Are you interested in learning Thai vocabulary about transportation before your big travel to Thailand? Well, worry no more because, in this post, we will walk you through the common Thai words and phrases as well as some of the questions that you can use in relation to vehicles and directions.
By then of the article, we will also suggest two free mobile applications that you can use to learn amazing Thai lessons before (or during) your visit to the country. If you are up for that, then off we go!
Thailand has always been considered as one of the top places to visit with its wonderful culture, outstanding history, sumptuous food selection, and remarkable people. On top of it all, the country is the home of lush jungles, pristine beaches and is highly convenient since most stores remain open 24/7! Another thing worth mentioning whenever we think about the country is its range of exquisite transportation.
Let’s get to know more about this in the section below.
Thai Vocabulary About Transportation
Getting around the country is easy, and we have to say that it is fascinating for foreigners! Come to think of it, what Westerners usually encounter are the traditional taxis and busses, right? In Thailand, you have different modes of การขนส่ง or transportation to choose from! This includes the following:
| English | Thai | Pronunciation Guide |
| Tuk-tuk | รถตุ๊กตุ๊ก | Rt̄h túk túk |
| Bicycle | จักรยาน | Jàk-grà-yaan |
| Motorcycle | มอเตอร์ไซค์ | Mɔɔ-dtəə-sai |
| Scooter | สกู๊ตเตอร์ | S̄kū́t-dtəə |
| Vehicle | รถ | rót |
| Car | รถยนต์ | Rót-yon |
| Bus | รถบัส | Rót-bát |
| Public transportation | รถโดยสารสาธารณะ | rót dooi sǎan sǎa taan ná |
| Train | รถไฟ | Rót-fai |
| Skytrain | รถไฟฟ้า | Rót-fai-fáa |
| The Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS Skytrain) | รถไฟฟ้าบีทีเอส | rót fai fáa bii tii èet |
| Subway train | รถไฟใต้ดิน | Rót-fai-dtâi-din |
| Subway or the Metropolitan Rapid Transit (MRT subway) | รถไฟใต้ดิน | rót fai dtâi din |
| Taxi | แท็กซี่ | Tɛ́ɛk-sîi |
| Airplane | เครื่องบิน | Krʉ̂ʉang-bin |
| Boat/Ship | เรือ | Rʉʉa |
| Ferry | เรือข้ามฟาก | Rʉʉa-kâam-fâak |
| Jet | เครื่องบินไอพ่น | Krʉ̂ʉang-bin |
| Helicopter | เฮลิคอปเตอร์ | Ḥe-li-khop-dtəə |
| Van | รถตู้ | Rót-dtûu |
| Tractor | รถไถ | Rót-tai |
| Pickup truck | รถกระบะ | Rót-kra-ba |
| Minibus | รถบัสเล็ก | Rót-bát-lék |
| Motorbike taxi or motorcycle taxi | วินมอเตอร์ไซค์ | win mɔɔ dtəə sai |
| Truck | รถบรรทุก | rót ban túk |
| English | Thai | Pronunciation Guide |
| Take me to _____, please. | ไป _____ นะครับ/ค่ะ | pai _____ na khrap/kâ |
| How much does it cost to get to _____? | ไป _____ เท่าไหร่ | pai _____ thâo-rài |
| Stop here. | จอด ที่นี่ | jòt thîi nîi |
| Take me there, please. | พาผม/ดิฉันไปที่นั่นหน่อยครับ/ค่ะ | phaa phŏm/dì-chăn pai tîi nân nòi khrap/khâ |
| Can you show me on the map? | ช่วยชี้แผนที่ได้ไหม ครับ/คะ | chûai chíi păan-tîi dâi măi khrap/ká |
| How do I get to _____ ? | จะไป _____ อย่างไร? | jà pai _____ yàng rai |
| When will this train/bus arrive in _____? | รถคันนี้จะไปถึง_____เมื่อไร? | rót khan níi jà pai thǔeng_____mûearai |
| When does the train/bus for _____ leave? | รถไป_____จะออกเมื่อไร? | rót pai_____jà òk mûearai |
| Where does this train/bus go? | รถคันนี้ไปไหน? | rót khan nii pai na |
| How much is a ticket to _____? | ค่าตั๋วไป_____ราคาเท่าไร | kháa tŭa pai_____ráa-kháa thao-rai |
| Turn left | เลี้ยวซ้าย | lio saai |
| Turn right | เลี้ยวขวา | lio khwaa |
| Straight ahead | ตรงไป | trong pai |
| North | ทิศเหนือ | thít nǔea |
| South | ทิศใต้ | thít tâi |
| East | ทิศตะวันออก | thít tà-wan ok |
| West | ทิศตะวันตก | thít tà-wan tòk |
Bangkok’s Traffic Is Among The Worst In The World
Bangkok is the capital city of Thailand. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the most congested cities in the world, and getting about during the morning (between 7:30 and 9:30 am) or evening (between 5:30 and 7:30 pm) rush hours may be a real pain.
