Thailand For Visitors

Thai Phrases

Here's some basic chit-chat to help you enjoy your time in Thailand more. You'll find English spoken in tourist places, but you will generally get better treatment if you try to speak Thai a little, no matter how badly.

Hello (or Goodbye) sawatdee
Excuse me kha-tot
Thank you khawp khoon
It doesn't matter /
No problem
my pen rai
What's your name? khoon chu arai
My name is ... [men:] phom chu ...
[women:] deechan chu ...
I come from ... [men:] phom ma jack ...
[women:] deechan ma jack ...
I don't understand my khao jai

Numbers

Here's a basic run-down of numbers. These will really come in handy when bargaining for those souvenirs!

1 neung 20 yee-sip 1,000 neung-pan
2 song 21 yee-sip-et 2,000 song-pan
3 sam 22 yee-sip-song 10,000 neung-meun
4 see 30 sam-sip 100,000 neung-saan
5 hah 40 see-sip 1,000,000 neung-lan
6 hok 50 hah-sip
7 jet 60 hok-sip
8 paet 70 jet-sip
9 gao 80 paet-sip
10 sip 90 gao-sip
11 sip-et 100 neung-roy
12 sip-song 200 song-roy
13 sip-sam 300 sam-roy

Number Phrases

Thais are not shy about asking ages, salaries and other personal things. It may be considered rude in the west, but in Thailand it's really just part of getting to know people.

How old are you? Khoon ayoo taorai
I am ... years old. [men:] phom ayoo ... pee
[women:] deechan ayoo ... pee
How much is this? Nee taorai