If you have been to Thailand, you will probably agree with the statement that Thai writing is complete gobbledygook. Words in Thai are not separated by spaces, which makes the language seem cumbersome. The writing itself is based on Sanskrit characters, which to the eyes of a Western person differ little from each other.

Phonetically, the language is so monotonous that it looks more like a drawn-out meow than human speech. However, all this only seems at first glance. In reality, the language spoken in Thailand is not very complex, and its sound is extremely melodic.

Linguistic diversity of Thailand

For us Europeans, the people of Thailand seem to be a homogeneous ethnic group. However, it is not. The territory was inhabited by people in the very distant past. For thousands of years, processes of mixing of nationalities, attempts at assimilation, and movement of kingdom borders took place here. These processes have been especially active in the last 300 years. As a result, the territory of modern Thailand is home to numerous ethnic groups that, despite their external similarity, speak similar but not identical languages.

For example, the population of northeast Thailand, on the border with Laos - about 16 million people - speaks a mixture of Lao and Thai. By the way, Laotians and Thais understand each other very well. More than 6 million people living in the northern province of Kham Muang speak Northern Thai, the Yuan language.

In the villages located in the mountains of Chiang Mai, the languages ​​of the ethnic tribes inhabiting this region are common: Shan and Ly. They are spoken by approximately 150 thousand people.

Of Thailand's 70.5 million people, about 40% speak Central Thai. This is what they mean when they talk about the official Thai language. But even within it there are adverbs and dialects that make it heterogeneous.

What is the Thai language

At first glance, the Thai language is difficult for a European. From the design of letter characters to the tonal variations that change the meaning of a word. However, if you study Thai even superficially, it will become clear that this complexity, like everything in the East, is external. The language spoken in Thailand is grammatically simple, to say the least, “primitive.”

Main features of the Thai language:

1. The alphabet consists of 44 consonant letters that encode 21 sounds. There are 28 vowel sounds used to link consonants.
2. Sounds are pronounced with different durations and tonality, which is reflected by the corresponding signs on the letter: signs of four tones; vowel reduction sign; sign indicating a quiet consonant.

The use of these marks (called diacritics) determines the meaning of words.

• Thai has no category of grammatical gender, no declensions or conjugations. That is, words do not change according to cases, genders, or numbers.
• The tense system of the Thai verb is represented by 3 tenses - past, present and future. In this case, the grammatical tense of the verb is determined by a special function word that is placed before it. The verbs themselves do not change their form.
• The speaker's gender self-identification is manifested in syntax (sentence construction) and vocabulary (words used). The same sentence spoken by a man and a woman will sound different, just as the same sentence addressed to a man and a woman will sound different.
• The traditional caste structure of Eastern society is reflected in Thai dialects. The same meaning is conveyed in different words depending on the status of the person the speaker is addressing.

For example, consider such a simple word as “yes.”

Variants of meanings and features of use	Thai version
The most neutral option expressing agreement	"tea"
In the meaning of confirmation or consent coming from a woman	"kha"
In the meaning of confirmation or consent coming from a man	"snoring"
A polite "yes" said by a woman	"kha thaan"
A polite "yes" said by a man	"khrap phokhm"
A very polite "yes" said by a man	“kho rap gra phokhm”
If a woman responds to a person with a higher status	"yao kha"
Addressed to a person of lower status, “familiar”	"ya"
Addressed to a royal person	"phaeh kha"
Used in communication by Thai monks	"ya reern phon"
Meaning “really?”, “really?”	"eyy"
Meaning “yes, yes, I understand... yes”	"snore, snore, snore..."
In the sense of “exactly so”, “absolutely true”	"nan na si"

The table does not show all the possible meanings and variations of the word "yes" in Thai. However, even the above 13 are quite enough to see the versatility and color of the Thai language.

How to communicate as a foreigner in Thailand

1. The easiest way to communicate with Thais is through gestures. The people of Thailand have perhaps succeeded in this like no one else in the world. Practice shows that by gesturing, you can solve most everyday problems at the level of “how to get there,” “how much does it cost,” and the like.

