A Crash Course in Thailand

Postcard-worthy views on the Thai islands.

Take a crash course in Thailand with this short video. In just 4 minutes, learn about the geography, language, religion, landscape, cuisine, government, and culture of this fascinating Southeast Asian country. Subscribe to the YouTube channel for further videos on all things Thai.

How Much Thai Can You Learn in a Week?

The teacher becomes the student.

Learning a language takes time. However, sometimes you’re pretty limited when it comes to time. This was the case when I signed up for a week of Thai classes in Bangkok. I took 20 hours of one-on-one Thai classes. Considering about 4-5 hours of that time was spent with the teachers doing voice-overs for our “Beginner Thai” video series, that means I had around 15 actual hours of class time. In that time, this is what I managed to achieve:

• pronunciation based on a phonetic system
• the five tones
• counting up to one million
• simple sentence structures
• self-introductions
• time, days, weeks, months, years
• family members
• countries/nationalities/languages
• using question words
• food and drink vocabulary and basics

Read all about my experience learning Thai in Bangkok in the post and give it a try yourself if headed to the Thai capital!

Beginner Thai Video Series

Speaking of that beginner video series, here it is! With the help of my awesome Thai teachers in Bangkok, I put together a few short videos to help you with the basics of Thai. You can find them all on the YouTube channel, such as this guide to the Thai tones:

1,864 Curves – the Mae Hong Son Loop

Mae Hong Son

I’ve had a lot of unforgettable experiences in Thailand, but it’s hard to top riding the 1,864 curves of the Mae Hong Son Loop on a motorbike. Along the way, you can visit national parks, soak in natural hot springs, explore bat caves, and so much more. Read all about it in the post, and check out some highlights in the video below:

Politeness in Thai Culture

Start with doing the exact opposite of the people in this cartoon.

Being polite is very important in Thai culture, and you’d be surprised at how many visiting farang seem to have absolutely no clue about how to do so. This post gives you some basic tips on how to be polite when visiting Thailand.

Thai Holidays

One helluva good time during Songkran!

There are many holidays in Thailand throughout the year, and I’ve written about several of them here on the blog. Here are a few links to posts about Thai holidays:

• Chulalongkorn Day
• Makha Bucha Day
• Asahna Bucha Day
• Coronation Day
• Vesak
• Royal Ploughing Ceremony
• The King’s Birthday
• Loi Krathong and Yi Peng
• Songkran (Thai New Year)

Why I Love Bangkok

Temple of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok.

Bangkok doesn’t always give people the best first impression, but if you dig a bit deeper and give the city a chance, you may come to love it. That happened to me after a few visits, and it’s now one of my favorite cities in the world. Read all about the many reasons I love Bangkok and check out this video to see more of this fascinating city:

How to Plan Your First Trip to Thailand

After traveling to Thailand several times – and making plenty of mistakes throughout those trips – I think I came up with some good ideas on how to plan your first trip to the Kingdom of Smiles. Thailand is a bucket list destination for many, and for good reason. Check it off yours and do it right by following the tips in this post.

10 Best Thailand Experiences

So much to do in Thailand!

Having traversed the country, from the southern border with Malaysia to taking the slow boat along the Mekong River into Laos, I’ve been fortunate enough to have had countless life-changing travel experiences in Thailand. It’s too hard to rank them, but I’ve managed to whittle the list down to ten of the best.

Thai Food

Local, cheap, and delicious.

One of the best parts about traveling to Thailand is digging into the country’s mouth-watering cuisine. I’ve written several posts and put together quite a few videos about Thai food over the years. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Thai Street Food
• Eathai – The Best Food Court Ever
• Pad Thai
• Eat Your Way Through Bangkok

Way back in 2011, the social media coordinator for Transparent Language asked me if I wanted to chip in a few posts to the Thai blog about my recent month-long trip to the Southeast Asian country. A few years later, I returned to Thailand for 2 months and was able to share a ton of stories, tips, and insights from my trip. I went back a few months later for that week-long Thai course to try and wrap my head around the difficult tonal language and learn more about the culture. I’d like to say thanks to all the readers and to the fine folks at Transparent Language for giving me the chance to share so much over the years. Thailand will always have a special place in my heart (and liver after all those wild parties…), and I can’t wait until the day I get back there. If you’re thinking about traveling to Thailand, I highly recommend you learn some Thai before doing so. My Thai is pretty awful, but even the little bit that I do know has gone a long way in my many trips there.

