Thai phrases for your Thailand trip

No, but a few phrases help every day. English works in tourist areas, hotels and airports, and these greetings and questions cover the daily situations where English may not. Tourism Thailand also publishes useful Thai words for visitors.

Sawasdee. It is the polite hello at any time of day. Men end it with khrap and women with kha, and the same courtesy ending works after thank you (khop khun khrap/kha).

Say mangsawirat (มังสวิรัติ) for vegetarian, or point to the no-meat sentence in this guide: mai sai nuea sat, "no meat, please". Many tourist restaurants also understand "vegetarian" in English.

They are politeness particles, not separate words to translate. Men say khrap and women say kha at the end of sentences to sound polite. Skipping them is understood, adding them is warmer.

Say mai phet (ไม่เผ็ด), "not spicy". For a little spice, say phet nit noi. Thai food in tourist areas can still be hot by Indian standards, so it is worth saying every time.

Yes, politely, in markets and with tuk-tuks; malls, convenience stores and restaurants have fixed prices. Ask thao rai (how much) and try lot rakha dai mai (can you lower the price) with a smile.