1. If you are vacationing in areas traditionally oriented towards tourism, for example, in Phuket, Pattaya, on the islands in the Gulf of Thailand, in any major tourist center of Thailand, then, knowing basic English, there will be no problems in communication not only in the hotel, but also in other public places, and on the street. By analogy with the well-known dialect “Half in Russia, Half - America,” the Thais have formed their own version of a mixture of English and Thai, which is conventionally called “Tayinglish.” If your knowledge of English is at least not lower than the level at which the Thais speak it, then the language barrier will not be a big problem, at least within the framework of standard everyday situations.

1. If English is about as far from you as Thai, and you don’t speak any other language besides Russian, then go to Pattaya or Phuket. There are hotels, streets and even where everything is in the usual language, and the majority of vacationers came from countries that used to be part of the USSR.

1. It’s a completely different matter if you go on vacation to the not-so-touristy provinces of Thailand. For example, in a city where tourists are not uncommon, few people know English, and even Tayinglish will not save you. There is no need to talk about Russian.

Sign language is appropriate here, but basic Thai words are best mastered. Here are the main ones:

I (female) – “shan”
I (male) – “pho:m”
What is the price? - “thau rai?”
Where is …? - “thi: nya:y...?”
Shop – “Ran Cham”
Toilet – “hong nam”
Pharmacy – “ran khai ya”
Hospital - Rong Phayaban
Thank you - “khop khu:n”
Sorry – “kho thod”
No – “May”
Yes – “tea”
Okay – “di”

It should be borne in mind that in Thai pronunciation the sound “x” is conditional. This is not the unvoiced sound we are used to in European languages. But, rather, an aspiration, a “half-sound,” a hint of sound. Because of this, you can often find variability in the spelling of geographical names: for example, Surrathani and Surratani. Among other phonetic features, attention should be paid to the sound “r”, which is also often reduced and deafened.

When planning their first trip to Thailand, many tourists have a question about how to communicate with the locals. After all, few of our tourists know the Thai language, and knowledge of English is most often limited to the initial level. I once had such fears, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to understand the seller, negotiate a rental property, and wouldn’t understand anything at all. But after my first trip to Thailand, I realized that there is no problem with this and I will tell you how to communicate with Thais.

The official language in Thailand is Thai. However, the linguistic diversity of this country is quite large. As a result of many years of migration, different ethnic groups of people currently live in Thailand; their language is similar in many ways, but is not the same.

For example, in the north of Thailand there are many migrants from Laos who speak their own Lao language. Despite the differences in languages, Laotians and Thais understand each other's speech well. In the northern part of Thailand, the so-called Lao-Thai language is spoken.

For the most part, local residents of Thailand communicate in Thai, which, depending on the region, may differ in its dialect and dialects.

At first glance, as a foreigner, the Thai language can seem very difficult. The letters are kind of strange, looking like squiggles, not much different from each other. Words are not separated by spaces and written Thai speech looks like a large jumble of incomprehensible characters. No less strange is the pronunciation of words, which looks more like meowing than human speech. These were my first impressions of the Thai language.

But in fact, the Thai language is not difficult at all, it is just different. In it, words do not change according to gender, case and number, verbs have three tenses. But the words change depending on whether they are spoken by a man or a woman and in relation to whom. This is the main difficulty of the Thai language. However, compared to the Russian language, Thai is very simple.

English language

In Thailand, locals speak English quite well. Only a couple of times during my entire stay in Thailand were there cases when I turned to a Thai person, and he did not know English. Usually, when you ask a Thai if he speaks English, he will answer that he speaks a little. But when you start communicating with him, you realize that he doesn’t speak this language just a little, but speaks basic English very well.

The difficulty in communicating with Thais in English is that they have a special pronunciation of words. At first, I practically did not understand Thais speaking English, although I know English at a basic level. But after a few days I got used to their pronunciation and began to understand them. Now I communicate with Thais in English without problems.

Therefore, if you know at least a little English, you will not have problems communicating in Thailand. Almost all Thais living in tourist cities and islands speak good English. The only exceptions are places where tourists, as a rule, do not go. I once visited the non-tourist city of Surathani in Thailand. And when I went into the cafe, no one spoke English there, and the menu was written only in Thai. I had to choose a dish based on the pictures; it’s good that they were on the menu.