If you’re a native or fluent Thai speaker, Transparent Language is looking for someone to take over the blog. Please get in touch if you or someone you know would be a good fit for the job.

     

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The White Temple

The White Temple is located just outside the city of Chiang Rai. See the highlights of the White Temple in this short video and be sure to add it to your list!

     

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Cities

An awesome day in BKK.

When it comes to Thai cities (เมือง meuang), of course we have to start with Bangkok (กรุงเทพ grung tâyp). After all, it is the capital city (เมืองหลวง meuang lŭang) of Thailand. It’s a fascinating city with enough to see and do to keep you busy for weeks. You can do a bit of temple hopping, visit bustling markets, feast on mouth-watering Thai food, and sample the city’s epic nightlife. Bangkok is my favorite city in Southeast Asia, and I’m sure you’ll love it, too!

See what 3 days in Bangkok looks like.

Temples are everywhere in Chiang Mai.

We can’t forget about Chiang Mai (เชียงใหม่ chiang-mài), which is often referred to as the northern capital of Thailand. In the city, you can keep yourself busy with temples, museums, cafes, markets, and some great options for wining and dining. It’s all about adventure up here, though. Get out of the city for some jungle trekking, visit an elephant camp, or rent a motorbike and tackle the 1,864 curves of the Mae Hong Son Loop. There’s no way you’ll be bored on your trip here!

Check out 10 things to do in Chiang Mai.

Islands

It’s nice and hot on the islands!

While Thailand definitely has some great cities, it’s no secret that most people vacation here to visit the islands (เกาะ gòr). With nearly 1,500 islands, it can definitely be hard to choose one. Some of the most popular islands include Phuket (ภูเก็ต poo-gèt) and Ko Samui (เกาะสมุย gòr sà-mŭi). These islands are also more developed, as they both have an airport. Those looking for a relaxing holiday with many of the comforts from home would be happy choosing either of these.

Get scuba certified on Ko Tao.

If you’re looking to explore under the sea and do a bit of scuba diving, Ko Tao (เกาะเต่า) is a great choice. The “Turtle Island” is one of the best (and cheapest) places in the world to get certified, with plenty of dive shops to choose from. Nearby Ko Pha Ngan (เกาะพะงัน gòr-pá-ngan) may be famous for its Full Moon party, but it’s also a great place for a meditation or yoga retreat. It all depends on what you’re looking for!

Take in the “Streets, Beats & Eats” of Ko Pha Ngan.

Ancient Kingdoms

Sukhothai and Ayutthaya

Those interested in learning about Thai history (ประวัติ bprà-wàt) and culture (วัฒนธรรม wát-tá-ná-tam) should be sure to include a visit to at least one of the country’s ancient kingdoms. Ayutthaya (อยุธยา à-yút-tá-yaa) is just an hour train ride from Bangkok and can easily be visited on a day trip. Sukhothai (สุโขทัย sù-kŏh tai) requires a bit more effort to reach so you’ll probably want to spend at least a night there. Cycle around the ruins and imagine what life was like here when it was the bustling capital.

Take a short video tour of Sukhothai and plan your trip.

National Parks

Cycling around Tarutao.

Thailand has many national parks (อุทยานแห่งชาติ ùt-tá-yaan hàeng châat) that are well worth a visit. As a matter of fact, there are a whopping 127 of them across the country. The biggest and best is Khao Yai (เขาใหญ่), which was the first national park in Thailand. It’s just a few hours from Bangkok and has plenty of options for your visit. Those island hopping down south may want to just stop at Khao Sok (เขาสก kăo-sòk) for a day or two in between islands. If you’re really looking for an adventure, head to Ko Tarutao (เกาะตะรุเตา gòr dtà-rú-dtao) for a few days. Once a prison, the island is now a national park where you can enjoy empty beaches, hiking, cycling, and more.

Explore Ko Tarutao in this short video.

As you can see, there are plenty of great choices for where to go in Thailand this year. Now I just have one question for you…

คุณอยากไปเที่ยวที่ไหนในประเทศไทย?
Where do you want to go in Thailand?

