thailand, but it is not the only one. More than 60 languages are spoken in the country, from the regional languages of the north, northeast and south to Malay in the far south and the languages of the hill peoples. This guide explains which languages you are likely to meet, where they are spoken, and how to make yourself understood as a traveller.
Languages Spoken Across Thailand
Central Thai is the only official language. It is the language of government and schools, and it is understood across the country.
Around it sits a much wider mix. According to Ethnologue, Thailand has 51 living indigenous languages and 24 non-indigenous languages. Many Thais grow up speaking a regional language at home and Central Thai at school and at work, so switching between two languages is normal for them.
Counting everyone who speaks it as a first or second language, Thai has about 71 million speakers: about 27 million first-language speakers and about 44 million second-language speakers (2024 estimate).
The Official Language: Central Thai
Central Thai, also called Standard Thai, is the Thai of Bangkok and the central plains, and the form taught to foreign learners.
The Thai script
Thai has its own alphabet, which comes from the Old Khmer script. Tradition dates the Thai script to 1283 and credits King Ramkhamhaeng of Sukhothai. The Ram Khamhaeng Inscription, dated 1292, is traditionally seen as the earliest Thai writing, and it is kept in the Bangkok National Museum.
- Consonants: 44 consonant letters, two of which (ฃ and ฅ) are no longer used.
- Vowels: 16 vowel symbols that combine into at least 32 vowel forms.
- Tone marks: 4 tone marks.
Five tones
Central Thai has five tones. The same syllable can mean different things depending on the tone. The standard example uses the syllable "kha":
| Tone | Thai | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Mid | คา | stick |
| Low | ข่า | galangal |
| Falling | ค่า | value |
| High | ค้า | to trade |
| Rising | ขา | leg |
You do not need to master the tones for a short trip. Thais usually understand learners from the context, especially when you use common phrases in the right situation.
Regional Languages
Outside Bangkok and the central plains, many people speak a regional language at home, but a few standard Thai phrases work everywhere.
The table below shows estimated mother-tongue speakers only, so the Central Thai figure is lower than the 2024 total for Thai above. The figures come from the 2011 ICERD report and Ethnologue, and the Hmong figure from the 2010 census, so treat them as approximate.
| Language | Main area | Estimated speakers |
|---|---|---|
| Central Thai | Bangkok and the central plains | about 20 million |
| Isan (Northeastern Thai) | The northeast (Isan region) | about 15 million |
| Northern Thai (Kham Mueang) | The north, around Chiang Mai | about 6 million |
| Southern Thai (Pak Tai) | The south | about 4.5 million |
| Pattani Malay | The far south | about 1.1–1.4 million |
| Karen | Hills of the north and west | about 400,000 |
| Hmong | Hills of the north | about 149,000 |
Isan (Northeastern Thai)
Isan is the largest regional language, with about 15 million speakers. It is closely related to Lao, the language of neighbouring Laos. In the northeast, people speak Isan at home, but everyone also understands Central Thai.
Use standard Thai phrases in the region. As a friendly extra, learn "khop jai", which means "thank you" in Isan.
Northern Thai (Kham Mueang)
Northern Thai, called Kham Mueang by its speakers, has about 6 million speakers in the north, the region around Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. Hotel and shop staff usually speak Central Thai with visitors, and some English in tourist areas.
Southern Thai (Pak Tai)
Southern Thai, or Pak Tai, has about 4.5 million speakers in the provinces of the south. You may hear it between locals, even in the beach and island areas.
Minority Languages
Pattani Malay
Pattani Malay is spoken by about 1.1–1.4 million people in the far south of Thailand, near the border with Malaysia.
Hill peoples' languages
The hills of northern and western Thailand are home to several peoples with their own languages. Karen has about 400,000 speakers and Hmong about 149,000. If you visit hill villages on a trek or a day trip, a local guide who speaks the village language makes it much easier to talk with the people you meet.