Many of the city’s local hotspots are in residential or industrial neighborhoods outside of the central downtown regions of the Thai capital, yet traffic may still build up rapidly in these locations. However, traffic is terrible during rush hours on roads frequented by foreign tourists, including the Siam Square area, Sukhumvit Road, and Silom. Furthermore, traffic conditions on any given day can never be predicted accurately due to external factors such as accidents, lane closures, maintenance, rainfall, etc. Therefore, you should always give yourself additional time when traveling in Bangkok.
Why Is There So Much Traffic In Bangkok?
Since the city’s public transportation system is insufficient, employees living in the suburbs must drive to and from work daily. Although the city’s infrastructure adds to traffic, public transit management encourages people to buy and use private vehicles. That’s why additional cars are adding to the congestion on Bangkok’s already congested roads.
Public Transport That Helps You Avoid Traffic Roads
Since we started discussing traffic in Bangkok, let’s keep going. You probably already know there are ways to avoid being trapped in traffic. Then, we’ll show you the basics of Thai public transit so you can easily get around Bangkok.
รถไฟฟ้าแอร์พอร์ต เรล ลิงก์ (Rót Fai Fáa ɛɛ Pɔ̂ɔd Reen Ling) – Airport Rail Link
Most international flights with the destination of Bangkok will land at Suvarnabhumi International Airport. In addition, the Airport Rail Link provides convenient access to the city’s heart from the airport. It operates daily from 5.30 am to midnight and connects directly to the Bangkok MRT subway and BTS Skytrain. After passing the immigration checkpoint, you can walk down to the basement level and buy train tickets there.
รถไฟฟ้าบีทีเอส (Rót Fai Fáa Bii Tii èet) – The Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS Skytrain)
Skytrain, or BTS, is an elevated rapid transportation system in Bangkok constantly expanding. Many local people avoid being stuck in traffic jams by using BTS.
If you travel from Don Mueang International Airport, one of the major airports in Thailand where most domestic flights and budget airlines will be here, such as Thai Lion Air and Air Asia, unfortunately, there are no BTS Skytrain links directly to the airport. However, you can take local buses to the BTS station called “Mochit” and the MRT station called “Chatujuk.” Then you may proceed to the central area of Bangkok afterward.
รถไฟใต้ดิน (Rót Fai Dtâi Din) – Subway Or The Metropolitan Rapid Transit (MRT)
As previously stated, you may use the Thai bus transport system from Don Mueang International Airport to the nearest MRT station and then use the subway to get to the central area. The MRT is a subway system in Bangkok that follows the main road. You can take it from 6 am to midnight.
รถตุ๊กตุ๊ก (Rót Dtúk Dtúk) – Tuk-Tuk Taxi
The tuk-tuk is a type of motorized tricycle with a roof and seating for the driver and two or three passengers. It’s a major contributor to the country’s unique mode of transportation. You can use them to navigate Thailand’s busy streets, and they are a staple of the local culture. However, the lack of fixed pricing makes it more challenging to defend against being scammed.
วินมอเตอร์ไซค์ (Win Mɔɔ Dtəə Sai) – Motorbike Taxis Or Motorcycle Taxis
Compared to Tuk-tuks, it will get you where you need to go far more quickly. Motorbike Taxis can be found in most Thai cities, not just the larger ones. Their service model is similar to that of taxis. You only have to wait on the sidewalk, keep an eye out for the riders in the orange vests, and wave them down as they pass. Unfortunately, even natives have a hard time protecting themselves from scams due to the absence of standard pricing.
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Which of these is your favorite word? With the comprehensive list, we have right here, we bet that you can ace the Thai language when speaking with the locals. Suppose you enjoyed this post about Thai vocabulary. In that case, we highly recommend that you read our previous language tips about the Thai language, like how to say beautiful, congratulations, or their wise proverbs!
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