     

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Learn the Alphabet

It looks intimidating, but give it a shot.

It’s much easier to learn Thai if you know the alphabet. Actually, it’s not technically an alphabet – it’s an abugida. In this writing system, each unit is based on a consonant, while the vowel notation is secondary. We have a great and comprehensive guide to the Thai alphabet that you can follow. You can also follow along with these two videos to practice your pronunciation:

Consonants

Vowels

Work on the Tones

The Thai tones can be quite difficult, especially for speakers of non-tonal languages. There are five tones in all in Thai. It almost seems like you’re singing when you’re speaking Thai! Get started with the Thai tones in our awesome 3-part series:

• Thai Tones, Part 1
• Thai Tones, Part 2
• Thai Tones, Part 3

This video also gives you a good guide to the sounds of them all, with plenty of examples for you to practice alongside.

Meet and Greet

Ready to cruise in a tuk-tuk?

The best way to learn Thai (or any language, for that matter) is to talk with native speakers. This is intimidating when you’re a beginner and you don’t know much, but you have to start somewhere. Try greeting people in Thai, even if you can’t say much else. Thai people are famously friendly and they’re always super excited to hear farang making an attempt at their language, even if it’s a poor one. Learn these common Thai greetings to get started:

สวัสดี – sà-wàt dee

hello/goodbye

สวัสดีครับ – sà-wàt dee kráp

hello (male)

สวัสดีค่ะ – sà-wàt dee kâ

hello (female)

คุณสบายดีไหม – kun sà-baai dee măi

How are you?

เป็นยังไงบ้าง – bpen yang ngai bâang

How’s it going?

มีอะไรใหม่บ้าง – mee a-rai mài bâang

What’s new?

ยินดีที่ได้รู้จัก – yin dee têe dâai róo jàk

Nice to meet you.

อรุณสวัสดิ์ – a-run sà-wàt

good morning

ยินดีต้อนรับยิน – yin dee dtôn ráp

welcome!

ลาก่อนลา – laa gòn

Goodbye

พบกันใหม่ – póp gan mài

See you.

แล้วพบกันใหม่ – láew póp gan mài

See you later.

เที่ยวให้สนุก – tîeow hâi sà-nùk

Have a good trip.

Be Polite

Please do not climb on the Buddha, you dumb farang.

You know how you say please and thank you in English? In Thai, it’s all about using ครับ (krap) or ค่ะ (ka) at the end of a sentence. We have a helpful post about the Thai ending particles that you can study. Politeness is very important in Thai culture, so learning how to use krap or ka is necessary. We have another video you can follow along for more practice:

Master Some Survival Phrases

If your goal is to get started speaking Thai as soon as possible, why not focus on mastering some survival phrases? Those who are just traveling in Thailand and simply want to be able to get by in Thai if necessary will find these very useful. Make your trip much easier by learning these survival phrases in Thai!

Have Fun

Thai people are so fun!

Struggling over the tones and trying to finally master that one tricky consonant isn’t exactly fun. When studying any language, it’s important to mix your study of grammar and vocabulary up with some more fun activities. After all, Thail people are all about having fun. If it’s not sanuk (สนุก sà-nùk), something’s not worth doing. Why not listen to some Thai music or watch a Thai movie? Put the English subtitles on if you need to. As long as you’re listening to Thai, it will be helpful. If you’re looking for some suggestions, you can follow our posts on the Top 10 Thai movies:

• Top 10 Thai Movies – Part 1
• Top 10 Thai Movies – Part 2
• Top 10 Thai Movies – Part 3
• Top 10 Thai Movies – Part 4

Travel to Thailand

The awesome Thai capital.

There’s no better way to learn a language than traveling to the country where it’s spoken. Famous for its postcard-worthy beaches, incredible scenery, and bustling cities, everybody wants to go to Thailand! If you’re trying to learn the language you have even more of a reason to go. While it’s true that many people in Thailand speak English – especially in tourism – they will all be more than happy to help you practice your Thai. So plan that trip to relax on a Thai island or go jungle-trekking in Chiang Mai. That will help keep you motivated to learn Thai all throughout the year.