Thai Sign Language
Thai Sign Language was recognised in August 1999 as the national language of deaf people in Thailand. It is related to American Sign Language (ASL), which was introduced in the 1950s and mixed with local sign languages. In 2008, Ethnologue estimated that there were between 90,000 and 300,000 deaf people in Thailand. Small local sign languages, such as Ban Khor Sign Language, also exist in some villages.
English in Thailand
English is the foreign language you will find most often in hotels, airports, larger restaurants and tourist areas. Outside tourist areas it works less well. There, written Thai or a translation app on your phone is more reliable than speaking slowly in English.
If you need help in English in an emergency, call the Tourist Police on 1155; the service has English-speaking staff. For a medical emergency, call 1669. The police and general emergency number is 191.
Practical Communication Tips
Before you travel
- Download Thai in Google Translate. In the app, tap the download icon next to Thai, preferably on Wi-Fi, so that the translator works without mobile data. The steps are in Google's help page on offline translation.
- Try a Thai course. Pimsleur has a Standard Thai course with a free first lesson, and Ling has a Thai course for iOS and Android that you can start for free.
- Save the key numbers. Put 1155 (Tourist Police, English) and 1669 (medical emergency) in your phone before you land.
On the road
- Carry your hotel address in Thai. Keep a screenshot of your hotel's name and address in Thai script. It is the quickest way to show a driver where you are going.
- Learn a few polite phrases. "Sawatdee" (hello) and "khop khun" (thank you) are the two most useful. Men add "khrap" and women add "kha" at the end of a sentence to sound polite. A few phrases like these help a lot, especially outside tourist areas.
- Practise the tone idea with one set of words. The five "kha" words in the table above are enough to understand how tones work.
- Stay calm and smile. Misunderstandings happen. Raising your voice or showing anger in public is considered rude in Thailand, while patience and a smile usually solve the problem.
Region by region
- Bangkok: English is common in hotels, shopping centres and tourist areas. Everywhere else, Central Thai is the working language.
- The north (Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai): Central Thai and some English in tourist areas. Hill villages may need a local guide.
- The northeast (Isan): Central Thai is understood everywhere, although people speak Isan among themselves. English is less common outside the larger cities, so a translation app helps.
- The south: Central Thai and English in the beach and island areas. Southern Thai is spoken between locals, and Pattani Malay in the far south.
Getting Around Without Speaking Thai
A private transfer removes most of the language problem on travel days. With Smile Taxi Service, you book and ask questions by message in one of 10 languages, and the team sends you the driver's name, car and plate number before the trip. Not every driver speaks English, but you can request an English-speaking driver when you book, subject to availability.
Fares are fixed, per vehicle (not per person), one way, with expressway tolls included:
| Route | Sedan | SUV | Van |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) to Bangkok | 600 THB | 800 THB | 1,100 THB |
| Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai | 2,500 THB | 3,000 THB | 3,800 THB |
Airport pickups include 60 minutes of free waiting, counted from the actual landing time. 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).
Book a sedan from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Bangkok or a sedan from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai, or see all routes and prices. For the north, see also How to Get from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and How to Get from Bangkok to Chiang Rai.
FAQ
What languages are spoken in Thailand?
Central Thai is the only official language. Isan has about 15 million speakers, and Northern Thai, Southern Thai, Pattani Malay and hill peoples' languages such as Karen and Hmong are also spoken. Thailand has 51 living indigenous languages in total.
Is Isan the same as Lao?
They are closely related: Isan is very close to Lao, the language of neighbouring Laos. Isan speakers also understand Central Thai, so standard Thai phrases work in the northeast.
Is Thai really a tonal language?
Yes. Central Thai has five tones, so คา (stick), ข่า (galangal), ค่า (value), ค้า (to trade) and ขา (leg) are five different words.
Does English work outside tourist areas?
Less well. Show written Thai or use a translation app, and call 1155 if you need the Tourist Police in English.
Does Thailand have its own sign language?
Yes. Thai Sign Language was recognised in 1999 as the national language of deaf people in Thailand, and it is related to American Sign Language.
To book a transfer or ask a question, message Smile Taxi Service on WhatsApp.