Getting around in Thai
Left, right, the station, one ticket, where is the toilet. Play the ten Thai words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Thai phrases in this lesson
- ห้องน้ำอยู่ที่ไหนhong-NAHM-yu-tee-NAI
- Where is the toilet?
- ไป...ยังไงpai ... yang NGAI
- How do I get to...?
- เลี้ยวซ้ายlieo SAI
- To the left
- เลี้ยวขวาlieo KHWA
- To the right
- ตรงไปtrong-PAI
- Straight ahead
- ที่นี่tee-NEE
- Here
- สถานีรถไฟsa-tha-NEE-rot-FAI
- Train station
- รถเมล์rot MAE
- Bus
- สนามบินsa-nahm BIN
- Airport
- ตั๋วหนึ่งใบค่ะtua-NUNG-bai-kha
- One ticket, please
Signs read "H.M." or "WC". In Bangkok every cafe and restaurant has one. Rural Thailand relies on squat toilets more than Western ones. Carrying hand sanitizer is standard.
Literally "turn left".
The most useful direction in Thailand. Bangkok taxis and tuk tuks navigate by landmarks (the big mosque, the temple) more than street names.
Pointing is equally important as the word. Drawing on a phone map or pointing at a printed address works better than most directions.
Literally "railway station". Bangkok has a sky train (BTS) and underground (MRT), both efficient and cheap. Long-distance trains are good but often late.
From English mail, after the old mail coaches.
Literally "flying field".
English works fine at tourist stations, but speaking Thai is appreciated. Most transit uses cards: Rabbit Card for BTS, Beep Card for MRT. Apps increasingly replace cards.