Russian language

But the Thais, unfortunately, do not know Russian. Although many establishments at popular resorts try to translate signs, booklets and menus into Russian. But due to the fact that many of them skimp on translators, the words are often written with errors or the meaning is not clear at all.

You can walk along a popular tourist street and see many signs with funny Russian names. Here you will find “Laundry”, “Pelimeni” and so on. Some Thais memorize Russian phrases and use them to invite people to visit their establishment. But nevertheless, the Thais do not know the Russian language, this is not Turkey.

How to communicate without knowing the language?

What to do if you don't speak either Thai or English? In this case, you can use my recommendations:

• Choose one of the most popular resorts in Thailand for your holiday, these include Pattaya and Phuket. There are areas targeted at Russian tourists, where you will meet a large number of your compatriots, you will find many signs and cafes with menus in Russian. There is even a Russian village in Pattaya.
• Use gestures and translators to communicate with Thais. The most popular translation application is Google Translate. It can be installed on Android and iOS. It has voice translation and image translation functions. You can take a photo of the sign or menu, upload it to the app, and translate it into your native language. But to use this application you need an Internet connection. Read about how to connect it and which operator to choose in my separate article.

Learn the most necessary words and phrases in English. These include:

• hello (helou) - hello;
• good-bye (good-bye) - goodbye;
• thank you (senk yu) - thank you;
• yes (ec) - yes;
• no (know) - no;
• OK (okay) - good;
• I don’t understand you (ay dont understand yu) - I don’t understand you;
• where is...? (ve is) - where is...?
• how much is this? (how mach is zis) - how much does it cost?
• rent house/motobike/car (rent house/motobike/ka) - rent a house/bike/car;
• restaurant (restaurant) - restaurant;
• toilet (tilet) - toilet;
• hotel (wanted) - hotel;
• beach (beach) - beach;
• hospital (hospital) - hospital;
• shop (shop) - store;
• I’m sorry (aim sorry) - forgive me;
• I need a room in your hotel (ay nid e room in e wanted) - I need a room in your hotel;
• change money (chench money) - change money;
• withdraw money (vizdro money) - withdraw money from the card.

Go to Thailand with confidence, even if you don’t know English; you can always communicate with gestures, ask a compatriot for help, or use a translator. The main thing is to show respect to the locals, smile often and be polite. Then your holiday will be wonderful.

English language proficiency in Thailand is falling dramatically

Over the past year, Thailand has dropped 11 places in the ranking of language proficiency among countries where English is not the native language.

The ranking of English language proficiency in countries where it is not the native language is compiled annually by the Swiss international educational center for teaching English - Education First. The Swiss company is an operator of language schools around the world and has more than a hundred branches in different countries.

To determine the level of English language proficiency, respondents around the world take a standard language proficiency test - the EF Standard English Test (EF SET). Over the past year, more than 1.3 million people from all over the world took part in testing.

The latest ranking results are disappointing for Thailand; over the past year, the Kingdom has dropped 11 positions in the rankings, and now ranks only 64th among the 88 countries and territories included in the 2018 English Language Proficiency Index.

Just a year ago in 2017, Thailand performed better and was ranked 53rd, although then and now this level is classified as low level of English proficiency.

In East Asia, Thailand's English proficiency level is the lowest, with the exception of Cambodia and Myanmar. The kingdom lags far behind China and Japan, which are generally considered to have very low English language abilities.

Sweden tops the English language proficiency ranking, competing with the Netherlands in second place. Singapore ranks third, followed by Norway and Denmark. Traditionally, English is best spoken in European countries.

Among the countries of the former USSR represented in the ranking, Belarus is in the lead (38th place), Russia (42) and Ukraine (43) are slightly behind. A low level of proficiency was noted in Georgia (45). Very low levels were recorded in Azerbaijan (77), Kazakhstan (80) and Uzbekistan (86).

One of the key findings of the study is that English language proficiency in Asia has not improved despite high levels of investment in English language learning.

