Krabi Culture | Thai language guide for conversing in Krabi
More than 75 million people speak or understand Thai, which makes it not only a significant Krabi language, but also a significant Asian language. Thai is a language that has a well developed media that includes dubbed movies, software, instruction manuals, translated work, television, music, radio, books and children's material.
There are four dialects to the Thai language
Thai language is a part of the thai-Kadai family which covers languages that are found in most of central Southeast Asia. This includes the Northern reaches of Laos, Burma, Vietnam and some parts of Southern China. Despite being spoken in all these countries, it is only in Lao that Thai language is a mother tongue for those living there.
There are four recognized dialects for the Thai language Thai in North, Northeast, Central and Southern Thailand. However it was because of the Ayuthaya domination in the 18th century that the Central dialect of this Thai language was widely used and taught in schools and used on television. The main difference between the dialects of this Thai language is vocabulary or pronunciation.
Locals like tourists who attempt to speak Thai language
The characteristics of Thai language are the usage of its tones where small groups of words are sufficient to create a large vocabulary of Thai. In fact, this is the most challenging aspect of the language to the foreign learner. This could be compared to the syllable emphasis in English where you just have to talk the language and get used to different sounds of the language.
You find it easier to get started on this Thai language by using its simplified grammar and basic words. The specialty of the language is that there is no spacing between words. This makes it rather difficult to read Thai text; however by memorizing characters, you find it easy to decipher critical signs and to improve your reading of the language.
Though most Thais speak Basic English, they really do admire and appreciate tourists who take the effort to learn a few basic greetings in Thai language.
More about the Thai language:
Despite the fact that the Thai language has some tongue tonal complications, it is not a difficult language to learn. This is because the grammar and sentence structure of the Thai language is much more simplified than in English. The syntax and sentence structure of Thai language is straight forward and like English, save for a few expressions.
Politeness is emphasized in Thai language
Thai language is spoken in a polite and soft manner where they tend to add krup (male) or ka (female) at the end of each sentence, unless they are talking to a person their age or younger than them. To show respect, the word 'na' is used when speaking in Thai language.
Thai language is different from Latin-based languages as there are five different tones, and several unusual sounds used in it. This is why a single word can have different meanings when spoken in different tones. Grammar in Thai language is rather simple, where you only have a few alterations to get used to.
It is easy to learn Thai language through internet and books
Just like in English, conjunctions are used to string together different sentences in Thai language. As the Thai language is easy to learn, it is better if you make some attempts to communicate in Thai with the locals of Krabi.
There are many booklets, CDs, websites on the internet and schools that teach you the Thai language. So if you are interested in learning Thai, you can do so when you are having a holiday in Krabi or while sitting in the comfort of your home, via the internet.
Last Updated: 20 Feb 2008