Reading & Writing Thai

parrot wrote: if anyone would like acopy, let me know.

Please upload a copy. "Upload attachment" tab below the reply compose window. Thanks!

Yes, Italian restaurant, the word for government is easy to read, write and pronounce; however, the words in government and legal documents are not so easy to understand. It is the same in Canada. To fully understand a legal document, you need a lawyer, in most cases, to interpret the 'legalese' for you. I have the same problem in Thailand: 'yes, this says that, but what does it mean?"

buy a law dictionary if you get the chance, will help..

"Please upload a copy."

Well, I just looked at the file size and I don't think Lee would like that kind of attachment. It's no matter, as I've uncovered the website address:

There's a wealth of language info, including the full Maani series, available at http://www.karn.tv/thai.html

KHONDAHM wrote: Tell me "bor bing" and my brain just rejects it as superfluous nonsense.

What you are referring to as superfluous is the name of the Thai character. From your post it seem you think they are a learning aid.
You do need to learn them at some point if you want to be able to communicate Thai characters effectively (B-ee is not B to a Thai, it's Bor Bai Mai) and you do need to learn their alphabetical order if you ever want to use a dictionary!

KHONDAHM wrote:
What techniques/tricks did you use to help you associate sounds with the letters (other than the bor bing Thai method)?

Kiddy Thai flash cards with cute little pictures worked for me!

"you do need to learn their alphabetical order if you ever want to use a dictionary"

If you're using a paper-based dictionary, that's true! But trying to learn 44 thai abc's before I could read ไก่ was pointless and didn't serve a purpose. For example, you'll learn that ล is lor ling, so it adds an L sound to words. EXCEPT, it doesn't add an L sound to words that end in that letter! Instead, it's an N sound.
I'm not discouraging learning the Thai alphabet.....but other than for using a Thai dictionary, it doesn't serve any purpose for me.

parrot wrote:"you do need to learn their alphabetical order if you ever want to use a dictionary"

If you're using a paper-based dictionary, that's true! But trying to learn 44 thai abc's before I could read ไก่ was pointless and didn't serve a purpose. For example, you'll learn that ล is lor ling, so it adds an L sound to words. EXCEPT, it doesn't add an L sound to words that end in that letter! Instead, it's an N sound.
I'm not discouraging learning the Thai alphabet.....but other than for using a Thai dictionary, it doesn't serve any purpose for me.

I have to concur with Parrot, it is pretty pointless to learn the alphabet at our age parrot-fashion (excuse me ) Have the alphabet to hand if you're using a dictionary, you'll soon pick up the order.
I think it is far more important to learn the three groups into which the consonants fall.
Try making your own "flip-cards" with the symbol on one side and the phonetic sound and an indication of the High, Middle or Low group on the other. You can use them forever.

Above all, DON'T give up. When you grasp the tones from the combination of the consonant group, the length of the vowel and the ending it'll be like crashing through the barrier of being able to ride a bike or ski.

"learn the three groups into which the consonants fall"


Hint: start with the high consonants: there are only 11. 2 k sounds, 1 c, 2 t's, 1 p, 1 f, 3 s's, and the whore hip h sound.

Or, start with the 9 middle consonants: 1 g, 1 j, 2 d's, 2 dt's, a b, a bp, and the awe-ang.

Everything else is low consonant!!!

Break it down into bite size chunks makes it a whole lot easier to swallow!
Good luck!

Thanks for the tips parrot and patriot! I can see that going straight in to the Mannii reader is a good motivator because you will be reading Thai right away! I've taken a systematic approch because it made more sense to me, but it's taken a long time to get to the point where I can (somewhat) read!

I've learned all 44 consonants, inital and ending sounds, 32 vowels, monophthongs, diphthongs, short and long and extra vowels. So, I can sound out words but I'm not really reading if I'm not getting the tones!

Learning how to determin the tones is the next wall I need to get over.
So I still need to learn the consonant classes and the rules of how the combination of the initial consonant, tone mark, vowel and final consonant determin the tone!

Sounds difficult! Am I making this to complicated for myself?

Mr N.
There are some nice tools for helping with tones at

http://www.seasite.niu.edu:85/thai/self ... nes_FS.htm

Same same for tones....take it one step at a time........I suggest start only with the high consonants as they have a built in tone. Learn the tones associated with high consonants.
Benjawan Becker's Thai for Beginners gives a pretty simple explanation. Get a good handle on high consonant tone rules, then move on to another class of consonants.

If you know the consonants/vowels, endings, etc, you'll probably not have much of a problem with tones unless you overdose on all the rules at one time. Take it slow.....at some point (probably mid way through the consonant classes) you'll have one of those moments where it seems like it's all coming together. Don't stop now!!

oyiiiiiiiiiiiiii...its all going over my head already, and I speak two lingos, one with simliar tones and vowels. never mind, i really need to set time aside and do it properly like a school kid.this xmas palva is distracting...anyway dont let me put you fellas off, indeed, all the comments here are excellant, and helpful..

I think to learn to read Thai, would take me forever, and i'm too old now i feel. I use romanised Thai, i admit a pretty poor substitute to the Thai script but at least i can speak some Thai now. Blimey i used to struggle in school learning French, looking back, compared to leaning Thai, learning French should have been a walk in the park!!!

Thanks guys for all the helpful feedback on this topic. I will be following some of the good advice. I can read really basic Thai very slowly and with a lot of effort, but not a newspaper or government forms. Some of the tips should come in handy as I strive to get my headd around it. That breakthrough moment should happen soon. I hope.