New correlations indicate that societies with higher levels of English proficiency are more egalitarian. Women also continue to outpace men in English language proficiency around the world, and the gender gap continues to widen.

Thai Education Minister Teerakiat Jareonsettasin said that learning English in Thailand is very important and the level of proficiency needs to be seriously improved.

“Every Thai student has studied English for at least 12 years in primary and secondary school, but most of them are still unable to communicate in English. This is the main obstacle to global competition,” the minister said.

According to the Minister of Education, the two main problems that need to be addressed are the teachers' own English skills and their approach to teaching.

By focusing on linguistic accuracy and memorization rather than communication, most students in Thailand are unable to communicate effectively in English. Many Thai students have a bad attitude towards English classes.

In 2015, the Thai Ministry of Education and the British Council joined forces to improve the skills of school English teachers through the Regional English Training Centers (RETC) project. Approximately 17,000 of Thailand's 40,000 English teachers have been trained to use the conversational approach to teaching. But so far no significant results have been seen, and the level of English proficiency in Thailand is falling.

State exam (test) for knowledge of the Thai language in Thailand for foreigners

Since the year 2551 (2007 according to the generally accepted calendar), the procedure for passing the Thai language test has been changed. The exam regulations have changed. Dictation has been excluded from the written test and a description of maps, diagrams, graphs, and tables has been added. The exam lasts 4 hours with short breaks of 5 minutes and is divided into comprehension, reading, writing and speaking tests:

Based on the results of each test, scores are assigned. The rating scale and their interpretation and correspondence to school education are as follows:
1 - initial level, i.e. almost nothing
2 - level of item 3, i.e. corresponds to three years of primary education,
3 - level 6, already very good, some Thais finish their studies at this level,
4 - level m.3, this is already respectable for a foreigner, corresponds to a 9-year school level,
5 - level m.6, corresponds to complete secondary education, a very high level for a foreigner, fluency in languages ​​within the scope of knowledge of a high school graduate,
6 - knowledge at the level of a native speaker with an excellent (academic) education, practically unattainable for a foreigner

A comment:
First comes the prathoma level, the first 6 years of school, compulsory education, indicated by points 1-6. Next comes the second six-year period, matthayom, m.1-m.6. These two six-year years form a complete secondary education (in Thai schools you study for 12 years), after which you can take entrance exams to university.

Example of testing (exam)

1. Understanding the text by ear and answering questions about the text (guessing game)

General description of the test:
The text is read at a normal pace and questions are asked with 4 possible answers. A total of 36 short texts are offered. The main difficulty lies not even in understanding the text by ear, but in remembering all the details of the text and knowledge of the topic in a broader framework than the text read by the teacher gives. Texts and questions are not repeated. The total time for this test is 50 minutes. The student receives an answer sheet.

There are small dialogues, after which there are questions and a guessing game. There are no stops at all. The speed of speech is very fast (not even just fast), in ordinary life they don’t speak like that. Many words are blurred or simply swallowed. It is understood that the first 10 dialogues, monologues or songs (there were such things) are the easiest level, the next 10 are p.6-m.3, the next 16 are level from m.6 to native.

2. Reading test

General description of the test:
The test consists of reading the proposed texts and answering questions on the topic of the texts. The “guessing” principle is also used here; each question has 4 possible answers. The difficulty lies in the need to master the topic of the text, since the questions are often not directly related to the text and require additional knowledge on the topic. This test is designed to last 50 minutes, you need to meet it within this time. Questions left unanswered are counted as a "minus" for each question.

What it looked like in reality (comment from the test taker):
50 minutes for 50 answers. Each answer is first a text from a third of a page to 2 pages, and then a “guess” based on this text: a question and answer from 4 options. Read this volume completely, even without answers, during this time - back to back, if you read diagonally. That's a good-sized stack of paper. No one answered all the questions completely; there simply wasn’t enough time. I managed to answer about 75% - I read the texts diagonally. Many didn’t even get through half of it, which is not surprising.
For example, the text seems to be simple: “In the 12th month, one of the Loy Krathong holidays is celebrated. The time of its celebration falls exactly opposite to Songkran, another traditional Thai holiday. Loy Krathong means this and that, is dedicated to such and such -this, and during the celebration they do this and that..." And so on for half a page.
Now the question. "What is this text about?" and answer options:

About Thai holidays

About Loy Krathong

About the time of Loy Krathong

About the specifics of Loy Krathong.
In all the texts, the tricky questions turned out to be the most difficult.

