Underground Journal

Communication Problems in Thailand and How Your Intent Can Get Lost in Translation

Some languages are easier than others, and usually if you stay in popular tourist destinations there will be someone around who understands English, but it can bring a lot of satisfaction to be able to say a few words in a person’s own language. In Thailand, most people will be delighted at your attempts to speak Thai phrases and will do their best to understand what you are saying. This is a good thing, because some aspects of Thai can be a bit confusing.

In Thai (which itself exists in 5 different forms) there are 10 different words for “you,” depending on age, social status, your own social status and so on. Thai is also a “tone” language, which means that the word is different depending on whether it is pronounced high, low, middle, with a rising inflection or with a falling inflection. As a matter of fact, the sentence “New wood doesn’t burn, does it?” is rendered in print as “Mai mai mai mai, mai.” To make a question you put in a question word instead of a rising inflection. Even vowels can be tricky: hold one out too long and you may find yourself saying something entirely different.

You may find yourself confused with spellings, because transliteration is not uniform and road maps might not agree with each other. The king’s name, for example, may be rendered “Bhumibol” or “Phumiphon.”

At the end of every sentence, to be polite, men should include the word “Khrap” and women “Kha.” This can also be translated “yes.” Travelers have sometimes been frustrated by asking, for example, “Is this the right road?” and being told “yes” when it is not. This happens because contradicting the traveler can seem impolite to the local person. “Khrap” and “Kha” can be considered “politeness words.” Always bear in mind that courtesy is very important in Thailand.

With all its difficulties, Thai is very simple in some ways. There are no tenses, no noun genders, no articles or verb conjugations. So if you have a positive attitude, you can pick up a little Thai that will make your visit more memorable.

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