The Thai alphabet is not a true alphabet but rather an abugida, which is a type of writing system whose basic characters denote consonants followed by a particular vowel. Diacritics denote other vowels. Consonant-vowel sequences are written as units. The Thai abugida is written from left to right and is used to write Thai and Southern Thai.
The Thai abugida is derived from the Old Khmer script. According to tradition, it was created in 1283 by King Ramkhanhaeng the Great. It modified some of the Old Khmer letters and introduced new ones plus tone marks. Thai is the first script in the world that invented tone markers. Tones are most notably seen in Chinese, where the entire meaning of a word can change.
The Thai script has 44 consonant symbols, 16 vowel symbols combined into at least 32 vowel forms, and four tone diacritics. The absence of a vowel diacritic improves an a or o.
In Thai script, consonants are written horizontally, left to right, and vowels following a consonant are written above, below, to either side of the consonant, or any combination.
Thai Alphabet | English Sound | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| ก | k | as in ko kai (chicken) |
| ข | kh | as in kho khai (egg) |
| ฃ | kh | as in kho khuat (bottle) [obsolete] |
| ค | kh | as in kho khwai (water buffalo) |
| ฅ | kh | as in kho khon (person) [obsolete] |
| ฆ | kh | as in kho ra-khang (bell) |
| ง | ng | as in ngo ngu (snake) |
| จ | ch | as in cho chan (plate) |
| ฉ | ch | as in cho ching (cymbals) |
| ช | ch | as in cho chang (elephant) |
| ซ | s | as in so so (chain) |
| ฌ | ch | as in cho choe (tree) |
| ญ | y | as in yo ying (woman) |
| ฎ | d | as in do cha-da (headdress) |
| ฏ | t | as in to pa-tak (goad, javelin) |
| ฐ | th | as in tho than (base) |
| ฑ | th | as in tho montho (Mandodari, character from Ramayana) |
| ฒ | th | as in tho phu-thao (elder) |
| ณ | n | as in no nen (samanera) |
| ด | d | as in do dek (child) |
| ต | t | as in to tao (turtle) |
| ถ | th | as in tho thung (sack) |
| ท | th | as in tho thahan (soldier) |
| ธ | th | as in tho thong (flag) |
| น | n | as in no nu (mouse) |
| บ | b | as in bo baimai (leaf) |
| ป | p | as in po pla (fish) |
| ผ | ph | as in pho phueng (bee) |
| ฝ | f | as in fo fa (lid) |
| พ | ph | as in pho phan (tray) |
| ฟ | f | as in fo fan (teeth) |
| ภ | ph | as in pho sam-phao (sailboat) |
| ม | m | as in mo ma (horse) |
| ย | y | as in yo yak (giant) |
| ร | r | as in ro ruea (boat) |
| ล | l | as in lo ling (monkey) |
| ว | w | as in wo waen (ring) |
| ศ | s | as in so sala (pavilion) |
| ษ | s | as in so rue-si (hermit) |
| ส | s | as in so suea (tiger) |
| ห | h | as in ho hip (chest) |
| ฬ | l | as in lo chu-la (kite) |
| อ | * | as in o ang (basin) |
| ฮ | h | as in ho nok-huk (owl) |
Thai Alphabet | English Sound | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| – | a | u as in nut |
| – – | o | oa as in boat |
| –รร | an | un as in tun |
| –รร– | a | u as in nut |
| –รรม | am | um as in hum |
| –ว– | ua | ewe as in newer |
| –วย | uai | uoy as in buoy |
| –อ | o | aw as in saw |
| –็อ– | o | o as in not |
| –อย | oi | oy as in boy |
| –ะ | a | u as in nut |
| –ั – | a | u as in nut |
| –ัย | ai | i as in hi |
| –ัว | ua | ewe as in newer |
| –ัวะ | ua | ewe as in sewer |
| –า | a | a as in father |
| –าย | ai | ye as in bye |
| –าว | ao | ow as in now |
| –ำ | am | um as in sum |
| –ิ | i | y as in greedy |
| –ิว | io | ew as in new |
| –ี | i | ee as in see |
| –ึ | ue | u as in French du (short) |
| –ื | ue | u as in French dur (long) |
| –ุ | u | oo as in look |
| –ู | u | oo as in too |
| เ– | e | a as in lame |
| เ–็ – | e | e as in neck |
| เ–ะ | e | e as in neck |
| เ–ย | oei | u as in burn + y as in boy |
| เ–อ | oe | u as in burn |
| เ–อะ | oe | e as in the |
| เ–ิ – | oe | e as in the |
| เ–ว | eo | ai + ow as in rainbow |
| เ–า | ao | ow as in cow |
| เ–าะ | o | o as in not |
| เ–ีย | ia | ea as in ear |
| เ–ียะ | ia | ea as in ear with glottal stop |
| เ–ียว | iao | io as in trio |
| เ–ือ | uea | ure as in pure |
| เ–ือะ | uea | ure as in pure |
| แ– | ae | a as in ham |
| แ–ะ | ae | a as in at |
| แ–็ – | ae | a as in at |
| แ–ว | aeo | a as in ham + ow as in low |
| โ– | o | o as in go |
| โ–ะ | o | o as in poke |
| ใ– | ai | i as in I |
| ไ– | ai | i as in I |
| ฤ | rue | ri as in Krishna |
| ฤๅ | rue | |
| ฦ | lue | li as in leak |