3. Writing test

General description of the test:
The test is divided into two parts

• A written description of a diagram (such as “directions”), photographs, pictures, maps, graphs, tables, or diagrams. Minimum 10 lines (A4 sheet), time - 15 minutes. When describing, you should avoid the same type of speech patterns, you should use sentence templates (the more, the better), compare key indicators of the tables, indicate the possibility of different routes on the map with reference to landmarks, etc.
• Writing an essay on a given topic. There are 2 topics to choose from. Essay volume - 20-30 lines (A4 sheet), time - 35 minutes. The essay should include an introductory part (a paragraph of 3 lines), the body of the essay (one or more paragraphs), where the topic is revealed in at least three parameters, and a final part (a paragraph of 3 lines). The essay should be coherent and relevant to the topic. Difficulties - even if you write without stopping to think, there is not enough time. True, this is my difficulty to a greater extent, because... My handwriting is small. Therefore, it makes sense to slightly enlarge the letters, otherwise you simply won’t have time to write the required volume.

What it looked like in reality (comment from the test taker):
Oddly enough, it was much easier than described: for 15 minutes. description of a simple diagram and for 35 minutes I came across an essay on the topic “Vocational education and its importance in modern society.” I even wrote a little more than was required.

4. Conversation

General description of the test:
You need to enter correctly when invited, approach correctly, greet the examiner correctly, sit down opposite, introduce yourself, and briefly tell about yourself, your family, and occupation. Then talk with the examiner on various topics (whatever comes to the mind of the examiner): politics, economics, global economic crisis, modern problems of farmers in Thailand, environmental problems, tsunamis, travel, hobbies, news, communication and communication systems, labor exchanges, life in Bangkok and in the provinces, cultural features of different parts of Thailand, general Thai traditions, holidays, festivals, religions in Thailand, Thai cuisine, teenage problems, environmental protection... After finishing the conversation, say goodbye correctly, get up correctly and leave correctly.
Particular attention should be paid to your own clothing. You should dress strictly; girls should wear only classic skirts, no trousers. You should not “talk with your hands,” pat the examiner on the shoulder, pat his cheek, or smile ingratiatingly.

What it looked like in reality (comment from the test taker):
This test turned out to be the easiest - about 10 minutes of energetic chatter and answering questions on ordinary daily topics (they also threw me politics). 2 teachers are interviewed at once, crosswise. There is a little trick - sometimes they can ask a question very quietly, simply muttering something to themselves, and even bowing their head. Or part of the question. It is understood that this must still be understood, and the missing part of the question must be thought out in the right direction.

What is good for a Thai, is a fine of 10,000 baht for a Russian. To avoid arrest or financial punishment in Thailand, and simply save your life, avoid these 10 mistakes

Disrespect for monks and monarchs

The crown and faith are pillars of Thai identity. Don’t even try to convince the locals that such views are old-fashioned! You face anywhere from a fine to jail time. And not only for lampoons about the King on Facebook (their author can go to Thai places not so distant for 30 years). Disrespect can be shown by stepping on a bill with the image of the King or by putting a wallet with baht in the back pocket of your trousers.

Photo: Shutterstock 10

Dealing with drugs

Thailand is a country of young and reckless tourists. It seems that a joint would be ideal for a relaxing holiday on a paradise beach, and having a blast at the Full Moon Party is much brighter with a couple of ecstasy tablets. But don’t forget that in Thailand drug trafficking is strictly punished: if you buy something fun, you can end up in a not at all happy story.

The second, no less unpleasant side of the coin is the deception of traders: an ignorant tourist can be sold anything, even rat poison. The beauty of Thailand is dizzying better than any drugs - take care of your health and life!

Photo: Shutterstock

If you come to Thailand with an open heart, with respect for local traditions and customs, every little thing will be forgiven with a smile. May your journey be filled only with positive emotions. See you in Thailand!