Transparent Language

In addition to this blog, we’ve got plenty of resources to help you in your quest to learn Thai:

• Sign up to learn Thai online for free for 14 days
• Join our community on Facebook
• Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more videos

That should keep you busy for all of 2018 and ensure that you don’t give up on your goal to learn Thai this year!

How will you learn Thai this year? Do you have any other ideas to share with our readers? Leave a comment and let us know!

     

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The Ancient Capital of Ayutthaya

An amazing place to explore.

Those interested in Thai history should plan a short trip to Ayutthaya (อยุธยา a-yút-tá-yaa) . The ruins of this former kingdom are easily visited on a day-trip from Bangkok, making them the most accessible for those with time constraints. Learn all about this ancient city in this post, and check out this video while you’re at it:

Valentine’s Day in Thailand

Image by maf04 from flickr.com.

While Valentine’s Day (วันวาเลนไทน์ wan waa-layn-tai) isn’t exactly a traditional Thai holiday, that doesn’t mean it isn’t celebrated. Learn some useful words and phrases about love as well as a Thai love song in this romantic post.

A Guide to the Thai Alphabet

It looks intimidating, but give it a shot.

Learning the Thai alphabet (well, it isn’t really an alphabet – it’s technically an abugida) seems like a daunting task. Never fear, because we’re here to help! Follow this post and you’ll have a much better understanding of it.

Pad Thai

Perhaps the most famous Thai dish.

Thai food is popular all around the world, and perhaps the most ubiquitous dish of them all is Pad Thai (ผัดไทย pàt tai). Learn about the history of this famous dish and then follow the ingredient list and a recipe to try and make it yourself.

The White Temple

The amazing White Temple.

Wat Rong Khun (วัดร่องขุ่น) – also commonly referred to as the White Temple – is unlike any temple you’ve ever seen. Here’s a brief introduction to this dreamlike complex, starting with the artist and his purpose. See more of it in this short video:

Clothing Vocabulary

Cool shirt and hats in Chatuchak Market.

Is your New Year’s Resolution to learn Thai? If so, then you should start building your vocabulary right away. This post teaches a bunch of clothing vocabulary, so next time you go to Chathucak Weekend Market you can buy your clothes in Thai!

Thai Street Food

Mmmm.. street food.

Street food is such an important and unique part of the culture. To honor the street food culture, here are some of the most common dishes that you can enjoy on plastic stools in a crowded Bangkok street. Your mouth will surely be watering after reading this post and watching this video.

King Bhumibol’s Funeral

King Bhumibol was beloved by Thai people.

Thailand officially bid farewell to its beloved King Bhumibol this year. On the final day of an elaborate 5-day funeral ceremony, his ashes and bones were brought to their final resting place. Here’s a closer look at King Bhumibol’s funeral.

Seasons and Weather in Thai

It’s nice and hot on the islands!

Some like to joke that Thailand only has three seasons – hot, hotter, and hottest. Learn lots of useful vocabulary for talking about the seasons and weather in Thai in this easy post.

One Month in Thailand Itinerary

So much to do in Thailand!

Many visitors are granted 30 days visa-free on arrival, so why not take full advantage of that and spend an entire month exploring Thailand? This epic post details what you can do with one full month exploring this amazing country. Watch all three videos to see more and get excited for this amazing trip.

There you have it – our best posts of 2017! What would you like to learn about next year? Leave a comment and let us know and we’ll try to get a post up about it. To all of our readers, we’d like to wish you a…

สวัสดีปีใหม่!
Happy New Year!

     

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20 Common Thai Dishes

Explore the cuisine of Thailand!

If you love Thai food and also love speaking Thai, this post is for you. Learn the Thai names for 20 common Thai dishes and try ordering like a local next time you travel there.

See some of these dishes and many more in “A Culinary Tour of Thailand.”

Pad Thai

Perhaps the most famous Thai dish.

Perhaps the most quintessential dish in Thailand is Pad Thai (ผัดไทย pàt tai). It’s sort of a “gateway drug” into Thai cuisine, as this is the dish most people try for the first time. Learn about the history of this famous noodle dish and follow along with some recipes to try and make it yourself.

Thai Street Food

Mmmm.. street food.

