Thailand Languages

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Thailand

Languages

Description

The official language spoken in Thailand is

• Thai - also known as Central Thai. Thai is used in government and education.
  • belongs to the language family of Kra–Dai. Thai is closely related to Lao, Shan, and several smaller languages in the area.

The Royal Thai Government recognizes 62 domestic languages in the country.

• List of Officially Recognized Languages divided into five language family groups

Top languages by population are

• Isan - also known as Northeastern Thai, a Lao dialect. Spoken in the northeastern provinces. The largest of the minority languages.
• Kam Mueang - also known as Northern Thai.
• Pak Tai - also known as Southern Thai and Dambro

The national language of Thailand is Thai, spoken by about 53% of the population. Many more speak it as a second language. Lao is spoken by about 27%, and Chinese 12%. Malay is spoken by 4% and Khmer 3%. English is widely used in business, as are many of the Chinese dialects. Records were kept in Thai, Lao, Malay, Chinese and English.

Word List(s)

• Thai Genealogical Word List
• Evans, Bruce. Thai phrasebook & dictionary. Carlton, Victoria: Lonely Planet Global Limited, 2018. Available at: WorldCat.
• Fanthorpe, Helen. Thai phrase book & dictionary. London: Berlitz Publishing, 2019. Available at: WorldCat.
• Useful Thai phrases - Omniglot
• Essential Phrases in Thailand - Culture Trip
• Isan basic phrases - Polyglot Wiki
• Northern-thai Vocabulary - Polyglot Wiki
• Central Thai & Southern Thai Vocabulary & Phrases - Hotel Midtown

Alphabet and Pronunciation

Alphabet

• Thai alphabet - Omniglot
• Latin alphabet for the Thai - Omniglot
• Thai alphabet for Isan - Omniglot
• Northern Thai (Kam Mueang) - Omniglot

Pronunciation

• Thai pronunciation - Omniglot
• Thai pronunciation dictionary - Forvo

Language Aids and Dictionaries

Dictionaries

• Barmé, Scot, Pensi Najaithong, and Jintana Rattanakhemakorn. Mini Thai dictionary : Thai-English English-Thai. La Vergne: Tuttle Publishing, 2018. Available at: WorldCat.
• Collins Thai dictionary. Bishopbriggs, Glasgow: Collins, 2019. Available at: WorldCat.
• Rattanakhemakorn, Jintana and Scot Barmé. Essential Thai phrasebook & dictionary. Tokyo: Tuttle Publishing, 2019. Available at: WorldCat.
• Higbie, James. Lao-English, English-Lao dictionary and phrasebook. New York: Hippocrene Books, 2001. Available at: WorldCat.
• Higbie, James. Thai-English/English-Thai dictionary and phrasebook. New York: Hippocrene Books, 1999. Available at: WorldCat.

Online Dictionaries

• Dictionary English - Thai - Glosbe
• Dictionary English - Northeastern Thai - Glosbe
• Dictionary English - Northern Thai - Glosbe
• Dictionary English - Southern Thai - Glosbe

Language Aids

• Michael. Essential Thai : Speak Thai With Confidence. n.p.: Tuttle Publishing, 2014. Available at: WorldCat.

Additional Resources

• Higbie, James. Let's speak Lao. Bangkok, Thailand: Orchid Press, 2018. Available at: WorldCat.