What Thai phrases should I learn before visiting Thailand?

Greetings and goodbyes

Sawatdi covers hello and goodbye at any time of day. Time-specific greetings such as arun sawat (good morning) exist, but they are formal and rarely spoken. To someone older or senior, a sawatdi usually comes with a wai (palms together, slight bow); friends mostly just wave.

La kon is said only by the person leaving and sounds final, so the everyday goodbye is another sawatdi or jer kan mai (see you).

Polite essentials

Add khrap (men) or kha (women) to the end of almost every sentence with strangers. The ending follows the speaker's gender, not the listener's. Women use a falling-tone ค่ะ on statements and a high-tone คะ on questions. In casual speech men often shorten khrap to khap.

Thais rarely say a separate word for please. Instead they ask with kho ... noi (could I have ... a little), and karuna is the formal please of signs and announcements. To call staff, people say nong to someone younger or phi to someone older rather than "excuse me". Mai pen rai (never mind, no problem) is used constantly.

Eating and drinking

Most dishes can be ordered mai phet (not spicy) or phet nit noi (a little spicy), but a cook's idea of "a little" varies, so say mai phet if you have low heat tolerance. Chek bin is the standard way to ask for the bill.

Mangsawirat means vegetarian, no meat. Jay (เจ) is a stricter Chinese-Buddhist diet with no meat, eggs, dairy or pungent vegetables such as garlic and onion; jay restaurants hang yellow flags marked เจ. Fish sauce goes into most savoury dishes, so vegetarians should add mai sai nam pla.

Shopping and markets

Bargaining is expected at markets, street stalls and small owner-run shops, and for some tuk-tuks and songthaews. It is not done in malls, brand stores, 7-Eleven and other convenience stores, restaurants, or with app and metered transport.

Check what neighbouring stalls charge first, keep it friendly, and only bargain if you intend to buy. Phaeng pai (too expensive) said with a smile opens a negotiation; it isn't an insult. Keep small notes for markets and street food.

Getting around

Taxi and tuk-tuk drivers often can't read English, so keep the address written in Thai on your phone, point at it and say pai thi ni (go here). In Thai the place comes first and yu thi nai (where is) after it: hong nam yu thi nai means "where is the toilet?"

Numbers 1-10, 100 and 1,000

Thailand has its own digits (๑, ๒, ๓), but everyday prices use the same numerals as English. The main exception is places with two-tier pricing, where the price for Thai residents is sometimes written in Thai digits. In compound numbers, one becomes et, so 11 is sip et; 20 is yi sip, not song sip.

Help and emergencies

The Tourist Police hotline, 1155, runs 24 hours and helps visitors in several languages, including with problems like rental deposit disputes. Since English proficiency is low outside tourist businesses, keep the hotline and your hotel's address in Thai on your phone.

Etiquette that matters more than words

The wai. Palms together with a slight bow is a greeting of respect, usually offered first by the younger or junior person; the higher the hands, the more respect. You don't need to wai shop or hotel staff when they wai you; a smile and a nod is the right response.

Head high, feet low. The head is the most respected part of the body and the feet the lowest. Don't touch anyone's head, including children's, don't point your feet at people or Buddha images, and don't rest your feet on tables.

Never criticise or joke about the monarchy. This includes online posts. Under the lèse-majesté law (Section 112 of the Criminal Code) each offence carries 3 to 15 years in prison, and foreigners have been charged. Stand when the royal anthem plays before a film at the cinema.

Keep your cool. A raised voice gets you nowhere in Thailand; mai pen rai and a smile solve more problems. See what is considered rude in Thailand for the customs that matter more than vocabulary.

Frequently asked questions