Eating in the street is a huge part of the food culture in Thailand. Street food in Thailand is convenient, cheap, and delicious. Learn some of the most popular street food dishes in this post, then pull up a plastic stool and dig in with the masses.

Take a video tour of the street food of Thailand.

Eathai – The Best Food Court Ever

An amazing food court.

Do you love eating street food, but not necessarily enjoy eating in the street? Would you like to indulge in all of the best street food of Thailand, minus the sweltering heat and the rats? Well then you should probably check out Eathai. Located in the fancy Central Embassy mall of Bangkok, this is quite possibly the best food court ever.

Eat Your Way Through Bangkok

An amazing lunch in the market.

There are many things to love about Bangkok, including the city’s amazing culinary scene. Learn more in this post, which covers street food, local markets, and so much more.

Explore Bangkok’s culinary scene in this short video.

Hungry yet? I wouldn’t be surprised if you went ahead and ordered some Thai food before even finishing the post. Better yet, start planning a trip to Thailand and go have the real thing! While you can get by in English, it’s much better to learn some Thai before going.

The post All About Thai Food first appeared on Thai Language Blog.

       

Comments

• Excellent reporting. Looking fwd to more articles surrounding ... by H.G.Robinson
• Excellent article. As an on a and off resident since 1968, Thai ... by H.G.Robinson

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Preparations

The late King Bhumibol.

When King Bhumibol died on October 16th of last year, he was the world’s longest-serving head of state. Having spent 70 years as king, he’s also the longest-serving monarch in Thai history. As the 9th monarch of the Chakri Dynasty, he’s often referred to as Rama IX. He was loved and revered by his people, who have spent the past year wearing black and mourning his passing. It’s said that over 12 million people have visited his coffin in the past year. For such an important figure, only a grand funeral would suffice. Preparations have been ongoing for the last year, with a massive budget of $90 million set aside for the funeral.

Cremation

Since last October, thousands of top artisans from all over Thailand have been working at creating an epic crematorium for their beloved king. The golden crematorium had three tiers and nine spires in honor of his place in the line of Chakri Kings. It was meant to represent Mount Meru, the center of the universe according to Hinduism and the place where royals return to after death.

To bring his body to the crematorium, there was a huge procession of chariots. A few hundred men were needed to pull the gilded royal chariot containing the king’s body. While the body was transferred to the funeral pyre, monks chanted scriptures in the nearby pavilions. There were also four “heavenly ponds” surrounding it, containing sculptures of auspicious animals and mythical creatures. In another nearby pavilion, King Rama X attended merit-making ceremonies with other members of the royal family.

Final Resting Place

Wat Phra Kaew – Temple of the Emerald Buddha.

After the cremation, there was a ceremony to collect the relics and ashes from the crematorium. They were then transferred temporarily to Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. After a merit-making ceremony, they were then moved to the Chakri Maha Prasad Throne Hall, which is also located inside the Grand Palace. Here, his son was joined by senior monks for another ceremony. The golden urn of Rama IX then joined those of his ancestors.

As for the ashes of the late king, they were brought to two different temples – Wat Rajabopidh and Wat Bovoranives. The former was built by his grandfather, King Chulalongkorn and also contains the ashes of his father, Prince Mahidol. The latter is where King Bhumibol entered the monkhood back in 1956 following the death of his grandmother.

Participation by Thais

All across the country, people have been making flowers out of shaved sandalwood and placing them at temples and replica crematoriums. It’s believed that the fragrance of these can help lead the souls of the deceased to heaven. According to the government, over a quarter of the country’s population participated in such ceremonies.

There was a lot more going on in preparation for the funeral than just making flowers. All across Bangkok, jazz music composed by the late king played in public areas. Television stations even altered their color so as not to broadcast images that were too positive and upbeat in the days leading up to the ceremony. People in Thailand have been wearing black for a year to mourn his loss, but bright clothes made a comeback today as the mourning period officially came to an end.

Coronation

Now that the funeral processions have come to an end, Thailand gears up for the coronation ceremony of King Bhumibol’s successor in December. One thing’s for sure – King Rama X has some big shoes to fill, as his father is known as the “father of all Thais.” While the official mourning period may have finished, it’s clear that the Thai people will miss their beloved king for a long time to come. As for what the future holds for Thailand, we’ll just have to wait and see.

     

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